The role of noninvasive biomarkers in diagnosis and risk stratification in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronically elevated liver enzymes. Diagnosis and risk stratification of NAFLD remains clinically challenge as patients with NAFLD are either asymptomatic or have nonspecific presenting complaints and may have normal liver enzymes. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the clinically aggressive variant of NAFLD, is also difficult to differentiate noninvasively, and a liver biopsy is required to definitively diagnose NASH.

Association Between Lipoprotein Particles and Atherosclerotic Events in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common cause of chronic liver disease, is independently associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of mortality in patients with NAFLD. This is likely caused by the centrality of the liver in lipid homeostasis. Prior cross-sectional studies have shown that NAFLD is associated with perturbations in lipid profile and atherogenic lipoprotein subparticles.

Progression to Cirrhosis Leads to Improvement in Atherogenic Milieu.

Introduction: The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is high among patients with cirrhosis; however, the impact of it on cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not known. The aim of the current study was to evaluate CVD events in patients with cirrhosis and impact of cirrhosis on biomarkers of atherogenesis.

Methods: The study included 682 patients with decompensated cirrhosis referred for liver transplantation (LT) evaluation between 2010 and 2017.

Why Do Lifestyle Recommendations Fail in Most Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been recognized as a major health burden. The efficacy and safety profile of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease remains uncertain; therefore, lifestyle modification is the first line of treatment. Based on available data, patients should optimally achieve at least a 5% to 10% weight reduction for histologic improvement.

Office-Based Weight Loss Counseling Is Ineffective in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: Weight gain after liver transplantation (LT) is a predictor of major morbidity and mortality post-LT; however, there are no data regarding weight loss following LT. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of standard lifestyle intervention in LT recipients.

Methods: All adult LT recipients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m who followed up in post-LT clinic from January 2013 to January 2016 were given standard lifestyle advice based on societal recommendations which was reinforced at 24 weeks.

Radiation-Induced Coronary Artery Disease in Young Patients.

Exposure to radiotherapy has been shown to accelerate myocardial damage or injury to the cardiac vasculature. Accelerated coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the main manifestations of cardiac disease in patients who undergo mediastinal radiation therapy. We present the cases of three young patients who developed severe CAD secondary to remote mediastinal radiotherapy.

The cytotoxicity of BAMLET complexes is due to oleic acid and independent of the α-lactalbumin component.

Lipid-protein complexes comprised of oleic acid (OA) non-covalently coupled to human/bovine α-lactalbumin, named HAMLET/BAMLET, display cytotoxic properties against cancer cells. However, there is still a substantial debate about the role of the protein in these complexes. To shed light into this, we obtained three different BAMLET complexes using varying synthesis conditions.

Chemical glycosylation of cytochrome c improves physical and chemical protein stability.

Background: Cytochrome c (Cyt c) is an apoptosis-initiating protein when released into the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells and therefore a possible cancer drug candidate. Although proteins have been increasingly important as pharmaceutical agents, their chemical and physical instability during production, storage, and delivery remains a problem. Chemical glycosylation has been devised as a method to increase protein stability and thus enhance their long-lasting bioavailability.