is a risk haplotype for primary sclerosing cholangitis mediating activation of NKp44+ NK cells.

Objective: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterised by bile duct strictures and progressive liver disease, eventually requiring liver transplantation. Although the pathogenesis of PSC remains incompletely understood, strong associations with HLA-class II haplotypes have been described. As specific HLA-DP molecules can bind the activating NK-cell receptor NKp44, we investigated the role of HLA-DP/NKp44-interactions in PSC.

Right and left liver lobe biopsies by minilaparoscopy reveal clinically significant sampling error in staging and grading of autoimmune hepatitis.

Backgrounds/aims: Liver diseases may affect the liver heterogeneously, especially in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the added benefit of double biopsy of both liver lobes during minilaparoscopy in guiding treatment decisions in patients with AIH.

Methods: We identified all patients with AIH or variant syndromes (AIH/PBC and AIH/PSC) at our center, who underwent a double biopsy of both liver lobes via minilaparoscopy between 01/2016 and 12/2020.

TREM2 Regulates the Removal of Apoptotic Cells and Inflammatory Processes during the Progression of NAFLD.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver pathology worldwide. In mice and humans, NAFLD progression is characterized by the appearance of TREM2-expressing macrophages in the liver. However, their mechanistic contributions to disease progression have not been completely elucidated.

Mini-laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool for abdominal tuberculosis: a retrospective series of 29 cases.

Objectives: Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is a "great mimic," and diagnosis remains challenging even for experienced clinicians. While mini-laparoscopy has already been demonstrated to be an efficient diagnostic tool for a variety of diseases, we aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique in diagnosing abdominal TB.

Methods: We retrospectively included patients who underwent mini-laparoscopy at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf between April 2010 and January 2022 for suspected abdominal TB.

Frequent detection of functional hyposplenism via assessment of pitted erythrocytes in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis.

Background: Asplenia or functional hyposplenism are risk factors for severe infections, and vaccinations against encapsulated bacteria are advised. There are only limited data regarding the spleen function of cirrhotic patients.

Methods: We evaluated spleen function in patients with liver cirrhosis, who were prospectively enrolled in this study.

Stop of proton-pump inhibitor treatment in patients with liver cirrhosis (STOPPIT): study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, controlled, randomized, double-blind trial.

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) are liberally prescribed in patients with liver cirrhosis. Observational studies link PPI therapy in cirrhotic patients with an increased risk for infectious complications, hepatic encephalopathy and an increased risk for hospitalization and mortality. However, patients with liver cirrhosis are also considered to be at risk for peptic ulcer bleeding.

SARS-CoV2-specific Humoral and T-cell Immune Response After Second Vaccination in Liver Cirrhosis and Transplant Patients.

Background & Aims: Detailed information on the immune response after second vaccination of cirrhotic patients and liver transplant (LT) recipients against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is largely missing. We aimed at comparing the vaccine-induced humoral and T-cell responses of these vulnerable patient groups.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein titers were determined using the DiaSorin LIAISON (anti-S trimer) and Roche Elecsys (anti-S RBD) immunoassays in 194 patients (141 LT, 53 cirrhosis Child-Pugh A-C) and 56 healthy controls before and 10 to 84 days after second vaccination.

Performance of non-invasive fibrosis scores in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with and without morbid obesity.

Background: Non-invasive scores, such as the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) Fibrosis Score (NFS), are increasingly used for liver fibrosis assessment in patients with NAFLD. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability and reliability of non-invasive fibrosis scores in NAFLD patients with and without morbid obesity.

Methods: Three hundred sixty-eight patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD identified between January 2012 and December 2015 were studied; 225 with morbid obesity (biopsy obtained during bariatric surgery) and 143 patients without (termed as "conventional").

Evolution of liver stiffness and post-treatment surveillance by liver elastography for HCV patients in the DAA era.

Objective: Baseline liver stiffness (LS) is prognostically relevant in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but may change after successful HCV eradication. Data on post-treatment LS for a further risk stratification remain scarce. Here, we study the kinetics of LS and laboratory parameters in patients undergoing HCV treatment and analyze the association of post-treatment LS with outcome parameters.

Therapeutic Targeting of Myeloperoxidase Attenuates NASH in Mice.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity has been associated with the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular and liver disease. Here, we evaluate the therapeutic potential of MPO inhibition on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and NASH-induced fibrosis, the main determinant of outcomes. MPO plasma levels were elevated in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) compared with healthy controls.

Risk factors associated with bleeding after prophylactic endoscopic variceal ligation in cirrhosis.

Background: Prophylactic endoscopic variceal band ligation (EVL) is frequently performed in patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of our study was to identify factors associated with early upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in cirrhosis patients after prophylactic EVL.

Methods: 787 nonemergency EVLs performed in 444 patients in two German University medical centers were analyzed retrospectively.

Treatment and re-treatment results of HCV patients in the DAA era.

