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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver disease worldwide, and its prevalence increases continuously. As it predisposes to hepatocellular carcinoma both in the presence and in the absence of cirrhosis, it is not surprising that the incidence of NAFLD-related hepatocellular carcinoma would also rise. Some of the mechanisms involved in hepatocarcinogenesis are particular to individuals with fatty liver, and they help explain why liver cancer develops even in patients without cirrhosis. Genetic and immune-mediated mechanisms seem to play an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in this population. Currently, it is consensual that patients with NAFLD-related cirrhosis should be surveilled with ultrasonography every 6 mo (with or without alpha-fetoprotein), but it is known that they are less likely to follow this recommendation than individuals with other kinds of liver disease. Moreover, the performance of the methods of surveillance are lower in NAFLD than they are in other liver diseases. Furthermore, it is not clear which subgroups of patients without cirrhosis should undergo surveillance. Understanding the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis in NAFLD could hopefully lead to the identification of biomarkers to be used in the surveillance for liver cancer in these individuals. By improving surveillance, tumors could be detected in earlier stages, amenable to curative treatments.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Ascites is a common complication of cirrhosis, and it is associated with increased mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of long-term albumin administration in decreasing mortality and other complications of patients with cirrhosis and ascites. METHODS A systematic review was performed using MEDLINE and Embase databases. Randomized controlled trials evaluating long-term albumin administration in patients with cirrhosis and ascites were considered eligible, as long as at least one of the following outcomes was evaluated: mortality, recurrence of ascites/need for paracentesis, refractory ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, gastrointestinal bleeding, or adverse events. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model, through the Mantel-Haenszel method. The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO platform (CRD42019130078). RESULTS The literature search yielded 1517 references. Five randomized controlled trials fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in this meta-analysis, involving 716 individuals. Patients receiving long-term albumin had significantly lower risk of recurrence of ascites/need for paracentesis when compared with controls (risk ratio = 0.56, 95% confidence interval = 0.48-0.67, P

Recently, a controversial approach suggesting the early treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis B "e" antigen-positive patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, has been proposed. The objective of this study is to systematically review medical literature regarding treatment of HBV infection in adult chronic infection with HBeAg-positive patients. A systematic review was performed according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. Original studies that evaluated the effect of antivirals in adult chronic infection with HBeAg-positive patients were included. The outcomes of interest were viral load suppression, the loss/seroconversion of HBeAg, the loss/seroconversion of hepatitis B surface antigen, and the development of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. The search for eligible studies was performed in Excerpta Medica dataBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases until January 2020, without language or date restriction. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies and the Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for randomized controlled trials. Two hundred ninety-six articles were retrieved. After analyzing titles and abstracts, 287 articles were excluded and nine were considered potentially eligible. From these, five were excluded after full-text analysis. Finally, four articles were included. Only two were randomized controlled trials. All studies were carried out in Asian patients. Results were variable with regard to viral load, negativation/seroconversion of HBeAg and HBsAg. One study demonstrated that treated patients developed cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma less frequently than untreated individuals. Overall, the studies were of poor quality. In conclusion, the present systematic review demonstrated that, at present, there is not enough evidence to recommend treating this population of patients.

Infections are a frequent complication and a major cause of death among patients with cirrhosis. The important impact of infections in general and especially spontaneous bacterial peritonitis on the course of disease and prognosis of patients with cirrhosis has been recognized for many years. Nevertheless, such importance has recently increased due to the comprehension of infection as one of the most prominent risk factors for patients to develop acute-on-chronic liver failure. Furthermore, the issue of infections in cirrhosis is a focus of increasing attention because of the spreading of multidrug resistant bacteria, which is an emerging concern among physicians assisting patients with cirrhosis. In the present paper, we will review the current epidemiology of infections in patients with cirrhosis and particularly that of infections caused by resistant bacteria, demonstrating the relevance of the subject. Besides, we will discuss the current recommendations on diagnosis and treatment of different kinds of infections, including spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and we will highlight the importance of knowing local microbiological profiles and choosing empirical antibiotic therapy wisely. Finally, we will debate the existing evidences regarding the role of volume expansion with albumin in patients with cirrhosis and extraperitoneal infections, and that of antibiotic prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Introduction and objectives Zinc deficiency has been associated with poor prognosis in chronic liver disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the role of zinc supplementation in the management of chronic liver diseases. Materials and methods We searched MEDLINE, LILACS, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from inception to August 2018. We included randomized controlled trials evaluating adult patients with chronic liver disease of any etiology receiving zinc supplementation. Studies with other designs or evaluating chronic conditions other than liver disease were excluded. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data from eligible studies. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized studies. Results Of 1315 studies screened, 13 were included. Six assessed chronic hepatitis C treatment, with a relative risk of 0.83 indicating no protective effect of zinc supplementation on the improvement of sustained virological response. Three evaluated response to hepatic encephalopathy treatment, with a relative risk of 0.66 indicating a favorable effect of zinc supplementation on clinical improvement of this condition. Of four studies evaluating the management of cirrhosis, two analyzed the effect of zinc supplementation on serum albumin levels, with no statistical difference between zinc and placebo groups. Conclusions Clinical trials assessing zinc supplementation in liver diseases do not show benefits in terms of clinical improvement or disease halting. There are possible benefits of zinc supplementation on hepatic encephalopathy, however, this is based on limited evidence. This research question is still open for evaluation in larger, well-designed, clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a common complication in patients with cirrhosis and may lead to increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with disease severity scores, among patients with cirrhosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational and retrospective cohort study carried out in a tertiary-care hospital in southern Brazil. METHODS: This study was conducted among patients with chronic liver disease who were followed up at the gastroenterology and hepatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary-care hospital in southern Brazil and who underwent computed tomography scans of the abdomen through any indication. RESULTS: We included 83 patients in the study. In the population evaluated, there was a predominance of males (57.80%) and the mean age was 56 years. Hepatitis B or C virus was present in the genesis of the disease in 34.9% of the cases, followed by an etiology of alcohol abuse (30.1%). Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 41 (49.4%) of the patients when the cutoff point for cirrhotic patients was used. There was no significant correlation between the Child-Pugh and MELD severity scores and the occurrence of sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia presents high prevalence among patients with chronic liver disease, without any association with predictors of severity.

