Tranilast Inhibits TRPV2 and Suppresses Fibrosis Progression and Weight Gain in a NASH Model Mouse.

Background/aim: This study aimed to investigate the role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) in a mouse model with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and to examine the effects of tranilast on TRPV2 and fibrosis-related cytokines.

Materials And Methods: C57BL/6N mice were fed a Gubra-Amylin NASH (GAN) diet for 20 weeks to induce NASH. The tranilast groups received oral administration of tranilast at doses of 300, 400 and 500 mg/kg/day, five days per week for 20 weeks, in addition to the GAN diet.

A Case of L-Asparaginase-Induced Severe Hepatic Steatosis With Decreased Serum Cholinesterase Levels.

L-asparaginase (L-Asp) is a useful antileukemic agent for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); however, it often causes severe liver injury with marked fatty liver. Here, we present a case of L-Asp-induced fatty liver disease in a 21-year-old female patient with ALL. Serum cholinesterase levels, which are usually elevated in fatty liver, decrease at the onset of liver injury.

Partial splenic embolization improved stomal varices in patient with decompensated liver cirrhosis: a case report.

A 63-year-old man with decompensated liver cirrhosis was admitted for treatment of stomal hemorrhage. Eighteen months earlier, he was diagnosed with rectal and sigmoid colon cancer with multiple lymph node metastases, and he underwent colostomy surgery and postoperative chemotherapy. Sixteen months after the surgery, his stoma began to bleed repeatedly, and he required frequent blood transfusions.

Disappearance of Hepatocellular Adenoma in a Patient with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome after Treatment with Transcatheter Arterial Embolization.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a congenital disorder occasionally associated with congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS). We herein report a patient with CdLS and CPSS who developed hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs). The patient presented to our hospital for the further investigation of newly diagnosed liver tumors.

Long-term outcome and eligibility of radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma over 3.0 cm in diameter.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is effective for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a diameter ≤ 3.0 cm. The present study aimed to elucidate the prognostic factors and clarify the indication of treatment for RFA outcomes in patients with HCC with a diameter > 3.

Malnutrition and inflammation status in nonobese patients with inflammatory bowel disease are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a retrospective study.

Background/aims: The frequency and details of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) complications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify characteristics of NAFLD in patients with IBD.

Methods: We retrospectively identified and enrolled patients with IBD diagnosed with or without NAFLD by undergoing abdominal computed tomography (CT) at our institution between 2005 and 2020.

Hepatitis C Virus-associated Cryoglobulinemic Livedo Reticularis Improved with Direct-acting Antivirals.

We herein report a case of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated cryoglobulinemic livedo reticularis in a woman in her 60s that improved with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Hyperpigmentation was observed in both lower legs, and a skin biopsy confirmed livedo reticularis, suggesting a relationship with cryoglobulinemia and HCV infection. DAAs with an NS5A inhibitor+NS3/4A protease inhibitor (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir) were administered for eight weeks, and a sustained virological response (SVR) was obtained.

Familial Primary Biliary Cholangitis With Different Clinical Courses Based on Anti-gp210 Antibody Positivity: A Report of Two Cases.

A 30-year-old woman (daughter) was diagnosed to have primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) overlap syndrome. Although she was started on prednisolone and ursodeoxycholic acid (UA), she eventually died of hepatic failure with gastrointestinal hemorrhage seven months after the initial hospitalization. A 60-year-old woman (mother) was diagnosed with PBC with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, was treated with UA, and had no disease progression.

Complete tumor necrosis confirmed by conversion hepatectomy after atezolizumab-bevacizumab treatment for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma with lung metastasis.

A combined therapy of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (atezo/bev) is used as the first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we report the case of curative hepatic resection in a 77-year-old man who initially had unresectable advanced-stage HCC with lung metastases. This rare hepatectomy conversion was owing to the administration of atezo/bev.

Multipolar radiofrequency ablation via three bipolar electrodes with C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopy assistance for hepatocellular carcinoma: An observational study.

