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We aimed to assess the feasibility of ultrasound-based tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) and tissue scatter distribution imaging (TSI) for quantification of liver steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We prospectively enrolled 101 participants with suspected NAFLD. The TAI and TSI measurements of the liver were performed with a Samsung RS85 Prestige ultrasound system. Based on the magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF), patients were divided into ≤5%, 5-10%, and ≥10% of MRI-PDFF groups. We determined the correlation between TAI, TSI, and MRI-PDFF and used multiple linear regression analysis to identify any association with clinical variables. The diagnostic performance of TAI, TSI was determined based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess interobserver reliability. Both TAI (rs = 0.78, P.001) and TSI (rs = 0.68, P.001) showed significant correlation with MRI-PDFF. TAI overperformed TSI in the detection of both ≥5% MRI-PDFF (AUC = 0.89 vs 0.87) and ≥10% (AUC = 0.93 vs 0.86). MRI-PDFF proved to be an independent predictor of TAI (β = 1.03; P.001), while both MRI-PDFF (β = 50.9; P.001) and liver stiffness (β = -0.86; P.001) were independent predictors of TSI. Interobserver analysis showed excellent reproducibility of TAI (ICC = 0.95) and moderate reproducibility of TSI (ICC = 0.73). TAI and TSI could be used successfully to diagnose and estimate the severity of hepatic steatosis in routine clinical practice.

A hypereosinophil szindróma tartós eosinophil-túltermeléssel járó, a következményes eosinophilinfiltráció és mediátorfelszabadulás miatt többszervi károsodást okozó kórkép. Etiológia szerint megkülönböztetünk myeloproliferativ eredetű, parazitafertőzéshez, solid tumorhoz és T-sejtes lymphomához társuló, valamint idiopathiás formát. Esetismertetésünkben a 49 éves férfit fogyás, alszári oedema, tachycardia miatt vettük fel osztályunkra. Laborjából jelentősen emelkedett epeúti obstrukciós paraméterek, valamint extrém leukocytosis, eosinophilia volt kiemelhető. Hematológiai malignus betegség erős gyanújával kezdtük vizsgálni. Az elvégzett mellkasi, hasi és kismedencei CT hepatosplenomegaliát, multiplex intrahepaticus laesiókat és egy bizonytalan solitaer cystosus képletet írt le a pancreas farki részében, kóros nyirokcsomókkal és pleuralis folyadékgyülemmel. A leírt CT-kép a klinikum ismeretében elsősorban krónikus myeloid leukaemia manifesztációjának volt megfeleltethető, de a diagnózist a perifériás kenet, az áramlási citometria, a csontvelő-biopszia és a genetikai vizsgálat sem igazolta. Mindezek fényében solid tumorhoz társuló leukaemoid reakció irányába folytattuk a kivizsgálást, a májlaesiók pontos verifikálása érdekében vastagtű-biopszia történt. A szövettani eredmény pancreatobiliaris carcinoma áttétének megfeleltethető, alacsonyan differenciált hámtumor infiltrációját mutatta. A diagnózis felállításának másnapján kezelésünk ellenére a beteg exitált. A gastrointestinalis solid tumorokhoz kapcsolódó hypereosinophil szindróma rendkívül ritka kórkép. Tudomásunk szerint ez a magyar orvosi irodalomban közölt első ilyen eset, mely felhívja a figyelmet a magas fehérvérsejtszám és eosinophilarány differenciáldiagnosztikai kérdéseire, valamint arra, hogy nem korreláló hematológiai leletek esetén nem késlekedhetünk a solid eltérések szövettani mintavételével. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(44): 1758–1762.