Introduction and objectives It has been suggested that albumin administration could alter the natural history of cirrhosis, and also, that long‐term treatment with albumin might be associated with improvement in survival, control of ascites, reduction in the incidence bacterial infections, renal dysfunction, hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and hyponatremia, as well as reduction in length of hospitalization in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the role of albumin in the management of HE. Materiales and methods:: This is a systematic review of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of albumin in adult patients with cirrhosis and HE. The search for eligible studies was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases until June 2020. The outcomes of interest were the complete reversal of HE and mortality. Meta‐analysis was performed using the random effects model, through the Mantel–Haenszel method. Results: This systematic review was registered at the PROSPERO platform (CRD42020194181). The search strategy retrieved 1,118 articles. After reviewing titles and abstracts, 24 studies were considered potentially eligible, but 22 were excluded after full-text analysis. Finally, 2 studies were included. In the meta-analysis, albumin was associated to significant lower risks of persistent HE (risk ratio – RR = 0.60; 95% confidence interval – CI = 0.38–0.95, p = 0.03) and mortality (RR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.33–0.90, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Albumin administration improves HE and reduces mortality in patients with cirrhosis and HE.

Backgrounds: Down-staging (DS) is used to convert hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients outside the criteria for liver transplantation (LT) into patients within the criteria. However, LT after DS remains controversial in the literature. Aims: Compare the post-LT survival and recurrence risk of HCC patients transplanted after DS with patients transplanted within the Brazilian selection criteria. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study, analyzing medical records of 1,119 liver transplant recipients with HCC in Brazil. HCC treatment prior to LT and whether or not the patient was enrolled after down-staging was analyzed. Survival curves were presented using the Kaplan-Meier and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multiple cox regression analysis was fitted. Results: 1,119 patients were included. 81% were males and mean age in the time of LT was 58 ± 8.2 years. In the majority of patients (91%) HCC was the reason for inclusion in transplant list and 8% of patients were listed after successful DS. At HCC diagnosis, 85% of patients were within Milan Criteria. TACE was the most frequent treatment performed. The overall survival (OS) of the entire series was 63% in 5 years, with an average follow-up time of 28 months and post-LT HCC recurrence was 8%. Relapse-free survival and OS, respectively, over 5 years, were 78% and 83% in DS patients and 75% and 89% in patients transplanted within criteria, with no statistical difference in the two analyzes. Evaluation of prognostic factors using simple and multiple Cox Regression did not show that DS was a risk factor for a worse survival or post-LT tumor recurrence. Conclusions: In our study, patients underwent DS show good post-transplant evolution, similar to those transplanted within criteria, suggesting that response to treatment is a good selection parameter for tumors with favorable tumor biology.

Background and aim Bacterial infections are among the main causes of death in patients with cirrhosis. While there are unquestionable benefits of using albumin in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, the benefits of albumin are controversial for those with extraperitoneal infections. The aim was to compare the use of albumin associated to antibiotics and antibiotics alone in cirrhotic patients with extraperitoneal infections. Methods A systematic review was performed using MEDLINE and Embase databases. Randomized controlled trials comparing albumin associated to antibiotics and antibiotics alone in cirrhotic patients with extraperitoneal infections were considered eligible, as long as at least one of the following outcomes was evaluated: mortality and renal dysfunction. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model, through the Mantel-Haenszel method. The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO platform (CRD42018107191). Results The literature search yielded 812 references. Three randomized controlled trials fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. There was no evidence of significant difference between the groups regarding mortality in 30 days (risk ratio [RR] = 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92-2.84, P = 0.09, I2 = 0%) or in 90 days (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.89-1.83, P = 0.19, I2 = 0%). Regarding renal dysfunction, there was also no evidence of significant difference between the groups (RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.25-1.19, P = 0.13, I2 = 0%). Conclusion There is no evidence of significant benefits of using albumin for cirrhotic patients with extraperitoneal infections regarding mortality or renal dysfunction.

Variceal bleeding is a dramatic complication of cirrhosis. Primary prophylaxis against variceal bleeding is indicated for patients with high-risk varices. In order for these patients to be identified, endoscopic screening for esophageal varices has been traditionally recommended at the time of the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Considering that many patients do not have esophageal varices in the early stages of cirrhosis and, therefore, are submitted to endoscopy unnecessarily, non-invasive methods for variceal screening have been studied. Among these non-invasive methods, the most extensively studied probably are platelet count/spleen diameter ratio, liver stiffness, spleen stiffness and an association between liver stiffness and platelet count, referred to as the Baveno VI criteria. The Baveno VI criteria has recently been recommended by different medical associations for variceal screening. This is a critical review on the non-invasive methods for variceal screening, in which the performances of the different methods are presented and the limitations of the existing evidence is discussed. Despite reasonable performances of some of these methods, especially platelet count/spleen diameter ratio and the association between liver stiffness and platelet count, we understand that the available evidence still has relevant limitations and that physicians should decide on screening cirrhotic patients for esophageal varices with endoscopy or non-invasive methods on a case-by-case basis.

Background Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for patients with unresectable early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Post-LT HCC recurrence rates range from 8 to 20% and still impact on overall survival (OS). The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of HCC recurrence on post-LT survival and analyze prognostic factors among those patients with recurrence. Patients and methods We carried out a national, multicenter, retrospective cohort study in Brazil. Medical records of 1119 LT recipients with HCC were collected. Data from patients with post-LT HCC recurrence were analyzed and correlated with post-relapse survival. Results OS of the 1119 patients included in the study was 63% over 5 years. Post-LT HCC recurrence occurred in 86 (8%) patients. The mean time to recurrence was 12 months. Sites of recurrence were extrahepatic in 55%, hepatic in 27%, and both hepatic and extrahepatic in 18%. Recurrence treatment was performed in 50 (64%) cases, mostly with sorafenib. Post-relapse survival rates were 34% at 1 year and 13% at 5 years. Univariable analysis identified α-fetoprotein more than 1000 ng/ml at relapse, recurrence treatment, extrahepatic location, and time to recurrence more than 2 years as prognostic factors. In multivariable analysis, recurrence treatment, extrahepatic location, and time to recurrence more than 2 years were independent predictors of better survival. Conclusion In a large Brazilian cohort of LT recipients with HCC, post-LT HCC recurrence occurred in 8% and impacted significantly on the OS. Patients with early recurrence presented a worse prognosis. However, treatment of recurrence improved outcomes, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis.

