Evaluation of four chatbots in autoimmune liver disease: A comparative analysis.

Introduction And Objectives: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) are rare and require precise evaluation, which is often challenging for medical providers. Chatbots are innovative solutions to assist healthcare professionals in clinical management. In our study, ten liver specialists systematically evaluated four chatbots to determine their utility as clinical decision support tools in the field of AILDs.

Hepatitis A in Latin America: The current scenario.

This review aims to gather and disseminate updated information regarding hepatitis A virus (HAV) in Latin America (LA) in the last 11 years, including seroprevalence, post-vaccination studies, virus detection in aqueous matrices and food samples, and outbreak reports. Only 24 seroprevalence studies were published between 2012 and 2023 with 55%-100% reported prevalences of anti-HAV IgG. Among the 25 LA countries, only eight of them have introduced HAV vaccines into their immunisation programs.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus among people born before and after implementation of universal vaccination in Argentina.

Background: Until 2005, when a single dose of vaccine was implemented in one-year-old children, the Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was responsible for approximately 90% of acute hepatitis cases in the paediatric population in Argentina. However, despite vaccination success, sporadic outbreaks of HAV still occur among adults. This study aimed to assess the seroepidemiology of HAV in Argentina, analysing IgG and IgM antibodies against HAV in a large population, both vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Current Trends and Advancements in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant global health burden with a high mortality rate. Over the past 40 years, significant progress has been achieved in the prevention and management of HCC.

Summary: Hepatitis B vaccination programs, the development of direct acting antiviral drugs for Hepatitis C, and effective surveillance strategies provide a profound basis for the prevention of HCC.

Prevention in Hepatology.

The prevention of liver disease has improved significantly in the last few decades, to the point that it can now be considered a true success story. The wide variety of interventions, including comprehensive vaccination strategies, novel medications, lifestyle changes, and even preventive surgeries, have reduced the morbidity and mortality of chronic liver diseases. However, the prevalence of chronic liver diseases is increasing worldwide.

Liver decompensation is a frequent cause of treatment discontinuation and prognostic factor in intermediate-advanced HCC.

Introduction And Objectives: With the advent of new therapeutic options for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for intermediate or advanced stages of the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), regional real-world data regarding prognostic survival factors are of significant importance.

Patients And Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in Latin America including BCLC B or C patients since 15 May 2018. We report here the second interim analysis focusing on prognostic variables and causes of treatment discontinuation.

Atorvastatin shows antitumor effect in hepatocellular carcinoma development by inhibiting angiogenesis via TGF-β1/pERK signaling pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of liver tumors. Statins may reduce HCC incidence. Its antitumor activities may be mediated by disrupting several hepatocarcinogenic pathways.

Nitrofurantoin-induced liver injury: long-term follow-up in two prospective DILI registries.

Nitrofurantoin is a synthetic antibiotic that is recommended as first-choice treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The prescription of this drug has increased dramatically, especially in Latin American countries. We described the demographics, clinical characteristics, biochemical features, and outcome of nitrofurantoin-induced liver injury.

Implementation of a re-linkage to care strategy in patients with chronic hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Latin America.

To achieve WHO's goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV), innovative strategies must be designed to diagnose and treat more patients. Therefore, we aimed to describe an implementation strategy to identify patients with HCV who were lost to follow-up (LTFU) and offer them re-linkage to HCV care. We conducted an implementation study utilizing a strategy to contact patients with HCV who were not under regular follow-up in 13 countries from Latin America.

Choosing wisely recommendations regarding the top five list of procedures to avoid in the treatment of viral hepatitis: A position statement from the Brazilian Society of Hepatology endorsed by the Latin American Association for the Study of the liver.

Introduction And Objectives: The Choosing Wisely (CW) initiative aims to improve daily practice supported by evidence concerning unnecessary medical tests, procedures, and treatments. This philosophy is essential in managing viral hepatitis (VH), which primary care physicians increasingly carry out. It is also essential to achieving disease elimination.

