Publications by authors named "George Ostapowicz"
Aim: To examine the available evidence on safety, competency and cost-effectiveness of nursing staff providing gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy services.
Methods: The literature was searched for publications reporting nurse endoscopy using several databases and specific search terms. Studies were screened against eligibility criteria and for relevance.
Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of interferon lambda-3 (IFN-λ3) gene polymorphisms in previously untreated Australian patients with genotype 1 (Gt1) chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to compare the IFN-λ3 genotype frequency among the different ethnic populations.
Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study undertaken by the Australian Liver Association Clinical Research Network. Eligible subjects had Gt1 CHC and were being considered for and/or undergoing treatment.
Article Synopsis
- Frameshift mutations in the ALAS2 gene lead to increased enzyme activation, resulting in elevated levels of protoporphyrin in patients with X-linked dominant protoporphyria (XLDPP).
- In a study of four new XLDPP families, researchers discovered two novel mutations alongside a known one, suggesting a broader mutation spectrum and the role of mosaicism in the prevalence of the delAGTG mutation.
- The study proposes a large gain-of-function domain in the C-terminus of ALAS2, with experiments confirming a specific region that regulates enzymatic activity, which is proposed to be inhibited through its own C-terminus.
Objective: To determine hepatitis C (HCV) treatment effectiveness and predictors of response in the "real-world" Australian clinic setting.
Design, Setting And Participants: Patients with chronic HCV, who were HCV-treatment-naive at enrolment, and were then treated with standard therapy (pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin), were recruited prospectively through a national network of 24 HCV clinics between April 2008 and December 2009. Patients were interviewed and a medical record review was conducted at enrolment and at routine follow-up clinic visits.
An association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
J Gastroenterol Hepatol
February 2009
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). NAFLD and PCOS are both known to be associated with metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance.
Method: Fourteen consecutive female patients of reproductive age (20-45) either with liver biopsy proven NAFLD (50%) or abdominal ultrasound (US) consistent with steatosis together with elevated ALT levels (50%) were screened for PCOS using 2003 Rotterdam consensus meeting criteria.
Serum concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), variably elevated during liver injury, have been suggested to be of prognostic importance in acute liver failure (ALF), higher values being associated with improved outcome. Using a nephelometric assay, we measured AFP in sera obtained on admission from 206 patients prospectively enrolled in the US ALF Study, and on day 3 in 162 of these patients. The AFP ratio was defined as the day 3 AFP concentration divided by that observed on day 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSevere acetaminophen hepatotoxicity frequently leads to acute liver failure (ALF). We determined the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of acetaminophen-induced ALF at 22 tertiary care centers in the United States. Detailed prospective data were gathered on 662 consecutive patients over a 6-year period fulfilling standard criteria for ALF (coagulopathy and encephalopathy), from which 275 (42%) were determined to result from acetaminophen liver injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSEN virus (SENV) has been tentatively linked to transfusion-associated non-A-E hepatitis. We investigated SENV's role in unexplained hepatitis in other settings. Polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to detect 2 SENV variants (SENV-D and SENV-H) in 1706 patients and control subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Because acute liver failure is rare, related data have been sparse. Studies have suggested that viral hepatitis is the most common underlying cause of this condition.
Objective: To describe the clinical features, presumed causes, and short-term outcomes of acute liver failure.