Hepatorenal syndrome has the worst prognosis among causes of acute kidney injury in cirrhotic patients. Its definitive treatment is liver transplantation. Nevertheless, considering its high short-term mortality rate and the shortage of liver grafts, a pharmacological treatment is of utmost importance, serving as a bridge to liver transplant. The clinical management of hepatorenal syndrome is currently based on the use of a vasoconstrictor in association with albumin. Terlipressin, noradrenaline and the combination of midodrine and octreotide could be used to treat hepatorenal syndrome. Among these options, terlipressin seems to gather the strongest body of evidence regarding efficacy and should be considered the first line of treatment whenever available and in the absence of contraindications. Treatment with a vasoconstrictor and albumin should be promptly initiated after the diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome in order for patients to have higher chances of recovery.

Introduction and objectives: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main indications for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). In Brazil, selection criteria for HCC is an expanded version of the Milan Criteria (MC), the so-called ''Brazilian Milan Criteria'' (BMC). Our aims were to evaluate post-OLT outcomes in patients with HCC and analyze the BMC performance. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study, analyzing medical records of 1,059 liver transplant recipients with HCC. Tumor was staged according to MC and BMC and correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). We compared the ability of MC and BMC to predict OS and DFS using Delta C-statistic. Results: Post-OLT OS were 63% in five years and HCC recurrence was observed in 8% of patients. At diagnosis, 85% of patients were within MC. Patients within MC at diagnosis and in the explant showed a higher OS and DFS than patients outside MC and within BMC and patients outside both criteria (p

AIM To assess the impact of the different stages of acute kidney injury (AKI) on the prognosis of patients hospitalized with decompensated cirrhosis. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients admitted in two tertiary hospitals in southern Brazil. Participants were considered eligible if they were admitted for acute decompensation of cirrhosis. The main exposure factor was the onset of AKI. AKI stages were defined according the European recommendations. The outcomes evaluated were survival time and death rates at 28 and 90 days from hospital admission. A χ2 test was used to compare mortality between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were undertaken assessing time to event as days from AKI diagnosis to death or liver transplant. RESULTS Two hundred and five patients were included in the study, and 121 met the criteria for AKI. Patients with AKI 1b, AKI 2 and AKI 3 had higher 90-day mortality than patients without AKI (P = 0.008, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no difference in 90-day mortality when patients with AKI 1a were compared with those without AKI (P = 0.742). The mean survival of patients without AKI was higher than that of patients with AKI 1b (591.4 and 305.4 days, respectively, P = 0.015), while there was no significant difference between the mean survival of patients without AKI and that of patients with AKI 1a (591.4 and 373.6 days, respectively, P = 0.198). CONCLUSION Only AKI ≥1b seems to substantially impact mortality of patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of cirrhosis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The Brazilian Society of Hepatology (SBH) published in 2015 its first recommendations about the management of HCC. Since then, new data have emerged in the literature, prompting the governing board of SBH to sponsor a single-topic meeting in August 2018 in São Paulo. All the invited experts were asked to make a systematic review of the literature reviewing the management of HCC in subjects with cirrhosis. After the meeting, all panelists gathered together for the discussion of the topics and the elaboration of updated recommendations. The text was subsequently submitted for suggestions and approval of all members of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology through its homepage. The present manuscript is the final version of the reviewed manuscript containing the recommendations of SBH. RESUMO O carcinoma hepatocelular (CHC) é uma das principais causas de mortalidade relacionada a câncer no Brasil e no mundo. A Sociedade Brasileira de Hepatologia (SBH) publicou em 2015 suas primeiras recomendações sobre a abordagem do CHC. Desde então, novas evidências sobre o diagnóstico e tratamento do CHC foram relatadas na literatura médica, levando a diretoria da SBH a promover uma reunião monotemática sobre câncer primário de fígado em agosto de 2018 com o intuito de atualizar as recomendações sobre o manejo da neoplasia. Um grupo de experts foi convidado para realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura e apresentar uma atualização baseada em evidências científicas visando que pudesse nortear a prática clínica multidisciplinar do CHC. O texto resultante foi submetido a avaliação e aprovação de todos membros da SBH através de sua homepage. O documento atual é a versão final que contêm as recomendações atualizadas e revisadas da SBH.

Introduction and aim. This manuscript seeks to analyze the impact of lifestyle changes on body mass index (BMI), aminotransferases and steatosis in children and adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Material and methods. A review of PubMed, BIREME, Scopus, EMBASE, Medline and Web of Science databases 2015 was performed seeking studies addressing the impact of lifestyle interventions on children and/or adolescents with NAFLD. Inclusion were manuscripts written in Portuguese, English and Spanish, as well as age less than 18 years. Two reviewers performed the data extraction independently and differences were resolved by consensus. Outcome measures were BMI, serum aminotransferase levels and the presence of hepatic steatosis. Results. The literature search identified 71,012 articles. After excluding 46,397 duplicates and other clearly irrelevant studies, 89 publications were reviewed in detail. Another 55 studies were excluded at this stage. Subsequently, 18 were excluded due to lack of data and three new articles were found in the review of the references of previously identified manuscripts. Therefore, 19 studies that had evaluated 923 subjects (477 boys and 446 girls) aged 6-18 years were included in the review. In most studies, the intervention included aerobic exercise and diet. In nine studies, BMI improved significantly following the intervention. The vast majority of studies reported a benefit from the intervention on aminotransferase levels. Lifestyle changes also had a significant impact on steatosis, reducing the risk by 61%. Conclusion. In conclusion lifestyle changes lead to significant improvements in BMI, aminotransferase levels and hepatic steatosis in children and adolescents with NAFLD.