Sofosbuvir-based regimens for HCV in stage 4-stage 5 chronic kidney disease. A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Hepatitis C is an important agent of liver damage in patients with chronic kidney disease and the advent of DAAs has dramatically changed the management of HCV positive patients, including those with advanced CKD. Sofosbuvir is the backbone of many anti-HCV regimens based on DAAs but it remains unclear whether it is appropriate for HCV-infected patients with stage 4-5 CKD.

Study Aims And Design: We performed a systematic review of the literature with a meta-analysis of clinical studies in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SOF-based DAA regimens in patients with stage 4-5 CKD.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

Background: Data regarding outcome of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in vaccinated patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are lacking. We evaluated the outcome of COVID-19 in AIH patients who received at least one dose of Pfizer- BioNTech (BNT162b2), Moderna (mRNA-1273) or AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S) vaccine.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective study on AIH patients with COVID-19.

Liver injury after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: Features of immune-mediated hepatitis, role of corticosteroid therapy and outcome.

Background And Aims: A few case reports of autoimmune hepatitis-like liver injury have been reported after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. We evaluated clinical features, treatment response and outcomes of liver injury following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a large case series.

Approach And Results: We collected data from cases in 18 countries.

Effects of immunosuppressive drugs on COVID-19 severity in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

Background: We investigated associations between baseline use of immunosuppressive drugs and severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).

Patients And Methods: Data of AIH patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 were retrospectively collected from 15 countries. The outcomes of AIH patients who were on immunosuppression at the time of COVID-19 were compared to patients who were not on AIH medication.

Hepatitis C virus treatment failure: Clinical utility for testing resistance-associated substitutions.

The hepatitis C virus has a high mutation capacity that leads to the emergence of resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). However, the consequence of resistance selection during new direct-acting antiviral drug (DAA) treatment is not necessarily the therapeutic failure. In fact, DAA treatment has shown a high rate (> 95%) of sustained virological response even when high baseline RAS prevalence has been reported.

An Update on Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a major public health issue globally and the risk of cancer (including HCC) is greater in patients on long-term dialysis and kidney transplant compared with the general population. According to an international study on 831,804 patients on long-term dialysis, the standardized incidence ratio for liver cancer was 1.2 (95% CI, 1.

TGF-β1 mediates cell proliferation and development of hepatocarcinogenesis by downregulating deiodinase 1 expression.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is an endocrine disruptor and a liver tumor promoter. Deregulation of thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis may play a significant role in early neoplastic transformation.

Simplified treatment of hepatitis C: another strategy to overcome the barriers to its elimination.

The clinical management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection presents several challenges today. WHO's goal is to eliminate it by 2030. It is an ambitious goal and difficult to meet given the barriers to care that arise.

Comparison of different prognostic scores for patients with cirrhosis hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Introduction And Objectives: Viral infections have been described to increase the risk of decompensation in patients with cirrhosis. We aimed to determine the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on outcome of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and to compare the performance of different prognostic models for predicting mortality.

Patients: We performed a prospective cohort study including 2211 hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from April 15, 2020 through October 1, 2020 in 38 Hospitals from 11 Latin American countries.

Impact of antiviral therapy with direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) on kidney disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C virus and chronic kidney disease are major public health issues all over the world and controversy persists regarding the role of Hepatitis C as a risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease in the adult general population. Numerous studies found a relationship between positive anti-HCV antibody serologic prevalence and increased frequency of incidence, prevalence and accelerated progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) over time. However, this has not been universally accepted.

Serious liver injury induced by Nimesulide: an international collaborative study.

Nimesulide is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug still marketed in many countries. We aim to analyze the clinical phenotype, outcome, and histological features of nimesulide-induced liver injury (nimesulide-DILI). We analyzed 57 cases recruited from the Spanish and Latin American DILI registries.

Outcome of COVID-19 in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis: An International Multicenter Study.

Background And Aims: Data regarding outcome of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are lacking.

Approach And Results: We performed a retrospective study on patients with AIH and COVID-19 from 34 centers in Europe and the Americas. We analyzed factors associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes, defined as the need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care admission, and/or death.