Corrected QT interval in cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Corrected QT (QTc) interval is prolonged in patients with liver cirrhosis and has been proposed to correlate with the severity of the disease. However, the effects of sex, age, severity, and etiology of cirrhosis on QTc have not been elucidated. At the same time, the role of treatment, acute illness, and liver transplantation (Tx) remains largely unknown.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Coverage and Key Public Health Indicators May Explain Disparities in COVID-19 Country-Specific Case Fatality Rate Within European Economic Area.

Aim To investigate the reasons for disparity regarding the country-specific COVID-19-related case fatality rate (CFR) within the 30 countries of the European Economic Area (EEA). Materials and methods Data regarding population, area, COVID-19-associated infections/deaths, vaccination, life expectancy, elderly population, infant mortality, gender disparity, urbanization, gross domestic product (GDP), income per capita, health spending per capita, physicians, nursing personnel, hospital beds, ICU beds, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and smoking from all EEA countries were collected from official sources on January 16, 2022. Correlation coefficients were computed, and optimal scaling using ridge regression was used to reach the most parsimonious multivariate model assessing any potential independent correlation of public health parameters with COVID-19 CFR.

MEFV Mutations in IBD Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta- analysis.

Background And Aims: Several studies have suggested that mutations in MEFV, the gene responsible for familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), are frequently detected in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. We aimed to provide further evidence regarding a potential correlation between MEFV gene mutations and IBD by identifying all relevant studies and analyzing their results.

Methods: EMBASE, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Google Scholar were used to identify all studies that published until January 2021 and reported MEFV mutation patterns in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD) and indeterminate colitis (IC) with or without a control group.

Diabetes-related acute metabolic emergencies in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: COVID-19 is associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) and euglycaemic DKA (EDKA); however, evidence regarding parameters affecting outcome and mortality rates is scarce.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using EMBASE, PubMed/Medline, and Google Scholar from January 2020 to 7 January 2021 to identify all studies describing clinical profile, outcome and mortality rates regarding DKA, HHS, DKA/HHS and EDKA cases in COVID-19 patients. The appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute tools were used for quality assessment; quality of evidence was approached using GRADE.

Mean platelet volume in acute pancreatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Several studies have suggested there may be statistically significant differences in mean platelet volume (MPV) between the onset and remission of acute pancreatitis (AP). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to better characterize the correlation between MPV and AP by identifying all relevant studies and summarizing their results.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using EMBASE, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.

Validating and expanding the Baveno VI criteria for esophageal varices in patients with advanced liver disease: a multicenter study.

Introduction: According to the Baveno VI workshop, patients with compensated advanced liver disease, platelet count (PLT) >150,000/μL and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) <20 kPa can avoid screening endoscopy for high-risk varices (HRVs). The purpose of this study was to validate these criteria in a multicenter Greek cohort and consider other approaches that may further decrease the number of endoscopies.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with advanced liver disease (defined as LSM >12 kPa) and evaluated them according to the Baveno VI criteria.

Peginterferon alfa-2b as monotherapy or in combination with lamivudine in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B: a randomised study.

Background: The efficacy of pegylated interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with lamivudine for the treatment of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative (-) chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is understudied.

Material/methods: One hundred twenty-six patients with HBeAg(-)chronic hepatitis B received pegylated interferon alfa-2b > or =1.5 micro g/kg/wk for 48 weeks.