Introduction and aim. Excessive alcohol consumption is a public health concern worldwide and has been associated with high mortality rates. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption and its influence on the prognosis of hospitalized cirrhotic patients in a tertiary care hospital. Material and methods. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with hepatic cirrhosis admitted between January 2009 and December 2014, in a referral center for liver disease in southern Brazil. Data on clinical outcomes, associated conditions, infections, and mortality were collected and compared between alcoholic and nonalcoholic patients. Results. The sample consisted of 388 patients; 259 (66.7%) were men. One hundred fifty-two (39.2%) were classified as heavy use of alcohol. Most alcoholic patients were men (n = 144; 94.7%). Mean age was 55.6 ± 8.9 years. Hepatic decompensations and infections were more prevalent in alcoholic patient. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and respiratory tract infection accounted for most of the infections. Excessive alcohol consumption was associated with mortality (P = 0.009) in multivariate analysis. Conclusion. On the present study, the prevalence of heavy use of alcohol was high and associated with a poorer prognosis in hospitalized cirrhotic patients, increasing the risk of infection and death.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main indications for liver transplantation (LT). Bridge therapy (BT) is recommended when waiting time on transplant list is longer than six months to avoid tumor progression and dropout. Response to locoregional treatment has been considered as a good prognostic parameter in post-LT, however, its role still needs to be defined. Aims: To evaluate the role of BT for HCC on survival and post-LT tumor recurrence. Methods: Brazilian multicenter retrospective cohort study in HCC patients submitted to LT with clinical and radiological data analysis. Data related to HCC pre-LT treatment, type of treatment and the final response according to mRECIST criteria in the last pre-LT image exam were analyzed. Survival curves were presented using the Kaplan-Meier and compared using the log-rank test. Results: 1,119 patients were included. 81% were males and mean age at LT was 58 ± 8.2 years. At HCC diagnosis, 85% were within Milan criteria (MC) by imaging studies and 67%, underwent BT prior to LT. TACE/TAE were performed in 80%, PEI 9%, RFA 3%, surgery 1% and combined therapy 7%. According to mRECIST, 37% showed complete response (CR), 38% partial response (PR), 12% stable disease (SD) and 13% progressive disease (PD) after BT. The overall survival (OS) was 63% in 5 years, with a mean follow-up of 28 months. The post-LT tumor recurrence was 8%. There was no difference in the risk of post-LT tumor recurrence or survival among patients who underwent BT or not or between the various types of treatment performed. However, patients who have CR to BT had a higher recurrence-free survival compared to patients with PR, SD or PD (p = 0.019). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the role of BT in LT, since patients with complete response, had a lower risk of post-transplant tumor recurrence.

In summary, we praise the authors for their important contribution to the field of hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in association to hepatitis B infection. However, we believe the next efforts should be focused on understanding whether these findings apply to other populations at risk before providing patient-care recommendations that could exacerbate costs with unclear clinical benefit. In this regard, we hope studies such as our ESCALON Project or the Texas HCC Consortium Cohort Study would help to further understand HCC development in OBI and lead to the development of better screening methods for HCC.

Since the publication of the Brazilian Association of Hepatology recommendations for the prevention and treatment of variceal bleeding in 2010, new evidence-based data were reported in the literature. This has changed our current management for portal hypertension. This review updates the previous recommendations. It takes the new prognostic staging of cirrhosis into account allowing tailored treatment for advanced fibrosis, compensated or decompensated cirrhosis. An organizing panel of five experts reviewed all recommendations according to available data, which were subsequently scrutinized by all members of the Brazilian Association of Hepatology using a web-based approach. The accepted recommendations are presented in this manuscript.

Background and rationale: Many different non-invasive methods have been studied with the purpose of staging liver fibrosis. The objective of this study was verifying if transient elastography is superior to aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index for staging fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Material and methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis of studies which evaluated both non-invasive tests and used biopsy as the reference standard was performed. A random-effects model was used, anticipating heterogeneity among studies. Diagnostic odds ratio was the main effect measure, and summary receiver operating characteristic curves were created. A sensitivity analysis was planned, in which the meta-analysis would be repeated excluding each study at a time. Results: Eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. Regarding the prediction of significant fibrosis, transient elastography and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index had diagnostic odds ratios of 11.70 (95% confidence interval = 7.13-19.21) and 8.56 (95% confidence interval = 4.90-14.94) respectively. Concerning the prediction of cirrhosis, transient elastogra-phy and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index had diagnostic odds ratios of 66.49 (95% confidence interval = 23.71-186.48) and 7.47 (95% confidence interval = 4.88-11.43) respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, there was no evidence of significant superiority of transient elastography over aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index regarding the prediction of significant fibrosis, but the former proved to be better than the latter concerning prediction of cirrhosis.

AIM To perform a systematic review to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adult patients with sarcopenia. METHODS Randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional or cohort studies including adult patients (over 18 years) with sarcopenia were selected. The primary outcomes of interest were the prevalence or incidence of NAFLD in sarcopenic patients. In the screening process, 44 full-text articles were included in the review and 41 studies were excluded. RESULTS Three cross-sectional studies were included. The authors attempted to perform a systematic review, but due to the differences between the studies, a qualitative synthesis was provided. The diagnosis of NAFLD was made by non-invasive methods (image methods or any surrogate markers) in all three evaluated studies. All the studies suggested that there was an independent association between sarcopenia and NAFLD. CONCLUSION Sarcopenia is independently associated with NAFLD and possibly to an advanced fibrosis.

