Hepatic hydrothorax: About a hospital serie of 63 cases.

Background: Hepatic hydrothorax is a less common complication of cirrhosis with an estimated prevalence of 10- 15%. In the vast majority of cases, ascites are also present but significant pleural effusion may develop in patients without ascites. Hepatic hydrothorax is associated with cirrhosis whatever its etiology.

Predictive scores of early mortality from variceal gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

Introduction: The variceal bleeding, main complication of portal hypertension during cirrhosis, is associated with high early mortality riskestimated between 15 and 20%. This highlights the necessity of predictive models that allow identifying high-risk patients raising the issue of amore aggressive therapeutic care.

Objective: To assess the performance of four scores for the prediction of cirrhotic patients' high early mortality risk due to digestive hemorrhageand to compare them to the Child-Pugh reference score.

[Viral B reactivation: Risk factors and prevention].

Background: The viral B reactivation is associated to deadly serious forms. There exist populations suffering this risk yet with a possibility of prevention through a pre-emptive treatment.

Purposes: Establishing the diagnosis of a viral B reactivation.

[Efficiency of endoscopic treatment with intra gastric balloon in severe to morbid obesity].

Background: Obesity raises such a healthcare matter throughout the world. Its management is not only complex but also most often multidisciplinary. The medico-dietary treatment is of inconstant efficiency and the surgical treatment, though more efficient, presents a considerable morbidity-death rate.

Association between sHLA-G and HLA-G 14-bp deletion/insertion polymorphism in Crohn's disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the HLA-G 14-bp deletion/insertion (Del/Ins) polymorphism and soluble (s) HLA-G production in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We analyzed also the sHLA-G molecules by ELISA and western blot in plasma samples. Among unselected patients, the 14-bp Del/Ins polymorphism was not significantly associated with increased CD risk neither for alleles (P = 0.

Malignant epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: a case report.

Malignant epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EH) is a rare tumor of vascular origin. We report a case of a woman who was found to have multiple hepatic masses in the right lobe of the liver on radiologic investigations, initially misdiagnosed as a metastatic carcinoma. The diagnosis of EH was made on histopathological study and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, which showed diffuse response for CD34 marker and no response to tissue CEA, HMB-45 or S-100 protein.

[Factors predicting mortality in infected hospitalized cirrhotics patients: about 97 cases].

Background: Infections are frequent in cirrhotic patients. They are potentially severe, modifying pejoratively the natural history of the cirrhosis and are suppliers of a heavy mortality.

Aim: To determine the predictive factors of hospital mortality in cirrhotic infected patients.

Cannabis: a rare cause of acute pancreatitis.

Context: Drugs of all types are related to the etiology of pancreatitis in approximately 2% of cases. However, there have been very few reports of acute pancreatitis associated with cannabis use in the general population.

Case Report: This report is the first such case in our country, and involves a 22-year-old North African man who presented to our emergency department with transfixiant epigastric abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Colonoscopy in elderly: feasibility, tolerance and indications: about 901 cases.

Background: Colonoscopy is the standard investigation for colonic disease, but clinicians often are reluctant to refer elderly patients for colonoscopy because of a perception of higher risk and a high rate of incomplete examinations.

Aims: To evaluate feasibility and tolerance of this investigation in elderly and to review the most frequent indications of colonoscopy in these patients.

Methods: A pilot retrospective study including 901 patients from January 2005 to December 2009; divided into two groups.

Cerebral thrombosis in inflammatory bowel disease: a report of four cases.

The risk of thromboembolism is increased in inflammatory bowel disease and its symptoms may be overlooked. The commonest are deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli. Cerebral thrombosis, in a particular stroke, is rare.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver associated with Crohn's disease.

Inflammatory liver pseudotumor is a rare entity. Associations with several inflammatory conditions were reported but association with inflammatory bowel disease is unusual. We report the case of liver inflammatory pseudotumor occurring in the course of Crohn's disease in a 23-year-old woman and treated conservatively.

[Autoimmune hepatitis type 1 triggered by cytomegalovirus infection. One rare case report].

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis is chronic and uncommon disease. The pathogenesis is a complex process. Several triggers for autoimmune hepatitis particularly viral herpesviridae infection, which may induce the development of autoimmunity in predisposed individuals.

Correlation between liver biopsy and fibrotest in the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of Fibrotest in comparison with liver biopsy, for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: This prospective study included in 2 years (2006-2007), consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C naive to treatment. Fibrotest and liver biopsy were performed.

[Nephrogenic ascites: an exceptional diagnosis. About one case].

Background: Nephrogenic ascites is a clinical entity that manifests as refractory and exsudative ascites with unknown etiology in patients with end stage renal disease and often undergoing hemodialysis. This entity presents in practice many diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.

Aim: The aim of this study is to focus on these difficulties through a new observation.

Transverse myelitis associated with chronic viral hepatitis C.

Background: HCV infection could cause several extra hepatic diseases including mixed cryoglobulinemia. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication of mixed cryoglobulinemia. In addition to cryoglobulinemia's neuropathy, transverse myelitis had been related to HCV infection.

Evaluation of nutritional status in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background: Malnutrition is a frequently reported complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. It has a high clinical and economic impact reflected by an increased morbidity and prolonged hospital stay.

Aim: This preliminary prospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized cirrhotic patients and to investigate whether biological and anthropometric parameters are a valuable tool for identifying malnutrition in these patients.

Endoscopic ultrasonography versus helical CT in diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer.

Aim: Compare the performances of EUS to helical CT in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Forty two consecutive patients (mean age 63 years; 25 men, 17 women) who had surgical exploration and histologically proved pancreatic cancer were retrospectively included. All our patients underwent with endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and helical computed tomography (helical CT).

Virological response of Tunisians patients treated by peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C: a preliminary study.

Background: Peginterferon plus ribavirin is actually the most effective therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon and ribavirin combination therapy in Tunisian patients with chronic hepatitis C and to identify predictors of response to treatment.

Methods: Fifty patients with chronic HCV infection recruited from the gastroenterology department of Habib Thameur hospital between January 2003 and March 2006 were prospectively included.