Hepatitis C virus G1b infection decreases the number of small low-density lipoprotein particles.

Aim: To investigate how hepatitis C virus (HCV) G1b infection influences the particle number of lipoproteins.

Methods: The numbers of lipoprotein particles in fasting sera from 173 Japanese subjects, 82 with active HCV G1b infection (active HCV group) and 91 with cleared HCV infection (SVR group), were examined. Serum lipoprotein was fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography into twenty fractions.

High level of serum cholesteryl ester transfer protein in active hepatitis C virus infection.

Aim: To determine the significance of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) in lipoprotein abnormalities in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: We evaluated the significance of the serum concentration of CETP in 110 Japanese patients with chronic HCV infection. Fifty-five patients had active HCV infection, and HCV eradication had been achieved in 55.

Centrilobular zonal necrosis as a hallmark of a distinctive subtype of autoimmune hepatitis.

Background And Aim: Centrilobular zonal necrosis (CZN) is a known histological variant of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, the significance of CZN is yet to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine whether CZN is a hallmark of a distinctive subtype of AIH.

Evaluation of the role of HLA-DR antigens in Japanese type 1 autoimmune hepatitis.

Background: The role of HLA-DR antigens in the clinicopathological features of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is not clearly understood. We examined the implications of HLA-DR antigens in Japanese AIH, including the effect of HLA-DR4 on the age and pattern of AIH onset, clinicopathological features, and treatment efficacy.

Methods: A total of 132 AIH patients consecutively diagnosed and treated in 2000-2014 at 2 major hepatology centers of eastern Tokyo district were the subjects of this study.

Impact of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Infection on Triglyceride Concentration in Serum Lipoprotein Fractions.

Reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level is a characteristic feature of dyslipidemia in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, abnormality in serum triglyceride (TG) has not been fully investigated. To clarify the impact of HCV genotype 1b (G1b) infection and advanced fibrosis on serum TG profiles, TG concentrations in lipoprotein fractions were examined in fasting sera from 185 subjects with active or cleared HCV infection by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Oxidative stress markers, secondary bile acids and sulfated bile acids classify the clinical liver injury type: Promising diagnostic biomarkers for cholestasis.

Clinicians sometimes encounter difficulty in choosing a therapeutic strategy due to the uncertainty regarding the type of liver injury. In particular, cholestasis is difficult to diagnose by conventional markers at an early stage of disease. The aim of this study was to identify promising biomarkers for distinguishing the symptom-based types of liver injury (e.

Assessment of the features of serum apolipoprotein profiles in chronic HCV infection: difference between HCV genotypes 1b and 2.

Background: The life cycle of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is tightly associated with host lipoprotein metabolic pathways. Apolipoprotein is present on the outer surface of lipoprotein particles and plays an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. We aimed to elucidate the influence of chronic HCV infection on serum apolipoprotein profiles.

Interferon-λ3 polymorphisms in pegylated-interferon-α plus ribavirin therapy for genotype-2 chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To evaluate interferon-λ3 (IFNL3) polymorphisms in response-guided pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin (Peg-IFNα/RBV) therapy for genotype 2 (G2) chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Between January 2006 and June 2012, a total of 180 patients with chronic infections of G2 hepatitis C virus (HCV) were treated with response-guided Peg-IFNα/RBV therapy. The treatment duration was 24 wk for patients who achieved rapid virologic response (RVR), and 36 or 48 wk for patients who did not.

Serum immunoreactive collagen IV detected by monoclonal antibodies as a marker of severe fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aims: The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. We evaluated serum collagen IV as a direct non-invasive marker of severe liver fibrosis in NAFLD.

Methods: The study included 148 NAFLD and 187 chronic hepatitis C patients in whom histological severity of liver fibrosis was evaluated.

Analysis of the serum bile Acid composition for differential diagnosis in patients with liver disease.

Objectives. We determined the serum bile acid (BA) composition in patients with liver diseases and healthy volunteers to investigate the relationship between the etiologies of liver disease and BA metabolism. Material and Methods.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism for development to hepatocellular carcinoma in East Asian alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Background And Aim: We aimed to clarify the influences of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) polymorphisms, and ethanol consumption profile to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in alcoholic liver cirrhosis without chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection (non-B non-C).

Methods: Of 236 freshly diagnosed non-B non-C alcoholic liver cirrhosis patients, 67 were diagnosed as HCC and the remaining 169 as not having HCC. The relationship between the genetic polymorphisms and development to HCC were evaluated in well-matched patients with HCC (HCC group, n = 67) and without HCC (non-HCC group, n = 67) using propensity scores in age, sex, and prevalence of diabetes mellitus.

Serum cytokeratin 18 fragment level as a noninvasive biomarker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aim: We evaluated the usefulness of serum cytokeratin 18 fragment (CK18-F) as a noninvasive biomarker in differentiating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) since the prognosis of the 2 diseases differ.

Methods: 116 Japanese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) proven by liver biopsy were studied. Histological findings were classified according to the NAFLD activity score (NAS) proposed by the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network.

A case of peripancreatic tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Tuberculous lymphadenitis is a rare cause of obstructive jaundice. Here, we report the case of a 33-year-old male with obstructive jaundice caused by tuberculous lymphadenitis around the pancreatic head. The patient was born in China and had immigrated to Japan at 12 years of age.

Elevation in Serum Concentration of Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase without Elevation in Serum Creatinine Concentration Secondary to Adefovir Dipivoxil Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Of 168 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-related liver disease, 20 patients who had received 100 mg of lamivudine plus 10 mg/day of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) (ADV group) and 124 patients who had received 0.5 mg/day of entecavir or 100 mg/day of lamivudine (non-ADV group) for >1 year were enrolled. For comparative analyses, 19 well-matched pairs were obtained from the groups by propensity scores.