Join us for a discussion of the exciting development and potential utility of the first blood testing for irritable bowel syndrome. The functional bowel syndromes have always been described as diseases without any clinical or lab findings[horizontal ellipsis]until now. In summer 2008, a novel serologic test was approved by the United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and released looking at 10 nonspecific serum gastrointestinal (GI) markers. Using the blood testing results, a computer-devised algorithm correlated a three dimensional relationship between the 10 markers which with a high degree of sensitivity differentiates diarrhea and constipation type-irritable bowel syndrome verses other GI diagnoses including functional diarrhea and constipation. This computer mediated diagnosis represents a medical advance along the caliber of discovery of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double helix, or H pylori and ulcers!!

Section Description

We are pleased to present the abstracts from sgna's 36th annual course, SGNA: your gateway to opportunity. The diversity of these topics certainly reflects the richness and breadth of our specialty. in keeping with the tradition of the annual course, we hope the following abstracts will encourage discussions for improving nursing practice and patient care outcomes.