The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the insertion technique of 3 bipolar electrodes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), using C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopy-assisted ultrasonography (US) in guiding a multipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) system. Seventy-three patients with HCC treated with a multipolar RFA system (1 electrode, n = 2; 2 electrodes, n = 56; 3 electrodes, n = 17) were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. To analyze their therapeutic outcome in this study, we divided among 17 patients using 3 electrodes into 2 subgroups: the C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopy-assisted (n = 7) and the US-guided alone groups (n = 10).

Long-Term Effects of Rifaximin on Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy: Its Possible Effects on the Improvement in the Blood Ammonia Concentration Levels, Hepatic Spare Ability and Refractory Ascites.

Background and Objectives: To investigate the long-term efficacy of rifaximin (RFX) for hyperammonemia and efficacy for refractory ascites in patients with cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 112 patients with liver cirrhosis who were orally administered RFX in this study. Changes in the clinical data of patients were evaluated up to 36 months after RFX administration.

Pretreatment Modified Albumin-Bilirubin Grade Is an Important Predictive Factor Associated with the Therapeutic Response and the Continuation of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab Combination Therapy for Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (ATZ + BV) treatment is recommended as the first-line systemic therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). This study aimed to investigate the predictive factors of therapeutic response and the continuation of ATZ + BV treatment for u-HCC in a real-world setting.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between January 2021 and April 2022.

Improvement of vanishing bile duct syndrome with hyperlipidemia.

A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with acute onset of marked jaundice, elevated liver enzymes, and hyperlipidemia. He had been taking clopidogrel and pemafibrate for 3 months. He tested negative for autoantibodies and hepatitis-causing viruses.

Pseudocirrhosis Due to Desmoplastic Response to Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Liver Metastases.

Pseudocirrhosis can result in cirrhosis-like symptoms of portal hypertension and is observed mostly in patients with breast cancer; however, its cause is unclear. Herein, we report a case of pseudocirrhosis in a 76-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer. The patient developed irregular contours of the liver, resembling cirrhosis, and esophageal varices during chemotherapy for breast cancer with liver metastases.

Clinical Utility of Ultrasound-Guided Attenuation Parameter for the Detection and Quantification of Hepatic Steatosis in Patients with Fatty Liver Diagnosed by Computed Tomography.

This retrospective study was aimed (i) at elucidating the correlation between fatty liver diagnoses based on the plain computed tomography (CT) value and those based on the attenuation coefficient (AC) value determined with the ultrasound-guided attenuation parameter (UGAP) and (ii) at evaluating the diagnostic power of AC values. We included 125 patients who underwent blood tests, abdominal ultrasonography and abdominal CT at our department between April 2020 and March 2021. Hepatic fat infiltration was categorized as S0 (<5%), S1 (≥5 and 30<%), S2 (≥30 and <50%) or S3 (≥50%).

Suppression of Local Tumor Progression in Perivascular Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Combination Therapy with Radiofrequency Ablation and Percutaneous Ethanol Injection: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background And Aims: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has replaced percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) as the treatment of choice for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, control of local tumor progression (LTP) remains a challenge in perivascular HCC. The aim of this study was to determine whether PEI added to RFA can reduce the LTP rate in perivascular HCC patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 167 patients, with 197 newly diagnosed HCC nodules with peritumoral vessels, who underwent either RFA plus PEI or RFA monotherapy as the first-line treatment between June 2001 and April 2015.

Eosinophilic Granuloma of the Liver Mimicking Metastatic Liver Tumor.

We herein report a case of coagulation necrosis with granulation and eosinophilic infiltration of the liver. A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with a new mass lesion in the liver 1 month after breast cancer surgery and admitted for a further examination. Because the tumor occurred immediately after surgery, it was considered essential to determine whether or not it was a metastatic liver tumor from breast cancer.

Male-specific Association between Iron and Lipid Metabolism Changes and Erythroferrone after Hepatitis C Virus Eradication.

Objective Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication is associated with decreased serum ferritin and increased serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, although the mechanisms underlying these changes remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the changes in iron and lipid metabolism after HCV eradication. Methods We retrospectively investigated iron and lipid metabolism changes in 22 patients with chronic hepatitis or compensated liver cirrhosis with HCV genotype 1b infection after HCV eradication.