Hemoglobin and total bilirubin may affect tacrolimus clearance in liver transplant patient following the early postoperative period: a case report.

Background: Tacrolimus is a potent calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) that is principally used as a first-line immunosuppressant for the prophylaxis of allograft rejection in liver transplantation (LT) patients. In clinical practice, prescribing the optimal tacrolimus dosage is complicated by its narrow therapeutic index and high pharmacokinetic variability. Thus, performing therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of only tacrolimus may not provide optimal drug levels.

Long-term posttransplant survival outcome following bridging locoregional therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: Liver transplantation (LT) is essential due to its curative efficacy, but liver-graft shortages have limited its widespread application. Bridging locoregional therapy (LRT) before LT has been performed to prevent tumor progression, and a recent literature review revealed that it is associated with a nonsignificant trend toward better survival outcomes. However, much more information on bridging therapy has become available since then.

Cost-effective analysis of hepatitis A vaccination in Kerala state, India.

Several hepatitis A outbreaks have recently been reported in Kerala state, India. To inform coverage decision of hepatitis A vaccine in Kerala, this study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of 1) hepatitis A vaccination among children aged 1 year and individuals aged 15 years, and 2) serological screening of individuals aged 15 years and vaccination of susceptible as compared to no vaccination or vaccination without serological screening. Both live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine and inactivated hepatitis A vaccine were considered in the analysis.

SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibodies, B Cell and T Cell Immune Responses after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Background: Immunization against SARS-CoV-2 is essential for vulnerable solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients who are at risk of infection. However, there are concerns about suboptimal immunogenicity, especially in humoral immunity (HMI), and limited exploration of cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses. The primary objective of this study was to assess the immunogenicity of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination in SOT recipients.

Associations of and genetic polymorphisms with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in Thai people living with human immunodeficiency virus.

Background: The prevalence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a growing public health issue in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). However, the pathophysiology of MAFLD is still unknown, and the role of genetic variables is only now becoming evident.

Aim: To evaluate the associations of gene-polymorphism-related MAFLD in PLWH.

Cost-utility analysis of atezolizumab combined with bevacizumab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in Thailand.

Background: Clinical trials have proven the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab combined with bevacizumab (A+B) in treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). This study aimed to assess the cost-utility of A+B compared to best supportive care (BSC) among uHCC patients in Thailand.

Methods: We conducted a cost-utility analysis from a societal perspective.

Outcomes of direct-acting antivirals in patients with HCV decompensated cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) are effective for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, their impact on overall survival (OS), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence, HCC-free survival, and liver function in patients with HCV decompensated cirrhosis remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of DAA treatment on this population.

Use of transient elastography to assess hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis during methotrexate treatment.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and identify predictors of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) during methotrexate treatment.

Method: This cross-sectional study included JIA patients who had received methotrexate for > 1 year. Laboratory data including liver chemistry and lipid profiles were collected.

Optimal resting heart rate and ascites-related death in patients with cirrhosis and ascites using nonselective beta-blockers (ORCA).

Nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs) may exacerbate ascites by impairing cardiac function. This study evaluated the impact of achieving a heart rate target of 55-60 beats per minute (bpm) on ascites-related death and complications from worsening ascites in patients with cirrhosis and diuretic-responsive ascites using NSBBs. A retrospective study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University (2012-2022) and analyzed patients with cirrhosis and diuretic-responsive ascites using NSBBs (propranolol/carvedilol) for variceal bleeding prophylaxis.

Validation of prognostic scores predicting mortality in acute liver decompensation or acute-on-chronic liver failure: A Thailand multicenter study.

Background & Objectives: Cirrhosis patients with worsening of the liver function are defined as acute decompensation (AD) and those who develop extrahepatic organ failure are defined as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Both AD and ACLF have an extremely poor prognosis. However, information regarding prognostic predictors is still lacking in Asian populations.

Characteristics of Drug-induced Liver Injury in Chronic Liver Disease: Results from the Thai Association for the Study of the Liver (THASL) DILI Registry.

Background And Aims: The impact of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) on patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) is unclear. There are few reports comparing DILI in CLD and non-CLD patients. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence and outcomes of DILI in patients with and without CLD.

Comparative efficacy and safety of pharmacologic interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of pharmacologic interventions to prevent vertical transmission of the hepatitis B virus.

Data Sources: Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched up to October 28, 2020.

Study Eligibility Criteria: All randomized controlled trials reporting vertical hepatitis B virus transmission with pharmacologic intervention were included.

