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The prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD) is rising, but it remains unclear if medical school curricula are emphasizing CLD to reflect its growing epidemiology. To assess comfort levels and knowledge of CLD among recently graduated medical students An anonymous survey was distributed to incoming categorical Internal Medicine (IM) interns at a single academic institution during a 2-year period. The survey consisted of 38 Likert-like questions evaluating comfort levels and self-assessed knowledge for several general medicine and liver diseases, as well as 12 multiple-choice questions to objectively test knowledge. Wilcoxon ranked sum and Fisher’s exact test were then used. There was a 100% (n = 65) completion rate. Only 14 (22%) of those surveyed reported exposure to a hepatology rotation in medical school. Highest mean comfort levels (1 = not at all comfortable, 5 = very comfortable) were for managing congestive heart failure (3.59) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.77). Mean comfort levels for various liver diseases were significantly lower (2.22–3.03, all p

Corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) is the latest global pandemic. COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets and, apart from respiratory symptoms, patients often present with gastrointestinal symptoms and liver involvement. Given the high percentage of COVID-19 patients that present with gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS), in this review, we report a practical up-to-date reference for the physician in their clinical practice with patients affected by chronic gastrointestinal (GI) diseases (inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, chronic liver disease) at the time of COVID-19. First, we summarised data on the origin and pathogenetic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. Then, we performed a literature search up to December 2020 examining clinical manifestations of GI involvement. Next, we illustrated and summarised the most recent guidelines on how to adhere to GI procedures (endoscopy, liver biopsy, faecal transplantation), maintaining social distance and how to deal with immunosuppressive treatment. Finally, we focussed on some special conditions such as faecal–oral transmission and gut microbiota. The rapid accumulation of information relating to this condition makes it particularly essential to revise the literature to take account of the most recent publications for medical consultation and patient care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10620-021-07158-0.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has become increasingly common. It is also prevalent in patients with chronic liver disease, but the scope, depth, and safety of use is not well known. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and patterns of CAM use in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients. Electronic invitation to complete a 22 item CAM-specific questionnaire was posted weekly to well-established AIH Facebook communities (combined membership of 4700 individuals) during a 6-week study period. Age ≥ 18 years and AIH diagnosis made by a treating physician were the eligibility criteria. The prevalence of ever CAM use among participants was 56.4%, and nearly 42% used CAM after AIH diagnosis. Among those reporting CAM use after diagnosis, 53.7% (51/95) indicated CAM was used to mitigate AIH-related phenomenon, most often targeting liver inflammation/fibrosis (67.7%), fatigue (51%), joint pain (47.1%), and sleep issues (45.1%). Most frequent physical CAM strategies were exercise (49.5%) and yoga (34%), whereas most frequent consumable CAM included healthier eating (45.3%), cannabidiol preparations (45.3%), and probiotics (44.3%). Seventy-five percent reported that CAM improved AIH symptoms and no severe adverse events were reported. CAM use in AIH patients is prevalent, yet providers have historically failed to document their patient’s CAM strategies. Beyond inherent drug-induced liver injury risk, drug-drug interactions remain a concern and could alter baseline immunosuppression levels in AIH. Despite a majority found CAM approaches that improved targeted symptoms, all were unable to alter the course of chronically prescribed medications by physicians.

Approaches to liver biopsy have changed over the past decade in patients with chronic liver disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the incidence of all complications and technical failure associated with percutaneous liver biopsy. We systematically searched PubMed and the Cochrane Library for cohort studies reporting on complications resulting from liver biopsy published between 2010 and 2020. Studies on participants of any age and sex, who underwent any percutaneous biopsy for non-focal liver disease, were selected. All events except mild pain, minor hematoma, vasovagal episodes, fever and fistula were defined as major complications. Random-effect model meta-analyses with and without covariates were performed, to examine the effect of publication year, patient characteristics, outcome collection, and biopsy type on incidences. We identified 30 studies reporting on complications resulting from percutaneous liver biopsy procedures (n = 64,356). Incidence of major complications was 2.44% (95% CI 0.85, 6.75), with mortality at 0.01% (95% CI 0.00, 0.11), hospitalization at 0.65% (95% CI 0.38, 1.11), major bleeding at 0.48% (95% CI 0.22, 1.06), and moderate/severe pain at 0.34% (95% CI 0.08, 1.37). Minor complications at 9.53% (95% CI 3.68, 22.5) were mainly pain at 12.9% (95% CI 5.34, 27.9). Technical failure was high at 0.91% (95% CI 0.27, 3.00). Decreasing patient age significantly increased incidence of hospitalization and major bleeding (P

