22 WORLD GASTROENTEROLOGY NEWS JANUARY 2015 Editorial | Expert Point of View | Gastro 2015: AGW/WGO | WDHD News | WGO & WGOF News | WGO Global Guidelines | Calendar of Events 20th Anniversary United Russian Gastroenterology Week Vladimir Ivashkin, MD, PhD President of the Russian Gastroenterological Association Head of Internal Medicine Propaedeutic Chair Director of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department First Moscow Sechenov Medical University Moscow, Russia Arkady Sheptulin, MD, PhD Internal Medicine Propaedeutic Chair First Moscow Sechenov Medical University Moscow, Russia Russian Gastroenterological Association On October 6-8, 2014, Moscow hosted the 20th Anniversary United Russian Gastroenterology Week. It at-tracted more than 4,000 participants from various medical specialialties (gastroenterologists, endoscopists, physicians, surgeons, pediatricians, and others) from Russia, the Com-monwealth of Independent States (CIS), and other countries. The event featured 35 plenary and sectional sessions devoted to current problems in the field of gastroenterol-ogy. For instance, much attention was given to resistant forms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and factors contributing to its occurrence. Another topic of discussion was the importance of intraesophageal pH-impedance monitoring in determin-ing the causes of refractoriness and in choosing a further treatment strategy. Special emphasis was placed on the need for early detection of patients with Barrett’s esophagus and subse-quent clinical observation in order to prevent the development of esopha-geal adenocarcinoma. Specialists also demonstrated advanced endoscopic techniques in the diagnosis and treat-ment of GERD complicated by Bar-rett’s esophagus (e.g. photodynamic therapy and endoscopic resection). The pathogenetic and clinical aspects of the Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection were widely discussed at the event, as well. Participants in the event were shown the role of patient screening using the non-invasive Gas-troPanel test system play in identify-ing forms of atrophic chronic gastritis. Another focus was on the importance of early eradication of HP to prevent gastric cancer, as well as on prop-erly choosing first and second line therapies and possible measures for improving the effectiveness of eradica-tion. Much attention was paid to the risk factors of erosive and ulcerative lesions in the stomach and duodenum during nonsteroidal anti-inflammato-ry drugs (NSAIDs) therapy, as well as the need to administer proton pump inhibitors in a timely manner to patients who have an increased risk of NSAID-gastropathy. Another prominent topic of discussion was the pathogenesis and clinical aspects of inflammatory bowel diseases. Participants were shown the effectiveness of anti TNFα agents (such as infliximab, adalimumab, and others) in active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In a large percent-age of cases, such drugs may serve as an alternative to surgical treatment. Russian Gastroenterology Week Registration. Another presentation showed the
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