Absztrakt: Bevezetés: A hepatitis C-vírus (HCV) krónikus májgyulladáshoz, májcirrhosishoz, májrákhoz vezethet. A Flaviviridae csoportba tartozó RNS vírus nemcsak hepatotrop, de lymphotrop tulajdonsággal is rendelkezik. Számos extrahepatikus manifesztációja között jelentős a lymphoproliferatív eltérés. A főként B-sejtes betegségek közül leggyakoribb az alacsony malignitású marginalis zóna lymphoma, a diffúz nagy B-sejtes lymphoma, valamint a follicularis lymphoma. Beteg: A hypertoniás, visszérműtéten átesett 54 éves férfi beteg thrombopeniájának, indirekt, Coombs-pozitív hyperbilirubunaemiájának és hepatosplenomegaliájának hátterében HCV-infekció talaján kialakult Child B stádiumú májcirrhosis igazolódott. Az inhomogén szerkezetű, megnagyobbodott, lobulált felszínű májban körülírt eltérés nem látszott. A portalis keringés megtartott volt. A máj fokozott keménysége (26 kPa, IQR/med. 18%) F4 cirrhosisra utalt. A homogén szerkezetű lépet jelentősen nagyobbnak (20×9 cm) mértük. A perifériás vérkenet alapján lymphoma gyanúja merült fel, amit a crista-biopsia eredménye megerősített, CD5/CD10-negatív marginális zóna lymphomát (MZL) diagnosztizáltunk. A fenti májbetegségnek és a HCV 1b genotípusnak megfelelően, sofosbuvir/ledipasvir direkt antivirális kezelést indítottunk. A 12 hetes kezelés tartós vírusmentességet eredményezett. Mind a májbetegség, mind a lymphoma tünetei mérséklődtek, a beteg testsúlya nőtt, fáradékonysága megszűnt. Megbeszélés: Az irodalomból is ismert, hogy a krónikus C hepatitisben a B-sejtes lymphomák előfordulása gyakoribb. Az antiviralis kezelés hatására lymphoma javulását is leírták, esetünkben a társuló immunhaemolysis mértékének csökkenését észleltük. Lymphomaspecifikus kezelés jelenleg nem szükséges, a beteg tünetmentes és stabil, progresszió esetén rituximab monoterápia jön szóba. Következtetés: A fenti eset példa a HCV-pozitív betegekben előforduló B-sejtes lymphomára. Bár az irodalomból ismert, hogy a hepatitis C-vírus eradikációjával a B-sejtes non-Hodgkin-lymphoma regrediálhat, esetünkben az eddig eltelt vírusmentes időszakban ezt még nem észleltük, igaz, hogy progressziót sem.

Absztrakt: Bevezetés: A Wilson-kór a rézanyagcsere ritka, kezelés nélkül fatális, öröklődő megbetegedése. Bár a diagnosztika és a kezelés jelentős fejlődésen ment át az elmúlt években, számos beteg esetében ma is májátültetésre van szükség. Célkitűzés: A vizsgálat célja a Magyarországon Wilson-kór miatt májátültetésen átesett betegek adatainak összegyűjtése és feldolgozása volt. Módszer: Retrospektív módon vizsgáltuk a Semmelweis Egyetemen 1996 és 2017 között Wilson-kór miatt májátültetésen átesett 24 beteg adatait. A Wilson-kór diagnózisa minden esetben a nemzetközi, lipcsei pontrendszeren alapult. A heveny májelégtelenség felállításához a King’s College-kritériumrendszert használtuk. A májátültetések a Semmelweis Egyetem Transzplantációs és Sebészeti Klinikáján történtek, első alkalommal 1996-ban. Eredmények: Az átlagéletkor 26 év volt, a nő/férfi arány 13/11. 12 beteg heveny májelégtelenség miatt, 12 beteg dekompenzált cirrhosis miatt esett át májátültetésen. Egy beteg krónikus rejekció miatt retranszplantációra került. Három heveny májelégtelen beteg az Eurotransplant segítségével kapott új májat. A várólistán eltöltött átlagos idő 3 nap volt a heveny májelégtelen betegek, míg 320 nap a dekompenzált májbetegek esetében. Az ötéves túlélés 66% volt, azonban a 2002 után transzplantáltak esetében 80%, ami a tanulási folyamatot és a májátültetés elérhetőségének javulását jelezheti. A diagnosztika nehézségei ellenére a betegek többségében (21/24 beteg) már a műtét előtt ismert volt a Wilson-kór. Következtetések: Bár a Wilson-kór diagnosztikája és kezelése jelentős fejlődésen ment át az elmúlt évek során, ma is számos esetben van szükség májátültetésre. A betegek megfelelő kiválasztása és a transzplantáció időzítése jelentősen javítja a betegek túlélését. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(51): 2021–2025.

