Change of skeletal muscle mass in cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism after partial splenic artery embolization.

Purpose: Partial splenic artery embolization (PSAE) is an effective procedure for cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of PSAE on skeletal muscle, and to identify the predictor for an improvement in skeletal muscle index (SMI) in cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism after PSAE.

Materials And Methods: 466 cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism underwent PASE between Dec 2013 and Mar 2022.

Hypoalbuminemia contributes to ascites formation via sodium and water retention: Evidence from clinical date and albumin deficient mice.

Albumin infusions improve circulatory and renal function in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. However, there is no convincing evidence that hypoalbuminemia contributes to ascites formation in liver cirrhosis. The aim of our study is to determine the exact role of hypoalbuminemia in the formation of ascites caused by liver cirrhosis and its underlying mechanism.

Upregulation of RACGAP1 is correlated with poor prognosis and immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver cancer with high mortality worldwide. Even though the patients with HCC received standard therapies, patients with HCC continue to experience unsatisfactory therapy outcomes. Presently, immune therapy acts as a novel therapeutic management for HCC.

Splenectomy non-splenectomy for gastrointestinal bleeding from left-sided portal hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Left-sided portal hypertension (LSPH) leads to life-threatening gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. There are no recommendations or consensus about the management of GI bleeding caused by LSPH. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the incidence of GI bleeding and the mortality of patients with LSPH receiving different therapeutic strategies.

Causal associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Clinical studies have reported that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a higher prevalence of hypertension.

Aim: To performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal link between GERD and essential hypertension.

Methods: Eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected, and weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW) as well as MR egger (MR-Egger) regression were used to examine the potential causal association between GERD and hypertension.

EphB2 promotes enteric nitrergic hyperinnervation and neurogenic inflammation in DSS-induced chronic colitis in mice.

Background: Enteric nervous system (ENS) has been closely associated with the neuro-immune response and is currently considered a reliable target for intestinal inflammation. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) nerves are involved in inflammatory diseases by releasing nitric oxide (NO). EphB2 expression and density of innervation of the mucosal layer are positively correlated with the severity of intestinal inflammatory responses.

Differential diagnosis of ascites: etiologies, ascitic fluid analysis, diagnostic algorithm.

Ascites is the pathological accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity. It often occurs as results of liver cirrhosis, malignant neoplasia, tuberculous infection, cardiac insufficiency, renal diseases, etc. Determining the etiology is an essential step in the management of patients with new-onset ascites.

Fine mapping identifies independent HLA associations in autoimmune hepatitis type 1.

Background & Aims: Association studies have greatly refined the important role of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, the effects of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms on AIH are not well established. The aim of this study is to systematically characterise the association of MHC variants with AIH in our well-defined cohort of patients.

Interferon-γ secreted by recruited Th1 cells in peritoneal cavity inhibits the formation of malignant ascites.

Type 1 T helper (Th1) cells generate an efficient antitumor immune response in multiple malignancies. The functions of Th1 cells in malignant ascites (MA) have not been elucidated. The distribution of helper T cells in peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood was determined in patients and animal models with malignant ascites.

Retrorsine Cooperates with Gut Microbiota to Promote Hepatic Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome by Disrupting the Gut Barrier.

Background And Aims: Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) is a life-threatening syndrome, and a cause is exposure to pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA)-containing products. It is well-established that retrorsine (RTS), a representative Pas, insults hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells and ensues congestion of hepatic sinusoids. However, little known about the impact of Pas on gut microbiota and intestinal barrier and inflammation in HSOS.

Enoxaparin attenuates pyrrolizidine alkaloids-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome by inhibiting oncostatin M expression.

Background And Aims: The definitive treatment for pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) is not available. The effectiveness of anticoagulation therapy remains controversial. The efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) should be investigated in patients and animal models, and the underlying mechanism should be explored.

Utility of ascitic tumor markers and adenosine deaminase for differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Background: Differential diagnosis between tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis remains challenging in clinical practice; thus, in-patients diagnosed with tuberculous peritonitis or peritoneal carcinomatosis were retrospectively enrolled, and diagnostic values of ascitic tumor markers and adenosine deaminase were determined.

Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with tuberculous peritonitis or peritoneal carcinomatosis were retrospectively enrolled. The pertinent data of 169 patients enrolled were collected.

Difference between type 2 gastroesophageal varices and isolated fundic varices in clinical profiles and portosystemic collaterals.