Background A large portion of patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) do not have varices or only have low risk varices. Aims To create and validate an easy-to-use risk scoring system to identify high-risk varices (HRV) and spare esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cACLD. Methods In total, 334 patients with HBV-related cACLD who had undergone routine laboratory tests and ultrasound examination were enrolled. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine which variables were the independent risk factors for the presence of HRV, so as to establish the scoring system for screening HRV. The criteria were tested in a training cohort with 221 patients and validated in a validation cohort with 113 patients. Results In the training cohort, the prevalence of HRV was 29.5%. Albumin (ALB) [OR 0.83; 95% confidence index (CI) 0.77–0.90; P 95%, when albumin-platelet-portal vein diameter varices scores (APP score) were

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease of immense public health relevance. Understanding illness perceptions in the NAFLD population will provide sound scientific evidence for planning high-quality patient-centered care and implementing effective interventions. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) is a robust psychometric tool to systematically assess the dimensions of illness perceptions in various chronic ailments. In a cross-sectional study enrolling patients with newly diagnosed NAFLD, the sociodemographic, anthropometric, biochemical, and radiological determinants of enhanced illness perceptions (measured by the BIPQ score) were investigated using univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses. Finally, the association between individual domains of the BIPQ and willingness to participate in comprehensive medical management was explored. In total, 264 patients (mean age 53 ± 11.9 years, 59.8% males) were enrolled in the final analysis. The mean and median BIPQ scores in the study population were 30.3 ± 12.8 and 31.0 (IQR, 22.0–40.0), respectively. The variables having a significant independent association with heightened perceptions (BIPQ > 31) were family history of liver disease (aOR, 5.93; 95% CI, 1.42–24.74), obesity (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.57–7.05), diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.01–5.49), and transaminitis (aOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.42–5.69). Patients with a higher level of illness perceptions (31.6 ± 12.9 vs 27.8 ± 12.3, p = 0.022) were more likely to express a willingness to participate in the comprehensive management plan, with 3 of the 8 domains (consequence, identity, and treatment control) mainly affecting willingness. A family history of liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and transaminitis were independently associated with increased illness perceptions. A belief in serious consequences, a strong illness identity, and higher perceived treatment control were significantly associated with the willingness to undergo comprehensive care for NAFLD.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic liver disease able to progress to acute liver failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. A significant proportion of patients fail to first-line therapy or develop severe toxicity. To assess safety and effectiveness of tacrolimus as a second-line therapy in AIH patients. Multicentric retrospective study of AIH patients treated with tacrolimus for at least 3 months as a second-line therapy. Effectiveness was defined as complete normalization of transaminases and IgG. A total of 23 AIH patients were included in the final analysis. In 13% of patients tacrolimus was initiated because of toxicity to previous first-line treatments and the rest were switched because of previous non-efficacy. Tacrolimus was effective in 18 patients (78%; 95%CI: 55.20–91.92%). The median time receiving tacrolimus was 16 months (IQR 20). There was a sustained response with a significant improvement in all liver enzymes and IgG on last follow-up. Only one patient discontinued tacrolimus at the third month because of severe neuropathy, and ototoxicity. Responders were significantly older at diagnosis of AIH (41 ± 13 vs. 27 ± 10 years old; p = 0.0496). Tacrolimus is effective and well tolerated as a second-line therapy in patients with AIH.

Current genetic research of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis is limited by our ability to accurately identify cases on a large scale. Our objective was to develop and validate an electronic health record (EHR) algorithm to accurately identify cases of NASH cirrhosis in the EHR. We used Clinical Query 2, a search tool at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, to create a pool of potential NASH cirrhosis cases (n = 5415). We created a training set of 300 randomly selected patients for chart review to confirm cases of NASH cirrhosis. Test characteristics of different algorithms, consisting of diagnosis codes, laboratory values, anthropomorphic measurements, and medication records, were calculated. The algorithms with the highest positive predictive value (PPV) and the highest F score with a PPV ≥ 80% were selected for internal validation using a separate random set of 100 patients from the potential NASH cirrhosis pool. These were then externally validated in another random set of 100 individuals using the research patient data registry tool at Massachusetts General Hospital. The algorithm with the highest PPV of 100% on internal validation and 92% on external validation consisted of ≥ 3 counts of “cirrhosis, no mention of alcohol” (571.5, K74.6) and ≥ 3 counts of “nonalcoholic fatty liver” (571.8–571.9, K75.81, K76.0) codes in the absence of any diagnosis codes for other common causes of chronic liver disease. We developed and validated an EHR algorithm using diagnosis codes that accurately identifies patients with NASH cirrhosis.