PURPOSE Our study aimed to evaluate the technical success rate, interobserver reproducibility, and accuracy of shearwave elastography (SWE) in the staging of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver fibrosis. METHODS A total of 10 healthy controls and 49 patients with chronic liver disease were enrolled prospectively. Two examiners performed point shearwave elastography (pSWE) and two-dimensional shearwave elastography (2D-SWE) measurements with an RS85A ultrasound scanner using the S-Shearwave application (Samsung Medison, Hongcheon, Korea). The performance of S-Shearwave in the staging (METAVIR F0-F4) of liver fibrosis was compared with prior transient elastography (TE) with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS The interobserver reproducibility was excellent with pSWE (ICC = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.95, P < .001). A very good agreement was found between pSWE and TE measurements (ICC =0.85, 95% CI: 0.78-0.89, P

It has been suggested that hepatobiliary carcinomas are less frequent in Wilson’s disease (WD) than in liver diseases of other etiology. However, the protective role of copper against malignancies is debated. Only a few cases of cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) in WD have been published. Here we report on a case of a 47-year-old male H1069Q homozygous, Kayser-Fleischer ring positive WD patient with a low ceruloplasmin level who was followed up and treated with chelating agents throughout nine years. The patient presented with neurological symptoms and liver cirrhosis at diagnosis. Clinical symptoms regressed after the treatment initiation. Rapidly developed tumour metastases were found in the bones, lung and liver (without jaundice). Autopsy revealed cholangiocarcinoma as the primary tumour confirmed by strong CK7 positivity and glypican-3 negativity. The curiosity of the presented case is the very rapid development of CCC despite continuous chelating agent therapy.Abbreviations: CCC: cholangiocarcinoma; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; WD: Wilson disease.

Absztrakt

Aim A case of heterogeneous late-phase hepatic enhancement (HLHE) using contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with SonoVue is presented, where HLHE lasted after 50 min of injection. Methods This study aims to review prior literature on this topic, to characterize the features of HLHE in the liver, and to find possible and reliable explanations for this phenomenon. Results From literature, thus far five publications discuss this phenomenon with a total of 21 patients. Conclusion We suggest that phagocytosis of contrast agent microbubbles by macrophages, and lymphocytosis of peripheral blood due to stress conditions of the patients might be in the background of HLHE.

This study aimed to observe the effect of the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy on liver stiffness (LS) and serum biomarkers. We prospectively observed 35 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection and attained a sustained virological response (SVR) after antiviral therapy. Shear wave elastography (SWE) measurement was performed at the beginning of DAA treatment and at 48 weeks after the end of treatment (EOT48w). The METAVIR score and the score for varices needing treatment (VNT) were determined based on the LS values, the fibrosis-4 (FIB4) score was calculated from laboratory tests. The baseline LS (mean ± standard deviation = 2.59 ± 0.89 m/s) decreased significantly after successful DAA therapy (1.90 ± 0.50 m/s, p &lt, 0.001). The METAVIR score showed significant improvement at EOT48w (F0/1 = 9, F2 = 2, F3 = 10, F4 = 14) compared to the initial status (F0/1 = 2, F2 = 1, F3 = 7, F4 = 25, 0.028). The FIB4 score indicated less fibrosis after therapy (2.04 ± 1.12) than at baseline (3.51 ± 2.24, 0.018). Meanwhile, the number of patients with a high-risk of VNT was significantly less at EOT48w (4 vs. 15 at baseline, OR = 0.17 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.05–0.59, p &lt, 0.007). SWE indicates a significant resolution of liver fibrosis when chronic hepatitis C patients are in SVR, coinciding with a lower risk of VNT.

