Pneumococcal vaccination status among cirrhotic patients in Italy: a neglected topic.

To date, few reports have evaluated the pneumococcal vaccination status in cirrhotic patients. No data are available for European countries. We have explored this topic and the potential independent predictors motivating lack of vaccination in Italy.

COVID-19 vaccination among cirrhotics in Italy: High coverage and effectiveness of 3 doses versus 2 in preventing breakthrough infection and hospitalization.

Background And Aims: Few reports, all retrospective, have evaluated vaccine coverage against COVID-19 infection in cirrhotic subjects. No data are available for European Countries. We aimed to explore this topic and potential independent predictors of lack of vaccination.

Low influenza vaccination coverage in subjects with liver cirrhosis. An alert waiting for winter season 2020-2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have evaluated flu vaccine coverage and variables associated with the lack of vaccination in cirrhotic subjects with particular attention to the cirrhosis etiology. Cirrhotic subjects consecutively referring to eight Italian centers were prospectively enrolled for a 6-month period in 2019. Subjects were asked if they had received a flu vaccine in the last 12 months.

Rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies in the general population: hepatitis B and C virus association and 15-year-risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated peptides (ACPA), to estimate the association with hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) virus infections and the 15-year risk of developing RA in a large cohort from a Northern Italian region.

Methods: In 1998, 15,907 subjects between the ages of 18 and 75 were randomly selected 1:4 for HBV and HCV testing; more recently, we tested a subgroup of sera for RF (n=2196) and ACPA (n=2525). Administrative databases were searched after 15 years for incident RA diagnoses occurring between 1998 and 2013.

Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and risk factors for lack of vaccination in subjects with HBsAg negative liver cirrhosis in Italy: still, much work should be done.

Background: in Italy, Hepatitis-B-vaccine is advised and provided free-of-charge for subjects with chronic liver disease (CLD), including liver cirrhosis.

Aims: to evaluate HB-vaccine-coverage and variables associated with lack of vaccination in cirrhotic patients with particular attention to cirrhosis' etiology.

Methods: cirrhotic patients of any etiology (excluding HBsAg+) referring to 8 tertiary-centers were prospectively enrolled for a-six-months-period in 2019.

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Italy during the twenty-first century: an updated survey in 2019.

The aim of this study is to provide updates on the characteristics of chronic HBsAg carriers in Italy before the advent of new drugs eliminating or functionally inactivating the genome HBV reservoirs. HBV endemicity has greatly decreased in Italy over the past decades. A not negligible number of chronic HBsAg carriers are still alive in the country.

Migratory flow and hepatitis delta infection in Italy: A new challenge at the beginning of the third millennium.

In Italy, HDV infection endemicity has greatly decreased overtime. Migratory flow may change this scenario as migrants often come from high HDV endemicity areas. Here, we studied characteristics of HDV infection in Italy, particularly addressed to the birth area of subjects.

Pathology of idiopathic non-cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Idiopathic non-cirrhotic portal hypertension is an under-recognized vascular liver disease of unknown etiology, characterized by clinical signs of portal hypertension in the absence of cirrhosis. By definition, any disorder known to cause portal hypertension in the absence of cirrhosis and any cause of chronic liver disease must be excluded to make a diagnosis of idiopathic non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. However, the diagnosis is often difficult because the disease resembles cirrhosis and there is no gold standard test.

Focus on histological abnormalities of intrahepatic vasculature in chronic viral hepatitis.

Background & Aims: The histological intrahepatic microvasculature lesions have not been deeply investigated outside the setting of portal hypertension. The aim of this study was to analyse the type and the prevalence of microvasculature abnormalities and their correlation with inflammatory activity, fibrosis stage and tissue markers of fibrogenesis, angiogenesis and oxidative DNA damage in liver biopsies obtained from patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

Methods: Seventy-four liver biopsies from untreated patients affected by hepatitis B (22 cases) and C (52 cases) were included.

Gender differences in chronic liver diseases in two cohorts of 2001 and 2014 in Italy.

Background: Gender differences in chronic liver disease (CLD) have been partially investigated. To extend the present knowledge, we evaluated 12,263 patients with CLD enrolled in two national surveys (9997 in 2001 and 2557 in 2014).

Methods: The two surveys prospectively recruited patients aged ≥ 18 referring to Italian liver units throughout the country using a similar clinical approach and analytical methods.

Sex difference in the interaction of alcohol intake, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus on the risk of cirrhosis.

Background: The joint effect of the interaction of alcohol intake, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) on the risk of cirrhosis is still unexplored because a large sample size is required for this investigation.

Objective: Evaluation of interaction of HBV, HCV and alcohol abuse on the risk of cirrhosis.

Design: We analysed 12,262 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease of various aetiologies referring to 95 Italian liver units in 2001 or 2014.