The expanded Baveno-VI criteria may further reduce the need for screening gastroscopy compared to Baveno-VI criteria. We sought to validate the performance of these criteria in a cohort of compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) patients with predominantly hepatitis B infection. Consecutive cACLD patients from 2006 to 2012 with paired liver stiffness measurements and screening gastroscopy within 1 year were included. The expanded Baveno-VI criteria were applied to evaluate the sensitivity (SS), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the presence of high-risk varices (HRV). Among 165 cACLD patients included, 17 (10.3%) had HRV. The commonest etiology of cACLD was chronic hepatitis B (36.4%) followed by NAFLD (20.0%). Application of expanded Baveno-VI criteria avoided more screening gastroscopy (43.6%) as compared to the original Baveno-VI criteria (18.8%) without missing more HRV (1 with both criteria). The overall SS, SP, PPV and NPV of the expanded Baveno-VI criteria in predicting HRV were 94.1%, 48.0%, 17.2% and 98.6%, respectively. Application of the expanded Baveno-VI criteria can safely avoid screening gastroscopy in 43.6% of cACLD patients with an excellent ability to exclude HRV.

The objective of our study was to determine the concordance rates of steatosis staging by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores from transient elastography (TE) in comparison with liver histology in patients with chronic liver disease and to determine the optimal CAP cutoffs to predict the severity of steatosis and identify those with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients (n = 217) who had both CAP scores and liver biopsy within a period of 90 days were retrospectively studied. Histology was graded in a blinded fashion by a single pathologist; steatosis was graded on a scale from 0 to 3. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity scores (NAS) scores were calculated for all patients. Optimal CAP cut-points were selected by maximum Youden’s index. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for CAP (using cutoff value ≥ 278 dB/m) in differentiating steatosis 1–3 from 0 was 0.82 (95% CI 0.75–0.89), and 0.79 (95% CI 0.70–0.88) in differentiating steatosis 0–1 from 2 to 3 using CAP cutoff value ≥ 301 dB/m. With CAP cutoff value ≥ 301 dB/m, CAP identified NAS 3 or above with AUROC of 0.82 (95% CI 0.74–0.89). The AUROC for TE in differentiating fibrosis (cutoff 11.9 kPa) 3–4 from 0 to 2 was 0.85 (95% CI 0.77–0.92), and 0.84 (95% CI 0.74–0.93) in differentiating (cutoff 14.4 kPa) 4 from 0 to 3. Transient elastography is a good modality to accurately diagnose steatosis and NASH and can also differentiate advanced liver fibrosis from early stages.

Background and aims: We aimed to validate newly proposed noninvasive criteria for diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) using liver stiffness measurements (LSM) by transient elastography (TE) and platelet count. ----- Methods: Diagnostic performance of these new criteria for CSPH (LSM ≥ 25 kPa to rule in and Plt ≥ 150 × 109/L + LSM ≤ 15 kPa to rule out CSPH) were retrospectively tested in an independent cohort of consecutive patients who underwent hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements and liver biopsy due to suspicion of compensated advanced chronic liver disease. Suspicion of cACLD was based on LSM ≥ 10 kPa by TE or results of liver imaging, without overt signs of CSPH. Patients with conditions known to affect results of LSM (ALT > 5 × ULN, liver congestion, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, infiltrative liver neoplasms) were excluded. ----- Results: Seventy six (76) patients were included: 78.9% males, mean age 62 years, 36.8% suffered from alcoholic, 30.3% nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, 14.5% chronic viral hepatitis, 30.3% were obese, 52.6% had HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg, 56.6% had platelet count ≥ 150 × 109/L. LSM ≥ 25 kPa had 88.9% specificity (95% CI 73.9-96.9) to rule in, whereas Plt ≥ 150 + LSM ≤ 15 kPa had 100% sensitivity (95% CI 91.1-100) to rule out CSPH. ----- Conclusion: By using these simple noninvasive criteria 49/76 (64.5%) patients could be classified correctly for the presence/absence of CSPH, thus obviating the need for HVPG measurements.

