Therapeutic potential and mechanism of Chinese herbal medicines in treating fibrotic liver disease.

Liver fibrosis is a pathological condition characterized by replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue, and also the leading cause of liver-related death worldwide. During the treatment of liver fibrosis, in addition to antiviral therapy or removal of inducers, there remains a lack of specific and effective treatment strategies. For thousands of years, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) have been widely used to treat liver fibrosis in clinical setting.

Novel, high accuracy models for hepatocellular carcinoma prediction based on longitudinal data and cell-free DNA signatures.

Background & Aims: Current hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk scores do not reflect changes in HCC risk resulting from liver disease progression/regression over time. We aimed to develop and validate two novel prediction models using multivariate longitudinal data, with or without cell-free DNA (cfDNA) signatures.

Methods: A total of 13,728 patients from two nationwide multicenter prospective observational cohorts, the majority of whom had chronic hepatitis B, were enrolled.

Impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease status change on antiviral efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Data on the dynamic changes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) during antiviral therapy are scarce. We aimed to investigate the evolution of NAFLD status change in CHB patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) and its influence on therapeutic outcomes. This retrospective study included 164 HBeAg-positive CHB patients from a randomized controlled trial who were treated with NAs for 104 weeks and underwent paired liver biopsies.

Hyperammonemia in a pregnant woman with citrullinemia type I: a case report and literature review.

Background: Citrullinemia type I (CTLN1) is a rare urea cycle disorder (UCD) with few adult cases described so far. Diagnosis of late-onset CTLN1 is difficult, and delayed treatment may increase the risk of severe hyperammonemia. Pregnancy is an important risk factor for women with CTLN1.

Management Algorithm for Prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus (2022).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the goal of eliminating hepatitis as a threat to public health by 2030. Blocking mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is not only the key to eliminating viral hepatitis, but also a hot issue in the field of hepatitis B prevention and treatment. To standardize the clinical management of preventing MTCT of HBV and achieve zero HBV infection among infants, the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control organized experts to compile a management algorithm for prevention of MTCT of HBV based on the latest research progress and guidelines, including 10 steps of pregnancy management and postpartum follow-up, among which screening, antiviral treatment, and infant immunization are its core components.

HBeAg-negative Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Normal Alanine Aminotransferase: Wait or Treat?

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a common clinical indicator of liver inflammation. The current Chinese guidelines for the management of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) recommend antiviral treatment for patients with detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and persistent ALT levels (ALTs) exceeding the upper limit of normal. However, it has been recently reported that patients with chronic HBV infection, especially HBeAg-negative patients with persistently normal ALTs, may have liver biopsy findings of significant inflammation and fibrosis.

Relationship between Hepatitis B virus infection and platelet production and dysfunction.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a kind of hepatotropic DNA virus. The main target organ is liver, except for liver, HBV has been found in a variety of extrahepatic tissues, such as kidney, thyroid, pancreas, bone marrow, etc. HBV can cause severe complications by invading these tissues.

Long non-coding RNA RP4-694A7.2 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Metastasis through the Regulation of PSAT1.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as gene regulators in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the biological roles and mechanisms of many lncRNAs in HCC tumorigenesis remain unknown. To identify novel lncRNAs associated with proliferation and metastasis in HCC.

Association of central obesity with hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving antiviral therapy.

Background: Obesity is typically associated with metabolic dysfunction, but its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Aim: To study the effect of obesity on HCC development in patients with CHB receiving antiviral therapy.

Methods: We included patients from a Chinese multicentre, prospective, observational, treated CHB cohort in this study.

The Chinese Society of Hepatology position statement on the redefinition of fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is of increasing concern in mainland China, the world's most populous country. The incidence of fatty liver disease is highest in China, surpassing the incidence in European countries and the USA. An international consensus panel recently published an influential report recommending a novel definition of fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction.

STAT6 up-regulation amplifies M2 macrophage anti-inflammatory capacity through mesenchymal stem cells.

Extensive infiltration of M2 macrophages plays a crucial role in repairing acute liver failure (ALF), however, the molecular pathways whereby mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) induce M2 macrophage polarization remains unknown. We investigated the molecular pathways involved in MSC-induced M2 polarization and describe the potential therapeutic effects of M2 macrophages on ALF. The expression of M2 macrophage markers was significantly increased after M0 macrophages were co-cultured with MSCs in vitro.

Programmed death 1, ligand 1 and 2 correlated genes and their association with mutation, immune infiltration and clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The exact regulation network of programmed death 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2) signaling in immune escape is largely unknown. We aimed to describe the gene expression profiles related to PD-1 as well as its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, thus deciphering their possible biological processes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Aim: To find the possible mechanism of function of PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 in HCC.

