The potential of soluble CD14 in discriminating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aims: Although various noninvasive markers and prediction formulas for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been reported, they are of value only in the diagnosis of the advanced fibrosis stage of NASH. In this study, we evaluated soluble CD14 (sCD14) as a diagnostic marker for discriminating NASH from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using an animal model and clinical specimens.

Methods: Serum sCD14 levels were measured in samples derived from mice with diet-induced NASH and patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Increased serum C-reactive protein and decreased urinary aquaporin 2 levels are predictive of the efficacy of tolvaptan in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Aim: Water retention, hepatic ascites, and peripheral edema are significant problems in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Although furosemide and spironolactone are commonly used as treatment, they are often insufficient to treat hyponatremia and renal insufficiency in patients with LC. Tolvaptan (TVP) could provide an effective treatment alternative.

Hepatitis B: progress in understanding chronicity, the innate immune response, and cccDNA protection.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious health threat around the world. Despite the availability of an effective hepatitis B vaccine, the number of HBV carriers is estimated to be as high as 240 million worldwide. Global mortality due to HBV-related liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be as high as 1 million deaths per year.