Evaluation of ChatGPT as a Counselling Tool for Italian-Speaking MASLD Patients: Assessment of Accuracy, Completeness and Comprehensibility.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have shown promise in providing counseling to patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). While ChatGPT3.5 has demonstrated the ability to comprehensively answer MASLD-related questions in English, its accuracy remains suboptimal.

Comment on Flatscher et al. Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Lipid Composition in the Colaus-PsyColaus Study. 2023, , 4659.

With great interest, we read the article by Flatscher et al [...

CREB-H is a stress-regulator of hepcidin gene expression during early postnatal development.

Hepcidin, the hepatic iron hormone, is the central regulator of iron homeostasis. Cyclic AMP-Responsive Element-Binding protein 3-like 3 (CREB3L3/CREB-H) is a liver homeostatic regulator of essential nutrients (i.e.

Labile plasma iron and echocardiographic parameters are associated with cardiac events in β-thalassemic patients.

Background And Aim: Notwithstanding the improvement in therapies, patients affected by thalassemia major (TM) and intermedia (TI) are still at high risk of cardiac complications. This study aimed at evaluating the incidence and predictive factors for developing cardiac events in adult β-TM and TI patients.

Population And Methods: Data on diagnosis and clinical history were collected retrospectively; prospective data on new-onset cardiac failure and arrhythmias, echocardiographic parameters, biochemical variables including non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) and labile plasma iron (LPI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* measurement of hepatic and cardiac iron deposits, and iron chelation therapy were recorded during a 6-year follow-up.

Antihypertensive treatment changes and related clinical outcomes in older hospitalized patients.

Background: Hypertension management in older patients represents a challenge, particularly when hospitalized.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the determinants and related outcomes of antihypertensive drug prescription in a cohort of older hospitalized patients.

Methods: A total of 5671 patients from REPOSI (a prospective multicentre observational register of older Italian in-patients from internal medicine or geriatric wards) were considered; 4377 (77.

Iron Metabolism in the Disorders of Heme Biosynthesis.

Given its remarkable property to easily switch between different oxidative states, iron is essential in countless cellular functions which involve redox reactions. At the same time, uncontrolled interactions between iron and its surrounding milieu may be damaging to cells and tissues. Heme-the iron-chelated form of protoporphyrin IX-is a macrocyclic tetrapyrrole and a coordination complex for diatomic gases, accurately engineered by evolution to exploit the catalytic, oxygen-binding, and oxidoreductive properties of iron while minimizing its damaging effects on tissues.

The SIMI Gender '5 Ws' Rule for the integration of sex and gender-related variables in clinical studies towards internal medicine equitable research.

Biological sex and sociocultural gender matter when it comes to health and diseases. They have been both proposed as the undeniable gateways towards a personalized approach in care delivery. The Gender Working Group of the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI) was funded in 2019 with the aim of promoting good practice in the integration of sex and gender domains in clinical studies.

Comparison of point-shear wave elastography (ElastPQ) and transient elastography (FibroScan) for liver fibrosis staging in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aims: ElastPQ is a point shear wave elastography technique used to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis. We compared liver stiffness measurements (LSM) by ElastPQ and fibroscan transient elastography (F-TE) in a cohort of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We further evaluated the performance of ElastPQ in a subgroup of patients with available liver histology.

Iron in Porphyrias: Friend or Foe?

Iron is a trace element that is important for many vital processes, including oxygen transport, oxidative metabolism, cellular proliferation, and catalytic reactions. Iron supports these functions mainly as part of the heme molecule. Heme synthesis is an eight-step process which, when defective at the level of one of the eight enzymes involved, can cause the development of a group of diseases, either inherited or acquired, called porphyrias.

Collagen proportionate area predicts long-term mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

Background And Aims: There are several short-term prognostic scores for alcoholic hepatitis (AH) that combine demographical and biochemical parameters. The extent of liver fibrosis may also be relevant to the prognosis of AH with potential added value. We evaluated collagen proportionate area (CPA) as a predictor of short and long-term mortality in AH.