We analyzed the changes of post-movement beta synchronization (PMBS) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) in Wilson's disease with neurological manifestation. Our aim was to determine if PMBS in Wilson's disease is altered in a different way than in Parkinson's disease or in essential tremor. Our purpose was to find out whether the analysis of PMBS could help the diagnosis in ambiguous cases. Ten patients with neurological manifestation of Wilson's disease and ten controls performed self-paced movements with the dominant hand during EEG acquisition. Five electrodes above the sensorimotor cortex were selected for evaluation (C3, C1, Cz, C2, C4) as contralateral (C); contralateral medial (CM); medial (M); ipsilateral medial (IM); ipsilateral (I) relative to the dominant hand. Power and latency of PMBS were calculated by time resolved power spectral analysis with multitaper method. PMBS power in the C electrode position was significantly lower in patients than in controls, its contralateral preponderance disappeared in the patient group. In every location, latency of PMBS was significantly longer in the Wilson group compared to controls. More altered PMBS could be measured in patients with both basal ganglia and cerebellar involvements. Since decreased power of PMBS was observed in Parkinson's disease and increased latency in essential tremor, the combined change of PMBS can indicate pathology of different neural circuits and may help the diagnosis in challenging cases.

Background/aims Diagnosis of Wilson's disease may be difficult in patients presenting with liver disease and in asymptomatic siblings. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of genetic testing for diagnosis of the disease in a large cohort (n = 109) from Hungary. Patients/methods One hundred and nine patients with Wilson's disease were studied (65 men and 44 women; mean age at onset of symptoms: 20 9 years). Diagnosis of the disease was based on typical clinical and laboratory features (all had a Wilson's disease score of >=, 4). H1 069Q was assessed by the semi-nested polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. H1 069Q heterozygotes and H1 069Q negative samples were then screened for mutations (on exons 6 to 20) by denaturating high-performance liquid chromatography and than sequenced on a genetic analyser. Results Twenty-three different mutations were found. H1 069Q was the most frequent mutation in Hungary, detected in 77 patients (71%). Fourteen further known mutations were found by sequencing. We identified eight new mis-sense mutations not described before: N6761, S693Y, Y715H, M769L, W939C, P1 273S, G1 281 D and G1 341 V. In 36/109 patients (33%) the diagnosis of Wilson's disease was established by adding mutational analysis. The Kayser-Fleischer ring was more frequent in H1 069Q homozygous patients and their mean age at the time of diagnosis was higher than in patients heterozygous or negative for H1069Q. Conclusion Eight novel mutations in addition to the 15 that are already known were found in Hungarian patients with Wilson's disease. Our results underline the importance and usefulness of genetic testing for patients presenting with liver disease and for family screening.

Objective - Human atherosclerotic lesions contain collagen type I, which plays a pivotal role in atherosclerotic plaque stability. In contrast, the normal coronary arteries do not express this type of collagen. Data have shown that the collagen type IAI (COLIAI) gene Spl binding site (-1245 G/T) polymorphism is associated with disturbed collagen protein production. Methods - In our study, COLIAI gene SpI polymorphism was investigated in 136 patients with myocardial infarction (Ml) 5 months after the acute phase, and 212 age-matched control subjects in association with any cardiovascular risk factors (such as serum adiponectin levels, hyperinsulinaemic status, hyperlipaemia). Results -The "SS" genotype of the COLIAI gene was found to occur significantly more frequently in patients surviving a Ml, as compared to the control group and the "Ss" and "ss" genotype frequencies (the presence of the s allele) were lower in our patients, than in control group. However, the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors was significantly higher among the "s" allelic carriers as compared to patients carrying the "S" allele of the COLIAI gene. Conclusion - Our results raise the possibility that COLIAI gene Spl polymorphism might have an impact on the development of Ml.

