Noninvasive Evaluation for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Purpose: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide and has the potential risk for progressing to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with a greater risk for complications of chronic liver disease. Noninvasive testing has been evaluated for diagnosis, risk stratification, disease progression, and assessing response to therapy. The purpose of this narrative review was to outline the current noninvasive testing modalities for the diagnostic evaluation of NAFLD and NASH, while discussing possible markers that could be used for monitoring response to therapies.

Effect of the clinical course of acute-on-chronic liver failure prior to liver transplantation on post-transplant survival.

Background & Aims: Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) can be listed for liver transplantation (LT) because LT is the only curative treatment option. We evaluated whether the clinical course of ACLF, particularly ACLF-3, between the time of listing and LT affects 1-year post-transplant survival.

Methods: We identified patients from the United Network for Organ Sharing database who were transplanted within 28 days of listing and categorized them by ACLF grade at waitlist registration and LT, according to the EASL-CLIF definition.

Risk of Venous Thromboembolism after a Single Normal Proximal Lower Extremity Venous Ultrasound.

Context: The optimal lower extremity venous ultrasound (US) protocol to diagnose deep venous thrombosis of the popliteal and more proximal veins is unclear.

Objective: To determine the three-month rate of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and clinical outcomes of inpatients and ambulatory patients with normal findings on single venous ultrasound of the popliteal and more proximal veins (single proximal US).

Design: Single proximal US results and clinical data of all inpatient and ambulatory patients with suspected acute deep venous thrombosis were retrospectively reviewed during a 12-month period between January and December 2014.

Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users.

Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.

Sustained-release methylphenidate in a randomized trial of treatment of methamphetamine use disorder.

Background And Aims: No effective pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine (MA) use disorder has yet been found. This study evaluated sustained-release methylphenidate (MPH-SR) compared with placebo (PLA) for treatment of MA use disorder in people also undergoing behavioral support and motivational incentives.

Design: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design with MPH-SR or PLA provided for 10 weeks (active phase) followed by 4 weeks of single-blind PLA.