Differences in Prediagnostic Serum Metabolomic and Lipidomic Profiles Between Cirrhosis Patients with and without Incident Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is crucial for improving patient outcomes, but we lack robust clinical biomarkers. This study aimed to identify a metabolite and/or lipid panel for early HCC detection.

Methods: We developed a high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based profiling platform and evaluated differences in the global metabolome and lipidome between 28 pre-diagnostic serum samples from patients with cirrhosis who subsequently developed HCC (cases) and 30 samples from patients with cirrhosis and no HCC (controls).

Serum biomarker signature is predictive of the risk of hepatocellular cancer in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers have been associated with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) risk in phases I and II biomarker studies. We developed and internally validated a robust metabolic biomarker panel predictive of HCC in a longitudinal phase III study.

Methods: We used data and banked serum from a prospective cohort of 2266 adult patients with cirrhosis who were followed until the development of HCC (n=126).

Energy intake and expenditure in children and adolescents, contributions of biological maturity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the ratio of energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE) and body composition, physical activity and macronutrients intake, considering maturity as a moderator.

Methods: The study involved 459 adolescents aged 10 to 17. Energy and macronutrients intake were estimated using a valid Food Frequency Questionnaire; basal metabolic rate (BMR) was predicted from Schofield equations and EE was estimated using BMR and physical activity level obtained through a Portuguese validated biosocial questionnaire.

Skeletal age prediction model from percentage of adult height in children and adolescents.

Skeletal age (SA) is considered the gold standard to assess the degree of maturation and has been widely used in sports, education and public health areas; however, it requires sophisticated equipment and well-trained technicians. Therefore, it is important to develop non-invasive methods for its evaluation. The aim was to develop an equation to predict SA using the percentage of adult height.