Introduction and Aim: Hemostatic disorders in chronic liver disease and cirrhosis show continued expansion of research efforts. However, clinical decision making is often practiced on an individual patient level as consensus guidelines are lacking. We aimed to better assess individual day-to-day clinical practice through gauging clinicians’ responses to common clinical scenarios. Materials and Methods: A series of ten clinical scenarios (seven procedural coagulation and three thrombosis management) were posed to conference attendees utilizing real-time polling software (Poll Everywhere). Responses were binomial and were submitted as “Agree” or “Disagree.” Results were displayed real time following a standardized response period and an open-forum discussion ensued between conference faculty and attendees following response submission. Results: Twenty conference attendees participated in the clinical scenario plenary session. In general, agreement rates were high. All but one of the ten clinical scenarios had ≥ 70% agreement. Agreement was based both on procedural risk, with greatest agreement seen for low-risk procedures (80–93%), and on peri-procedural coagulation parameters of platelet count and fibrinogen level where > 50,000μ/L and 120 mg/dL were the most agreed upon thresholds, respectively. 75–95% agreement was reached when surveying the need for anticoagulation for mesenteric vein thrombosis in liver transplant candidates; slightly less (71%) agreement was found when deciding to proceed with anticoagulation in non-liver transplant candidates with mesenteric vein thrombosis. Conclusions: While large-scale, methodologically rigorous randomized controlled trials are lacking to guide clinical decision making in patients with coagulation disorders and chronic liver disease, consensus expert opinion regarding mitigating peri-procedural bleeding risk and treatment of thrombosis appears consistent and strong.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is progressive and can cause end-stage liver disease necessitating a liver transplant (LT). PBC patients may be disadvantaged on LT waitlist due to MELD-based priority listing or other factors.The aim was to assess waitlist duration, waitlist mortality, and post-LT outcomes of PBC patients.The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data for 1994-2016 was utilized. Adult patients with PBC without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were selected. Their clinico-demographic parameters and waitlist and post-transplant outcomes were compared to those of patients with hepatitis C (HCV) without HCC.Out of 223,391 listings for LT in 1994-2016, 8133 (3.6%) was for PBC without HCC. Mean age was 55.5 years, 76.9% white, 86.2% female, mean MELD score 21, 6.6% retransplants. There were 52,017 patients with hepatitis C included for comparison. The mean waitlist mortality was 17.9% for PBC and 17.6% for HCV (p 0.05). The average transplantation rate was 57.7% for PBC and 53.3% for HCV (p 0.0001), while waitlist dropout (death or removal due to deterioration) rate was 25.0% for PBC and 25.4% for HCV (p 0.05). There was no significant difference in median waiting duration till transplantation between PBC patients and HCV after 2002 (103 vs. 95 days, p 0.05). Post-LT mortality and graft loss rates were significantly lower in PBC than in HCV patients (all p 0.02).Despite no evidence of impaired waitlist outcomes and favorable post-transplant survival in patients with PBC, there is still a high waitlist dropout rate suggesting the presence of an unmet need for effective treatment.

Background Liver stiffness (LS) measured by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) is influenced by liver fibrosis and hepatic perfusion pressure. VCTE-based controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is a noninvasive marker for hepatic steatosis (HS). Aims To investigate the diagnostic performance of CAP in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD)/portal hypertension (PHT: hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) ≥ 6 mmHg). Methods Eighty-eight patients with LS ≥ 10 kPa and/or HVPG ≥ 6 mmHg who underwent simultaneous liver biopsy, CAP, and HVPG measurement were included. HS was histologically graded according to the modified Brunt classification. Results Patient characteristics: Mean MELD:11 (standard derivation [SD] ± 4), median HVPG:16 (interquartile range [IQR]10–19) mmHg, median LS:27.4 (IQR 16.2–48.9) kPa, and mean CAP:221 (SD ± 75) dB/m. According to histology, 47 (53.4%) patients had no HS (S0), 28 (31.8%) had S1, 11 (12.5%) had S2, and 2 (2.3%) had S3. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of CAP for diagnosing any HS (S0 vs. ≥ S1) was 0.692 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.582–0.802) in the overall cohort, 0.830 (95% CI 0.637–1.0) in patients with HVPG

Extensive epidemiological evidence suggests that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the primary chronic liver disease worldwide. However, some studies have showed conflicting results on the effects of probiotics and synbiotics supplementation. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of the supplementation in subjects with NAFLD. We searched systematically PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases up to April 2018 and checked manually the bibliography of the original articles. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. This study analyzed 15 randomized, controlled trials involving 782 patients with NAFLD. Probiotics and synbiotics supplementation could significantly improve liver steatosis, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, liver stiffness and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (all P