Introduction and objectives Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder in western countries. It is often related to metabolic syndrome, presenting an increased risk of advanced liver disease and cardiovascular-related death. In some etiologies of chronic liver disease, thrombocytopenia has been associated not only with advanced stages of fibrosis but also with autoimune disease. In NAFLD, however, its prevalence and related factors are still unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of thrombocytopenia in NAFLD patients without cirrhosis and to investigate its related risk factors. Patients and methods This was a retrospective study carried out in two tertiary hospitals in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Patients diagnosed with NAFLD by liver biopsy were included. Those with other causes of liver disease and/or cirrhosis were excluded. For analysis, patients were divided into two groups, with and without thrombocytopenia. Data was analyzed using a significance level of 5%. Results 441 non-cirrhotic patients with NAFLD (evaluated by liver biopsy) were included in the study. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was 3.2% (14/441 patients). In the comparative analysis between groups, thrombocytopenia was associated with male sex (p = 0.007) and level of hemoglobin (p = 0.023). Conclusion Thrombocytopenia is an infrequent event in NAFLD patients without cirrhosis and is related with male sex and higher hemoglobin levels.

Cirrhosis represents a public health issue that generally evolves and presents serious complications.To assess the outcomes of outpatients with cirrhosis.We used a retrospective outpatient-based cohort, assessing 527 patients with cirrhosis. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were analyzed, as well as the risk factors related to death, using the Cox proportional-hazard regression model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rates.Patients had a mean age of 52.9±9.7 years and were more frequently men (59%), presenting Child-Turcotte-Pugh B or C in 43% of the cases in addition to a mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of 12.0±4.1. The predominant etiology of liver disease was the hepatitis C virus. The most frequent complications during follow-up were ascites (34%), hepatic encephalopathy (17%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (17%). The survival rate at years 5 and 10 was 73 and 57%, respectively. The main risk factors that were related to death were, in a multivariate analysis, hepatitis C virus etiology, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and serum levels of albumin.Patients with cirrhosis monitored on an outpatient basis, despite showing a reasonable survival rate, have a worse prognosis when the etiology of liver disease is related to hepatitis C virus and when they have hepatocellular carcinoma or hypoalbuminemia.

Introduction and aim Different criteria are applied for the diagnosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Our aim was to compare the performance of different ACLF diagnostic criteria for predicting mortality. Materials and methods This was a prospective cohort study of adult cirrhotic patients admitted to a tertiary hospital for acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis. The evaluated outcome was mortality at 28 and 90 days, according to the different ACLF diagnostic criteria: Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF-C), Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver-ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) and North American Consortium for the Study of End-Stage Liver Disease (NACSELD). Prognostic performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results 146 patients were included. 43 (29.5%) with ACLF according to CLIF-C definition, 14 (9.6%) with ACLF by AARC definition, and 6 (4.1%) by NACSELD definition. According to Kaplan–Meier survival analyses median survival of patients with ACLF by CLIF-C definition was 27.0 days, median survival of patients with ACLF by AARC definition was 27.0 days, and median survival of patients with ACLF by NACSELD definition was 4.0 days. The areas under the ROC curves for performance evaluation in predicting mortality at 28 days for CLIF-C, AARC and NACSELD criteria were, respectively, 0.710, 0.560 and 0.561 (p = 0.002). Regarding 90-day mortality, the areas under the ROC curves were 0.760, 0.554 and 0.555 respectively (p Conclusion ACLF definition proposed by CLIF-C had better performance in predicting mortality at 28 and 90 days when compared to criteria proposed by AARC and NACSELD.

Introduction and aim Viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem. The risk of progression to chronic hepatitis in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occurs in 5–10% of adults and is a leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have coinfection with HBV. The existence of unvaccinated groups represents a significant risk not only individually but also at the community level. The aim of this study was to evaluate HBV vaccine response in adults with HIV infection. Materials and methods A retrospective, descriptive study of the cross-sectional type was carried out in an outpatient HIV referral center in southern Brazil. All medical records of adult HIV patients seen during January 2006 to December 2015 were selected. In statistical analysis, a significance level of 5% was used. Results Of the 201 patients evaluated with a complete vaccination scheme, 55.72% were males, with a mean age of 43.86 ± 12.68 years. Vaccine response occurred in 80.10% (161/201) of the patients, and it did not correlate with age, CD4+ cell count or viral load. Conclusion HBV vaccine response in a HIV population was satisfactory, highlighting the importance of vaccination for prevention, cost reduction and better prognosis in preventing HBV/HIV coinfection.

Introduction and aim The gold-standard for fibrosis diagnosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is liver biopsy, despite its invasive approach, sampling limitations and variability among observers. The objective was to validate the performance of non-invasive methods (Fibroscan™; APRI, FIB4 and NAFLD score) comparing with liver biopsy in the evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Material and methods NAFLD patients ≥18 years of age who were submitted to liver biopsy were included and evaluated at two reference tertiary hospitals in Brazil with transient hepatic elastography (THE) assessment through Fibroscan™, APRI, FIB4 and NAFLD scores were determined. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis were calculated to evaluate the performance of these non-invasive methods in NAFLD patients, adopting liver biopsy as the gold standard. Results A total of 104 patients were studied. At three different cutoff values (7.9, 8.7 and 9.6 kPa) THE presented the highest sensitivity values (95%, 90% and 85% respectively), and the highest NPV (98%, 96.4% and 95.1% respectively) for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis. It also presented the highest AUROC (0.87; CI 95% 0.78–0.97). Conclusion When compared to the gold standard, transient hepatic elastography presented the best performance for the diagnosis and exclusion of advanced fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, overcoming APRI, FIB4 and NAFLD score.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication of cirrhosis, occurring in up to 20% of patients hospitalized with cirrhosis. This field is rapidly changing, with significant advances in classification, biomarkers and therapy over the last few years. On the behalf of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology, a panel of experts in Hepatology and Nephrology reviewed published evidence to integrate findings and develop the recommendations presented in this manuscript.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome characterised by acute decompensation of chronic liver disease associated with organ failures and high short-term mortality. Alcohol and chronic viral hepatitis are the most common underlying liver diseases. Up to 40%-50% of the cases of ACLF have no identifiable trigger; in the remaining patients, sepsis, active alcoholism and relapse of chronic viral hepatitis are the most common reported precipitating factors. An excessive systemic inflammatory response seems to play a crucial role in the development of ACLF. Using a liver-adapted sequential organ assessment failure score, it is possible to triage and prognosticate the outcome of patients with ACLF. The course of ACLF is dynamic and changes over the course of hospital admission. Most of the patients will have a clear prognosis between day 3 and 7 of hospital admission and clinical decisions such as evaluation for liver transplant or discussion over goals of care could be tailored using clinical scores. Bioartificial liver support systems, granulocyte-colony stimulating factors or stem-cell transplant are in the horizon of medical care of this patient population; however, data are too premature to implement them as standard of care.