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver: Clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Background: Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare liver malignancy originating from primary mesenchymal tissue. The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and imaging examinations of the disease lack specificity and the preoperative misdiagnosis rate is high. The overall prognosis is poor and survival rate is low.

Long-term outcomes in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving nucleoside/nucleotide analogue therapy in real-world clinical practice: 5-year results from the EVOLVE study.

Background: In China, the optimal management of individuals living with chronic HBV infection (CHB) remains an unmet need. The EVOLVE Study was a 5-year prospective, longitudinal, observational study that compared the clinical outcomes in treatment-naive CHB patients receiving entecavir (ETV) or lamivudine (LAM)-based therapies.

Methods: Males or females aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with CHB regardless of cirrhosis or hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status were enrolled from tier 2 city hospitals (between 2012-2014).

Editorial: serum HBV RNA biphasic decline in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues.

This article is linked to Liu et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.

Controlled attenuation parameter value-based diagnostic algorithm improves the accuracy of liver stiffness measurement in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) frequently overestimates the severity of liver fibrosis because of steatosis. However, the impact of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) on liver stiffness cutoff values remains unknown; CAP was used to quantify and diagnose the severity of hepatic steatosis. The study was conducted to determine the effect of CAP on liver stiffness cutoff values in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

aMAP risk score predicts hepatocellular carcinoma development in patients with chronic hepatitis.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic hepatitis. In this international collaboration, we sought to develop a global universal HCC risk score to predict the HCC development for patients with chronic hepatitis.

Methods: A total of 17,374 patients, comprising 10,578 treated Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 2,510 treated Caucasian patients with CHB, 3,566 treated patients with hepatitis C virus (including 2,489 patients with cirrhosis achieving a sustained virological response) and 720 patients with non-viral hepatitis (NVH) from 11 international prospective observational cohorts or randomised controlled trials, were divided into a training cohort (3,688 Asian patients with CHB) and 9 validation cohorts with different aetiologies and ethnicities (n = 13,686).

Utility of Transabdominal Ultrasonography Enhanced by Oral Cellulose-Based Contrast Agent in Depicting Varices at Cardia and Fundus.

The use of transabdominal color Doppler ultrasound after oral administration of an oral cellulose-based contrast agent (TUS-OCCA) in depicting varices at the cardia and fundus was explored. Both gastroscopy and transabdominal color Doppler ultrasound (TUS) were performed for this purpose, with gastroscopy serving as the gold standard. Patients were assigned by TUS protocol to one of three groups: TUS + empty stomach (TUS-ES); TUS + oral water intake (TUS-OW); and TUS-OCCA.

HBV DNA and HBsAg: Early Prediction of Response to Peginterferon α-2a in HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B.

: The proportion of hepatitis e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in China has increased rapidly. However, the response of these patients to peginterferon (peg-IFN) treatment is poor, and the antiviral treatment strategies are inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in early prediction of response in HBeAg-negative CHB patients receiving peg-IFN α-2a.

Baseline Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of the Patients Recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem globally. Here, we describe the baseline characteristics and treatment profiles of HBV-infected patients recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B. Inclusion criteria were patients with different stages of chronic HBV infection and complete key data.

Characteristics of Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Northeast China: Disease Spectrum and Drug Types.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the disease spectrum and drug types causing drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in northeast China, so that the affected population can be reminded of the need to increase their post-medication monitoring.

Methods: A total of 470 DILI patients hospitalized at Shengjing Hospital between 2013 and 2016 were involved in this retrospective study.

Results: There were significant differences in the disease spectrum of the different age groups (P < 0.

The Prevalence of HBV Infection: A Retrospective Study of 13 Years in a Public Hospital of Northeast China.

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was an imbalance in different provinces of China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HBV infection and evaluate the prophylactic measures in a public hospital of northeast China over the preceding 13 years. A total of 13,948 patients in 2004 and 15,256 patients in 2017 of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University were tested of serum HBsAg, HBeAg, HBsAb, HBeAb, and HBcAb levels with Abbott MEIA Kits.

A Potential Functional Cure in Chinese HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Treated with Peg-interferon Alpha-2a.

Data are limited on the use of pegylated-interferon alpha-2a (peg-IFNα) in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (CHB). We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of peg-IFNα in Chinese patients with hepatitis B envelope antigen-negative CHB in routine clinical practice. In this prospective, multicenter, observational, non-interventional cohort study, patients were assessed for up to 1 year after peg-IFNα treatment cessation.