Beyond the Physical: Weight Stigma and the Bariatric Patient Journey.

Obesity represents a global epidemic associated with significant health risks, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Management strategies have evolved from focusing solely on weight reduction to emphasizing overall health improvements and mitigating associated risks. This narrative review analyzed the existing peer-reviewed literature across databases such as PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to examine the outcomes of bariatric surgery and its interplay with weight stigma.

Sarcopenia in MASLD-Eat to Beat Steatosis, Move to Prove Strength.

The connections between sarcopenia and various chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and liver disease have been highlighted recently. There is also a high occurrence of sarcopenia in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) patients, who are often disregarded. Both experimental and clinical findings suggest a complex, bidirectional relationship between MASLD and sarcopenia.

Automatic Characterization of Prostate Suspect Lesions on T2-Weighted Image Acquisitions Using Texture Features and Machine-Learning Methods: A Pilot Study.

: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent neoplasia in the male population. According to the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP), PCa can be divided into two major groups, based on their prognosis and treatment options. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) holds a central role in PCa assessment; however, it does not have a one-to-one correspondence with the histopathological grading of tumors.

Global, regional, and national burden of primary liver cancer attributable to metabolic risks: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021.

Background: The global burden of metabolic diseases is increasing, but estimates of their impact on primary liver cancer are uncertain. We aimed to assess the global burden of primary liver cancer attributable to metabolic risk factors, including high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, between 1990 and 2021.

Methods: The total number and age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from primary liver cancer attributable to each metabolic risk factor were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021.

Effectiveness of 8-week Treatment with Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir in Treatment-naïve or -experienced HCV Patients: Results from an Observational Retrospective Study in Real-life Settings (ODYSSEY).

Background And Aims: Pan-genotypic ribavirin-free oral direct-acting antivirals, including the glecaprevir/pibrentasvir combination, are recommended for the treatment of most patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In Romania, the HCV-infected patient population receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir is not well characterized and data on treatment effectiveness is lacking. The ODYSSEY study aimed to provide insights into the characteristics and treatment outcomes of HCV-infected Romanian patients receiving 8-week therapy with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir.

Esophagectomy in patients with liver cirrhosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of short-term outcomes.

Patients with esophageal cancer and concomitant liver cirrhosis (LC) pose a surgical challenge because of the increased risk of postoperative complications and mortality. Purpose of this study was to review the existing literature and estimate perioperative short-term outcomes of esophagectomy in this patient population. Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Comments on EFSUMB recommendations, role of ultrasound in cutaneous neoplasms.

The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) has been publishing guidelines, position papers and also technical reviews. In addition, comments have been published for illustration of such papers including the hepatobiliary system, pancreas, lung and other organs. In the current paper, we aim to summarize the typical sonographic findings of the most commonly seen cutaneous neoplasms.

Assessing Fat Grafting in Breast Surgery: A Narrative Review of Evaluation Techniques.

Fat grafting has gained prominence in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, necessitating accurate assessment methods for evaluating graft volume retention. This paper reviews various techniques for assessing fat and fat grafts, including their benefits and limitations. Three-dimensional (3D) scanning offers highly accurate, non-invasive volumetric assessments with minimal interference from breathing patterns.

Endoscopic papillectomy versus surgical ampullectomy for adenomas and early cancers of the papilla: a retrospective Pancreas2000/European Pancreatic Club analysis.

Objective: Ampullary neoplastic lesions can be resected by endoscopic papillectomy (EP) or transduodenal surgical ampullectomy (TSA) while pancreaticoduodenectomy is reserved for more advanced lesions. We present the largest retrospective comparative study analysing EP and TSA.

Design: Of all patients in the database, lesions with prior interventions, benign histology advanced malignancy (T2 and more), patients with hereditary syndromes and those undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were excluded.

Biomarkers as Predictors of Mortality in Sepsis and Septic Shock for Patients Admitted to Emergency Department: Who Is the Winner? A Prospective Study.

: Sepsis and septic shock remain significant contributors to high early mortality rates among patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). The objective of this study was to identify among newer biomarkers those with the highest sensitivity in early mortality prediction. : This prospective, unicentric, observational study enrolled 47 adult patients admitted to the ED between November 2020 and December 2022.

Endoscopic ultrasound in portal hypertension: navigating venous hemodynamics and treatment efficacy.

Portal hypertension-related complications increase mortality in patients, irrespective of its etiology. Classically, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was used to assess the portal venous system and collaterals, considering size and hemodynamic parameters, which correlate with portal hypertension (PH) and related complications. Furthermore, therapeutic EUS guides treatment interventions, such as embolization of the gastric varices through coil placement and tissue adhesive injection, yielding encouraging clinical results.