The gold-standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a prednisone/azathioprine combination. However, subgroups of patients may be unresponsive to this treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of second-line immunosuppressive therapies for AIH through a systematic review and meta-analysis in adult patients.The systematic review was registered at the PROSPERO platform under number 42015019831. Databases MEDLINE (PubMed), Lilacs, Cochrane, and Scielo were searched. The keywords used were 'Hepatitis, Autoimmune' and descriptors terms (MeSH and DeCS). These terms were linked with each immunosuppressant of interest.A total of 1532 studies were identified. Of these, 1492 were excluded on the basis of title and abstract reading. Among the 40 studies retrieved for detailed full-text analysis, a total of 15 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the analysis. The most studied second-line immunosuppressive was mycophenolate mofetil (MM). The mean reduction of aminotransferases was observed in 94.3% with tacrolimus/prednisone, 91.3% for cyclosporine/prednisone, 85.5% for budesonide, and 78.7% MM/prednisone. For MM/prednisone, the mean rate of histological remission was 88.6%, liver transplantation was indicated in 11.4%, and the mortality rate was 7.2%. Limitations were also present, such as the lack of randomized-controlled trials and prospective studies, the small number of patients, and the heterogeneity between remission criteria.This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the second-line imunossupressant therapy for AIH. The most studied second-line immunosuppressive is the MM, with a reasonable histological remission. The use of combined tacrolimus/prednisone was the most effective for the normalization of aminotransferases.

Introduction. The aim of this study is to investigate large volume therapeutic paracentesis using either a z-tract or axial (coxial) technique in a randomized controlled trial. Materials and methods. In this randomized, single blind study, patients with cirrhosis undergoing outpatient therapeutic paracentesis were randomized to the z-tract or the modified angular (coaxial) needle insertion technique. Subject and procedure characteristics were compared between the groups with ascites leakage as quantified by need for dressing changes with standardized sized gauze pads as a primary endpoint and subject procedural discomfort, operator preference, and procedure complications as secondary endpoints. Results. 72 paracenteses were performed during the study period: 34 to the z-tract and 38 to the coaxial insertion technique. Following exclusions, a total of 61 paracenteses were analyzed: 30 using the z-tract technique and 31 using the coaxial technique. There were equal rates of post-procedural leakage of ascites between groups (13% in both groups, p = 1.00). Using the visual analog scale (0 - 100), there was a statistically significant increase in the subject reported pain score with the z-tract compared with the coaxial method [26.4 (95% CI 18.7 - 34.1) vs. 17.2 (95% CI 10.6 - 23.8), p = 0.04]. Mean physician rated procedure difficulty (1 - 5) was significantly higher for the z-tract vs. the coaxial technique [2.1 (95% CI 1.6 - 2.6) vs. 1.5 (95% CI 1.2 - 1.8), p = 0.04]. Conclusion. When compared to the z-tract technique, the coaxial insertion technique is superior during large volume paracentesis in cirrhosis patients.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as a spectrum of liver diseases ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH). Alterations in intestinal microbiota and inflammatory response may play a key role in disease progression and development of complications in liver diseases, mainly in cirrhosis and NASH. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) testing probiotics, prebiotics or both (synbiotics) in the treatment of NAFLD in adult patients. After the screening process, 9 full-text articles were included in the review and 6 studies were excluded. Three randomized controlled trials were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. All patients in all the 3 studies were randomized to receive different formulations of probiotics, synbiotics or placebo. Reductions in aminotransferases were observed in the treated group in 2 of the studies. However, in one study reductions were also detected in the control group. In conclusion, the available evidence precludes, for the moment, recommendations on the use of pre and probiotics in clinical practice.

Background & Aims. Variceal bleeding is a dramatic and common complication of cirrhosis, and, therefore, endoscopy is recommended for the screening of EV (esophageal varices) in every cirrhotic. This study evaluates the capacity of APRI (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index) in non-invasively predicting EV.Material and methods. This cross-sectional study evaluated cirrhotics for their APRI value and the presence of EV, with a cutoff point of 1, 3; platelet count, spleen diameter, PC/SD (platelet count/ spleen diameter ratio), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio, Child-Pugh score and MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) score were also studied.Results. The study included 164 cirrhotics, 59.7% male, with a mean age of 56.7 years. APRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 64.7% (95% confidence interval-95%CI = 0.56-0.73), specificity of 72.7% (95%CI = 0.59-0.86), positive predictive value of 86.5% (95%CI = 0.79-0.94), negative predictive value of 43.2% (95%CI = 0.32-0.55). In the univariate analysis, platelet count, spleen diameter, Child and MELD scores, PC/SD and APRI were related to EV (p < 0.05). In the logistic regression, only platelet count and Child score were associated to EV (p < 0.05).Conclusion. APRI is not an independent factor for the prediction of EV. Its sensitivity, specificity and predictive values are insufficient for the index to be used for the screening of EV in cirrhotics.

