Gradual dosing of ursodeoxycholic acid in mothers with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy may improve composite neonatal outcome.

Introduction And Objectives: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is often accompanied by fetal and maternal complications.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of the clinical course of women with ICP and their neonates treated at our medical center over a 10-year period. Special attention was paid to the maternal and neonatal response to 2 different modes of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) administration.

Incidental Gastric Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma: A Call for an Aggressive Approach.

Background: Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is classified as an undifferentiated gastric carcinoma with poor prognosis. Early SRCCs are associated with improved prognosis.

Objectives: To describe the outcomes of incidental SRCC.

The Association between Serum Vitamin D Levels and Presence and Eradication.

Background: The success of () eradication depends on several host and treatment factors. Serum vitamin D levels may be associated with infection and eradication rates. We investigated the association between vitamin D and infection and eradication, using a large electronic database based on medical records from a population-based health maintenance organization.

Lack of Correlation Between Serum Ferritin Levels and Patient Outcome in Israeli Adults with Hepatitis A Infection.

Background: In developed countries, hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection occurs mainly in adults. It is usually symptomatic and may cause acute liver failure (ALF). In patients with chronic liver disease, serum ferritin levels (SFL) can predict short-term prognosis.

Ascites and Gallbladder Abnormalities are Frequent Findings in Adults with Hepatitis A Virus Infection.

Background: Since the implementation of a hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunization program for children, which began in 1999 in Israel, HAV infections in the country have occurred mostly in adults. HAV infection in adults is usually symptomatic and may present with hepatic, as well as extrahepatic, abdominal complications.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of extrahepatic abdominal complications in patients diagnosed with HAV.

The Effects of Chronic Iron Overload in Rats with Acute Acetaminophen Overdose.

Background And Aims: Rats are resistant to acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated whether by augmentation of the hepatic oxidative stress, through the induction of hepatic iron overload (IO), it will be feasible to overcome the resistance of rats to the toxic effects of APAP.

Method: Rats with no or increased hepatic IO.

Gastric Polyp Growth during Endoscopic Surveillance for Esophageal Varices or Barrett's Esophagus.

Background: We recently observed patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) or chronic reflux symptoms (CRS) who developed gastric polyps (GPs) while undergoing surveillance gastroscopies for the detection of esophageal varices or Barrett's esophagus, respectively.

Objectives: To identify risk factors for GP growth and estimate its growth rate.

Methods: GP growth rate was defined as the number of days since the first gastroscopy (without polyps) in the surveillance program, until the gastroscopy when a GP was discovered.

Liver toxicity of thioacetamide is increased by hepatocellular iron overload.

An increase in hepatic iron concentration might exacerbate liver injury. However, it is unknown whether hepatic iron overload may exacerbate acute liver injury from various toxins. Therefore, we evaluated how manipulations to increase hepatic iron concentration affected the extent of acute liver injury from thioacetamide.

Effects of antihypertensive and triglyceride-lowering agents on hepatic copper concentrations in rats with fatty liver disease.

Copper deficiency had been suggested to link between fructose-enriched diet (FED) and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we characterized changes in hepatic copper concentrations and hepatic oxidative milieu, in rats with the metabolic syndrome and NAFLD as a result of FED with pharmacological manipulations to reduce blood pressure or plasma triglycerides. Changes in plasma and hepatic copper concentrations were correlated with changes observed in the immunohistochemical hepatic expression of copper-zinc-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD; SOD1), metallothionein (MT) and nitrotyrosine (NITT).

Rosiglitazone and bezafibrate modulate gene expression in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease--a historical prospective.

Background: Genetic factors implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are poorly understood. Our aim was to characterize three genes involved in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and investigate the effect of rosiglitazone and bezafibrate.

Method: Five rats were fed a chow diet (controls) and 18 a fructose-enriched diet (FED) for 5 weeks: 6 were administered rosiglitazone and 6 bezafibrate during the last 2 weeks and 6 were not treated at all.

Effects of antihypertensive and triglyceride lowering agents on splenocyte apoptosis in rats with fatty liver.

Individuals with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have an increased incidence of infection and infection-related mortality. Rats given fructose-enriched diet (FED) develop the MS including NAFLD. In this study, we characterized changes in splenocyte apoptosis in FED rats given medications to treat various components of the MS.

[Guidelines for diagnosis and management of cirrhotic ascites and its complications. The Israeli Association for the Study of the Liver].

Ascites is the most common manifestation of decompensated liver cirrhosis. The life expectancy of cirrhotic patients developing uncomplicated ascites is 50% for 3 years. Refractory ascites, electrolyte imbalance, hepato-renal syndrome and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis may develop.

The changing histological pattern of gastric polyps in an ethnically heterogeneous population.

Background And Aim: Variation in the prevalence of various types of gastric polyps worldwide may reflect different etiologies. Here, the authors report the dynamic changes in histological distribution of gastric polyps over time and by ethnicity for individuals who underwent gastroscopies between 1994 and 2009 at two hospitals in Jerusalem, Israel. During this time period, the proportion of patients receiving proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increased while the proportion of patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H.

Breastmilk hepatitis A virus RNA in nursing mothers with acute hepatitis A virus infection.

Breastmilk specimens from three women with acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection were studied. Anti-HAV immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies were detected in serum and breastmilk specimens of the three women. The three women also had serum HAV RNA.

The prognostic value of changes in serum ferritin levels during therapy for hepatitis C virus infection.

An increase in serum ferritin levels during combined interferon-ribavirin treatment in chronic patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can occur. A study was conducted to determine whether observing the kinetics of serum ferritin levels during antiviral therapy, may assist in predicting the rate of sustained virological response. The kinetics of serum ferritin levels during antiviral therapy in treatment-naive, adherent patients with chronic HCV who had early virological response were characterized.

Characteristics of patients with sulphonurea-induced hypoglycemia.

Background/aim: Sulphonylurea (SU) agents continue to be a cornerstone of the therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Hypoglycemia is the most dangerous side effect of SU. Identifying the characteristics of patients with SU-induced hypoglycemia (SUIH) may help in reducing its frequency.

Divergent effects of irritants on the gastric mucosa in rats during various stages after bile duct ligation.

Background And Aim: Controversy exists as to whether rats after bile duct ligation (BDL) are more susceptible to gastric mucosal damage (GMD) induced by irritants. In the present study we characterize GMD after intragastric instillation of either ethanol or hydrochloric acid (HCL), 3 and 21 days after the surgical procedure.

Methods: Bile duct ligation and sham operated (SO) rats were studied.