Serum microRNA 143 and 223 Gene Expression Profiles as Potential Biomarkers in Individuals with Hepatitis and COVID-19.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can act as biomarkers and descriptors of the association between infections and other diseases, such as hepatitis and COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the role of miRNA serum expression according to laboratory data concerning hepatitis and COVID-19. Seventy individuals recruited in Southern and Southeastern Brazil donated serum samples and were divided into four groups: (i) 20 negative subjects, (ii) 20 presenting hepatitis, (iii) 19 with COVID-19 and (iv) 11 with hepatitis and COVID-19.

Recurrence of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and De Novo Cholangiocarcinoma After Liver Transplantation: Results From the Brazilian Cholestasis Consortium.

Background And Aim: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) has been shown to recur after liver transplantation (LT). Some studies have identified certain clinical and laboratory variables associated with an increased risk for recurrent PSC (rPSC) in Caucasians. Furthermore, de novo cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has been reported anecdotally in patients with rPSC.

Serologic screening for viral infections among blood donors: a study in a blood bank in southern Brazil.

Background: Routine screening for viral infections at blood donation is important to avoid transfusion-transmitted infections. It also offers an opportunity to detect an asymptomatic infection.

Objective: To study changes in serology positivity for viral infections (B and C hepatitis, HTLV-1/2, and HIV) at blood donation in a blood bank from Southern Brazil, comparing two periods of 5 years: the period from 2013 to 2017 with the period from 2018 to 2022.

Alkaline phosphatase and liver fibrosis at diagnosis are associated with deep response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis.

Objective: Primary biliary cholangitis is a chronic and progressive autoimmune liver disease, whose prognosis can be improved by normalizing alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. While ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is first line standard of care, approximately 40 % of patients exhibit incomplete response. We aimed to identify prognostic markers for deep response to UDCA therapy at presentation.

Hospital admissions for chronic liver diseases: a temporal study in the South Region of Brazil.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the epidemiology and clinical profiles of hospital admissions in a single Brazilian Hepatology Unit from the period 2014-2017 to 2019-2022.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of hospital database from the abovementioned periods was done. The study included patients over the age of 18 years who were hospitalized due to complications of diseases such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune liver and drug-induced hepatitis.

A new and simple score to predict adequate and deep response to ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with primary biliary cholangitis: the ALP-A score.

Background: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the standard treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), but a significant proportion of patients do not respond adequately, leading to increased risk of adverse outcomes. This study aims to develop a new and straightforward predictive score to identify PBC patients likely to achieve a complete response to UDCA.

Methods: A logistic regression analysis was conducted using a derivation cohort of PBC patients to identify pre-treatment variables associated with response to UDCA.

THE EVALUATION OF INFLIXIMAB TROUGH LEVEL FAVORS MAINTENANCE THERAPY OF PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic diseases that result from the deregulation of the mucosal immune system of the gastrointestinal tract. The use of biological therapies, including infliximab (IFX), is one of the strategies to treat both CD and UC. The IFX treatment is monitored by complementary tests, namely: fecal calprotectin (FC); C-reactive protein (CRP); and endoscopic and cross-sectional imaging.

RT-LAMP Multicenter Study for SARS-CoV-2 Genome Molecular Detection in Brazilian Swab and Saliva Samples.

Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is a rapid method that can replace RT-qPCR. A simple molecular assay for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in gold-standard diagnosis through swabs and alternative specimens such as saliva could be helpful in promoting genomic surveillance. A multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the RT-LAMP assay method as an alternative for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in swab and saliva samples.

Characteristics of COVID-19 Infection in a Hospitalized Autoimmune Hepatitis Patient.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a major public health worldwide. Hepatic dysfunction has been seen in patients with COVID-19 and could be related to a viral cytopathic effect, an exacerbated immune reaction, or drug-induced liver damage. Currently, routine modification of immunosuppressive therapy in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection remains an important topic to be discussed.

Response to Ursodeoxycholic Acid May Be Assessed Earlier to Allow Second-Line Therapy in Patients with Unresponsive Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Background: Response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has been traditionally assessed 1 to 2 years after treatment initiation. With the development of new drugs, some patients may benefit from an earlier introduction of second-line therapies.

Aims: This study aims to identify whether well-validated response criteria could correctly identify individuals likely to benefit from add-on second-line therapy at 6 months.

National Brazilian survey on the outcomes of hepatitis c retreatment in patients non-responders to direct antiviral agents.

Background And Aims: Treatment of hepatitis C with direct antiviral agents (DAA) is associated with almost 95% of sustained virological response. However, some patients need retreatment. In Brazil, it should be done according to the Ministry of Health guidelines, frequently updated to include newly available drugs.

NON-ADHERENCE TO HEPATITIS C TREATMENT: A BRAZILIAN REPORT.

