Transient Elastography in the Evaluation of Cystic Fibrosis-Associated Liver Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Complications of cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFLD) are a leading nonpulmonary cause of death. Transient elastography (TE) has recently been investigated to detect CFLD. This study reviews the current literature for TE in the detection CFLD.

Treatment of hepatitis C in patients with cirrhosis: remaining challenges for direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global health concern, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment using interferon-based therapy in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis has been problematic due to toxicity and poor tolerability. Furthermore, interferon therapy is contraindicated in those with advanced cirrhosis or clinical decompensation, who are arguably the group most in need of viral eradication.

Liver stiffness and the prediction of clinically significant portal hypertension and portal hypertensive complications.

Objective: Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) is associated with increased risk of liver disease complications, but its identification requires invasive methods. Liver stiffness (LS) measurement via transient elastography correlates with the presence of CSPH. We, therefore, evaluated LS as a noninvasive tool in the prediction of CSPH and portal hypertensive complications.

Interleukin-28B rs12979860 C allele: Protective against advanced fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection.

Background and Aim: While genetic polymorphisms upstream of the interleukin-28B(IL28B) gene are associated with necroinflammatory activity grade in chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) infection, any association with fibrosis is less definitive. Pretreatment liver biopsies in a cohort of treatment-naïve patients with HCV-1 were analyzed to evaluate associations between liver histology, and the rs12979860 and rs8099917 IL28B single nucleotide polymorphisms.Methods: Two hundred sixty-six patients with HCV-1 infection and pretreatment liver biopsy were tested for the rs12979860 and rs8099917 single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Vitamin D level and sustained virologic response to interferon-based antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: The baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level has recently been reported to be an independent predictor of sustained virologic response (SVR) to treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, studies have yielded inconsistent results. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify any association between baseline 25(OH)D level and SVR in HCV therapy.

Utility of transient elastography in the non-invasive evaluation of cystic fibrosis liver disease.

Background: Liver disease frequently complicates cystic fibrosis (CF), with CF liver disease (CFLD) a leading cause of death. Liver biopsy is rarely performed because of the patchy nature of the disease. Transient elastography can reliably stage liver fibrosis via liver stiffness measurement (LSM).

Vitamin D status does not predict sustained virologic response or fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection.

Background & Aims: The relationship between vitamin D status and response to antiviral therapy and liver histology in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) infection remains unclear, with studies to date yielding inconsistent results and failing to use reference assay methodology. We therefore analyzed pre-treatment 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level, using reference liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methodology, in a cohort of treatment-naïve patients with HCV-1 to evaluate the association between vitamin D status, virologic response, and liver histology.

Methods: 274 patients, with pre-treatment liver biopsy and up to 48 weeks of pegylated interferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin therapy, were tested for serum 25(OH)D level.

D-livering the message: the importance of vitamin D status in chronic liver disease.

Vitamin D is synthesized predominantly in the liver and functions as an important secosteroid hormone with pleiotropic effects. While its key regulatory role in calcium and bone homeostasis is well established, recently there is increasing recognition that vitamin D also regulates cell proliferation and differentiation, and has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. These non-skeletal effects are relevant in the pathogenesis and treatment of many causes of chronic liver disease.