Ceruloplasmin gene variants are associated with hyperferritinemia and increased liver iron in patients with NAFLD.

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multifactorial disorder resulting from genetic and environmental factors. Hyperferritinemia has been associated with increased hepatic iron stores and worse outcomes in patients with NAFLD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of variants of iron-related genes and their association with hyperferritinemia, hepatic iron stores and liver disease severity in patients with NAFLD.

Collagen proportionate area predicts clinical outcomes in patients with alcohol-related liver disease.

Background: No prognostic tools are established for alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). Collagen proportionate area (CPA) measurement is a technique that quantifies fibrous tissue in liver biopsies using digital image analysis.

Aim: To assess the predictive value of CPA on hepatic decompensation and liver-related mortality in ALD METHODS: In a multicentre cohort study, we included 386 patients with biopsy-verified ALD and with long-term follow-up.

Genetic iron overload disorders.

Due to its pivotal role in orchestrating vital cellular functions and metabolic processes, iron is an essential component of the human body and a main micronutrient in the human diet. However, excess iron causes an increased production of reactive oxygen species leading to cell dysfunction or death, tissue damage and organ disease. Iron overload disorders encompass a wide spectrum of pathological conditions of hereditary or acquired origin.

Risk of Kidney Dysfunction IN Nafld.

Background: The timely identification of traditional and non-traditional precursors and risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) (a common systemic disease defined as a decreased kidney function documented by reduced glomerular filtration rate, or markers of kidney damage, or both) is relevant in clinical practice, as CKD increases the risk of end-stage renal disease and other serious comorbidities. A possible relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (which is to date the most common chronic disease worldwide) and CKD has recently gained significant attention of researchers.

Methods: A systematic literature search using appropriate keywords was made in order to identify relevant articles that have investigated the association between NAFLD and CKD.

Establishing Reliability Criteria for Liver ElastPQ Shear Wave Elastography (ElastPQ-SWE): Comparison Between 10, 5 and 3 Measurements.

Purpose:  ElastPQ is a new elastography technique for non-invasive liver fibrosis staging. However, it does not have validated reliability criteria. We tested the reliability of a different number of measurements in patients with chronic liver disease and explored whether the application of quality criteria improves the diagnostic performance.

Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is increased post-liver transplantation even in recipients with no pre-existing risk factors.

Background/aims: Post-liver transplant (LT) metabolic syndrome (PTMS) and cardiovascular (CVS) mortality are becoming increasingly prevalent following sustained improvements in post-LT survival. We investigated the prevalence and predictors of PTMS and CVS complications in a cohort of consecutive LT recipients.

Methods: We reviewed prospectively collected data of patients (n = 928) who underwent LT (1995-2013) and survived at least 1-year post-LT or died before that due to a major CVS complication.

Collagen proportionate area is an independent predictor of long-term outcome in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Collagen proportionate area (CPA) measurement is a technique that quantifies fibrous tissue in liver biopsies by measuring the amount of collagen deposition as a proportion of the total biopsy area. CPA predicts clinical outcomes in patients with HCV and can sub-classify cirrhosis.

Aim: To test the ability of CPA to quantify fibrosis and predict clinical outcomes in patients with NAFLD.

Evaluating the association of serum ferritin and hepatic iron with disease severity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Hyperferritinemia, with or without increased hepatic iron, represents a common finding in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, it is unclear whether it reflects hepatic inflammation or true iron-overload and, in case the latter is confirmed, whether this influences disease progression. We therefore explored the association between serum ferritin, degree and pattern of hepatic iron deposition and liver disease severity in patients with NAFLD.

Pharmacological interventions for acute hepatitis C infection.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus that has the potential to cause inflammation of the liver. The traditional definition of acute HCV infection is the first six months following infection with the virus. Another commonly used definition of acute HCV infection is the absence of HCV antibody and subsequent seroconversion (presence of HCV antibody in a person who was previously negative for HCV antibody).