Targeting prolonged short-term central venous catheters to reduce hospital-wide catheter days and CLABSI rates.

Background: The risk of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is associated with central venous catheter (CVC) dwelling time. We implemented a hospital-wide intervention aimed to alert physicians to CVC duration and necessity and to improve the monitoring of CLABSI prevention process measures outside the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A retrospective, before-after study that evaluated short-term, nonhemodialysis CVCs in and out of the ICU.

Characterizing Unique Clinical and Virological Profiles in Concurrent Chronic Hepatitis B and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Liver Disease: Insights from a Population-Based Cohort Study.

The concurrent presence of chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) presents a unique clinical scenario with implications that are not yet fully understood. This study aims to characterize the distinct clinical and virological features of CHB in the context of MASLD and evaluate its impact on disease progression and outcomes. Utilizing a comprehensive health maintenance organization database, this study included 1186 patients with CHB from 2000-2020.

Performance of serum-based biomarkers in fibrosis prediction of chronic hepatitis B patients in real life practice.

Background: Few studies have addressed the performance and diagnostic accuracy of laboratory-based markers for fibrosis prediction in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients yielding heterogeneous results. We aimed to study the performance of the FIB-4 and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) markers for the differentiation between significant and non-significant hepatic fibrosis in real-life practice.

Methods: We prospectively recruited CHB patients attending the hepatology clinic to undergo shear wave elastography (SWE) and blood tests.

Human Neutrophil α-Defensins 1-3 Are Upregulated in the Microenvironment of Fibrotic Liver.

: Neutrophil infiltration is an established signature of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Steatohepatitis (NASH). The most abundant neutrophilic peptide, alpha-defensin, is considered a new evolving risk factor in the inflammatory milieu, intimately involved in lipid mobilization. Our objective is to assess for potential association between alpha-defensin immunostains and NAFLD severity.

Chronic hepatitis B infection and diabetes mellitus: a double liver trouble?

Background: Concomitant Diabetes mellitus (DM) is commonly recognized in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, although its impact on liver-related outcomes remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of DM on the course, management and outcome of patients with CHB.

Methods: We performed a large retrospective cohort study utilizing the Leumit-Health-Service (LHS) database.

Pulmonary embolism risk in hospitalized patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A case-control study.

Abundant research has associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with atherosclerosis, but very few reports have evaluated the association between NAFLD and venous thromboembolism. We aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and pulmonary embolism (PE) in hospitalized patients. In this retrospective case-control study, we included consecutive patients from 2 university-affiliated hospitals who were referred for CT pulmonary angiograms for a suspected PE.

The impact of ethnicity on chronic hepatitis B infection course and outcome: big data analysis from Israel.

Objectives: The effect of ethnicity on chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection's course and outcome has attracted little research. We aimed to compare different aspects of ethnic disparities in CHB patients, including prevalence, phenotypes, management, and outcome between two major ethnic groups in Israel.

Design: We conducted a large retrospective cohort study utilizing the Leumit-Health-Service database.

Myocarditis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

Background: Clinical trials of the BNT162b2 vaccine, revealed efficacy and safety. We report six cases of myocarditis, which occurred shortly after BNT162b2 vaccination.

Methods: Patients were identified upon presentation to the emergency department with symptoms of chest pain/discomfort.

Benign Hepatic Tumors: From Incidental Imaging Finding to Clinical Management.

Benign hepatic tumors (BHTs) are commonly detected as incidental finding mainly due to the frequent utilization of imaging modalities, including ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Rigorous clinical evaluation, with a particular focus on chronic liver disease (CLD) or risk factors for CLD, medication history, physical examination for signs of CLD, blood tests, and a review of past liver radiology constitute the initial steps in the evaluation of a new liver lesion. Further, contrast-enhanced imaging using US, CT and MRI, can be used depending on the clinical scenario and their availability.

[PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS: THERAPEUTIC APPROACH IN THE MODERN ERA].

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a progressive, autoimmune cholestatic liver disease, predominantly affecting middle-aged women. Hallmark features include a persistent elevation of cholestatic liver enzymes, presence of anti-mitochondrial antibodies and characteristic histologic findings. PBC has a varied course of progression, ranging from mild uncomplicated disease to aggressive disease leading to cirrhosis and resulting in the need for liver transplantation.

