A simple in silico strategy identifies candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in morbidly obese subjects.

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disorder, tightly associated with obesity. The histological spectrum of the disease ranges from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, with different stages of fibrosis, and fibrosis stage is the most significant predictor of mortality in NAFLD. Liver biopsy continues to be the gold standard for its diagnosis and reliable non-invasive diagnostic tools are unavailable.

Factors Associated with the Quality of Transient Elastography.

Background: Transient elastography is a noninvasive method for the evaluation of fibrosis in chronic liver disease. However, its reliability is variable, and the factors associated with its accuracy have not been identified completely.

Aims: To identify the factors associated with the reliability of transient elastography.

Liver involvement in severe human influenza a H1N1.

Influenza A is a disease caused by a RNA virus, member of the orthomyxoviridae family. The influenza infection is characterized primarily by pulmonary affection that may advance to an acute pulmonary respiratory failure course. Hepatic involvement is not frequent and accounts for < 3% of all cases.

[Rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure in human influenza A H1N1 mediated infection].

Rabdomiolysis and acute renal failure secondary to influenza infection are rare. Up to now, few cases have been reported and most of them are primarily among children. Myositis associated to influenza infection is caused by the toxic effect of the virus in the muscular fiber, dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines and a cross reaction between the muscle fiber and the viral particles.