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common form of chronic liver disease in the USA. Interestingly, most patients with NAFLD are unaware of having any liver disease (LD). We aimed to assess the awareness of suspected NAFLD and factors associated with being aware of LD. Adult subjects with suspected NAFLD (BMI > 25) with elevated ALT in the absence of secondary causes of LD who participated in the continuous national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) during 2001–2016 were identified and analyzed. Trends of NAFLD awareness were then assessed in periods of 4 years each. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with LD awareness. A total of 7033 subjects were included in the final analysis (1731, 1757, 1711, and 1834 subjects for the periods of 2001–2004, 2005–2008, 2009–2012, and 2013–2016, respectively). Over the study duration, an increase in BMI, waist circumference, diabetes, and HbA1c; and a decrease in the number of smokers, platelets count, bilirubin, total cholesterol, and LDL level were noticed (p

Thyroid hormone is critical for tissue–organ development, growth, differentiation, and metabolism. In murine models of advanced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the administration of T3 reduced liver triglyceride, repressed liver inflammation, and attenuated injury. In recent studies of patients with NASH, hypothyroidism was noted to be associated with more advanced NASH. These findings suggest that thyroid hormone function might be a modulator of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) outcomes. Herein, we evaluated the correlation between plasma TSH/free T3 (fT3)/free T4 (fT4) levels and (non-invasive) surrogate markers of NAFLD fibrosis. We performed a retrospective analysis of 144 patients who were seen in our NASH outpatient clinic between 2015 and 2017. Each patient underwent a standard anthropometric assessment, laboratory and clinical evaluations, and liver stiffness measurements by transient elastography (Fibroscan). Univariate analysis and multivariate linear and logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors independently associated with NASH and advanced fibrosis. Low fT3 values but not TSH and fT4 were associated with higher liver stiffness and higher NAFLD fibrosis score, respectively. fT3 and TSH values correlated significantly with indices of liver disease including INR, albumin, ALT, AST, bilirubin, and platelets. In multivariate analyses, a low fT3 was independently associated with high NFS scores (OR 0.169, CI 0.05–0.54, p = 0.003) and was also associated with high liver stiffness readings (OR 0.326, CI 0.135–0.785, p = 0.001). A low-normal thyroid hormone function is predictive of NASH and advanced fibrosis and may have a pathogenic role in modulating NAFLD outcomes.

Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematologic complication associated with chronic liver disease (CLD) with important clinical implications. While the mechanisms for thrombocytopenia are multifactorial, platelet sequestration in the spleen and decreased thrombopoietin (TPO) production are the main mechanisms in patients with CLD. This review outlines the current treatment options for thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD, explores their limitations, and proposes a revised treatment algorithm for the management of thrombocytopenia in this patient group. A PubMed search of the literature was undertaken with search terms focused on CLD and thrombocytopenia. Until now, the standard-of-care treatment in these patients has been the use of platelet transfusions either prophylactically or periprocedurally to control bleeding. Treatment options, such as splenic artery embolization and splenectomy, are invasive, and their utility is limited by significant complications. The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved 2 s-generation TPO-receptor agonists, avatrombopag and lusutrombopag, as safe and effective therapies for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD scheduled to undergo a procedure. The addition of avatrombopag and lusutrombopag offers physicians an alternative to platelet transfusions in patients with CLD who have to undergo medical/dental procedures that could potentially put them at an increased risk of bleeding. There are several other drugs in the research pipeline at various stages of development, including a new class of monoclonal antibodies that can bind to and activate TPO-receptor agonists. The outlook for treatment choices for thrombocytopenia in patients with liver disease is promising.

As the demand for liver transplantation continues to rise, the scarcity of liver donor grafts has led to the use of extended criteria grafts for liver transplantation in select group of patients. Hepatitis C-seropositive liver grafts have been used primarily in hepatitis C-positive recipients, with studies showing non-inferior outcomes when compared to hepatitis C-negative grafts. Studies suggest that hepatitis C serology status of the donor liver does not influence the patient or graft outcomes in the recipient. These results advocate for offering hepatitis C-positive grafts to all patients awaiting liver transplantation regardless of their hepatitis C status. However, some concerns persist regarding the ethics of potentially introducing a new infection into a patient that could progress to chronic liver disease following liver transplantation. The recent approval of direct-acting antiviral therapy offers a solution to this dilemma, as it has changed the landscape of hepatitis C management by making it a curable disease. In this review, we shall discuss the current evidence regarding the use of hepatitis C-seropositive donor grafts in hepatitis C-positive and hepatitis C-negative patients.

