Long-term albumin administration in decompensated cirrhosis (ANSWER): an open-label randomised trial.

Background: Evidence is scarce on the efficacy of long-term human albumin (HA) administration in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The human Albumin for the treatmeNt of aScites in patients With hEpatic ciRrhosis (ANSWER) study was designed to clarify this issue.

Methods: We did an investigator-initiated multicentre randomised, parallel, open-label, pragmatic trial in 33 academic and non-academic Italian hospitals.

Monoclonal gammopathy after liver transplantation: a risk factor for long-term medical complications other than malignancies.

The aims of the study were to evaluate (i) the prevalence of MGUS in patients after liver transplantation (LT), (ii) the role of MGUS as a risk factor for malignancy and other medical complications after LT. One hundred and fifty consecutive patients were included in the study and followed prospectively after LT for more than 18 months. Eighteen patients had MGUS before LT, whereas 49 patients developed MGUS after LT ('de novo' MGUS).

Oral magnesium supplementation improves vascular function in elderly diabetic patients.

Magnesium (Mg) ions directly influence vascular tone and responsiveness and are cofactors for acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation. Alterations in extracellular Mg are able to modify the formation and release of nitric oxide (NO), altering arterial smooth muscle tone. Previous in vivo studies in humans have shown that parenteral or oral Mg supplementation increase endothelial-dependent vasodilation.

Age, homocysteine, and oxidative stress: relation to hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: Hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress are independent risk factors for cardiovascular events, which occur more frequently in old age. We evaluated these parameters in relation to age and the presence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Two hundred eighty-two subjects (female/male: 142/140; 141 were >65 years and 141 were <65 years; mean age 73.

Combined versus sequential diuretic treatment of ascites in non-azotaemic patients with cirrhosis: results of an open randomised clinical trial.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare sequential versus combined diuretic therapy in patients with cirrhosis, moderate ascites and without renal failure.

Design: One hundred patients were randomly assigned to the two diuretic treatments. The sequential treatment provided potassium canrenoate at the initial dose of 200 mg/day, then increased to 400 mg/day.