Background/aim The pathophysiology of osteoporosis in chronic liver diseases is unknown. Recent data suggest that serum leptin is associated with bone mineral density (BMD). In animal studies leptin was found to be a potent inhibitor of bone formation. We investigated the relationship between serum leptin levels, soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R), free leptin index (FLI) and BMD in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Patients and methods Ninety-four female patients with PBC were included in this study; 122 healthy women served as controls. Serum leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, sOB-R by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Results Serum leptin was significantly lower in patients with PBC compared with healthy controls. No difference was found between the body mass index (BMI) of patients and controls. There was a strong positive correlation between leptin and BMI. In PBC no association was found between leptin, sOB-R and liver function tests, histological stages or the presence of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was present in 38 patients. A positive correlation was found between serum leptin and femoral neck z-score even after adjustment for BMI, whereas serum sOB-R correlated inversely with the serum leptin level. There was no difference in FLI between the subgroups of PBC patients according to the stages of the disease. Conclusions We found a lower serum leptin level and a higher sOB-R in patients with PBC, which could not be explained by the difference in BMI. As leptin was associated with BMD, it may be hypothesized that leptin is involved in the complex regulation of bone metabolism in PBC.

Background and Aims: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare form of Wilson disease (WD) developing mostly in young female patients. Use of chelating agents and supportive therapies including MARS (Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System) in time may result in a remission in some cases making liver transplantation unnecessary. Patients and Methods: We analyzed data of 205 Wilson patients registered in the database of the 1st Department of Internal Medicine of Semmelweis University. We studied retrospectively the clinical data of 24 patients with acute liver failure. The diagnosis of WD was based on the international scoring system. The ALF patients were hospitalized mostly in the Saint Laszlo Hospital, the 1st Department of Internal Medicine and the Department of Transplantation and Surgery of Semmelweis University. The ALF diagnosis corresponded to King's College criteria. Results: 12% (24/205) of the patients had acute liver failure as first manifestation of WD. F/M = 20/4, the mean age was 18 years. Nine patients died before liver transplantation. Three out of eight transplanted patients died (1 of acute rejection, 1 of chronic rejection and 1 of sepsis). Seven patients survived without transplantation. One of them had MARS treatment as bridging therapy. The de Ritis quotient (AST/ALT ratio) was significantly higher, the alkaline phosphatase level was significantly lower than in non-ALF WD patients (p < 0,001). 18 out of 24 ALF patients had Coombs-negative haemolysis. The H1069Q mutation was less frequent in patients with acute liver failure. Remarkably, most of the female patients developed ALF within four years after menarche. Conclusion: Corresponding with international data 12% of Hungarian Wilson patients had acute liver failure as the first manifestation of the disease. If ALF develops in a young adult the diagnosis of Wilson disease should be proposed. Although in many acute liver failure patients liver transplantation is the only life-saving method, in some cases the transplantation can be avoided by quick diagnosis and by early use of chelating drugs or bridging by MARS treatment.

Human atherosclerotic lesions contain collagen type I, which plays a pivotal role in atherosclerotic plaque stability. In contrast, the normal coronary arteries do not express this type of collagen. Data have shown that the collagen type 1A1 (COL1A1) gene Sp1 binding site (-1245 G/T) polymorphism is associated with disturbed collagen protein production.In our study, COL1A1 gene Sp1 polymorphism was investigated in 136 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) 5 months after the acute phase, and 212 age-matched control subjects in association with any cardiovascular risk factors (such as serum adiponectin levels, hyperinsulinaemic status, hyperlipaemia).The "SS" genotype of the COL1A1 gene was found to occur significantly more frequently in patients surviving a MI, as compared to the control group and the "Ss" and "ss" genotype frequencies (the presence of the s allele) were lower in our patients, than in control group. However, the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors was significantly higher among the "s" allelic carriers as compared to patients carrying the "S" allele of the COL1A1 gene.Our results raise the possibility that COL1A1 gene Sp1 polymorphism might have an impact on the development of MI.

