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1.
Liver Ultrasound Elastography: An Update to the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Guidelines and Recommendations.
Ferraioli, G, Wong, VW, Castera, L, Berzigotti, A, Sporea, I, Dietrich, CF, Choi, BI, Wilson, SR, Kudo, M, Barr, RG
Ultrasound in medicine & biology. 2018;(12):2419-2440
Abstract
The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology has produced these guidelines for the use of elastography techniques in liver diseases. For each available technique, the reproducibility, results and limitations are analyzed, and recommendations are given. This set of guidelines updates the first version, published in 2015. Since the prior guidelines, there have been several advances in technology. The recommendations are based on the international published literature, and the strength of each recommendation is judged according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The document has a clinical perspective and is aimed at assessing the usefulness of elastography in the management of liver diseases.
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2.
Fifteen-minute consultation: liver disease in children.
Mann, JP, Gallagher, K, Fitzpatrick, E, Dhawan, A
Archives of disease in childhood. Education and practice edition. 2018;(4):170-176
Abstract
Liver disease in children can present in many ways from the frequently encountered prolonged neonatal jaundice to the comparatively rare acute liver failure. In this article, we will discuss 'red flags' of liver disease, the initial investigations required and when to refer to a specialist liver centre. Across all presentations, the degree of elevation of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase provides only little diagnostic information. Measurement of clotting is vital, and coagulopathy should be followed by a trial of intravenous vitamin K before being repeated.
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3.
Pasireotide does not improve efficacy of aspiration sclerotherapy in patients with large hepatic cysts, a randomized controlled trial.
Wijnands, TFM, Gevers, TJG, Lantinga, MA, Te Morsche, RH, Schultze Kool, LJ, Drenth, JPH
European radiology. 2018;(6):2682-2689
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES We tested whether complementary use of the somatostatin analogue pasireotide would augment efficacy of aspiration sclerotherapy of hepatic cysts. METHODS We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients who underwent aspiration sclerotherapy of a large (>5 cm) symptomatic hepatic cyst. Patients were randomized to either intramuscular injections of pasireotide 60 mg long-acting release (n = 17) or placebo (sodium chloride 0.9 %, n = 17). Injections were administered 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after aspiration sclerotherapy. The primary endpoint was proportional cyst diameter reduction (%) from baseline to 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes included long-term cyst reduction at 26 weeks, patient-reported outcomes including the polycystic liver disease-questionnaire (PLD-Q) and safety. RESULTS Thirty-four patients (32 females; 53.6 ± 7.8 years) were randomized between pasireotide or placebo. Pasireotide did not improve efficacy of aspiration sclerotherapy at 6 weeks compared to controls (23.6 % [IQR 12.6-30.0] vs. 21.8 % [9.6-31.8]; p = 0.96). Long-term cyst diameter reduction was similar in both groups (49.1 % [27.0-73.6] and 45.6 % [29.6-59.6]; p = 0.90). Mean PLD-Q scores improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.01) without differences between arms (p = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS In patients with large symptomatic hepatic cysts, complementary pasireotide to aspiration sclerotherapy did not improve cyst reduction or clinical response. KEY POINTS • Complementary pasireotide treatment does not improve efficacy of aspiration sclerotherapy. • Cyst fluid reaccumulation after aspiration sclerotherapy is a transient phenomenon. • Aspiration sclerotherapy strongly reduces symptoms and normalizes quality of life.
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4.
Vitamin D and the Liver-Correlation or Cause?
Keane, JT, Elangovan, H, Stokes, RA, Gunton, JE
Nutrients. 2018;(4)
Abstract
Vitamin D is becoming increasingly accepted as an important physiological regulator outside of its classical role in skeletal homeostasis. A growing body of evidence connects vitamin D with hepatic disease. This review summarises the role of vitamin D in liver homeostasis and disease and discusses the therapeutic potential of vitamin D-based treatments to protect against hepatic disease progression and to improve response to treatment. While pre-clinical experimental data is promising, clinical trials around liver diseases have mostly been under-powered, and further studies will be required to clarify whether vitamin D or vitamin D analogues have beneficial effects on liver disease.
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5.
Liver Transplantation in Children.
Pham, YH, Miloh, T
Clinics in liver disease. 2018;(4):807-821
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) for children has excellent short- and long-term patient and graft survival. LT is a lifesaving procedure in children with acute or chronic liver disease, hepatic tumors, and a few genetic metabolic diseases in which it can significantly improve quality of life. In this article, the authors discuss the unique aspects of pediatric LT, including the indications, patient selection and evaluation, allocation, transplant surgery and organ selection, posttransplant care, prognosis, adherence, and transition of care.
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6.
Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Oral Semaglutide in Subjects With Hepatic Impairment.
