Muscle quality determined by computed tomography predicts short-term and long-term survival after liver transplantation.

Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and quality, contributes to worse clinical outcome in patients with end-stage liver disease, but its impact on short- and long-term survival remains insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of computed tomography (CT) muscle parameters and their impact on short-term and long-term survival after liver transplantation. This retrospective study included patients with liver transplantation between 2011 and 2015 and a pre-transplant CT scan.

High prevalence of periodontal disease in patients with NASH- possible association of poor dental health with NASH severity.

Introduction And Objectives: Recent translational research indicated a bidirectional relationship between NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) and periodontitis; however, few clinical cohorts have studied this in detail. Thus we investigated this assumed association in a well-defined cohort.

Materials And Methods: Data were generated prospectively for 132 patients (32 patients with NASH and 100 unselected, consecutively collected, anonymized controls from a local dental practice): detailed periodontal parameters, i.

Low incidence of COVID-19 in a prospective cohort of patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma treated at a tertiary medical center during the 2020 pandemic.

Background And Aims: Patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) are considered to be at increased risk for mortality when acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequently developing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are regarded as sites with increased risk of infection. Therefore, patient contacts are often limited to urgent indications, which could negatively affect disease monitoring.

Improvement of renal function prior to liver transplantation is not associated with better long-term renal outcome or survival.

Introduction And Objectives: Since MELD implementation renal impairment in liver transplant (LT) recipients has become of increasing importance. This is the first study evaluating the course of renal function immediately prior to LT as predictor for long-term renal and overall outcome.

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective study, 226 adults undergoing LT at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (2011-2015) were included.

Significance of Anti-Nuclear Antibodies and Cryoglobulins in Patients with Acute and Chronic HEV Infection.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been associated with immunological phenomena. Their clinical significance, however, still needs to be clarified, that is, whether cryoglobulins or autoantibodies impact overt disease in HEV-infected individuals. To better understand, we analyzed these different immune phenomena in three cohorts, each representing different types of HEV infection.