Hypercholesterolemia and xanthomatosis are known complications of chronic cholestasis. This is the first report on xanthomatosis and severe hypercholesterolemia caused by common bile duct stenosis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in a 32-year old woman because of numerous tiny gallstones. Bile leakage was observed in the early postoperative period which stopped spontaneously. Six months later itching, progressively increasing serum bilirubin level, cholestasis syndrome, xanthelasma and widespread eruptive xanthomatosis developed in a few months. The cholesterol level was extremely high (92.3 mmol/l), while the triglyceride level was normal. Though the ultrasound and the cholangio-MR did not showed any dilatation of bile ducts, the ERCP verified a 2 mm long, hair's-breadth thin stenosis of choledochus in the level of cystic duct. Primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis were excluded, no evidence for familial hypercholesterolemia was found. Choledochojejunostomy was performed and the patient became complaint- and symptom-free within two months. All xanthomas disappeared, the extremely high cholesterol level gradually decreased to the normal level, and all the laboratory data became normal. The anticholesterol antibody level was undetectable at presentation, but later reached the level of the healthy controls.The presented case is an example for laparoscopic cholecystectomy caused bile duct stenosis and for extra-hepatic cholestasis induced xanthomatosis and severe hypercholesterolemia. The bile leakage as early complication of bile duct damage may predict the later developed stenosis. Even severe xanthomatosis and extreme hypercholesterolemia can be totally reversible following elimination of biliary obstacle.

A 35-year-old female patient presented with the following symptoms of Holmes-Adie syndrome: photophobia, enlargement of the left pupil unresponsive to light, Achilles areflexia. The pilocarpine test was positive. No tumor or other neurological abnormality was found. She had a 19-year history of autoimmune hepatitis. Flares up were observed following each 3 deliveries. At age of 31 she presented with diarrhea and weight loss. Abdominal tumor was detected by ultrasound. The surgically removed tumor was histologically a benign mesenteric multicystic lymphangioma. Simultaneously, celiac disease was diagnosed. Gluten-free diet resulted in a significant improvement of celiac disease, but not of autoimmune hepatitis. Autonomic neuropathy was proven by standard cardiovascular tests. The patient was a homozygous carrier for HLA DQ2 antigen characteristic for celiac disease and heterozygous for HLA DR3 B8 frequent in autoimmune liver diseases. Our novel observation on association of Holmes-Adie syndrome with autoimmune hepatitis and celiac disease is suggestive for a common immunological background for all three entities present in a patient with mesenteric multicystic lymphangioma.

Wilson disease is an autosomal, recessive inherited disorder of copper metabolism, characterized by the accumulation of copper in the body due to defective biliary copper excretion of hepatocytes. Recently, novel components involved in copper metabolism, Wilson disease protein (ATP7B) and copper chaperones, have been identified. It has been demonstrated that ATP7B functions in copper secretion into the plasma, coupled with coeruloplasmin synthesis and biliary copper excretion. Genetic testing may help early diagnosis and with the beginning of therapy the development of symptoms can be prevented. Various mutations of ATP7B have been identified, the most common is in Hungary, the H1069Q mutation. Genetic screening should only be advised if there is a predominant mutation characteristic for the geographic area. The authors discuss the modern diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities of Wilson disease.

