Evaluation and Management of Esophageal and Gastric Varices in Patients with Cirrhosis.

Variceal bleeding is a complication of cirrhosis that defines decompensation. Important advances in the management of gastroesophageal varices have led to a significant decrease in the morbidity and mortality. Achieving these results in clinical practice is contingent on clinicians applying the best practice strategies and appropriate referral to a tertiary center.

Pathophysiology of Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is one of the major clinical decompensations of cirrhosis, with a high impact on health care resource utilization and cost. For an effective and comprehensive management of HE, the clinicians need to understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms of HE. This review describes the multiorgan processes involved in HE and how several HE precipitants and treatment strategies act on ammonia production, excretion, and neurotoxicity, including the impact of diabetes and use of cannabinoids.

Screening and Surveillance of Varices in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Gastro-esophageal varices (GEV) and variceal hemorrhage (VH) are clinical milestones in the natural history of cirrhosis, as they are closely related to the severity of portal hypertension and define specific stages in disease progression. Variceal hemorrhage is a life-threatening complication of cirrhosis and is one of the clinical complications that defines cirrhosis decompensation. The goal of screening and surveillance of varices is to identify patients with GEV at a high risk of bleeding, so that prevention strategies can be implemented.

Mycophenolate mofetil for drug-induced vanishing bile duct syndrome.

Amoxicillin/clavulanate is associated with liver injury, mostly of a cholestatic pattern. While outcomes are usually benign, progression to cirrhosis and death has been reported. The role of immunosuppressive therapy for patients with a protracted course is unclear.

Human leukocyte antigen and adult living-donor liver transplantation outcomes: an analysis of the organ procurement and transplantation network database.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility has no clinically significant impact in cadaveric liver transplantation. Less is known regarding living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Our prior analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database suggested a higher graft failure rate in patients who underwent LDLT from donors with close HLA match.