Hepatitis C is a common cause of end-stage liver disease, and the main indication for liver transplantation in Latin America. Treatment of hepatitis C infected patients improves important long-term outcomes as mortality. Sustained viral response is reached in near 50% of patients with the previous management based in pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Recently new drugs were available increasing sustained viral response significantly, changing the standard of care to triple therapy. This guidelines provides a framework for practitioner in Latin America, to the management of patients with hepatitis C chronic infection.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the real-life survival rates of patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization.A retrospective cohort study involving 95 patients was conducted and the studied variables were analysed according to survival. Treatment response was determined using the Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors assessment. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used to analyse survival.Most (72.6%) patients were male, with a mean age of 64.8±9.7 years and mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of 10.4±3.0. The median α-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 29.3 ng/ml. Complications were observed in 31.6% of the patients. A target response assessment revealed that 35.8% of patients exhibited complete response, 22.1% a partial response, 27.4% stable disease and 14.7% progressive disease. According to overall response rates, 63.2% exhibited progressive disease. Mean survival time was 32 months. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 80, 59, 44 and 29%, respectively. In the multivariate model adjusted for overall response rates, only AFP level more than or equal to 100 ng/ml (hazard ratio=2.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-5.18, P=0.035) was associated with death.Transarterial chemoembolization is an effective therapy; however, AFP levels more than or equal to 100 ng/ml are associated with poorer prognosis.

Introduction. Considering the high prevalence of liver tumors and the impact on patient survival, a greater understanding of the biological behavior of those tumors if of great importance. The multidrug resistance gene (MDR1) may present as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) which can affect the expression and activity of P-glycoprotein (Pgp), and high expression of Pgp has been associated with a worse prognosis in affected patients. Objective. To correlate the C3435T polymorphism in the MDR1 gene with the immunohistochemical expression of Pgp. Material and methods. A total of 67 samples from patients with diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), collected in the period from 2000 to 2009, were analyzed. The polymorphism in the MDR1 gene was determined by the technique of allele-specific real time PCR using TaqMan assay, and the expression of protein Pgp was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results. Among the samples evaluated, 56 (83.6%) were from male patients and 11 (16.4%) from females. Mean age was 60.6 years (± 8.8), ranging from 37 to 85 years. The etiology of the HCC was related to hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) in 31 (46.3%) of cases, followed by hepatitis C virus infection + alcohol in 24 cases (35.8%), alcohol in 4 cases (6)%, hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 4 cases (6%) and other factors in 4 cases (6%). Liver transplantation was performed in 48 cases (71.6%) and hepatectomia in 19 cases (28.4%). The genotypes CC, CT and TT showed frequencies of 25.4%, 41.8% and 32.8%, respectively, and the allele frequencies were 46.3% for allele C and 53.7% for allele T. The expression of Pgp in over 75% of the cells was significantly more frequent in tumor tissue. On the other hand, a low expression of Pgp, in less than 25% of the cells, was significantly more frequent in non-tumor tissue. The Pgp expression in more than 50% of tumor cells of individuals with genotypes CC, CT and TT was 15.7%, 51.0% and 33.3%, respectively, and was significantly higher when in the presence of allele T (p = 0.002). Conclusion. The presence of the polymorphic allele T is related to increased expression of Pgp protein in patients with HCC.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-12T17:25:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-12-01. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2018-11-12T17:33:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0004-28032015000500002.pdf: 416077 bytes, checksum: 27d24d42c1568cacab4536c79600547d (MD5) RESUMO O carcinoma hepatocelular é uma neoplasia de importância global e associada a altos índices de mortalidade. Recentes avanços no diagnóstico e tratamento da doença tornaram necessárias que se atualizassem as recomendações sobre o manejo da doença. Para definir as recomendações sobre o diagnóstico e tratamento do carcinoma hepatocelular, a Sociedade Brasileira de Hepatologia organizou uma reunião monotemática em João Pessoa (PB). Todos expositores foram solicitados a fazer uma revisão sistemática da literatura e apresentar os temas relacionados a fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de carcinoma hepatocelular, métodos para rastreamento, diagnóstico radiológico e sistemas de estadiamento da doença, tratamentos curativos e paliativos e carcinoma hepatocelular em fígado não cirrótico. Após o encontro, todos os expositores se reuniram para discussão dos tópico e elaboração dessas recomendações. O texto resultante foi ainda submetido a avaliação e aprovação por todos membros da Sociedade através de sua homepage. O documento atual é a versão final que contêm as recomendações da Sociedade Brasileira de Hepatologia. ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignancy of global importance and is associated with a high rate of mortality. Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease make it imperative to update the recommendations on the management of the disease. In order to draw evidence-based recommendations concering the diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma, the Brazilian Society of Hepatology has sponsored a single-topic meeting in João Pessoa (PB). All the invited pannelists were asked to make a systematic review of the literature and to present topics related to the risk factors for its development, methods of screening, radiological diagnosis, staging systems, curative and palliative treatments and hepatocellular carcinoma in noncirrhotic liver. After the meeting, all panelists gathered together for the discussion of the topics and the elaboration of those recommendations. The text was subsequently submitted for suggestions and approval of all members of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology through its homepage. The present paper is the final version of the reviewed manuscript containing the recommendations of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology. Universidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre Universidade Federal de Sergipe Hospital Português de Beneficiência Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso Universidade Federal da Bahia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Universidade Federal de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal do Ceará Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Estadual de São Paulo Hospital Santa Catarina Universidade Federal da Paraíba Hospital Português

The incidence of acute hepatitis C has decreased in the world. However, new cases are still reported. The objective of this study was to obtain data of acute hepatitis C in Brazil and to identify risk factors of transmission, diagnostic criteria, clinical presentation, evolution, and treatment. A questionnaire was sent to all members of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology. Sixteen centers participated with a total of 170 cases between 2000 and 2008. Among them, 37 had chronic renal failure on hemodialysis and were evaluated separately. The main diagnostic criterion in non-uremic patients was ALT (alanine aminotransferase) elevation associated with risk factors. In patients with chronic renal failure, anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroconversion was the most frequent criterion. Among the 133 non-uremic patients the main risk factors were hospital procedures, whereas in hemodialysis patients, dialysis was the single risk factor in 95% of the cases. Jaundice was more frequent in non-uremic patients (82% vs. 13%; P

The role of proteins in the maintenance of colloid osmotic pressure has been described by Starling since 1896. For many decades, the importance of albumin was associated exclusively to its colloid osmotic function. More recently, other properties of albumin have been demonstrated, such as: carrying different substances, anti-inflammatory activity, preserving capillaries permeability, anti-oxidant role. It is noteworthy that, in decompensated cirrhosis, there is qualitative and quantitative decrease in albumin function. This is why, when we use it, we must have in mind its pharmacological role, as well as its colloid osmotic function. Currently, albumin has three major indications in the treatment of cirrhosis. The first would be in the treatment of tense or refractory ascites, when large-volume paracentesis are accomplished, maily when more than 4-5L of ascites are drained, in order to avoid post-paracentesis dysfunction. The second would be in cases of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, avoiding renal impairment and increasing survival; it is formally indicated when bilirubin is greater than 4 mg/dL or creatinine is greater than 1 mg/dL. Finally, we understand its use associated to terlipressin seems to be the best treatment strategy for type I hepatorenal syndrome. Hence, its judicial use is of great relevance and benefit in the treatment of these complications of the cirrhotic patient.

