The Mediterranean dietary pattern as the diet of choice for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Evidence and plausible mechanisms.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major global health burden, leading to increased risk for cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle intervention aiming at weight reduction is the most established treatment. However, changing the dietary composition even without weight loss can also reduce steatosis and improve metabolic alterations as insulin resistance and lipid profile.

Management of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-related perforations: Experience of a tertiary center.

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-induced perforation (EP) is a rare but severe complication. We describe the risk factors, management, and outcome of ERCP-induced perforations in a tertiary center.

Methods: This is a case-control study.

Predicting Efficacy of Plastic Stents for Posttransplantation Biliary Strictures.

Background: Biliary strictures (BS) are a common complication of liver transplantation. The standard treatment is sequential insertion of increasing numbers of plastic stents by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Despite high success rates, some strictures fail to resolve and require surgery as definitive treatment.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is not associated with a lower health perception.

Aim: To examine the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and general health perception.

Methods: This cross sectional and prospective follow-up study was performed on a cohort of a sub-sample of the first Israeli national health and nutrition examination survey, with no secondary liver disease or history of alcohol abuse. On the first survey, in 2003-2004, 349 participants were included.

Optimising the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit to Improve Quality of Care: Expert Recommendations.

Introduction: The best care setting for patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] may be in a dedicated unit. Whereas not all gastroenterology units have the same resources to develop dedicated IBD facilities and services, there are steps that can be taken by any unit to optimise patients' access to interdisciplinary expert care. A series of pragmatic recommendations relating to IBD unit optimisation have been developed through discussion among a large panel of international experts.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: Steps forward but still a long way to go.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy and the third cause of tumor associated deaths worldwide. HCC incidence rates are increasing in many parts of the world including developing and developed countries. Potentially curative treatments for HCC are resection and liver transplantation, but these are only suitable for patients with small tumors, meeting strict pre-defined criteria, or well-compensated liver disease.

Prognosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis in israel is independent of coexisting inflammatory bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare chronic progressive cholestatic disorder. We assessed its characteristics and natural history in Israel and compared its outcome with respect to coexisting inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Data on characteristics, course and outcome were retrospectively retrieved on patients diagnosed with PSC from five large Israeli medical centers between 1988 and 2012.

The incidence and predictors of lupus-like reaction in patients with IBD treated with anti-TNF therapies.

Background: The incidence of lupus-like reactions (LLRs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (ATNF) has not been well defined. We aimed to characterize the features and predictors associated with LLR.

Methods: We studied a cohort of adult patients with IBD treated with ATNF by a single specialist during 2009.

False negative fecal occult blood test may be associated with increased mortality from colorectal cancer.

Background: Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is an accepted screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC). It has been shown to decrease mortality by up to 30%. The outcome of screening failures has not been adequately studied.

Effects of CYP4F2 polymorphism on response to warfarin during induction phase: a prospective, open-label, observational cohort study.

Background: The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4F2 isozyme has been reported to metabolize vitamin K(1) in vitro, and the V433M polymorphism in the CYP4F2 gene has been associated with reduced vitamin K(1) metabolism and the need for a higher maintenance dosage in patients receiving warfarin.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of V433M polymorphism on warfarin response during the induction phase.

Methods: Warfarin-naive white patients in whom warfarin was scheduled to be initiated with a target INR of 2 to 3 were enrolled into the study.

Factor VII R353Q genetic polymorphism is associated with altered warfarin sensitivity among CYP2C9 *1/*1 carriers.

Objective: Warfarin responsiveness is characterized by marked interindividual variability. A major portion of this variability is attributed to CYP2C9 and VKORC1 polymorphisms, but almost 50% is still unaccounted for. This paper reports the first prospective study on the association between factor VII R353Q polymorphism and warfarin responsiveness during induction.