Hypercholesterolemia After COVID-19: Time to Include Lipoprotein X Among the Differential Diagnoses.

Background: Lipoprotein X (LpX) is an abnormal lipoprotein composed of phospholipids, free cholesterol, and albumin. Its overaccumulation is an infrequent cause of hyperlipidemia, which oftentimes presents in patients with cholestatic liver disease. The aim is to present the first 2 cases of patients with post-COVID cholangiopathy and LpX overaccumulation.

Bedside Live-View Capsule Endoscopy in Evaluation of Overt Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Pilot Point-of-Care Study.

Background: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is an emerging tool in the diagnosis and management of occult bleeding and overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OOGIB). Maximizing the efficiency of CE can lead to rapid bleeding localization and shorter time to therapy. We investigated whether a trained registered nurse (RN) can accurately interpret bleeding by observing the CE findings in real time by measuring inter-observer agreement between RN and physician interpretation.

Perioperative Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Is Associated With Decreased Postoperative Complications in Decompensated Cirrhotics Undergoing Abdominal Surgery.

Background: Operative risk in patients with cirrhosis is related to the severity of liver disease and nature of procedure. Pre and postoperative portal decompression via transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) are logical approaches to facilitate surgery and improve postoperative outcomes. We compared postoperative outcomes of decompensated cirrhotics undergoing abdominal surgery either with or without perioperative TIPS placement.

Vedolizumab Therapy in Refractory Microscopic Colitis: A Single Center Case Series.

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a disease characterized by chronic watery diarrhea secondary to colonic inflammation. Endoscopically, the mucosa is usually normal but biopsies show characteristic histologic findings..

Evidence-based clinical advice for nutrition and dietary weight loss strategies for the management of NAFLD and NASH.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and affects approximately one third of adults in the United States. The disease is becoming a global epidemic as a result of the rising rates of obesity and metabolic disease. Emerging data suggest weight loss of ≥10% overall body weight is beneficial in resolving steatosis and reversing fibrosis.

Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score Predicts Development of First Episode of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Objective: To examine whether baseline model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in patients with cirrhosis and ascites predicts the future development of first spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) episode.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was performed at three academic centers to select patients admitted with first SBP episode (cases) and those with ascites admitted for decompensation without SBP (controls). Medical records from these centers were reviewed between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2013.

A Validated Score Predicts Acute Kidney Injury and Survival in Patients With Alcoholic Hepatitis.

Identifying patients at high risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization among patients admitted with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is an unmet clinical need. We performed a multicentric prospective cohort study using data from 4 different cohorts on well-characterized patients hospitalized with severe AH. Data collected on 773 AH patients from 4 cohorts across the globe were randomly split into test (n = 390) and validation (n = 383) cohorts.

Hepatitis C Virus and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Narrative Review.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of liver-related death worldwide. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of advanced hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, with significantly increased risk for development of HCC. The morbidity and mortality of HCV-related HCC remains high, as rates of HCV cirrhosis continue to increase.

Text messaging approach improves weight loss in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized study.

Background & Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is emerging as the most common liver disease. The only effective treatment is 7%-10% weight loss. Mobile technology is increasingly used in weight management.

Biomarkers of Renal Injury in Cirrhosis: Association with Acute Kidney Injury and Recovery after Liver Transplantation.

Background: To define urine or serum biomarkers in predicting renal function recovery after liver transplantation (LT).

Methods: Adults listed for LT (February 2011-July 2014) and with modified diet for renal disease-6 (MDRD-6) <60 mL/min provided urine/blood samples at baseline and serially until LT for biomarkers in serum (pg/mL) and urine (pg/mg creatinine).

Results: Of 271 LT listed patients (mean age 57 years, 63% males, median listing MELD 17.

Ammonia level at admission predicts in-hospital mortality for patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

Objective: Alcoholic hepatitis (AH), a unique clinical syndrome among patients with chronic and active alcohol use, is associated with high short-term mortality. An elevated ammonia level is associated with mortality in patients with acute liver failure; however, its impact in AH has not been well-studied.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patients admitted to a tertiary-care hospital with the discharge diagnosis of AH.

Use of automated irrigation pumps improves quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of automated irrigation pumps (AIPs) in improving the quality of the bowel preparation and the yield of colonoscopy.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at a single medical center. Outpatient colonoscopies performed during a 4-mo time period when AIPs were not in use, were compared to colonoscopies performed during control period.

Autoimmune Markers Do Not Impact Clinical Presentation or Natural History of Steatohepatitis-Related Liver Disease.

Background And Aim: Autoimmune (AI) markers are reported in patients with steatohepatitis-related liver disease. However, their clinical significance is unclear.

Methods: Charts of patients due to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were stratified for antinuclear antigen (ANA > 1:80), antismooth muscle antibody (ASMA > 1:40), or antimitochondrial antibody (AMA > 1:20).

Regorafenib: an evidence-based review of its potential in patients with advanced liver cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second-most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. In spite of HCC surveillance with repeated imaging, about 50% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and are not amenable to curative treatment options. Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, remains the standard of care for advanced HCC.