Sarcoidosis Presenting as Necrotizing Sarcoid Granulomatosis of the Liver, Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Gastric Ulcer.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease. The liver is affected in up to 50-90% of cases. Sarcoidosis typically presents as non-necrotizing epithelioid granuloma.

Primary biliary cirrhosis in adults.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic, autoimmune, cholestatic liver disease. It is characterized by slow destruction of small intrahepatic bile ducts, impaired biliary secretion and stasis of toxic endogenous bile acids within the liver with progression to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. It has an increasing prevalence worldwide.

Occult ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion: diagnostic dilemma and infective consequence.

A 42-year-old male presented with polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss. His initial physical exam showed a paucity of cushingoid features. Diagnostic work up was consistent with an ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion.

Optimizing biochemical markers as endpoints for clinical trials in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Background: Biochemical tests have been recommended as endpoints for clinical trials in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) because the use of liver transplantation and death as endpoints in ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapeutic trials is unfeasible. The best inclusion criteria cut-off values and cut-off for demonstrating treatment success have not been defined.

Aim: Our aim was to determine the optimal biochemical values for patient inclusion and to define values for treatment success in therapeutic trials.