Rituximab is a safe and effective alternative treatment for patients with autoimmune hepatitis: Results from the ColHai registry.

Background And Aims: Small series suggest that rituximab could be effective as treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), although data are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in different cohorts of patients with AIH.

Methods: Multicentre retrospective analysis of the 35 patients with AIH and its variant forms treated with rituximab and included in the ColHai registry between 2015 and 2023.

Improvement of quality of care provided to outpatients with hepatic cirrhosis after an educational intervention.

Objective: A set of indicators has been reported to measure the quality of care for cirrhotic patients, and previously published studies report variable adherence rates to these indicators. This study aimed to assess the quality of care provided to cirrhotic outpatients before and after an educational intervention by determining its impact on adherence to quality indicators.

Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study including 324 cirrhotic patients seen in 2017 and 2019 at a tertiary teaching hospital in Spain.

Ulcer bleeding after band ligation of esophageal varices: Risk factors and prognosis.

Background: Post-banding ulcer bleeding is a rare complication of endoscopic band ligation of esophageal varices with high morbidity and mortality. There exist no management guidelines for this complication.

Aims: To determine the incidence, outcome and risk factors of post-banding ulcer bleeding.

Risk factors for resistance to ceftriaxone and its impact on mortality in community, healthcare and nosocomial spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Background & Aims: The recent emergence of third-generation cephalosporin resistance in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is of great concern, although neither the risk factors for resistance nor its real impact on mortality have been well defined.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all spontaneous bacterial peritonitis episodes with positive blood and/or ascitic culture at our center (2001-2009). Episodes were classified according to the place of acquisition: community, healthcare system, or nosocomial.

Serious drug-induced liver disease secondary to ezetimibe.

Ezetimibe is the first member of a new family of lipid-lowering drugs that inhibits uptake of dietary and biliary cholesterol. It was approved by the FDA in 2002 for hypercholesterolemia alone or in combination with statins. Its use has been spreading over the last years.

Efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients.

Low response rates and concerns about safety have limited the implementation of treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in patients with HIV infection. The efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) plus ribavirin in HIV-infected patients with CHC were evaluated in a prospective, open-label, multicenter study. Sixty patients with persistently high transaminases, positive HCV-RNA, CD4 count > or = 300 cells/microl, and HIVRNA <10,000 copies/ml were included.

Cost-effectiveness of a 'score and scope' strategy for the management of dyspepsia.

Objective: It is important to identify the best initial work-up in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia because of its epidemiological and economical relevance. The objective of the study was to assess systematically the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of invasive and non-invasive strategies for the management of dyspepsia.

Methods: A decision analysis was performed to compare prompt endoscopy, score and scope, test and scope, test and treat, and empirical antisecretory treatment.

[Prospective validation of a clinical scoring system for the diagnosis of organic dyspepsia].

Background And Objective: Predictive symptomatic scoring models have been proposed to select patients with dyspepsia, who may be candidates to endoscopy. In a previous study performed by gastroentrologists from our group, we obtained three scales of symptoms to predict organic dyspepsia, peptic ulcer and esophagitis, respectively. Here we analyze the reproducibility of those scoring models of symptoms when used either by other gastroenterologists or general practitioners.