Large Intragenic Deletion in DSTYK Underlies Autosomal-Recessive Complicated Spastic Paraparesis, SPG23.

SPG23 is an autosomal-recessive neurodegenerative subtype of lower limb spastic paraparesis with additional diffuse skin and hair dyspigmentation at birth followed by further patchy pigment loss during childhood. Previously, genome-wide linkage in an Arab-Israeli pedigree mapped the gene to an approximately 25 cM locus on chromosome 1q24-q32. By using whole-exome sequencing in a further Palestinian-Jordanian SPG23 pedigree, we identified a complex homozygous 4-kb deletion/20-bp insertion in DSTYK (dual serine-threonine and tyrosine protein kinase) in all four affected family members.

Role of Plain Abdominal Radiographs in the Evaluation of Patients with Non-Traumatic Abdominal Pain.

Background: Plain abdominal radiographs are still performed as a first imaging examination to evaluate abdominal pain in the emergency department (ED), despite uncertainty regarding their utility.

Objectives: To describe the frequency and outcomes of the use of plain abdominal radiographs in the diagnosis of patients presenting with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain in the ED of a medical center.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients presenting to the ED with acute abdominal pain during a 6 month period.

[Israeli guidelines for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection--2012 Israeli Association for the Study of the Liver].

The current standard of care for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a combination of pegylated interferon alpha (PeglFN] -2a/2b and ribavirin for 24-48 weeks, according to the viral genotype. This treatment is associated with significant side effects and achieves sustained virologic response (SVR) in only 40%-50% of genotype 1 HCV-infected patients. The recent development of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs] targeting critical steps of the virus life-cycle led to a major breakthrough in the management of HCV infection.

Vitamin D supplementation improves sustained virologic response in chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1)-naïve patients.

Aim: To determine whether adding vitamin D, a potent immunomodulator, improves the hepatitis C virus (HCV) response to antiviral therapy.

Methods: Seventy-two consecutive patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 were randomized into two groups: the treatment group (n = 36, 50% male, mean age 47 ± 11 years) received Peg-α-2b interferon (1.5 μg/kg per week) plus ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/d) together with vitamin D3 (2000 IU/d, target serum level > 32 ng/mL), and the control group (n = 36, 60% male, mean age 49 ± 7 years) received identical therapy without vitamin D.

Reduced dose and duration of peginterferon alfa-2b and weight-based ribavirin in patients with genotype 2 and 3 chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: There is increasing interest in identifying patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 or 3 infection in whom it is possible to lower the burden of therapy while retaining high levels of efficacy.

Methods: Treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2/3 infection were randomized to receive peginterferon alfa-2b (1.5μg/kg/wk) for 24weeks (group A); peginterferon alfa-2b (1.

The role of endoscopy in the evaluation of iron deficiency anemia in premenopausal women.

Background: Men and postmenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia are routinely evaluated to exclude a gastrointestinal source of suspected internal bleeding. Iron deficiency anemia in premenopausal women is often treated with simple iron replacement under the assumption that the condition is due to excessive menstrual blood loss.

Objectives: To determine the yield of endoscopy evaluations in premenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia.

Trends in incidence of colorectal cancer in Jewish and Arab populations in central Israel.

Background/aims: To compare the current differences with our earlier findings on the incidence and locations of colorectal cancer (CRC) among Israeli-born Jews and Arabs living within the same central coastal region in Israel.

Methods: Data on demographics and the incidence and locations of malignancies were retrieved from hospital files of pathology-diagnosed patients with CRC throughout 1997-2003 and compared with equivalent data from 1988 to 1996.

Results: Of the 624 patients recently diagnosed as having CRC, 562 (90.

Geographic clusters of primary biliary cirrhosis.

Genetic and environmental factors have been widely suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology leading to destruction of small bile ducts. Interestingly, epidemiologic data indicate a variable prevalence of the disease in different geographical areas. The study of clusters of PBC may provide clues as to possible triggers in the induction of immunopathology.

A locus for complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia maps to chromosome 1q24-q32.

We updated the clinical features of a consanguineous Arab Israeli family, in which four of seven children were affected by spastic paraplegia complicated by skin pigmentary abnormalities. A genomewide linkage screen performed for the family identified a new locus (SPG23) for this form of hereditary spastic paraplegia, in an approximately 25cM region of chromosome 1q24-q32, with a peak logarithm of odds score of 3.05.