The efficacy of the two-dose hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine (Heplisav-B®) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) is unknown. To compare the immunogenicity achieved with Heplisav-B and the conventional three-dose vaccine (Engerix-B®) in patients with CLD, and to identify factors that predict seroconversion. We retrospectively identified all adults who completed Heplisav-B or Engerix-B regimens from August 1, 2015, to January 31, 2019. Post-vaccination immunity was assessed by quantitative HBV surface antibody (HBsAb) measurement. We identified 166 patients (106 Engerix-B and 60 Heplisav-B) with chronic liver disease (mean age 59.0 ± 11.3 years, 52% male, 34% cirrhosis, mean MELD score of those with cirrhosis 10.1 ± 5.4) who had completed the vaccinations and had data available on post-vaccination HBsAb levels at least 2 months after completion of the vaccine regimen. Seroprotective HBsAb levels (> 10 mIU/ml) were achieved in 63% with Heplisav-B and in 45% with Engerix-B (p = 0.03). Univariable analysis showed that age (p = 0.01), insurance (p = 0.02), renal failure (p = 0.02), COPD (p = 0.05), and cirrhosis (p

Several criteria have been described to noninvasively predict the presence of high-risk esophageal varices in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD). However, a recent study showed that treatment with β blockers could increase decompensation-free survival in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension, thereby making it important to predict the presence of any esophageal varices. We aimed to develop a simple scoring system to predict any esophageal varices. We retrospectively reviewed patients who had vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, USA. Patients with cACLD and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ≥ 10 kPa with esophagogastroduodenoscopy performed within one year of VCTE were analyzed. We generated a novel score to predict esophageal varices, using the beta coefficient of predictive variables. The score was validated in an external cohort at the University of Iowa Hospital, USA. There were 372 patients in the development cohort and 200 patients in the validation cohort. LSM, platelet count, and albumin were identified as predictors of esophageal varices and were included for generating the Cook County score as “platelet count * − 0.0155872 + VCTE score * 0.0387052 + albumin * − 0.8549209.” The area under receiver operating curve for our score was 0.86 for any varices and 0.85 for high risk varices and avoided more endoscopies than the expanded Baveno VI criteria while maintaining a very low miss rate (negative predictive value > 99%). We propose a new, highly accurate, and easy-to-use scoring system to predict the presence of not only high-risk but any esophageal varices in patients with cACLD.

Chronic liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Even though effective treatments are now available for most chronic viral hepatitis, treatment options for other causes of chronic liver disease remain inadequate. Recent research has revealed a previously unappreciated role that the human intestinal microbiome plays in mediating the development and progression of chronic liver diseases. The recent remarkable success of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating Clostridioides difficile demonstrates that the intestinal microbiota can be manipulated to obtain favorable therapeutic benefits and that FMT may become an important component of a total therapeutic approach to effectively treat hepatic disorders.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the fastest-growing chronic liver disease. However, little is known about NAFLD inpatient resource utilization and clinical outcomes.The aim of this study was to quantify inpatient NAFLD encounters using patient-level data over time.This was a retrospective analysis of de-identified data for NAFLD patients from the California Patient Discharge Database from 2006 to 2013. NAFLD patients were identified by ICD9 codes 571.40, 571.41, 571.49, 571.8, and 571.9.NAFLD patients (n = 91,558) were predominantly female (60%), 45-65 years old (44%), and white (53%). Inpatient encounters increased from 8153 in 2006 to 16,457 in 2013 and were associated with a 207% increase in charges ($686 million in 2006 to $1.42 billion in 2013) and average increase in charges of 9.8% per year adjusting for inflation. Comorbidities (obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, other cancer, and renal disease) increased significantly over time (all P 0.05). From 2006 to 2011, there were 11,463 deaths (1849 for liver-related hospitalizations) (mean follow-up 4.00 ± 2.13 years). The most significant predictors of death were age 75 (aHR 3.9, P 0.0001), male gender (aHR 1.10, P 0.0001), white race (aHR 1.2, P 0.0001), decompensated cirrhosis (aHR 2.1, P 0.0001), and cancer other than HCC (aHR 3.2, P 0.0001). Within the liver-related hospitalization cohort, mortality predictors were similar, except for Hispanic race (aHR 0.92, P 0.0096) and renal disease (aHR 1.50, P 0.0001).The number of NAFLD inpatient encounters increased significantly from 2006 to 2013, as did the inflation-adjusted inpatient charges. The most significant predictors of death were non-liver cancers (HR 3.11, P 0.0001, CI 3.06-3.16) and age 75 years (HR 3.94, P 0.0001, HR 3.86-4.03).

