Publications by authors named "Endrit Shahini"
Article Synopsis
- Steatotic liver disease linked to metabolic dysfunction (MASLD) is prevalent in up to 30% of adults and is often associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- The study involved 42 patients split into three groups receiving different treatments: dietary advice only (CG), dietary advice plus aerobic exercise (AE + DA), and dietary advice plus high-intensity interval training (HIIT + DA).
- Results showed that both exercise groups had significant reductions in cortisol levels, with HIIT + DA showing the greatest effects, and a notable decrease in hepatic steatosis was also observed, particularly in the AE + DA group.
Article Synopsis
- Very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKD) effectively aid weight loss in obese individuals and can decrease liver condition risks.
- Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from serum are studied in obese adults to see how they affect liver fibrosis and inflammation, with participants divided into low and high fibrosis risk groups.
- Results show that sEVs from low-risk patients improved liver health markers, while those from high-risk patients worsened inflammation and fibrosis signals, stressing the importance of assessing sEVs alongside traditional methods like FibroScan.
: Celiac disease (CD) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, especially inflammatory heart diseases. We aimed to gather evidence on the association between CD and inflammatory CV diseases, including pericarditis and myocarditis, and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. : The PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies assessing the prevalence and the long-term outcomes of patients with CD and inflammatory CV diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This study aims to explore the association between liver steatosis and fibrosis, as assessed by Fibroscan, and the onset of type 2 diabetes in overweight, medication-free men and women.
Methods: We analyzed data from 164 participants with overweight or obesity (41.4 % male), including 39 individuals (23.
Article Synopsis
- - ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) is a crucial procedure for diagnosing and treating biliopancreatic disorders, utilizing a mix of endoscopy and radiology to address issues like bile duct stones and leaks.
- - The procedure often requires anesthesia due to its discomfort, with options ranging from moderate sedation to general anesthesia, making the choice of anesthetic methods significant.
- - A narrative review was conducted to evaluate current anesthetic medications used during elective ERCP, particularly focusing on new drugs like dexmedetomidine, amidst ongoing debates about sedation levels and airway management practices.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed the relationship between the neoangiogenic transcriptomic signature (nTS) and various clinical outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), involving a large cohort of 584 patients.
- Findings showed that nTS is linked to more aggressive disease characteristics, limited treatment options, and poorer overall survival compared to those without nTS, with significant consequences on treatment effectiveness and patient prognosis.
- Repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was found to convert some patients from nTS- to nTS+, which correlated with worsened survival rates and changes in microRNA patterns, emphasizing the nTS's role in managing and predicting HCC outcomes.
Treatment options for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), a highly malignant tumor with poor prognosis, are limited. Recent developments in immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have offered new hope for treating iCCA. However, several issues remain, including the identification of reliable biomarkers of response to ICIs and immune-based combinations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBTC overall incidence is globally increasing. CCA, including its subtypes, is a form of BTC. MetS, obesity, MASLD, and diabetes are all linked to CCA in interconnected ways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Constrictive pericarditis can lead to protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) through a mechanism involving intestinal lymphangiectasia, although this is a rare occurrence.
- A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted using specific medical terms to explore the clinical management of PLE related to constrictive pericarditis.
- Diagnosing constrictive pericarditis typically involves cardiac catheterization, with imaging techniques like MRI, CT scans, and endoscopic methods aiding in the identification of lymphangiectasias; treatment such as pericardiectomy may help reverse PLE symptoms.
Rapid climate change or climate crisis is one of the most serious emergencies of the 21st century, accounting for highly impactful and irreversible changes worldwide. Climate crisis can also affect the epidemiology and disease burden of gastrointestinal diseases because they have a connection with environmental factors and nutrition. Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a highly intensive procedure with a significant contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this editorial, we explore the challenges of managing noncurative resections in early gastric cancer after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), starting from the consideration recently made by Zhu . Specifically, we evaluate the management of eCura C1 lesions, where decisions regarding further interventions are pivotal yet contentious. Collaboration among endoscopists, surgeons, and pathologists is underscored to refine risk assessment and personalize therapeutic management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The VLCKD diet helps in fat mobilization and reduces inflammation and liver issues in patients.
- The study focuses on how circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) affect certain cellular processes and responses in patients undergoing an 8-week VLCKD regimen.
