Importance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a marker for microbiological specimens in critically ill patients after liver or lung transplantation.

Purpose: The correct and early diagnosis of an infection is pivotal for patients, especially if the patients are immunocompromised. Various infection markers are used in clinics with different advantages and disadvantages. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a cost effective parameter easily obtained without further investments.

Atezolizumab/bevacizumab and lenvatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma: A comparative analysis in a European real-world cohort.

Background: Immunotherapy-based combinations are currently the standard of care in the systemic treatment of patients with HCC. Recent studies have reported unexpectedly long survival with lenvatinib (LEN), supporting its use in first-line treatment for HCC. This study aims to compare the real-world effectiveness of LEN to atezolizumab/bevacizumab (AZ/BV).

Stealthy Invader: Clinically Inapparent But Rapidly Progressive Multifocal Metastatic Melanoma Unveiled as Root Cause of Liver Failure.

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) secondary to metastatic melanoma presents a rare and diagnostically challenging clinical scenario.

Case Report: We report the case of a 57-year-old male who succumbed to fulminant liver failure attributed to hepatic infiltration by malignant melanoma. Despite extensive diagnostic evaluation, the underlying cause of ALF remained elusive until postmortem examination revealed multifocal metastatic melanoma.

Systemic Treatment of Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Liver Transplantation: A Multicenter Trial.

Introduction: The tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) sorafenib and lenvatinib represent the first-line systemic therapy of choice for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT). Under sorafenib and lenvatinib, HCC patients have shown increasingly improved overall survival in clinical studies over the years. In contrast, data on overall survival for patients with HCC recurrence after LT under TKIs are scarce and limited to small retrospective series.

[Quality Indicators Show Higher Fulfilment in Centers Certified by the German Cancer Society].

Aim: In 2003, a certification program was introduced by the German Cancer Society in Germany to ensure high standards of oncological care. The present study investigated whether there were differences in the concordance to guideline-based recommendations between centers certified by the German Cancer Society and medical facilities without such certification. In this context, quality indicators derived from clinical guidelines were evaluated.

[Liver transplantation in viral and autoimmune liver diseases].

Background: Despite substantial progress in the management of viral and autoimmune liver diseases, these entities remain relevant indications for liver transplantation.

Aims: To provide an overview of the current knowledge regarding the management of viral and autoimmune liver diseases before and after liver transplantation.

Materials And Methods: Selective literature search, including current guidelines and abstracts of key scientific meetings.

Improved levels of checkpoint molecule PD-L1 on peripheral blood monocyte subsets in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients upon hypoglossal nerve stimulation.

Oxidative stress in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with a low-grade systemic inflammation, immune disturbance, and increased invasion of monocytes into the endothelium. Besides continuous positive airway pressure (PAP), hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has become a promising treatment option for patients with OSAS. We aimed to analyse the influence of HNS therapy on the cellular characteristics relevant for adhesion and immune regulation of circulating CD14/CD16 monocyte subsets.

Distinguishing the impact of distinct obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and obesity related factors on human monocyte subsets.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and obesity go hand in hand in the majority of patients and both are associated with a systemic inflammation, immune disturbance and comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease. However, the unambiguous impact of OSAS and obesity on the individual inflammatory microenvironment and the immunological consequences of human monocytes has not been distinguished yet. Therefore, aim of this study was to investigate the impact of OSAS and obesity related factors on the inflammatory microenvironment by performing flow cytometric whole blood measurements of CD14/CD16 monocyte subsets in normal weight OSAS patients, patients with obesity but without OSAS, and patients with OSAS and obesity, compared to healthy donors.

Imaging-Derived Biomarkers Integrated with Clinical and Laboratory Values Predict Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of computed tomography (CT) derived imaging biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) and develop a predictive nomogram model.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study included 178 patients with histopathologically confirmed HCC who underwent liver transplantation between 2007 and 2021 at the two academic liver centers. We evaluated dedicated imaging features from baseline multiphase contrast-enhanced CT supplemented by several clinical findings and laboratory parameters.

Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)-Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) Variant Syndrome: Clinical Features, Response to Therapy and Long-Term Outcome.

Introduction: Standardization of diagnostic criteria of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) variant syndrome (AIH-PBC VS) has not been achieved so far and evidence-based recommendations for monitoring and treatment of the disease are still lacking. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence, biochemical, and serological features, as well as the clinical course, of VS.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study including all patients with VS between 1999 and 2020 in four German centers.

Thyroid hormone receptor alpha modulates fibrogenesis in hepatic stellate cells.

Objective: Progressive hepatic fibrosis can be considered the final stage of chronic liver disease. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play a central role in liver fibrogenesis. Thyroid hormones (TH, e.

Changing treatment landscape associated with improved survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a nationwide, population-based study.

Background And Aims: The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is undergoing a historic transformation with the approval of several new systemic therapies in the last few years. This study aimed to examine the impact of this changing landscape on survival and costs in a Western nationwide, real-world cohort.

Methods: A nationwide representative claims database (InGef) was screened for HCC cases between 2015 and 2020.

Limited access to liver transplantation and TIPS despite high mortality, healthcare resource use and costs of cirrhosis in Germany.

Background And Aims: Data on number of patients with cirrhosis in Germany are limited. We therefore aimed to estimate prevalence, comorbidities, mortality, utilization of healthcare resources and costs of patients with cirrhosis and incidence of decompensation of cirrhosis in Germany.

Methods: This longitudinal observational study was based on an anonymized representative claims database including 4.

Outcome of Children with Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Patient Data.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate outcome after pediatric transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) with respect to survival MATERIAL AND METHODS: After searching for studies on TIPS in children in Ovid, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane published between 2000 and 2022, individual patient data were retrieved from five retrospective cohorts. Overall survival (OS) and transplant-free survival (TFS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test and compared to the indication (ascites vs. variceal bleeding) as well as to the level of obstruction (pre-hepatic vs.

Nuclear translocation of YAP drives BMI-associated hepatocarcinogenesis in hepatitis B virus infection.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. The aim of this study was to mechanistically investigate the involvement of Hippo signalling in HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)-dependent neoplastic transformation.

Methods: Liver tissue and hepatocytes from HBsAg-transgenic mice were examined for the Hippo cascade and proliferative events.

Treating hepatitis D with bulevirtide - Real-world experience from 114 patients.

Background & Aims: Bulevirtide is a first-in-class entry inhibitor of hepatitis B surface antigen. In July 2020, bulevirtide was conditionally approved for the treatment of hepatitis D, the most severe form of viral hepatitis, which frequently causes end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, we report the first data from a large multicenter real-world cohort of patients with hepatitis D treated with bulevirtide at a daily dose of 2 mg without additional interferon.