Complications in hepatic vein catheterisation and transjugular liver biopsy.

Introduction: Portal pressure predicts the occurrence of decompensations in cirrhosis. Portal pressure is primarily measured via hepatic vein catheterisation (HVC), to which a transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) may be added. Indications for HVC are mainly therapy control and prognosis.

The bleeding diathesis in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia is not due to impaired platelet function.

Background: Patients with the rare disease; Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) often bleed from telangiectatic lesions in mucosal surfaces. Studies suggest that impaired platelet function may also play a role in their bleeding tendency. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether HHT-patients with epistaxis have impaired platelet function.

[Not Available].

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia is a genetic disease, causing abnormal formations of blood vessels in skin, mucus membranes, lungs, liver, and brain. In the liver, the disease results in shunting of blood, bypassing the capillary bed. Recent studies have shown that the prevalence of liver shunts are more frequent than previously suggested.

[Telomere biology disorders].

The end of the chromosomes consists of DNA referred to as telomeres. The telomeres protect chromosomal DNA against shortening when cells divide. Patients with telomere biology disorders carry pathogenic germline variants in a gene involved in telomere function.

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Patients With Concomitant Liver Cirrhosis and Lymphoma: A Systematic Review.

Over the years, a rising incidence of liver cirrhosis and lymphoma has been observed. Therefore, the risk of having cirrhosis as a comorbidity increases, thus challenging treatment approaches as data on the management of these patients is lacking. We performed a systematic review to summarize papers that analyzed patients with liver cirrhosis that occurred before and/or concomitantly to lymphoma.

[Screening for cerebral arteriovenous malformations in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia].

Patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) are known to suffer from cerebral arteriovenous malformations (CAVMs). In this review, we explore existing literature for bleeding risk, interventional therapy and neuroradiological features in HHT-related CAVMs. Studies estimate the annual intracerebral haemorrhage rate of CAVMs in HHT patients to be 0.

European Reference Network for Rare Vascular Diseases (VASCERN) position statement on cerebral screening in adults and children with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a multisystemic vascular dysplasia inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Approximately 10 % of patients have cerebral vascular malformations, a proportion being cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and fistulae that may lead to potentially devastating consequences in case of rupture. On the other hand, detection and treatment related-risks are not negligible, and immediate.

[Venous thromboembolism in patients with COVID-19].

The importance of venous thromboembolism (VTE) as a major complication in patients with severe corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is becoming increasingly evident. In this review, we describe the proposed pathophysiology of the prothrombotic coagulation changes observed in patients with COVID-19. Further, based on a review of the currently available evidence on VTE prevalence in patients with COVID-19, we present and discuss the recommendations from the Danish Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis on the use of thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19.

Total area of spontaneous portosystemic shunts independently predicts hepatic encephalopathy and mortality in liver cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Spontaneous portosystemic shunts (SPSS) frequently develop in liver cirrhosis. Recent data suggested that the presence of a single large SPSS is associated with complications, especially overt hepatic encephalopathy (oHE). However, the presence of >1 SPSS is common.

Dobutamine reverses the cardio-suppressive effects of terlipressin without improving renal function in cirrhosis and ascites: a randomized controlled trial.

Acute kidney injury and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) are frequent complications in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. First-line treatment is terlipressin, which reverses HRS in ~40% of patients but also lowers cardiac output (CO). We aimed to investigate whether reversing the cardio-suppressive effect of terlipressin with the β-adrenoceptor agonist dobutamine would increase CO and thereby increase the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Reduced platelet activation and platelet aggregation in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Results from previous studies regarding platelet function in liver cirrhosis are discordant. The aim was to investigate platelet activation and platelet aggregation in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. We included 27 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and 22 healthy individuals.

Internal dysregulation of the renin system in patients with stable liver cirrhosis.

Sodium retention in cirrhosis is associated with changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). We hypothesized that in cirrhosis the acute reactions of RAAS and SNS to volume expansion are qualitatively intact, but occurring from elevated baseline levels. Acute cardiovascular, neurohumoral and renal responses to central blood volume changes were studied in cirrhotic patients and healthy controls.

The calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 is an important modulator of hepatic injury.

The calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 controls different cellular processes such as proliferation and volume homeostasis. We investigated the role of KCa3.

Transient and 2-Dimensional Shear-Wave Elastography Provide Comparable Assessment of Alcoholic Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Alcohol abuse causes half of all deaths from cirrhosis in the West, but few tools are available for noninvasive diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease. We evaluated 2 elastography techniques for diagnosis of alcoholic fibrosis and cirrhosis; liver biopsy with Ishak score and collagen-proportionate area were used as reference.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of 199 consecutive patients with ongoing or prior alcohol abuse, but without known liver disease.

Large variations in risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality in treatment naïve hepatitis B patients: systematic review with meta-analyses.

Background: The complications to chronic hepatitis B (HBV) include incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality. The risk of these complications may vary in different patient groups.

Aim: To estimate the incidence and predictors of HCC and in untreated HBV patients.

The role of glucocorticoids in sodium retention in cirrhotic patients: a double blind, randomized, crossover study.

Objective: Cirrhotic patients have an increased ratio of urinary cortisol to cortisone metabolites, indicating decreased renal 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-2 activity. This suggests that cortisol--by activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor--may contribute to the abnormal sodium retention evident in cirrhosis. The aim was to elucidate the role of glucocorticoids in sodium retention in decompensated cirrhotic patients.

Incidence, etiology and mortality of cirrhosis: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: Knowledge on the prognosis among patients with cirrhosis is mainly based on clinical trials with selected patient groups as well as population-based register studies with suboptimal diagnostic reliability. The aim of the study was to describe incidence, etiology, and mortality of well-validated cirrhotic cases in a population-based cohort at Funen (population 470,000) between 1996 and 2006.

Materials And Methods: A population-based cohort study with case identification from discharge diagnosis followed by manual validation of patient records with inclusion of cases that fulfilled predefined diagnostic criteria.

[Non-cirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension].

Non-cirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension is characterized by portal hypertension in the absence of liver cirrhosis or portal vein thrombosis. The disease is common in the East and rarely seen in the West. Two cases with oesophageal varices are described.