Background. The most important factors to predict the sustained virological response (SVR) are the genotype and the fibrosis grade, although there are other predictive factors to be considered, mainly in HCV/ HIV coinfected patients. Aim. To evaluate different prognostic factors to obtain the SVR in HCV monoin-fected and HCV/HIV coinfected genotype I patients emphasizing the type of early virological response (EVR)-complete or partial. Methods. This is a cohort study, retrospective, where the registers of HCV mo-noinfected or HCV/HIV coinfected patients, genotype I, treated with pegylated interferon + ribavirin were reviewed. The prognostic factors: age greater than 40 years, viral load higher than 600,000UI/mL, and fibrosis grade (score METAVIR) were evaluated pre-treatment, and also the EVR considering the reduction of 100 times of the basal viral load (partial EVR) or negative PCR (complete EVR) in the week 12. In the statistical analysis, multivariate analysis was used. The significance level adopted was 5%. Results. There were 323 HCV monoinfected and 59 HCV/HIV coinfected. The SVR was 35.3% in monoinfected and 23% in coinfec-ted patients. The worst results was observed in those with age greater than 40 years, high viral load, pronounced fibrosis (F4) and partial EVR, with an expected probability of 1.9% for SVR in those coinfected and 3.8% in monoinfected. In conclusion, patients with cirrhosis HCV genotype 1, age greater than 40 years, high viral load, coinfected with HIV or not, will present a low SVR if did not obtain negative PCR in week 12, and should be evaluated for discontinuation.

Background and Rationale. Among the adverse events related to tuberculosis treatment, hepatotoxicity is the most serious, and recognition of risk factors for it is essential to achieve successful therapy. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of anti-HCV as a risk factor for hepatotoxicity in hospitalized patients under tuberculosis treatment with rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide (RHZ). Methods. Historical cohort study carried out at Hospital Sanatorio Partenon, from 1998 to 2006. Patients aged 18 years or older, tested for anti-HCV, who presented normal pre-treatment aminotransferases (AST, ALT) and bilirrubin and who used RHZ during hospitalization were included in the study. Individuals who used anti-tuberculosis drugs six months prior to hospitalization, had clinical evidence of chronic liver disease or showed previous history of hepatotoxicity to RHZ were excluded. Results. A sample of 534 patients was studied. The incidence of hepatotoxicity was 8.8% (n = 47). After univariate analysis, the following variables were associated to hepatotoxicity: anti-HIV positive, anti-HCV positive, use of antiretroviral therapy and high doses of rifampicin and isoniazid per kg of body weight (p < 0.05). When Cox regression was performed, anti-HIV positive [RR = 2.3 (IC 95% 1.2-4.1); p = 0.008] and high doses of isoniazid per kg of body weight [RR = 1.3 (IC 95% 1.1-1.7); p = 0.016] remained independently associated to development of hepatotoxicity. Conclusions. In conclusion, the anti-HIV positive and high doses of isoniazid were considered independent risk factors for hepatotoxicity due to RHZ esqueme in the present study. Though univariate analysis showed that anti-HCV was associated to the outcome, it was not identified as an independent risk factor for hepatotoxicity related to the use of RHZ when the analysis was controlled to HIV.

Background/objectives. The study evaluates the outcome of patients who performed orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) as treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) while on the waiting list, verifying the effectiveness of this treatment in producing tumor necrosis and avoiding dropout and identifying treatment-related complications. Material and methods. Medical records of 97 patients on the waiting list for LT at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona were examined. Sixty-two (56.3%) patients had been treated with PEI (group 1); 35 (31.8%) had not received any anti-tumor therapy before LT (group 2). Results. Complete necrosis of the tumor was observed in 38/59 (64.3%) patients. The presence of additional nodules in the explant and the diameter of the main tumor of group 1 was significantly lower than in group 2 (p = 0.002). Dropout related to tumor progression occurred in 4.8% and 8.5%, and tumor recurrence in 5% and 6.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. Major complications were not evidenced after 421 PEI sessions and there was no tumor implant in the needle traject. Conclusions. In conclusion, the percutaneous treatment of HCC with PEI is a safe and effective method before the LT.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) selection for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a matter of debate. The Milan criteria (MC) have been largely adopted by the international community. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the survival rates and recurrence probabilities of a new proposal for criteria (up to 3 tumors, each no larger than 5 cm, and a cumulative tumor burden

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and costs of terlipressin and noradrenaline for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome from the perspective of the Brazilian public health system and that of a major private health insurance.Comparison of efficacy was performed through a systematic review with a meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials using a random-effects model. Economic evaluation was carried out through cost minimization.Four studies (154 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. There was no evidence of a difference between treatments with terlipressin or noradrenaline in terms of 30-day survival (risk ratio=1.04, 95% confidence interval=0.84-1.30, P=0.70). From the perspective of the public health system, costs of the treatments with terlipressin or noradrenaline were Int$7437.04 and Int$8406.41, respectively. From the perspective of the private health insurance, costs of treatments with terlipressin and noradrenaline were Int$13,484.57 and Int$15,061.01, respectively.There was no evidence of superiority between treatment strategies using terlipressin or noradrenaline in terms of the survival of patients with hepatorenal syndrome, but the strategy using terlipressin was more economical under two different perspectives.