Cellular senescence in liver fibrosis: Implications for age-related chronic liver diseases.

Introduction: New insights indicate a causative link between cellular senescence and liver fibrosis. Senescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) facilitate fibrosis resolution, while senescence in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes acts as a potent mechanism driving liver fibrogenesis. In many clinical studies, telomeres and mitochondrial DNA contents, which are both aging biomarkers, were reportedly associated with a degree of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs); this highlights their potential as biomarkers for liver fibrogenesis.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Vasoconstrictors Plus Albumin in the Treatment of Thai Patients with Type 1 Hepatorenal Syndrome.

Purpose: Type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (type 1 HRS) or hepatorenal syndrome-acute renal injury (HRS-AKI) leads to high short-term mortality rates in patients with cirrhosis. Vasoconstrictor therapy effectively improves survival of these patients and has been a bridge to liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-utility of terlipressin plus albumin (T+A) and noradrenaline plus albumin (N+A) compared to best supportive care (BSC) for treating type 1 HRS patients in Thailand.

Diffuse gallbladder wall thickening in autoimmune hepatitis: an unusual presentation.

A 63-year-old woman presented with jaundice and epigastric pain for 2 weeks. Physical examination revealed marked jaundice, and palpable gallbladder with right upper quadrant tenderness. Liver function test was remarkable for hepatocellular injury pattern.

Role of highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification testing for plasma cytomegalovirus DNA load in diagnosis of cytomegalovirus gastrointestinal disease among kidney transplant recipients.

Background: High plasma cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA load is generally associated with CMV tissue-invasive disease in solid organ transplant recipients. However, some tissue-invasive diseases, especially CMV gastrointestinal (GI) disease, have undetectable to very low plasma CMV DNA loads. Highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) has been increasingly used to quantify low-level CMV DNA loads.

Prevalence and predicting factors of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease diagnosed by transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameters in HIV-positive people.

Metabolic disorders are increasing in people living with HIV (PLWH), and metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become a common complication. A cross-sectional study was conducted in HIV-positive persons receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART), in order to determine the prevalence and predicting factors of MAFLD in PLWH. All participants underwent bioelectrical impedance analysis, ultrasonography, and transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP).

Cost-Utility Analysis of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1 and 6 in Vietnam.

Objective: Very few cost-utility analyses have either evaluated direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 patients or undertaken societal perspective. Recently, DAAs have been introduced into the Vietnamese health insurance drug list for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment without empirical cost-effectiveness evidence. This study was conducted to generate these data on DAAs among CHC patients with genotypes 1 and 6 in Vietnam.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir and nonstructural protein 5A inhibitors for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6: a multicentre cohort study.

Background: We investigated real-world effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir and the nonstructural protein 5A inhibitors in the treatment of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6.

Methods: We analyzed data from 1021 patients with HCV infection (506 with genotype 1; 16 with genotype 2; 314 with genotype 3; 13 with genotype 4; 166 with genotype 6) who received 12 to 24 weeks of daclatasvir plus sofosbuvir (n = 767), ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (n = 197), or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (n = 57), with or without ribavirin in 12 centers across Thailand to estimate sustained virologic response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12).

Results: Overall, SVR12 rate was 98.

Evaluation of aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index and fibrosis 4 scores for hepatic fibrosis assessment compared with transient elastography in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background And Aim: Fibrotic stage (FS) assessment is essential in chronic hepatitis C treatment cascade. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography (TE) is reliable and correlated with liver biopsy. However, TE may not be widely available.

Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis: Efficacy and Safety of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C Genotypes 5 and 6.

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are modern treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection, but majority of available evidence on its treatment effect covers genotypes 1 to 4. Therefore, the efficacy and safety of DAAs for genotypes 5 and 6 need to be analysed. Studies were identified from Medline, Scopus, and CENTRAL and a Chinese database CNKI, from inception until Dec 4, 2018.

Abdominal Obesity as a Predictive Factor of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Assessed by Ultrasonography and Transient Elastography in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Healthy Women.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) share similar clinical presentations including obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and metabolic abnormality. The predictive factors of NAFLD in women with PCOS and specifically in Asian women are not well established. Associated factors for NAFLD assessed by ultrasound (US) among a group of PCOS and healthy women were determined and diagnostic accuracy between US and transient elastography (TE) for NAFLD was compared and correlated.

Alcohol relapse and its predictors after liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the leading cause of liver transplantation (LT). The magnitude and risk factors of post-LT alcohol relapse are not well described. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate alcohol relapse rate and its predictors after LT.