Analysis of baseline hepatitis B virus DNA levels in chronic hepatitis B patients with non-hematological malignancies prior to the initiation of cancer chemotherapy.

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common (~20-50%) during cancer chemotherapy. Baseline HBV replication status is an important risk factor for HBV reactivation. To date, data on the baseline HBV DNA level for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients prior to chemotherapy, particularly for non-hematological malignancies, are limited.

Association of insulin resistance with hepatic steatosis and progression of fibrosis in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: To investigate the relationships between insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in consecutive non-diabetic Chinese CHC patients with biopsy results.

Methodology: A total of 192 patients were enrolled. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

Risk factors associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese patients and the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Background/aims: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) has been reported to be associated with insulin resistance and induce inflammatory cytokines formation. Previous studies in human and animals showed inhibition of TNF-alpha improved severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aims of this study were to measure plasma levels of TNFalpha in NAFLD and healthy subjects and investigate potential risk factors.

Plasma levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in Chinese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background/aims: NAFLD with pathological features resembles alcohol-induced liver injury but its pathogenesis remained unclear. IL-6 and IL-8 belonged to pro-inflammatory cytokines and previous studies in alcoholic liver disease showed plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-8 correlated with disease severity. There has been no report regarding plasma levels of IL-6 and Il-8 in Chinese patients with NAFLD.

Chronic indomethacin treatment enhances the portal-systemic collateral vascular response to vasopressin in bile-duct ligated rats.

Background: Liver cirrhosis is often accompanied by portal-systemic collateral formation with hemorrhage and encephalopathy. Prostacyclin participates in hyperdynamic circulation and vascular hyporeactiveness to vasoconstrictors in cirrhosis. It has been shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP) induces direct collateral vasoconstriction in portal hypertensive rats, which is potentiated by indomethacin preincubation.

Kinetics of hepatitis C virus RNA load during pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy in Treatment-naive Chinese patients.

Background/aims: To investigate the viral kinetics of Chinese CHC patients received pegylated interferon plus ribavirin and examine the impact of HCV genotypes and severity of liver disease.

Methodology: 65 treatment-naove CHC patients who finished a 24-week therapy with peginterferon (alpha-2b (1.5 mcg/kg/week) plus ribavirin (1000-1200 mg /day) and 24 weeks of follow-up were enrolled.

Role of hepatic nitric oxide synthases in rats with thioacetamide-induced acute liver failure and encephalopathy.

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy is neuropsychiatric derangement secondary to hepatic decompensation or portal-systemic shunting. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition aggravates encephalopathy and increases mortality in rats with thioacetamide (TAA)-induced acute liver failure, suggesting a protective role of NO. This study investigated the roles of endothelium-derived constitutive NO synthase (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) in the liver of rats with fulminant hepatic failure and encephalopathy.

Lack of detrimental or therapeutic effects of cyclooxygenase inhibition in bile duct-ligated rats with hepatic encephalopathy.

Background: The pathogenetic mechanisms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) are not fully understood. Cerebral blood flow regulated by cyclooxygenase (COX) may be involved in the development of HE. There are no comprehensive data concerning the effects of COX inhibition on HE in chronic liver disease.

Effects of gabexate mesilate on serum inflammatory cytokines in rats with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Gabexate mesilate is a synthetic protease inhibitor. The effectiveness of gabexate mesilate in patients with acute pancreatitis is controversial. Proinflammatory cytokines are associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in acute pancreatitis.

Response of blood endothelin-1 and nitric oxide activity in duodenal ulcer patients undergoing Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Aim: To investigate the effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) in duodenal ulcer (DU) patients.

Methods: Sixty-six H pylori-infected active DU patients were consecutively enrolled to receive one-week triple therapy (rabeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole) and then one-month rabeprazole therapy. They were asked back to determine ulcer and H pylori status using endoscopy one month later.

Evidence against a role for endotoxin in the hepatic encephalopathy of rats with thioacetamide-induced fulminant hepatic failure.

Background And Aims: Endotoxin has been proposed to participate in the development of hepatic encephalopathy. However, there is no published data concerning the effects of endotoxin neutralization on the degree of hepatic encephalopathy. The present study investigated the effect of chronic intraperitoneal injection of polymyxin B, a neutralizing antagonist of endotoxin, on hepatic encephalopathy in rats with thioacetamide (TAA)-induced fulminant hepatic failure.

Nitric oxide synthase expression in the splanchnic hyposensitivity to glypressin of a hemorrhage-transfused rat model with portal hypertension.

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) has been proposed to participate in the vascular hyporesponsiveness to vasopressin and its long-acting analogue glypressin during hemorrhage in portal hypertensive states. This study surveyed the role of NO regarding splanchnic hyporeactivity to glypressin and NO synthases (NOS) expression in different vascular beds in bleeding portal-hypertensive rats.

Methods: Under general anesthesia with ketamine, partially portal vein-ligated male Sprague-Dawley rats without or with bleeding were used to investigate the hemodynamic effects of glypressin (0.

Loss of sympathetic coordination appears to delay gastrointestinal transit in patients with spinal cord injury.

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) often suffer from many gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, while delayed GI transit exists in these patients. We are interested in whether the lost sympathetic activity is one of the mechanisms leading to disturbed GI transit in these subjects. Using a noninvasive hydrogen breath test representing orocecal transit time (OCTT) to study GI transit, 36 SCI patients and 12 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in our study.

Effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors on retrograde bile salt-induced pancreatitis rats.

Background: The serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been reported to be significantly higher in severe acute pancreatitis compared with mild pancreatitis. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by cytokine-inducible NO synthase might be involved as the mechanisms for the progression of pancreatitis and the occurrence of systemic complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a non-selective NO synthase inhibitor, nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and an inducible NO synthase inhibitor, L-canavanine, on sodium taurodeoxycholate-induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis in rats.

Spider angiomas in patients with liver cirrhosis: role of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor.

Aim: To investigate whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) are associated with spider angiomas in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: Eighty-six patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled and the number and size of the spider angiomas were recorded. Fifty-three healthy subjects were selected as controls.

Early changes of serum proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Introduction: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-induced pancreatitis provides a model to study the time course of cytokine release during the initiation phase of pancreatitis. The early changes of inflammatory cytokines after ERCP have been unclear.

Aims: To evaluate the early changes in serum levels of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines after ERCP and to assess their value in the early recognition of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Delayed gastrointestinal transit in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: Disturbed gastrointestinal (GI) motility exists in cirrhotic patients; however, less is known about the character of GI transit in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. It is interesting to study the GI transit in HCC patients and to explore the patient factors modulating GI transit.

Methods: A non-invasive hydrogen breath test, which measured the orocecal transit time (OCTT), was used to study GI transit in 40 HCC patients, 20 cirrhotics and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers with normal bowel habits.

Clinical significance of the changes of platelet counts and serum thrombopoietin levels in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with different doses of consensus interferon.

Thrombocytopenia is commonly seen in patients with cirrhosis. Both splenomegaly and inadequate thrombopoietin (TPO) production by the cirrhotic liver are responsible for thrombocytopenia. In addition, thrombocytopenia is frequently observed in chronic hepatitis patients who received interferon therapy, and may even lead to the discontinuation of treatment.

Role of chronic Helicobacter pylori infection in hyperdynamic circulation of cirrhotic patients.

Background/aims: Hyperdynamic circulation observed in portal hypertension is characterized by generalized vasodilatation, increased cardiac index, and increased systemic and regional blood flows, and mediated at least partly by increased nitric oxide activities. Recent studies have demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection can stimulate nitric oxide synthase expression and activities.