MRI has transformed from the theoretical, investigative realm to mainstream clinical medicine over the past four decades and has become a core component of the diagnostic toolbox in the practice of gastroenterology (GI). Its success is attributable to exquisite contrast and the ability to isolate specific proton species through the use of different pulse sequences (i.e., T1-weighted, T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted) and exploiting extracellular and hepatobiliary contrast agents. Consequently, MRI has gained preeminence in various GI clinical applications: liver and pancreatic lesion evaluation and detection, liver transplantation evaluation, pancreatitis evaluation, Crohn's disease evaluation (using MR enterography) rectal cancer staging and perianal fistula evaluation. MR elastography, in concert with technical innovations allowing for fat and iron quantification, provides a noninvasive approach, or "MRI virtual liver biopsy" for diagnosis and management of chronic liver diseases. In the future, the arrival of ultra-high-field MR systems (7 T) and the ability to perform magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the abdomen promise even greater diagnostic insight into chronic liver disease.

Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is a new method for the diagnosis of steatosis. Until now, CAP was available only with the M probe of the Fibroscan. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CAP with the XL probe versus CAP with the M probe, using liver biopsy (LB) as gold standard. A total of 236 patients with chronic liver disease undergoing LB had CAP measurement with M and XL probes the same day. All LB were analyzed independently by two experienced pathologists. Median CAP was 240.5 and 239.5 dB/m with the M and XL probes, respectively. For the detection of steatosis grade with the M and XL probes, AUROCs were 0.82/0.83 for S ≥ 1, 0.89/0.88 for S ≥ 2, and 0.92/0.93 for S3, respectively. Cutoffs were (M and XL probes) 246/242 for S ≥ 1, 269/267 for S ≥ 2, and 285/286 dB/m for S3, respectively. The factor significantly associated with CAP with the M and XL probes was steatosis grade. In multivariate analysis, a low CAP value with XL probe was negatively associated with waist circumference, triglycerides, albumin, and the alcohol consumption, and positively with alkaline phosphatases. In multivariate analysis, a high CAP value with the XL probe was positively associated with waist circumference and triglycerides. CAP with the XL probe is a new tool for the diagnosis of steatosis. This parameter could be useful for the diagnosis and the follow-up of obese patients.

No abstract available Keywords: Acute-on-Chronic Liver Disease; Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency; Cirrhosis; Elevated Liver Enzymes.

Background The prognostic impact of liver steatosis in obese patients is well established. Limited data on the risk factors for and impact of hepatic steatosis in lean patients are available. Aims Assess risk factors for liver steatosis in lean patients and investigate its impact on survival. Methods Patients without viral hepatitis and with a BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2 undergoing liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) by transient elastography were retrospectively identified. Clinical characteristics and laboratory test results were obtained at the time of LSM/CAP measurement. National death registry data were obtained in order to assess survival. Results Among n = 218 lean patients, n = 97 (34.5%) showed significant liver steatosis (CAP ≥ 268 dB/m), while n = 184 (65.5%) had no or just mild steatosis (CAP

Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Liver transplantation is also the optimal treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in the setting of chronic liver disease. Unfortunately, due to the worldwide shortage of organs, this treatment is not available for all patients with HCC. Strict selection criteria have been developed in order to obtain optimal results. A surgical perspective of the preoperative selection, perioperative management, and postoperative care of patients is reviewed in depth and provides an overview for obtaining optimal long-term results from liver transplantation for HCC. With rigorous selection and patient management, excellent long-term outcomes can be obtained with liver transplantation for patients with HCC.

Gastroenterologists are in a unique position to assist women with chronic gastrointestinal disorders in order to optimize their health prior to pregnancy. Women, whether with chronic conditions or not, and their infants are more likely to be healthy when pregnancies are planned. Achieving a planned pregnancy at the ideal time or preventing pregnancy altogether requires the use of appropriate contraceptives. There is a broad range of contraceptives available to women in the USA, and the majority of women with digestive diseases will be candidates for all effective methods. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aids clinicians in prescribing appropriate contraceptives to women with medical disorders. This review will focus on contraception for women with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic liver disease, including liver transplant.

