Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence in the Posttransplant Population: A Comparison of RETREAT and Cleveland Clinic Florida Scoring System.

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is curative in most cases; however, recurrence is observed in some patients. The Risk Estimation of Tumor Recurrence After Transplant (RETREAT) score is an externally validated scoring system for prediction of post-LT HCC recurrence. The Cleveland Clinic Florida Scoring System (CCFSS) is a potential new scoring system for prediction of HCC recurrence.

Risk Factors Associated With Postendoscopic Mucosal Resection Bleeding in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background And Aim: There is limited data regarding the safety of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in the cirrhotic population. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety of colonoscopic EMR in cirrhosis.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective review of cirrhotics who underwent colonic EMR at 8 Cleveland Clinic Centers between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2018.

Hepatitis C Virus NAT-Positive Solid Organ Allografts Transplanted Into Hepatitis C Virus-Negative Recipients: A Real-World Experience.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-viremic organs are underutilized, and there is limited real-world experience on the transplantation of HCV-viremic solid organs into recipients who are HCV negative.

Approach And Results: Patients listed or being evaluated for solid organ transplant after January 26, 2018, were educated and consented by protocol on the transplantation of HCV-viremic organs. All recipients were HCV nucleic acid test and anti-HCV antibody negative at the time of transplant and received an HCV-viremic organ.

Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis after kidney transplantation from HCV-viremic donors to HCV-negative recipients: A unique complication in the DAA era.

Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) posttransplantation can lead to graft failure and death. In the era of direct acting antiviral therapy (DAA), several studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of transplanting hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive allografts into HCV-negative recipients. In this case series, we present two cases of HCV-negative recipients who underwent kidney transplantation from viremic donors and developed FCH.

Clinical and Pathological Risk Factors Associated with Liver Fibrosis and Steatosis in African-Americans with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Background And Aim: Several factors involved in the development of liver fibrosis in African-American patients with chronic hepatitis C have not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate some of these risk factors.

Methods: We reviewed pathology and medical records of 603 African-Americans with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection at Howard University Hospital from January 2004 to December 2013.

Can optical diagnosis of small colon polyps be accurate? Comparing standard scope without narrow banding to high definition scope with narrow banding.

Aim: To study the accuracy of using high definition (HD) scope with narrow band imaging (NBI) vs standard white light colonoscope without NBI (ST), to predict the histology of the colon polyps, particularly those < 1 cm.

Methods: A total of 147 African Americans patients who were referred to Howard University Hospital for screening or, diagnostic or follow up colonoscopy, during a 12-mo period in 2012 were prospectively recruited. Some patients had multiple polyps and total number of polyps was 179.

Lipid-lowering agents and hepatotoxicity.

Lipid-lowering therapy is increasingly being used in patients for a variety of diseases, the most important being secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Many lipid-lowering drugs carry side effects that include elevations in hepatic function tests and liver toxicity. In many cases, these drugs are not prescribed or they are underprescribed because of fears of injury to the liver.