Background: Re-treatment in patients with a chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and a previous failure to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment remains a challenge. Therefore, we investigated the success rate of treatment and re-treatment regimens used at our center from October 2011 to March 2018.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of DAA-based HCV therapies of 1096 patients was conducted.

Reinfection With the Hepatitis C Virus in Men Who Have Sex With Men After Successful Treatment With Direct-acting Antivirals in Germany: Current Incidence Rates, Compared With Rates During the Interferon Era.

Background: Micro-elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) includes treatment in populations at risk of ongoing HCV transmission, such as men who have sex with men (MSM) or people who inject drugs (PWID). We analyzed the HCV reinfection incidence rates of participants in the German hepatitis C cohort (GECCO) and compared our data to previous findings from the interferon era.

Methods: Patients with HCV reinfections in the multi-centric GECCO cohort were compared to patients in whom no reinfection occurred.

[Proton pump inhibitors in patients with liver cirrhosis - a survey among hepatologists in Germany].

Introduction:  Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are one of the most frequently prescribed drugs worldwide. In particular, in patients with liver cirrhosis prescription rates up to 78 % have been reported. PPI may be a risk factor for nosocomial infections, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and onset of hepatic encephalopathy.

The impact of individual patient data in a network meta-analysis: An investigation into parameter estimation and model selection.

The use of individual patient data (IPD) in network meta-analysis (NMA) is becoming increasingly popular. However, as most studies do not report IPD, most NMAs are performed using aggregate data for at least some, if not all, of the studies. We investigate the benefits of including varying proportions of IPD studies in an NMA.

[Combination of NAFLD Fibrosis Score and liver stiffness measurement for identification of moderate fibrosis stages (II & III) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most frequent causes of chronic liver disease. Currently, therapeutic options for NAFLD patients are limited, but new pharmacologic agents are being investigated in the course of clinical trials. Because most of these studies are focusing on patients with fibrosis stages II and III (according to Kleiner), non-invasive identification of patients with intermediate fibrosis stages (II and III) is of increasing interest.

Time trend of reported cases and publications: hepatitis E in comparison to hepatitis A - D in Germany from 2001 to 2016.

Background: The frequency of autochthonous hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections in Western countries has increased since the millennium, probably due to a higher awareness for HEV. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological situation and regional distribution of HEV in comparison to hepatitis A - D in Germany.

Methods: Data of the reported cases, patients' travel histories, and the regional distribution of hepatitis A - E virus infections from 2001 to 2017 were extracted from databases of the Robert Koch Institute.

Chronic pancreatitis in patients with liver cirrhosis negatively affects graft survival after liver transplantation.

Background: Limited data exists concerning the coincidence of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and liver cirrhosis with respect to the patient outcome after liver transplantation (LT). The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for graft loss after liver transplantation and to evaluate the impact of CP on graft survival.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 421 cirrhotic patients who underwent evaluation for primary liver transplantation from January 2007 to January 2014.

Autoantibodies against "rods and rings"-related IMPDH2 in hepatitis C genotype 1 and DAA therapy in a "real life" cohort.

Autoantibodies against inosine-5'-monophosphate-dehydrogenase-2 (IMPDH2; "rods and rings" pattern) develop in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients under treatment with peg-interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV), an inhibitor of IMPDH2. We investigated the influence of the alternative therapy with direct-acting antivirals (DAA)/ribavirin on anti-IMPDH2 autoantibody generation and the use of anti-IMPDH2 development as a marker for therapy outcome (sustained virologic response, SVR). We analyzed a "real life" cohort of 104 unselected CHC genotype 1 (GT1) patients treated with IFN/first-generation DAA/RBV prospectively compared to a historic cohort of 59 IFN/RBV-treated CHC GT1 patients.

Real-world effectiveness of sofosbuvir-based treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 infection: Results from the multicenter German hepatitis C cohort (GECCO-03).

There are limited data regarding the real world effectiveness of direct acting antivirals (DAA) for the therapy of chronic genotype 3 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. All HCV genotype 3 infected patients from the German hepatitis C cohort (GECCO), which is a prospective database of nine German hepatitis C treatment centers, were included in the study. Three hundred forty-two chronically infected HCV genotype 3 patients were analyzed (253 males [74.

Factors associated with long-term survival after liver transplantation: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To identify predictive factors associated with long-term patient and graft survival (> 15 years) in liver transplant recipients.

Methods: Medical charts of all adult liver transplant recipients ( = 140) who were transplanted in Hamburg between 1997 and 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 155 transplantations were identified in this time period (15 re-transplantations).

Anti-TNF-α for necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis of the liver.

We present a case of hepatosplenic necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis, a variant form of "classical" sarcoidosis, that became clinically apparent in the form of multiple hepatic and splenic masses mimicking malignancy. Flow cytometry of intrahepatic T cells isolated from liver biopsy led to the targeted treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which was highly effective in inducing remission. (Hepatology 2017;65:1410-1412).