Influence of universal HBV vaccination on chronic HBV infection in Italy: Results of a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Background And Aim: The universal hepatitis B vaccination for infants and 12-year-old adolescents (the latter limited to the first 12 years of application) was launched in Italy in 1991. Twenty-three years later we evaluated the impact of the vaccination campaign on the burden of HBsAg-positive chronic liver diseases (CLD).

Material And Methods: A total of 513 HBsAg-positive chronic carriers referring to 16 Italian liver units were investigated and compared with HBsAg carriers enrolled in previous surveys.

Characteristics of liver cirrhosis in Italy: Evidence for a decreasing role of HCV aetiology.

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection had been the main agent associated with liver cirrhosis in Italy.

Aim: To assess epidemiological, laboratory and clinical features of liver cirrhosis in Italy in 2014.

Patients: Out of the 2557 consecutive subjects evaluated in 16 hospitals located throughout Italy in 2014, 832 (32.

Serum antinuclear and extractable nuclear antigen antibody prevalence and associated morbidity and mortality in the general population over 15 years.

The prevalence of ANA and anti-ENA in the general population is not well established, especially their clinical significance in healthy subjects. We herein determined the prevalence and predictive value of serum ANA and anti-ENA for connective tissue diseases (CTD), cancer, and mortality. We took advantage of a randomly selected sample of the 1998 general population (Isola I) consisting of 2828 subjects (53% women, age 43±13 years) from a well-defined Northern Italian area.

Obliterative portal venopathy without portal hypertension: an underestimated condition.

Background & Aims: Obliterative portal venopathy without portal hypertension has been described by a single study in a limited number of patients, thus very little is known about this clinical condition. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of obliterative portal venopathy and its clinical-pathological correlations in patients with cryptogenic chronic liver test abnormalities without clinical signs of portal hypertension.

Methods: We analysed 482 liver biopsies from adults with non-cirrhotic cryptogenic chronic liver disorders and without any clinical signs of portal hypertension, consecutively enrolled in a 5-year period.

The overlap syndrome between primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background: The overlap syndrome between primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis is an extremely rare condition that has been reported in only six published cases so far.

Methods: Here we report two cases showing the clinical manifestations of both primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Results: In one case the overlap condition was associated with psoriatric arthritis, and the patient successfully underwent dual treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid and the anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha agent adalimumab.

Pegylated interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin: an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment regimen for patients with hepatitis C virus related histologically proven cirrhosis.

Background: Little is known about the efficacy, safety and tolerability of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis Cvirus (HCV) infection and histologically proven fully established cirrhosis. We aimed here to evaluate the safety of this regimen in such patients and to identify baseline and on-treatment predictors of a sustained virological response (SVR).

Methods: Patients with histologically proven, HCV-induced cirrhosis were randomized to receive pegylated interferon-alpha2b (PEG-IFN-alpha2b; 1.

Occult hepatitis B virus in liver tissue of individuals without hepatic disease.

Background/aims: While many data are available concerning occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with hepatic disorders, there is little information about this cryptic infection in individuals without liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occult HBV in the general population by examining liver specimens from a large series of HBV-surface-antigen negative individuals with no clinical and biochemical evidence of liver disease.

Methods: The presence of HBV DNA was evaluated by testing, through polymerase chain reaction techniques, DNA extracts from 98 liver-disease-free individuals who underwent liver resection or needle biopsy during abdominal surgery.

Relationship between steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

Background & Aims: Steatosis is a frequent histologic finding in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), but it is unclear whether steatosis is an independent predictor for liver fibrosis. We evaluated the association between steatosis and fibrosis and their common correlates in persons with CHC and in subgroup analyses according to hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype and body mass index.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis on individual data from 3068 patients with histologically confirmed CHC recruited from 10 clinical centers in Italy, Switzerland, France, Australia, and the United States.

Isolated idiopathic bile ductular hyperplasia in patients with persistently abnormal liver function tests.

Background/aims: In routine examination of liver biopsies isolated ductular hyperplasia (IDH) may be the only histopathological change. Here we describe the clinical and immunophenotypic features of a number of cases retrospectively identified reviewing consecutive liver biopsies from five Italian centers over 4 years.

Methods: We reviewed 1235 cases biopsied for chronic liver disease (1078 for viral hepatitis).

Impact of liver biopsy size on histological evaluation of chronic viral hepatitis: the smaller the sample, the milder the disease.

Background/aims: In chronic viral hepatitis, liver biopsy is performed for assessing disease activity and fibrosis. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the size of liver biopsy on the grading and staging.

Methods: We selected 161 liver biopsies from patients with chronic types B and C hepatitis on the basis of their length (> or =3 cm) and width (1.