Key Highlights from DDW 2023: A Comprehensive Recap!

Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the world's largest gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, and GI surgery. DDW  provides an invaluable forum for advancing knowledge and understanding of digestive diseases, making it an essential event for anyone working in this field. The DDW 2023 conference was held from May 6 to 9, in Chicago, IL in a hybrid in-person/virtual model.

Ferma.AI has analyzed all 6,521 abstracts submitted for the DDW 2023 conference, along with social media activity and news reports, to determine the most relevant and high-impact sessions for neurologists. The top sessions that garnered the most attention covered a diverse range of content including cutting-edge research, new treatments and therapies, and insights into the latest clinical practices. Ferma.AI assigned a normalized "buzz score" to each session, identifying the most talked-about sessions among attendees.

Interested in learning more about how Ferma.AI can enhance your conference coverage and insights while also reducing costs by 40%? Schedule a brief call with us to see a live demonstration.

Most Buzzed Sessions

Here are the top 10 sessions which have created the most buzz during the DDW Conference.

Let’s dive into the key takeaways for these top-buzzed sessions:

Microbial Changes From Bariatric Surgery Alters Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide And Prevents Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And Use Of Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Receptor Antagonism In Vivo Reduces Weight Gain

Session Title: AASLD Liver Plenary Session: Novel Insights and Advances in Liver Disease
Session Type: Plenary Session
Buzz Score: 100%
Abstract

Bariatric surgery reduces nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but its risks limit its adoption. This study shows microbiome changes induced by sleeve gastrectomy reduce glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) signaling, confer resistance to NAFLD, and decrease weight gain. Fecal microbial transplant from post-surgery patients to mice improved their resistance to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and NAFLD. Mice with post-surgery microbiomes had reduced GIP levels related to higher levels of Akkermansia and differing levels of indolepropionate. GIP receptor antagonist reduced weight gain in mice with DIO, suggesting GIPR antagonism and microbiome-based targets as therapeutic targets for NAFLD.

Habitual Meat Intake Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Disease Flare In Ulcerative Colitis: Initial Results From The Predicct Study

Session Title: AGA IBD: Biosimilar Switching, Next-Gen Therapies and Late Breakers
Session Type: Research Forum
Buzz Score: 98%
Abstract

The PREdiCCt study examined the association between habitual diet and disease flare in 1017 patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The hard flare rate was 5.6% per year, with no difference by subtype. Baseline total protein intake was 91.9 g/day of which 35.8 g/day was from meat sources. Habitual meat intake was associated with hard flare in UC but not CD. The hazard ratio between highest and lowest quartiles of meat intake in UC was 2.08. These are the first prospective data of habitual diet and IBD flare in a Western population, suggesting that dietary modification may reduce flare risk.

Durability Of The Clinical Response To Ser-109, An Investigational Oral Microbiome Therapeutic, In A Phase 3 Open-Label Trial (Ecospor Iv) In Patients With Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection

Session Title: AGA Novel Microbiome-Based Therapeutic Approaches for C. difficile Infection
Session Type: Research Forum
Buzz Score: 97%
Abstract

Recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) is a debilitating disease with a high risk of recurrence. The investigational oral microbiome therapeutic SER-109 was found to be superior to placebo in reducing the risk of rCDI in a Phase 3 randomized controlled trial (ECOSPOR III). In a Phase 3 open-label trial (ECOSPOR IV), 91.3% of subjects had a clinical response at 8 weeks, and 94.6% maintained a durable response through Week 24, regardless of the number of prior CDI recurrences. Treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate, and none were treatment-related.

Analysis Of Patient-Reported Treatment Satisfaction And Abdominal Score In Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation (Ibs-C) Treated With Tenapanor

Session Title: AGA Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Clinical
Session Type: Poster Session
Buzz Score: 97%
Abstract

A post-hoc analysis was conducted on data from the T3MPO-2 trial to assess the relationship between improvement in abdominal symptoms and patient-reported satisfaction with tenapanor treatment for IBS-C. The optimal reduction in the average abdominal symptom score from baseline at week 26 for IBS-C symptom relief ranged from 1.84 to 3.05 points, depending on the anchor used. The optimal percent reduction from baseline was 69% when patients reported complete relief. These results may help define clinical expectations for patients with IBS-C in real-world practice.

The Utility Of Symptom Association Probability (Sap) In Predicting Outcome After Laparoscopic Fundoplication In Patients With Abnormal Esophageal Acid Exposure

Session Title: SSAT Plenary Session: Best of Upper GI Diseases
Session Type: Plenary Session
Buzz Score: 96%
Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of symptom association probability (SAP) as an adjunct to DeMeester score for predicting outcomes after antireflux surgery (ARS) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A total of 360 patients were included in the study, and 73.3% of them had a positive SAP. However, SAP did not add any value to DeMeester score for predicting favorable outcomes after ARS. 88.2% of patients achieved a favorable outcome, and 88.9% had freedom from proton pump inhibitors (PPI) at a median follow-up of 24.1 months.

