Factors correlating with acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To investigate the factors other than fibrosis stage correlating with acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastograpy in chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: ARFI elastograpy was performed in 108 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C who underwent a liver biopsy. The proportion of fibrosis area in the biopsy specimens was measured by computer-assisted morphometric image analysis.

Reduction of liver stiffness by antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Liver stiffness (LS) has been reported to correlate with fibrosis stage (F). The correlation between LS and fibrosis stage and the reduction of LS by antiviral therapy were examined in patients with hepatitis B infection.

Methods: LS was measured by FibroScan in 212 patients infected with hepatitis B virus.

Liver stiffness in extrahepatic cholestasis correlates positively with bilirubin and negatively with alanine aminotransferase.

Aim:   Transient elastography is a non-invasive tool to measure liver stiffness (LS), which has been reported to correlate with stage of liver fibrosis. Extrahepatic cholestasis was reported to cause elevated LS, which is considered to be attributed to the increased hydrostatic pressure in the liver. In the present study, the correlation of LS with laboratory data was investigated in extrahepatic cholestasis.

A new index for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis.

Aim: To construct and evaluate a new non-invasive fibrosis index for assessment of the stage of liver fibrosis.

Methods: A new fibrosis index (Fibro-Stiffness index) was developed in 165 of 285 patients with chronic hepatitis C, and was validated in the other 120 patients where liver biopsy was performed. Its usefulness was compared with liver stiffness (LS) measured by FibroScan, the aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, the Forns index and the FibroIndex.

Reduction of liver stiffness by interferon treatment in the patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To assess the regression of liver fibrosis after interferon (IFN) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C, liver stiffness (LS) was measured repeatedly and the factors associated with reduction of LS were assessed.

Methods: LS was measured by transient elastography before treatment, at end of treatment (EOT), and 1 year and 2 years after EOT in 145 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated by IFN with or without ribavirin.

Results: In the patients with sustained virological response (SVR) (n = 93) and relapsers (n = 28), LS significantly decreased at EOT (median, 5.

The loss of HBeAg without precore mutation results in lower HBV DNA levels and ALT levels in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between precore (PC)/basal core promoter (BCP) mutations and the viral loads or activity of hepatitis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Methods: HBV genotypes, PC mutations, BCP mutations, HBV DNA levels, and serological markers of HBV were analyzed in all the patients with chronic HBV infection seen in Fujita Health University Hospital from June 2004 to November 2008 (n=215).

Results: HBV genotype was C in 169 patients, B in 16, A in 3, F in 1, and unclassifiable in 5.

Liver stiffness measured by transient elastography correlates with fibrosis area in liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: Liver stiffness (LS) measured by transient elastography (TE) has been reported to correlate with liver fibrosis, which is usually semiquantitatively assessed. In the present study, the fibrosis area was measured by image analysis software in liver biopsy specimens and its correlation with LS was assessed.

Methods: LS was measured by TE in all 165 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who underwent liver biopsy consecutively in Fujita Health University Hospital from July 2004 to September 2007.

Assessment of nutritional status of patients with hepatitis C virus-related liver cirrhosis.

Aim: Nutrition support for patients with liver cirrhosis, such as late evening snacks and branched-chain amino acids, has been demonstrated to be effective. However, the assessment of the malnutrition of liver cirrhosis is still a problem. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus by six methods and to test the sensitivity and specificity of these methods.

Effects of sucralfate, cimetidine and rabeprazole on mucosal hydroxyproline content in healing of ethanol-hcl-induced gastric lesions.

1. No general consensus has been reached on the treatment of acute gastric lesions. The aims of the present study were to clarify the effects of sucralfate, cimetidine and rabeprazole monotherapies and combination therapies on acute gastric lesions from the viewpoint of connective tissue regeneration.

Is omeprazole or misoprostol superior for improving indomethacin-induced delayed maturation of granulation tissue in rat gastric ulcers?

Background And Aims: Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and prostaglandin (PG) preparations are believed to both prevent NSAID-induced gastric ulcers and promote the delayed healing of gastric ulcers by NSAIDs, but it remains unclear which of these drugs is superior. The aim of this study was to clarify which achieved better healing of NSAID-induced gastric ulcers, not only with respect to epithelialization but also repair of the submucosal tissues.

Methods: We used acetic acid to induce gastric ulcers in rats, and compared the changes between a control group, NSAID group, NSAID + PPI group and NSAID + PG group.