Rifaximin-Alpha Increases Lactase Activity in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Without Constipation and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms are associated with diverse pathophysiological mechanisms including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and food intolerance. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth leads to the decreased activity of several digestive enzymes, including lactase.

Aims: To assess the efficacy of rifaximin-alpha on the symptoms and lactase activity of patients with irritable bowel syndrome without constipation.

Prognostic performance of an index based on lactic dehydrogenase and transaminases for patients with liver steatosis and COVID-19.

Background: Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is associated with complications and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there are no prognostic scores aimed to evaluate the risk of severe disease specifically in patients with MAFLD, despite its high prevalence. Lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase have been used as markers of liver damage.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for acute-on-chronic liver failure: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with increased short and long-term mortality. Animal models of liver failure have demonstrated that granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) accelerates the liver regeneration process and improves survival. However, clinical evidence regarding the use of G-CSF in ACLF remains scarce.

Boceprevir and telaprevir for chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with newer direct-acting antivirals is unrealistic in some countries because of the lack of availability.

Aim: Assess benefits and harms of boceprevir (BOC) and telaprevir (TLV) in treatment of genotype 1 HCV infection, and identifying subgroups with most benefit.

Material And Methods: Search from 2009-2013 in PubMed, EMBASE, and "gray literature" of published and unpublished randomized trials reporting sustained viral response (SVR) or adverse events (AE) with BOC or TLV + pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR) in HCV-infected patients; cohorts or case reports for comparison protease inhibitors (PI), evaluation of predictors of SVR, and resistant variants.