Baekdal, TA, Thomsen, M, Kupčová, V, Hansen, CW, Anderson, TW
Journal of clinical pharmacology. 2018;(10):1314-1323
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Abstract
Semaglutide is a human glucagon-like peptide-1 analog that has been co-formulated with the absorption enhancer, sodium N-(8-[2-hydroxybenzoyl] amino) caprylate, for oral administration. This trial (NCT02016911) investigated whether hepatic impairment affects the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of oral semaglutide. Subjects were classified into groups: normal hepatic function (n = 24), and mild (n = 12), moderate (n = 12), or severe (n = 8) hepatic impairment according to Child-Pugh criteria, and received once-daily oral semaglutide (5 mg for 5 days followed by 10 mg for 5 days). Semaglutide plasma concentrations were measured during dosing and for up to 21 days post-last dose. Area under the semaglutide plasma concentration-time curve from 0-24 hours after the 10th dose (primary end point) and maximum semaglutide concentration after the 10th dose appeared similar across hepatic function groups. Similarly, there was no apparent effect of hepatic impairment on time to maximum semaglutide concentration (median range 1.0-1.5 hours) or half-life (geometric mean range 142-156 hours). No safety concerns were identified in subjects with hepatic impairment receiving semaglutide. Reported adverse events were in line with those observed for other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. There was no apparent effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of oral semaglutide. The results of this trial suggest that dose adjustment of oral semaglutide is not warranted in subjects with hepatic impairment.
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Applying Regional Citrate Anticoagulation in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy for Acute Kidney Injury Patients with Acute Liver Dysfunction: a Retrospective Observational Study.
Yu, Y, Peng, S, Cen, Z, Cai, J, Wang, W, Tang, Y, Du, M, Liu, Z, Chang, P
Kidney & blood pressure research. 2018;(4):1065-1074
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a treatment for acute kidney injury (AKI) patients. It has become a controversy about whether patients with liver dysfunction should perform CRRT with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA). METHODS This retrospective observational study enrolled 145 AKI patients (275 CRRT sessions) who received CRRT with RCA and had no history of chronic liver disease. Circuit survival time, blood pressure, trans-membrane pressure (TMP), acid-base and electrolyte status were recorded and analyzed. The severity of liver dysfunction was determined by total bilirubin (TBil) and international normalized ratio (INR), while the accumulation degree of citrates was quantified by total/ ionized calcium (tCa/iCa) raito. RESULTS Our results showed that there was no correlation of tCa/iCa ratio with TBil or INR. And tCa/iCa ratio was not related to the disturbances of pH, lactates, sodium, magnesium, blood pressure or TMP despite that high tCa/iCa ratios might be related to the decrease of circuit survival time. TBil did not correlate with the above indexes, except for lactates levels. INR did not correlate with the above indexes except for lactates levels and blood pressure. In addition, neither was TBil, INR, nor tCa/iCa ratio, related with fatal outcomes (22.76% of the patients). CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that, with proper monitoring and adjustment of citrates and calcium infusion, applying RCA in CRRT is reasonably safe for AKI patients with acute liver dysfunction, as long as circuit time stays below roughly 50 hours.
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Osteoporosis in chronic liver disease.
Guañabens, N, Parés, A
Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver. 2018;(5):776-785
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a frequent complication in patients with chronic liver disease, especially in end-stages and in chronic cholestasis, in addition to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, haemochromatosis and alcoholism. Mechanisms underlying osteoporosis are poorly understood, but osteoporosis mainly results from low bone formation. In this setting, sclerostin, a key regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway which regulates bone formation, in addition to the effects of the retained substances of cholestasis such as bilirubin and bile acids on osteoblastic cells, may influence the decreased bone formation in chronic cholestasis. Similarly, the damaging effects of iron and alcohol on osteoblastic cells may partially explain bone disease in haemochromatosis and alcoholism. A role for proinflammatory cytokines has been proposed in different conditions. Increased bone resorption may occur in cholestatic women with advanced disease. Low vitamin D, poor nutrition and hypogonadism, may be contributing factors to the full picture of bone disorders in chronic liver disease.
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9.
The Potential and Action Mechanism of Polyphenols in the Treatment of Liver Diseases.
Li, S, Tan, HY, Wang, N, Cheung, F, Hong, M, Feng, Y
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. 2018;:8394818
Abstract
Liver disease, involving a wide range of liver pathologies from fatty liver, hepatitis, and fibrosis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is a serious health problem worldwide. In recent years, many natural foods and herbs with abundant phytochemicals have been proposed as health supplementation for patients with hepatic disorders. As an important category of phytochemicals, natural polyphenols have attracted increasing attention as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. The striking capacities in remitting oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and inflammation put polyphenols in the spotlight for the therapies of liver diseases. It has been reported that many polyphenols from a wide range of foods and herbs exert therapeutic effects on liver injuries via complicated mechanisms. Therefore, it is necessary to have a systematical review to sort out current researches to help better understand the potentials of polyphenols in liver diseases. In this review, we aim to summarize and update the existing evidence of natural polyphenols in the treatment of various liver diseases by in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, while special attention is paid to the action mechanisms.
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10.
Diffuse Liver Diseases: Role of imaging.
Taibbi, A, Picone, D, Midiri, M, La Grutta, L, Bartolotta, TV
Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR. 2018;(2):193-205
Abstract
Nowadays, the most common imaging techniques allow to study focal liver lesions with high diagnostic accuracy but a relatively recent emerging field of interest is represented by diffuse liver disease. They include a variegated series of storage and metabolic pathologies (ie, iron overload disorders and steatosis) requiring a precise diagnosis not always possible at imaging due to the overlapping of findings at conventional ultrasound, CT, or MR studies. In recent years, several imaging tecniques and specific softwares have been developed, especially for ultrasound and MR imaging, in order to identify different parameters useful in the noninvasive recognition and follow-up of these diffuse processes involving the liver. The aim of this article is to describe the most common and useful imaging findings of the most common and uncommon diffuse liver diseases illustrating the newest imaging technologies and developments at our disposal with corresponding advantages, limitations, and pitfalls.