American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: parenteral nutrition

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on Parenteral Nutrition. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Committee on April 13, 2001 and by the AGA Governing Board on May 18, 2001.     

American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: guidelines on constipation

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on constipation. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee on March 4, 2000, and by the AGA Governing Board on May 21, 2000.     

American Gastroenterological Association Medical Position Statement: guidelines on intestinal ischemia

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on intestinal ischemia. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee on September 25, 1999, and by the AGA Governing Board on November 15, 1999.     

AGA technical review on constipation. American Gastroenterological Association

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee on March 4, 2000, and by the AGA Governing Board on May 21, 2000.     

American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: diagnosis and treatment of gastroparesis

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastroparesis. It was approved by the Clinical Practice Committee on May 16, 2004, and by the AGA Governing Board on September 23, 2004.     

American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: Diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhoids

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on Hemorrhoids. It was approved by the Clinical Practice Committee on January 8, 2004, and by the AGA Governing Board on February 13, 2004.     

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute technology assessment on image-enhanced endoscopy

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Technology Assessment on "Image-Enhanced Endoscopy." It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Economics Committee on August 3, 2007, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board September 27, 2007.     

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute technical review on obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the AGA Institute Clinical Practice and Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee on March 12, 2007, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on May 19, 2007.     

American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement: evaluation and management of occult and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on the evaluation and management of occult and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee on May 16, 1999, and by the AGA governing board on July 18, 1999.     

American Gastroenterological Association Institute medical position statement on the management of gastric subepithelial masses

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute (AGA Institute) on "Management of Gastric Subepithelial Masses." It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Economics Committee on January 19, 2006, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on April 20, 2006.     

American Gastroenterological Association technical review on the diagnosis and treatment of gastroparesis

This literature review and the recommendations herein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee on May 16, 2004, and by the AGA Governing Board on September 23, 2004.     

American Gastroenterological Association Institute technical review on the management of gastric subepithelial masses

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Institute Clinical Practice and Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee on January 19, 2006, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on April 20, 2006.     

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute medical position statement on obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute on "Evaluation and Management of Occult and Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding." It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Economics Committee on March 12, 2007, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on May 19, 2007. This medical position statement is based upon the interpretation and assimilation of scientifically valid research, derived from a comprehensive review of published literature.     

AGA technical review on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. American Gastroenterological Association

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the Committee in March 1999 and by the AGA Governing Board in May 1999.     

Adherence to the 2011 American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement for the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus

Considerable variability exists in adherence to practice guidelines for Barrett's esophagus (BE). Rapid advances in management approaches to BE led to a new American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) medical position statement in 2011. Our aim was to assess how well members of the AGA Clinical Practice section adhered to these guidelines. A self‐administered survey incorporating questions on diagnostic criteria, cancer risk estimates, screening, surveillance, and therapeutics for BE was distributed electronically to 5850 North American members of the AGA Clinical Practice section. The response rate was 470 of 2040 opened e‐mails (23%). Intestinal metaplasia was required for diagnosis of BE by 90%, but the Prague classification was used by only 53% of those aware of it. The annual risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma was reported as 0.1–0.5% by 76%. Screening practices were variable, with 35% screening all patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease and 15% repeating endoscopy in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease following a negative screening. Surveillance guidelines were followed by 79% for nondysplastic BE and 86% for low‐grade dysplasia, with expert pathology confirmation of dysplasia reported by 86%. Proton pump inhibitor dosing was variable, with 18% administering twice‐daily doses and 30% titrating dose to symptoms. Ablation therapy was recommended by 6% for nondysplastic BE, 38% for low‐grade dysplasia, and 52% for high‐grade dysplasia. There is satisfactory adherence to the new AGA guidelines with respect to diagnosis, cancer risk estimates, and surveillance intervals in a select group of respondents. However, adherence continues to be variable in the use of the Prague classification, screening, and dosing of antisecretory therapy. Use of ablation therapy increases with grade of dysplasia. The reason for continued variability in adherence to BE practice guidelines remains unclear, and more evidence‐based guidance is required to enhance clinical practice.     

The American Gastroenterological Association standards for office-based gastrointestinal endoscopy services

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) standards for office-based gastrointestinal endoscopy were written in response to market changes in physician reimbursements for many endoscopic procedures that will continue to drive their performance into unregulated physician offices. The AGA believes that patient safety is best protected if these standards are adopted by sites that also comply with state/federal laws for licensure or are certified as an ASC and/or are accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation program (e.g., the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's [JCAHO] new Office-Based Surgery Standards). Heretofore, relevant practice standards for the performance of endoscopic procedures in these settings have not been available, a situation that the AGA believes puts patients at risk. These standards have been developed to reduce that risk.     

American gastroenterological association medical position statement on treatment of patients with dysphagia caused by benign disorders of the distal esophagus.

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on treatment of patients with dysphagia caused by benign disorders of the distal espophagus. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee on September 27, 1998, and by the AGA Governing Board on November 8, 1998.     

AGA technical review on intestinal ischemia. American Gastrointestinal Association

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the committee on September 25, 1999, and by the AGA Governing Board on November 25, 1999.     

American gastroenterological association medical position statement: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee in March 1999 and by the AGA Governing Board in May 1999.     

American gastroenterological association institute medical position statement on the use of gastrointestinal medications in pregnancy

This document presents the official recommendations of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute on "Use of Gastrointestinal Medications in Pregnancy." It was approved by the Clinical Practice and Economics Committee on February 22, 2006, and by the AGA Institute Governing Board on April 20, 2006.