Liver transplant-free survival according to alkaline phosphatase and GLOBE score in patients with primary biliary cholangitis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid.

Background: After 1 year of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) may have a normal GLOBE score despite high alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels.

Aim: To assess the association between ALP and liver transplantation (LT)-free survival according to the GLOBE score METHODS: Among patients with a normal or elevated GLOBE score in the Global PBC cohort, the association between ALP after 1 year of UDCA and the risk of LT/death was assessed. The LT-free survival was compared with that of a matched general population.

Blue-collar work is a risk factor for developing IgG4-related disease of the biliary tract and pancreas.

Background & Aims: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) of the biliary tract and pancreas is a fibroinflammatory disease of unknown origin with striking male predominance. We aimed to investigate whether blue-collar work and occupational contaminant exposure are risk factors for IgG4-RD of the biliary tract and pancreas.

Method: We performed an age-/sex-matched case-control study in the largest academic medical centers of the Netherlands.

Development and validation of a prognostic score for long-term transplant-free survival in autoimmune hepatitis type 1.

Background: No prognostic score is currently available for long-term survival in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate such a prognostic score for AIH patients at diagnosis.

Methods: The prognostic score was developed using uni- & multivariate Cox regression in a 4-center Dutch cohort and validated in an independent 6-center Belgian cohort.

A Comparison of Prognostic Scores (Mayo, UK-PBC, and GLOBE) in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Introduction: Comparative data on scores that predict outcome in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are scarce. We aimed to assess and compare the prognostic value of the Mayo Risk Score (MRS, 1989 and 1994), UK-PBC score, and GLOBE score in a large international cohort of patients with PBC.

Methods: Ursodeoxycholic acid-treated patients from 7 centers participating in the GLOBAL PBC Study Group were included.

[The buried bumper syndrome].

The buried bumper syndrome (BBS) is a rare complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Hereby the internal PEG bumper is overgrown by hypertrophic gastric mucosa and embedded into the gastric wall. Most often an endoscopic approach to remove the bumper is successful.