Loss Of Bifidobacterium In Adults With A History Of Invasive Cancer

Session Title: AGA Microbial Dysbiosis: Causes and Consequences
Session Type: Poster Session
Buzz Score: 94%
Abstract

This study aimed to compare gut microbiomes in adults with and without a history of cancer, as chronic inflammation contributes to cancer pathogenesis and gut dysbiosis is associated with an increased inflammatory state. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal samples of controls, individuals with invasive and non-invasive cancer. Median and interquartile range of Bifidobacterium relative abundance for each study group were: 4.175, 1.723-10.27 (controls); 0.000, 0.0006-0.4421 (aggressive cancer); and 2.338, 1.206-5.268 (non-aggressive cancer). Results showed a significant reduction in Bifidobacterium levels in individuals with invasive cancer compared to controls and those with non-invasive cancer, suggesting a potential association between Bifidobacterium loss and invasive cancer pathogenesis.

Efficacy Of Etrasimod At Week 52 Among Subjects Who Reached Clinical Response At Week 12:Post Hoc Analysis Of The Phase 3 Elevate Uc 52 Trial

Session Title: AGA IBD: Controlled Clinical Trials in Humans
Session Type: Poster Session
Buzz Score: 93%
Abstract

A post-hoc analysis of the ELEVATE UC 52 trial evaluated efficacy at week 52 among subjects who did or did not achieve clinical response at week 12. Of the etrasimod-treated subjects who achieved clinical response at week 12, 49.1% were in clinical remission at week 52, compared to 17.4% in the placebo group. No significant differences were observed in efficacy endpoints at week 52 among subjects who did not achieve clinical response at week 12.

Vedolizumab Prevents Postoperative Reucurrence In Crohn'S Disease:Results Of The Reprevio Trial

Session Title: AGA Clinical Plenary
Session Type: Plenary Session
Buzz Score: 93%
Abstract

The REPREVIO trial investigated the efficacy of vedolizumab (VDZ), an anti-integrin antibody, in preventing CD recurrence. 80 patients were randomized to vedolizumab or placebo, and after 26 weeks, patients underwent ileocolonoscopy. Patients in the treatment group had a 77.8% chance of having a better Rutgeerts’ score than control patients (p <0.0001).77% of patients who received VDZ had i0-2A versus 38% for PLC, yielding an absolute difference of 39% in favor of VDZ. Clinical recurrence (CDAI increase >70 pts between baseline and week 24) occurred in 9 pts on VDZ and 8 pts on PLC. No new safety signals were observed.

Ileocecal Resection For Recently Diagnosed Ileocecal Crohn'S Disease Is Associated With Improved Long-Term Outcomes Compared To Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy:A Population-Based Study

Session Title: AGA Comparing IBD Therapies: Insights and Controversies
Session Type: Research Forum
Buzz Score: 92%
Abstract

This Danish cohort study compared long-term outcomes of ileocecal Crohn's disease treated with ileocecal resection (ICR) or anti-TNF therapy as the index treatment. Of the 16,443 individuals diagnosed, 581 underwent ICR and 698 received anti-TNF therapy. The composite outcome occurred less frequently in the ICR group (110.3/100,000 person-years) compared to the anti-TNF group (201.9/100,000 person-years) with a 33% lower risk after adjusting for potential confounders (aHR 0.67; 95% CI 0.54, 0.83). At 5 years after ICR, 47.5% were initiated on immunomodulators, 17.1% on anti-TNF therapy, and 50.3% received no treatment.

Endoscopic Ultrasound (Eus)-Guided Gastrogastrostomy And Transoral Outlet Occlusion (Toro) For Endoscopic Reversion Of A Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass (Rygb) For Malnutrition And Failure To Thrive

Session Title: ASGE Video Plenary-Session III
Session Type: Plenary Session
Buzz Score: 92%
Abstract

Malnutrition is a common complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Surgical reversion can be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A 59-year-old female with a history of RYGB and protein-calorie malnutrition was admitted with septic shock. Endoscopic reversion of RYGB using an EUS-guided gastrogastrostomy and TORO technique was performed. At a 2-week follow-up, the patient had an excellent appetite and weight regain of 3.5 kgs. Larger studies are necessary to examine long-term efficacy and safety in this population.

Wrap-up

Ferma.AI tracks abstract and data releases for all major healthcare conferences, alongside social media and healthcare news reactions. Interested in learning more about how Ferma.AI can enhance your conference coverage and insights while also reducing costs by 40%? Schedule a brief call with us to see a live demonstration.