Acute alcoholic hepatitis, end stage alcoholic liver disease and liver transplantation: an Italian position statement.

Alcoholic liver disease encompasses a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from steatosis steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. Forty-four per cent of all deaths from cirrhosis are attributed to alcohol. Alcoholic liver disease is the second most common diagnosis among patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT).

Altered oxidative stress/antioxidant status in blood of alcoholic subjects is associated with alcoholic liver disease.

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study investigated the possible correlation among the erythrocyte indices of oxidative stress, the leukocyte panels of antioxidant proteins (metallothioneins), the serum biochemical parameters and the liver steatosis grade.

Methods: A total of 118 cases including 60 alcoholic subjects and 58 controls were enrolled.

Pyogenic liver abscess caused by Gemella morbillorum.

Even though Gemella morbillorum infection (GMI) is rare in humans, it may nevertheless, cause endocarditis, meningitis, brain abscess, pleural empyema, nephritis, mediastinitis, and--occasionally--liver abscess. We are describing the case of a 64-years-old Caucasian male admitted with fever and abdominal pain. Laboratory parameters revealed inflammation signs, and instrumental examinations showed the presence of diverticula in the ascending colon.

Involvement of the mu-opioid receptor gene polymorphism A118G in the efficacy of detoxification of alcohol dependent patients.

Introduction: The A118G (rs 1799971) polymorphism in the mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) has been reported to be associated with alcohol addiction.

Methods: In this study 109 patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence in accordance with DMS-IV criteria and 95 healthy subjects were enrolled and everyone has been genotyped.

Results: The percentage of alcoholic patients with higher than normal gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels significantly decreased after six months of standard detoxification treatment, both in patients with A/A genotype and in the other ones with A/G genotype.

Treatment of recurrent hepatitis C (genotype 1) with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin combination and maintenance therapy.

Background/aims: This study aims at evaluating the efficacy of treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b and ribavirin in patients with recurrent hepatitis C (genotype 1) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and the impact of this therapy on hepatic fibrosis at the end of conventional therapy and at the end of a period of maintenance treatment in non-responder patients.

Methodology: Thirty-two consecutive patients diagnosed with recurrent HCV were considered candidates for antiviral therapy.

Results: Ten patients (31.

[Omega-3 fatty acids and astaxanthin in health and disease. Recent knowledges].

At present, medicine is aimed to the treatment of lesions. Instead, it would be right to develop the maintenance of normal health. A number of authorities have recently recommended increases in intake of omega-3 fatty acids and astaxanthin for the health of general population.

Influence of body mass index, cholesterol, triglycerides and steatosis on pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin treatment for recurrent hepatitis C in patients transplanted for HCV and alcoholic cirrhosis.

Up to today no work has evaluated yet the importance of parameters such Body Mass Index (BMI), cholesterol, triglycerides (TGC) and hepatic percentage of steatosis in the response to therapy with Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a and Ribavirin in patients with recurrent hepatitis C (genotype 1). 30 consecutive prospectively followed patients diagnosed with recurrent HCV were considered candidates for antiviral therapy. Qualitative and quantitative detection of HCV-RNA was performed with the Cobas Amplicor Hepatitis C Virus Test, version 2.

DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with cirrhosis related to alcohol abuse or to hepatitis B and C viruses.

Background: Both alcohol abuse and hepatitis B or C virus infections are implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, but it is still controversial whether the pathogenetic mechanism is epigenetic or genotoxic.

Aim: Considering that alcohol promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species and both viruses infect peripheral lymphocytes, in this study we investigated the occurrence of DNA fragmentation in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and from patients with cirrhosis related to B and C viruses, and analyzed the correlation between the degree of DNA fragmentation and the Child-Pugh score used to assess the degree of hepatic insufficiency.

Methods: The study population consisted of two groups: group I involved 12 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis; group II involved 25 patients with hepatic B virus or hepatic C virus cirrhosis.

Type-2 hepatorenal syndrome and refractory ascites: role of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt in eighteen patients with advanced cirrhosis awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation.

Background/aims: TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt) has been used increasingly in the management of refractory variceal bleeding. Its role in the management of refractory ascites and hepatorenal syndrome still awaits further prospective studies. Type-2 hepatorenal syndrome is a moderate steady renal impairment.