- Results indicate that while exosomes decrease cell viability, microvesicles do not, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are consistent markers of diet adherence and may correlate more reliably with improvements in fibrotic response compared to ketone body levels.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is typically a self-limiting, acute illness that spreads through the gastrointestinal tract but replicates in the liver. However, chronic infections are possible in immunocompromised individuals. The HEV virion has two shapes: exosome-like membrane-associated quasi-enveloped virions (eHEV) found in circulating blood or in the supernatant of infected cell cultures and non-enveloped virions ("naked") found in infected hosts' feces and bile to mediate inter-host transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Obesity and metabolic syndrome are closely associated with steatotic liver disease (SLD), which is the most common chronic liver disease, and lifestyle changes, especially a very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD), may help prevent this condition.
- A study involving 112 overweight or obese participants examined the impacts of VLCKD on steatosis and fibrosis, revealing significant baseline differences between men and women regarding liver health, metabolic indicators, and body composition.
- After the VLCKD intervention, both genders showed improvements in various health markers; however, men had initially higher levels of liver steatosis and fibrosis, and even after treatment, these gender-specific differences in liver health persisted.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on how the very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) can treat MASLD (a common chronic liver disease linked to obesity) and improve liver fat and fibrosis among overweight and obese individuals.
- Significant improvements in various health markers, such as blood pressure, insulin resistance, and cholesterol levels, were observed after 8 weeks on the VLCKD, while vitamin D levels increased.
- The findings suggest that patients with more severe liver fat and fibrosis benefit more from the VLCKD, highlighting its potential effectiveness.
Article Synopsis
- * Recent European guidelines suggest using a mix of clinical, lab, and imaging techniques to track disease progression, emphasizing that traditional symptom-based methods aren't improving long-term outcomes.
- * The review introduces a comprehensive monitoring algorithm that incorporates both invasive and noninvasive methods, including bedside intestinal ultrasound (IUS) and video-capsule endoscopy, to enhance patient care.
Introduction: Patients with chronic liver disease are highly prone to acquiring influenza infection diseases and experiencing associated complications. National and international guidelines recommend the influenza vaccine for patients with liver disorders to reduce the risk of influenza complications. Our study aims to evaluate the risk of flu complications faced by patients with liver disease and assess influenza vaccination coverage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths, and the GALAD score is a diagnostic tool created to identify HCC in at-risk patients based on specific biomarkers.
- Analysis of 212 patients showed that those with HCC had higher GALAD scores compared to those with just cirrhosis, and higher scores were linked to lower survival rates.
- The study indicates that the GALAD score could serve as a valuable prognostic tool, potentially enhancing the management and treatment options for patients with HCC.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the effects of an 8-week Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) on participants with obesity and associated liver conditions, finding significant reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and fat mass.
- VLCKD led to marked improvements in liver health, with decreased fatty liver accumulation and liver fibrosis as assessed by FibroScan, alongside reductions in white blood cell and platelet counts, particularly in those with steatosis.
- Additionally, metabolic markers such as blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure also showed significant improvements after following the VLCKD, although vitamin D levels remained unchanged.
Article Synopsis
- Patients with liver cirrhosis should undergo regular surveillance using ultrasound and α-fetoprotein testing to detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early.
- A 12-year study compared various scoring systems, finding that the GALAD score outperformed others in predicting HCC development in patients with chronic liver disease.
- Ultimately, the study concluded that GALAD is the most accurate system for assessing HCC risk, particularly in patients with different liver disease etiologies, including those related to alcohol.
Article Synopsis
- Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow and leads to various health issues like bone pain, kidney damage, and infections.
- Historically considered incurable with a life expectancy of about three years post-diagnosis, recent advancements in treatment have notably improved patient outcomes and survival rates.
- New therapies include drugs like thalidomide, lenalidomide, and proteasome inhibitors, alongside monoclonal antibodies and CAR-T therapies, which target cancerous plasma cells more effectively.
Article Synopsis
- The gold standard treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) focuses on weight loss and lifestyle changes, mainly through a diet high in fiber and low in sugars and saturated fats.
- A study involving 24 NAFLD patients demonstrated that replacing carbohydrate-rich foods with green leafy vegetables led to significant improvements in liver health markers and reductions in body measurements like BMI and waist circumference.
- Results showed notable enhancements in fatty liver index (FLI) and fibroscan FAST scores, indicating reduced risk of disease progression and improvements in overall metabolic health after the dietary changes over three months.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with primary and secondary immune disorders-including patients suffering from cancer-were generally regarded as a high-risk population in terms of COVID-19 disease severity and mortality. By now, scientific evidence indicates that there is substantial heterogeneity regarding the vulnerability towards COVID-19 in patients with immune disorders. In this review, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge about the effect of coexistent immune disorders on COVID-19 disease severity and vaccination response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF