Gut-related molecules as potential biomarkers in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Introduction And Objectives: Microbial translocation contributes to cirrhosis progression and complications. This study aims to investigate whether molecules related to intestinal permeability or microbial translocation can serve as prognostic biomarkers in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively evaluated hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis for liver function, complications during hospitalization, in-hospital mortality, composite outcomes of in-hospital mortality and complications, 12-month mortality, and survival rates.

Impact of COVID-19 infection on lung function and nutritional status amongst individuals with cystic fibrosis: A global cohort study.

Background: Factors associated with severe COVID-19 infection have been identified; however, the impact of infection on longer-term outcomes is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 infection on the trajectory of lung function and nutritional status in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF).

Methods: This is a retrospective global cohort study of pwCF who had confirmed COVID-19 infection diagnosed between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021.

Year in review 2023 - Back to the future.

This review synthesizes articles published in 2023, focusing on the impact of elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI) in cystic fibrosis (CF) care. Real-world data highlights sustained benefits of ETI across age groups, while challenges like neuropsychological side effects persist. Beyond CFTR modulators, research explores telemedicine and novel therapies.

Natural History of Hepatosplenic Schistosomiasis (HSS) Non-Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension (NCPH): Influence of Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Decompensation in Prognosis.

Background: Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS) is a peculiar form of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH). Although HSS patients present normal hepatic function, some evolve signs of hepatocellular failure and features of decompensated cirrhosis. The natural history of HSS-NCPH is unknown.

Validation of the Baveno VI criteria to rule out high-risk varices using hepatic shear-wave elastography.

Introduction And Objectives: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography has been validated to predict high-risk varices (HRV). We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of shear-wave elastography (SWE) and platelet count (Baveno VI criteria) to rule out HRV in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (c-ACLD).

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data of patients with c-ACLD (transient elastography ≥ 10 kPa) submitted to two-dimensional SWE (2D-SWE) (GE-LOGIQ-S8) and/or point SWE (p-SWE) (ElastPQ) who had a gastrointestinal endoscopy within 24 months.

Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (Anti-HBs) Kinetics during Rituximab Chemotherapy and Performance of Hepatitis B Vaccine before Immunosuppression: Two Prospective Studies.

Rituximab promotes strong immunosuppression leading to a high risk of hepatitis B reactivation (HBV-R) and chronic infection. Current recommendations on HBV-R prevention are expensive and poorly individualized. In resolved hepatitis B patients, previous studies suggest that anti-HBs titers before immunosuppression can predict HBV-R risk.

Noninvasive predictors of esophageal varices in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni.

Background: No previous study have evaluated transient elastography for predicting esophageal varices in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.

Aim: To investigate noninvasive methods of predicting esophageal varices in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni.

Methods: Cross-sectional multicentric study included 51 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.

The role of Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index-20 to detect quality of life in older adults assisted in primary care.

Objective: To determine the cutoff point of the Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index-20 to detect poor quality of life in the elderly in Primary Health Care.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Primary Health Care units of Ceilândia (DF, Brasil) between September 2019 and January 2020. Four hundred and fifty-eight individuals were included in the study and answered the Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index-20 (IVCF-20) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life - WHOQOL-BREF (validated to access quality of life) instruments.

2-D Shear Wave Elastography for the Evaluation of Liver Fibrosis in Hepatosplenic Schistosomiasis: Reliability of a Single Measurement and Inter-Hepatic Lobe Variability.

Data on liver and spleen stiffness by 2-D shear wave elastography (2-D SWE) in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HES) remain scarce. We aimed to assess the correlation between single to multiple measurements of liver and spleen stiffness and to evaluate inter-hepatic lobe variability of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using 2-D SWE in HES patients. Liver and spleen elastography were performed in HES patients in this cross-sectional study.

Can gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging be used to avoid liver biopsy in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease?

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. The diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the most severe form of NAFLD, is crucial and has prognostic and therapeutic implications. However, currently this diagnosis is based on liver biopsy and has several limitations.

Effectiveness of direct-acting agents for hepatitis C and liver stiffness changing after sustained virological response.

Background And Aim: Few studies have evaluated sustained virological response (SVR) rates by direct-acting agents (DAAs) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) changing post-SVR in limited-resource settings. We aimed to describe the effectiveness of DAAs for hepatitis C virus treatment and to assess the changing of LSM post-SVR.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data of consecutive hepatitis C virus-infected patients treated by DAAs from 2015 to 2017 in two tertiary centers in Brazil.

Reliability and safety of transnasal compared to conventional endoscopy for detecting oesophageal varices in cirrhotic patients.

Background & Aims: Unsedated transnasal endoscopy may be used for detecting oesophageal varices. However, few studies evaluated feasibility and accuracy of this technique. We aimed to evaluate accuracy, interobserver agreement and safety of the transnasal ultrathin compared to conventional endoscopy in patients with cirrhosis.

Latent Class Analysis of Noninvasive Methods and Liver Biopsy in Chronic Hepatitis C: An Approach without a Gold Standard.

Aims: To evaluate the applicability of the Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and accuracy of transient elastography (TE), aspartate-to-platelet-ratio-index (APRI), enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF), and liver biopsy (LB) for liver fibrosis assessment in a model without a gold standard.

Methods: Significant fibrosis was defined as TE ≥ 7.1 kPa, APRI ≥ 1.

Transient elastography evaluation of hepatic and spleen stiffness in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.

Background: Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HES) has not been evaluated by transient elastography so far and its correlation with ultrasound variables remains to be defined.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the parameters of liver and spleen stiffness in HES assessed by transient elastography in comparison with cirrhotics and controls evaluating its correlation with ultrasonographic data.

Patients And Methods: HES, hepatitis C virus-cirrhotic, and control patients were included in this sectional study.

CHYLOTHORAX IN PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS.

A previously healthy, 52-year-old woman presented with a nine months history of low fever and weight loss (> 30 kg). Physical examination disclosed generalized lymphadenopathy, skin lesions, abdominal distension, mild tachypnea and a left breast mass. Laboratory tests showed anemia; (prerenal) kidney injury, low serum albumin level; and negative serology for HIV and viral hepatitis.

Learning curve and intra/interobserver agreement of transient elastography in chronic hepatitis C patients with or without HIV co-infection.

Background And Objectives: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography has been validated as a noninvasive method to stage liver fibrosis. Few studies have evaluated the learning curve of this method and its reproducibility has led to controversy results. We aimed to evaluate the intra- and interobserver agreement of transient elastography as well as its learning curve for definition of an experimented operator.

Enhanced liver fibrosis panel as a predictor of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Evaluation of fibrosis is crucial in the assessment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) is a serological panel including hyaluronic acid (HA), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), and amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) that has shown good results in predicting liver fibrosis in distinct scenarios of chronic liver diseases.

Aims: We aimed to assess the performance of ELF on the detection of fibrosis and cirrhosis in a CHC patient cohort and to compare the results of ELF and transient elastography (TE-Fibroscan) using liver biopsy as reference.

Interobserver variability in transient elastography analysis of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: Transient elastography based on liver stiffness measurement is a non-invasive method to assess hepatic fibrosis. However, interobserver variability has led to controversy over its use in fibrosis evaluation. To evaluate the interobserver variation in transient elastography in chronic hepatitis C.