Meditation-Based Therapies for Chronic Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Mind-body therapies have been found to be effective in a variety of pathologies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of meditation-based therapies in relieving the symptoms severity, quality of life, stress and other associated mood conditions, in individuals with chronic neuropathy of various etiologies. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials, involving adult patients with persistent peripheral neuropathy, was performed.

Can We Improve Mortality Prediction in Patients with Sepsis in the Emergency Department?

: Sepsis represents a global health challenge and requires advanced diagnostic and prognostic approaches due to its elevated rate of morbidity and fatality. Our study aimed to assess the value of a novel set of six biomarkers combined with severity scores in predicting 28 day mortality among patients presenting with sepsis in the Emergency Department (ED). : This single-center, observational, prospective cohort included sixty-seven consecutive patients with septic shock and sepsis enrolled from November 2020 to December 2022, categorized into survival and non-survival groups based on outcomes.

Impact of Coffee Consumption on Subjective Perception and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic conditions marked by persistent inflammation, impacting patients' quality of life. This study assessed differences in coffee consumption between CD and UC patients and its potential effects on the subjective perception and objective changes in inflammation markers in these two categories of patients. Using questionnaires, coffee consumption patterns, and perceived symptom effects were evaluated.

Intraoperative Ultrasound guided Palliative Radiofrequency Ablation of Unresectable Nonmetastatic Pancreatic Malignancies: A Pilot Observational Study.

Background And Aims: Radiofrequency ablation of unresectable pancreatic tumors represents a palliative method in selected patients. The lack of standardization of the technique used as well as the non-homogeneous immediate and long-term results from the reports in the literature made us evaluate in a pilot study the application of a standardized technique through a surgical approach, with the evaluation of the immediate and long-term results.

Methods: Ten consecutive patients diagnosed with unresectable nonmetastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were referred for radio-frequency ablation by surgical approach.

The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Risk Stratification of Patients with Acute Myocarditis.

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance (cMRI) is often used to diagnose acute myocarditis (AM). It is also performed after 6 months to monitor myocardial involvement. However, the clinical and predictive relevance of the 6-month cMRI is uncertain.

Performance of spleen stiffness measurement to rule out high-risk varices in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder.

Background And Aims: Baveno VII consensus suggests that screening endoscopy can be spared in patients with compensated cirrhosis when spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) is ≤40 kPa as they have a low probability of high-risk varices (HRV). Conversely, screening endoscopy is required in all patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD). This study aimed to evaluate the performance of SSM-VCTE to rule out HRV in patients with PSVD and signs of portal hypertension.

A global survey on the use of the international classification of diseases codes for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

Background: With the implementation of the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and the publication of the metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) nomenclature in 2020, it is important to establish consensus for the coding of MAFLD in ICD-11. This will inform subsequent revisions of ICD-11.

Methods: Using the Qualtrics XM and WJX platforms, questionnaires were sent online to MAFLD-ICD-11 coding collaborators, authors of papers, and relevant association members.

A Hidden Cause of Hypertransaminasemia: Liver Toxicity Caused by Chelidonium Majus L. : Report of Two Cases of Herb-Induced Liver Injury and Literature Review.

Background: In instances where individuals manifest elevated transaminase levels without a clearly discernible cause, a comprehensive patient history proves invaluable in unveiling latent triggers. In this report, we present 2 cases of herb-induced liver injury (HILI) characterized by severe hypertransaminasemia attributed to the consumption of Chelidonium majus L . (also known as greater celandine [GC]), an agent considered an alternative therapeutic remedy.

Contrast-enhanced guided endoscopic ultrasound procedures.

Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS) can overcome the limitations of endoscopic ultrasound-guided acquisition by identifying microvessels inside inhomogeneous tumours and improving the characterization of these tumours. Despite the initial enthusiasm that oriented needle sampling under CH-EUS guidance could provide better diagnostic yield in pancreatic solid lesions, further studies did not confirm the supplementary values in cases of tissue acquisition guided by CH-EUS. This review details the knowledge based on the available data on contrast-guided procedures.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition for the diagnosis of focal liver lesion.

In patients with liver tumors, the histopathology examination can assist in diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and therapeutic management strategy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition using fine needle aspiration (FNA) or more newly fine needle biopsy (FNB) is a well-developed technique in order to evaluate and differentiate the liver masses. The goal of the EUS-FNA or EUS-FNB is to provide an accurate sample for a histopathology examination.