Evidence-based guidelines and quality indicators for cirrhosis care have been established. Whether there are variations in adherence to these cirrhosis standards at different specialty settings has not been investigated.To evaluate the quality of cirrhosis care delivered at diverse hepatology care sites.We conducted a retrospective study comparing the quality of care at three hepatology specialty clinics: a Faculty Practice, safety-net hospital, and Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. Consecutive patients with cirrhosis (85 Faculty Practice, 81 safety-net, and 76 VA) between 2010 and 2011 were included. Median follow-up was 2.3 years. Outcome measures were the adherence to six cirrhosis-specific quality-of-care indicators.Adherence to hepatitis A and B vaccinations was highest at the safety-net hospital, 81 and 74 %, compared to 46 and 30 % at the Faculty Practice (P .001). Adherence to yearly hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance was highest at the safety-net site (79 %) versus the VA (50 %) and Faculty Practice (42 %), P = .001. In contrast, screening rates for esophageal varices were 75 % at the Faculty Practice and only 58 and 43 % at the VA and safety-net sites, respectively (P .001). Liver transplant discussions were documented most consistently at the Faculty Practice (82 %) compared to the safety-net site (53 %) and VA (54 %), P .001.Disparities in cirrhosis quality measures existed by site. Strategies to overcome these disparities need to be developed to improve the delivery of quality cirrhosis care as we face a rise in cirrhosis-related complications over the next two decades.

NAFLD is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the Western world with an estimated prevalence of 20-30 %. Lifestyle interventions targeted at weight loss through dietary interventions and exercise are the most effective treatment, but only a minority of patients are able to achieve and sustain the necessary intervention targets. Weight loss of 3-5 % has been associated with a reduction of hepatic steatosis while weight loss of ≥5-7 % has correlated with resolution of NASH in some studies. Greater reductions in weight loss (≥10 %) may improve hepatic fibrosis. In the absence of weight loss, no specific diet has demonstrated superiority. Physical activity can improve hepatic steatosis and metabolic indices even without weight loss. Diet coupled with exercise can produce significant weight loss and may improve histologic components of the NAFLD activity score. While formal guidelines for diet and exercise in NAFLD are lacking, adherence to diet and exercise recommendations similar to those from the American Diabetes Association for diabetic care seems reasonable. Dietary supplementation with vitamin E in non-diabetics with biopsy-proven NASH has been shown to improve NAFLD activity score. The role for other macronutrients, micronutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics in the treatment of NAFLD remains limited.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an incurable, cholestatic liver disease often coincident with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To evaluate the impact of liver disease and IBD on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PSC. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional study was performed at a tertiary center. Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores were compared between PSC, Canadian normative data, and disease controls. Disease-specific instruments scores [PBC-40, Short IBD questionnaire, Liver Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (LDQOL)] were compared between PSC and disease controls. Multivariable regression identified factors independently associated with final SF-36 component scores. Qualitative evaluation of patient questionnaires was performed using a content analysis framework. One hundred and sixty-two surveys were completed (99 PSC, 26 primary biliary cirrhosis, 16 non-autoimmune cholestatic liver disease, and 21 IBD). PSC patients had significantly lower SF-36 scores than Canadian controls, but similar scores to disease controls. LDQOL most accurately predicted HRQoL. Factors negatively associated with physical HRQoL included shorter IBD duration, liver disease symptoms, and decompensated cirrhosis. Mental HRQoL was influenced by liver disease and IBD symptoms, pruritus, social isolation, and depression. Nearly 75 % expressed existential anxiety regarding disease progression and diminished life expectancy, with 25 % disclosing social isolation. Patients with PSC have significantly lower HRQoL than healthy controls. Both symptoms of IBD and chronic liver disease impact HRQoL in patients with PSC, which lead to significant psychologic burden that is expressed by existential anxieties and social isolation. A PSC-specific HRQoL tool is critical to adequately quantify the distinct impact of IBD and cholestatic liver disease.

Malnutrition might affect survival and severity of complications in cirrhotic patients. However, adequate evaluation of the nutritional status is a difficult task since the common assessment tools are either inappropriate or too complicated. A simpler method could evaluate the patient’s risk for malnutrition instead of the nutritional status itself. This study evaluated the prediction of clinical deterioration and transplant-free survival in patients with chronic liver disease by two nutritional risk scores. In 84 cirrhotic patients, Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS), Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool (RFH-NPT), and the chronic liver disease questionnaire have been assessed. These patients were evaluated at a second time point after a median observation time of 500 days. Another cohort of 64 patients was collected to validate the findings. Of the included patients, 67.7 % were male with a median age of 57 years and a median Child score of 9. RFH-NPT classified 50.7 % of the patients as high-risk patients, and NRS assessed 44.6 % of the patients as moderate- to high-risk patients. RFH-NPT correlated with clinical deterioration, severity of disease (Child score, MELD score), and clinical complications such as ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, and episodes of hepatic encephalopathy. RFH-NPT was an independent predictor of clinical deterioration and transplant-free survival. Furthermore, improvement in RFH-NPT within 500 days was associated with improved survival. Assessing the patients’ risk for malnutrition by RFH-NPT may be a useful predictor of disease progression and outcome for patients with chronic liver disease.