Background: There is significant heterogeneity between gastroesophageal varices (GOV2) and isolated gastric varices (IGV1). The data on the difference between GOV2 and IGV1 are limited.

Aim: To determine the etiology, clinical profiles, endoscopic findings, imaging signs, portosystemic collaterals in patients with GOV2 and IGV1.

Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies susceptibility loci for autoimmune hepatitis type 1.

Background And Aims: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare and chronic autoimmune liver disease. While genetic factors are believed to play a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of AIH, our understanding of these genetic risk factors is still limited. In this study, we aimed to identify susceptibility loci to further understand the pathogenesis of this disease.

MS275 as Class I HDAC inhibitor displayed therapeutic potential on malignant ascites by iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis.

Background: Malignant ascites is a manifestation of end stage events in a variety of cancers and is associated with significant morbidity. Epigenetic modulators play a key role in cancer initiation and progression, among which histone deacetylases (HDACs) are considered as one of the most important regulators for various cancer development, such as liver cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer et al. Thus, in this paper, we sought to explore the therapeutic effect of HDAC inhibitor on malignant ascites.

Predictive Model of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Treatment Response in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Background And Aims: Although ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment in primary biliary cholangitis is effective in many patients, there are still many people who respond poorly to it. Identifying and intervening these patients early is important. Therefore, exploring the risk factors and proposing a predictor index to predict the UDCA treatment nonresponse earlier among primary biliary cholangitis patients were the aims of this research.

Quantitative CT assessment by histogram and volume ratio in pyrrolizidines alkaloids-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.

Objective: To quantitatively assess hypoattenuation volume ratio and hepatic parenchymal hypoattenuation on contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in patients with pyrrolizidines alkaloids (PAs)-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS), and evaluate the correlations of the CT-based quantitative values with clinical factors.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with PAs-induced HSOS who underwent CECT were retrospectively enrolled. The ratio of hypoattenuation volume to total liver volume, and changes in damaged area-to-normal liver density ratio (ΔDR) derived from histogram on portal venous phase were quantitatively measured.

Prognostic factors for pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome: a multicenter study in China.

Background: In China, one of the major causes of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) is the intake of herbals containing pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA). However, prognostic factors for PA-induced HSOS are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the independent prognostic factors for PA-induced HSOS using a multi-center study.

Liver injury in patients with COVID-19: clinical profiles, CT findings, the correlation of the severity with liver injury.

Background And Aims: Liver injury is found in some of patients with COVID-19. Liver injury of COVID-19 patients based on severity grading and abdominal radiological signs have not been reported until now. The aim of our study is to determine clinical profiles of the patients based on severity grading, describe abdominal radiological signs, and investigate the correlations of the severity with clinical profiles and radiological signs.

Myofibroblast induces hepatocyte-to-ductal metaplasia via laminin-ɑvβ6 integrin in liver fibrosis.

Hepatocytes undergo the metaplasia into ductal biliary epithelial cells (BECs) in response to chronic injury, and subsequently contribute to liver regeneration. The mechanism underlying hepatocyte-to-ductal metaplasia has not been explored until now. In mouse models of liver fibrosis, a florid BEC response was observed in fibrotic liver, and the depletion of myofibroblasts attenuated BEC expansion remarkably.

Clinical characteristics, CT signs, and pathological findings of Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-induced sinusoidal obstructive syndrome: a retrospective study.

Background: One major etiology of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) in China is the intake of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Since PAs-induced HSOS is a rare disease that has not been clearly characterized until now, the aim of this study was to investigate clinical characteristics, CT features, and pathological findings of PA-induced HSOS.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 116 patients with PAs-induced HSOS and 68 patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome from Jan 2006 to Sep 2016.

Clinical efficacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy for Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Aim: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome(PA-HSOS) has been reported to have high mortality. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy for the patients with PA-HSOS.

Methods: We collected clinical data on 249 PA-HSOS patients from January 2012 to December 2017 at four tertiary care hospitals.

Probiotic mixtures with aerobic constituent promoted the recovery of multi-barriers in DSS-induced chronic colitis.

Aims: Gut microbiota has been closely linked to the mucosal immune and been regarded as a reliable target for intestinal inflammation. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic roles of probiotic mixtures of Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecalis with (quadruple probiotics, P-qua) or without (triple probiotics, P-tri) aerobic Bacillus cereus in colitis, focusing on the multiple barrier functions.

Materials And Methods: Chronic colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in C57BL/6 mice.