African American race does not confer an increased risk of clinical events in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background: The natural history of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) among African Americans (AA) is not well understood.

Methods: Transplant-free survival and hepatic decompensation-free survival were assessed using a retrospective research registry from 16 centers throughout North America. Patients with PSC alive without liver transplantation after 2008 were included.

Histologic features of allograft livers in patients treated for rejection before biopsy.

Liver biopsy is essential for management in liver transplant patients with clinical features suspicious for acute cellular rejection (ACR). As more patients are transplanted for noninfectious indications, it has become increasingly common for them to receive treatment for presumed ACR before biopsy. The effect of pretreatment on the classic histologic triad of ACR's mixed portal inflammation, endothelialitis, and bile duct damage is not well described.

Management of Decompensated Cirrhosis and Associated Syndromes.

Patients with cirrhosis account for 3% of intensive care unit admissions with hospital mortality exceeding 50%; however, improvements in survival among patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis and organ failure have been described when treated in specialized liver transplant centers. Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by decompensated cirrhosis associated with one or more organ failures resulting in a significantly higher short-term mortality. In this review, we will discuss the management of common life-threatening complications in the patient with cirrhosis that require intensive care management including neurologic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and renal complications.

Endoscopic band ligation in the treatment of gastric antral vascular ectasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is typically treated by endoscopic thermal therapies. Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) has been reported in the treatment of GAVE with encouraging results. However, EBL is not widely used to this end.

Provider Attitudes Toward Risk-Based Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in Patients With Cirrhosis in the United States.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance rates are suboptimal in clinical practice. We aimed to elicit providers' opinions on the following aspects of HCC surveillance: preferred strategies, barriers and facilitators, and the impact of a patient's HCC risk on the choice of surveillance modality.

Methods: We conducted a web-based survey among gastroenterology and hepatology providers (40% faculty physicians, 21% advanced practice providers, 39% fellow-trainees) from 26 US medical centers in 17 states.