Background: In Brazil, since 2015, the treatment of hepatitis C is provided by SUS (Public Health System) with direct-acting antiviral (DAA).

Objective: To describe the rate of non-adherence patients to hepatitis C treatment by DAA, investigating the epidemiological data in a large database from Curitiba, Brazil.

Methods: Retrospective study with patients treated between January 2015 and June 2019.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in the Highly Admixed Brazilian Population.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is associated with a broad phenotypic spectrum in different populations from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of PSC in a multicenter cohort of patients from Brazil.

Methods: Data from the Brazilian Cholestasis Study Group were retrospectively reviewed to assess demographic information and clinical characteristics of PSC, as well as the outcomes, such as transplantation-free survival.

Anti-mitochondrial Antibody-Negative Primary Biliary Cholangitis Is Part of the Same Spectrum of Classical Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Background: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease in which anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are the diagnostic hallmark. Whether AMA-negative PBC patients represent a different phenotype of disease is highly debated.

Aims: The purpose of our study was to compare AMA-positive and AMA-negative PBC patients in a large non-white admixed Brazilian cohort.

Applicability of oral fluid samples for tracking hepatitis B virus mutations, genotyping, and phylogenetic analysis.

Little is known about the usefulness of saliva samples for hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotyping and mutation analysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of oral fluid samples to determine HBV genotype distribution, S/polymerase mutations, and HBV subpopulation diversity among chronically HBV-infected individuals. Serum and oral fluid samples were obtained from 18 individuals for PCR and nucleotide sequencing of the HBV surface antigen gene.

Evaluation of accuracy of hepatitis B virus antigen and antibody detection and relationship between epidemiological factors using dried blood spot.

Dried blood spots (DBS) testing might increase the access for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) diagnosis, but little is known about the performance of these assays in real life conditions. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs detection in DBS in clinical settings and field studies and to evaluate demographic and risk behaviour according the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBc. Paired sera and DBS samples were obtained from 2309 individuals from 3 groups, defined as follows: G1: clinical setting (n = 5-19), G2: general population (n = 1305) and G3: vulnerable individuals that could be more exposed to blood contact (n = 485).

EVALUATION OF PROGRESSION OF HEPATIC FIBROSIS IN A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE ACCOMPANIED FOR 10 YEARS.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been progressively diagnosed in the general population as a consequence of the increased prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, its main risk factors. It is characterized by accumulation of fat in the hepatocytes associated with lobular inflammation and balonization, which can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Thus, a characterization and follow-up of a progression of the fibrosis level of these patients becomes important, being that the transient hepatic elastography is a reliable method for this evaluation with a measure of the kapa index.

CONGENITAL HEPATIC FIBROSIS AND OBLITERATIVE PORTAL VENOPATHY WITHOUT PORTAL HYPERTENSION - A REVIEW OF LITERATURE BASED ON AN ASYMPTOMATIC CASE.

The disease and the case reported here are relevant especially because of their varied clinical presentation, possibility of being associated with other disorders affecting several organs and possible differential diagnoses. Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease due to mutation in the PKHD1 gene, which encodes the fibrocystin/polyductine protein. It is a cholangiopathy, characterized by varying degrees of periportal fibrosis and irregular proliferation of bile ducts.

Cross-sectional study to determine viral hepatitis knowledge in different urban populations in Brazil.

Aim: To evaluate viral hepatitis knowledge among individuals from different resource areas and health conditions to identify possible gaps.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out among 447 individuals from five distinct populations in Brazil: Southeast Viral Hepatitis Ambulatory ( = 100), South ( = 89) and Northeast ( = 114) Health Center, Southeast ( = 77) and Northeast ( = 67) low resource areas. All individuals answered a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics and viral hepatitis awareness.

Effectiveness and tolerability of direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C patients in a Southern state of Brazil.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness in terms of sustained virological response and tolerability of available second generation direct-acting antivirals in Brazilian patients.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in six centers in Southern Brazil. The sample comprised adult patients who were chronically infected with hepatitis C virus, regardless of virus genotype, fibrosis stage, or prior treatment.

Quality of life in Brazilian patients with treated or untreated chronic hepatitis C.

Introduction: Multiple factors negatively affect the quality of life of patients infected with hepatitis C virus. This study aims to evaluate the effect of pharmacological treatment on the quality of life of these individuals.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in two Southern Brazilian centers that used two instruments (a generic and a specific one) for measuring the quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis C: the Short Form-36 (SF-36); and the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) for liver disease.

Hepatitis E: A Literature Review.

Hepatitis E is the fifth known form of human viral hepatitis. Although not very common in our clinical practice, the incidence in Western countries is increasing. Infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV) may be related to acute illness, liver failure, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.