Hepatitis C virus infection persists after liver transplantation and causes recurrent liver injury in the majority of the patients. We report a case of orthotopic liver transplantation with more than five years survival despite the early recurrence of hepatitis C virus.A 49-year old woman underwent orthotopic liver transplantation because of liver cirrhosis following chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Twelve years before she received blood-transfusion. The chronic liver disease was diagnosed four years later. However, then it was thought to be a drug induced liver damage. After the liver transplantation hepatitis C chronic hepatitis recurred within one year. The serotype analysis (1b) proved the autoreinfection. The combined antiviral treatment (interferon plus ribavirin) resulted significant improvement. She was asymptomatic nearly for two years. The liver biopsy showed a significant histological improvement. However the virologic response and remission was transient. Four years after the transplantation recurrence occurred again. The liver biopsy proved cirrhosis. Antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin was started but it had been stopped because of severe cytopenia. Lack of adequate antiviral treatment her condition became progressively worse. Finally, five years after the transplantation she died because of bilateral haemorrhagic ovarian necrosis and severe circulatory insufficiency thanks to the low albumin level.In the case of liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus the liver transplantation could prolongs the life with years. The presented case illustrate that the hepatitis C virus injures the transplanted liver by autoreinfection. However, the combined antiviral therapy could result sustained virologic response in these cases as well. Our patient survived five years thanks to the transplantation and the following antiviral therapy.

Authors review the pathogenesis, symptoms and diagnosis of Wilson's disease. Wilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration is an autosomal recessive disorder. It is caused by defective hepatic excretion of copper. The disease is fatal without treatment. The prevention of severe permanent damage depends upon early recognition and diagnosis followed by appropriate lifelong anticopper treatment. The purpose of the therapy of Wilson's disease is to eliminate the copper by chelators (D-penicillamine, triethylene tetramine, ammonium tetrathiomolibdate) and to inhibit the absorption and accumulation of copper by zinc salts (zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, zinc gluconate).

Background Genetic factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, a common disorder in primary biliary cirrhosis. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene microsatellite repeat polymorphism was found to be associated with osteoporosis in some studies, and collagen-Ialpha1 (COLIA1) Sp1 s allele was associated with lower bone mineral density in primary biliary cirrhosis. IGF-I treatment restored osteopenia and reduced fibrogenesis in experimental cirrhosis. We investigated IGF-I and COLIA1 gene polymorphisms and bone mineral density in Hungarian primary biliary cirrhosis patients. Patients and methods Seventy female patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were enrolled (mean age 57.6 years, range 37-76 years; all anti-mitochondrial antibody M2-positive; stage II-IV). One hundred and thirty-nine age-matched female subjects served as controls (mean age 55.9 years, range 43 - 72 years). COLIA1 and IGF-I polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Results The IGF-I was not different between primary biliary cirrhosis patients and controls. The genotype frequency of COLIA1 polymorphism was also not different between primary biliary cirrhosis patients and controls. However, the s allele was significantly less frequent in patients with primary billary cirrhosis. Osteoporosis was detected in 22 patients. The IGF-I 192/192 genotype was associated with higher femoral-neck z-scores compared with other genotypes. Conclusion In contrast to previous studies, the s allele was less frequent in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, and its presence was not associated with bone mineral density. Since IGF-I polymorphism was associated with bone mineral density, it may be hypothesised that not COLIA1 but IGF-I together with other genetic and environmental factors may be involved in the complex regulation of bone mineral density in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Genetic factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, which is a common disorder in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene microsatellite repeat polymorphism was found to be associated with osteoporosis in some studies and collagen type I alpha 1 (COLIA1) SP1 "s" allele was associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) in PBC. IGF-I treatment restored osteopenia and reduced fibrogenesis in experimental cirrhosis. We investigated IGF-I and COLIA1 gene polymorphisms and BMD in Hungarian PBC patients.70 female patients with PBC were enrolled (mean age: 57.6 yrs, range: 37-76 yrs, each AMA M2 positive, stage II-IV). 139 age-matched female subjects served as controls (mean age: 55.9 yrs, range: 43-72 yrs). COLIA1 and IGF-I microsatellite repeat polymorphisms were determined by PCR. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (Lunar, Prodigy, WI, USA) in lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN).The IGF-I polymorphism was not different between PBC patients (192/192 = 34.2%, 194/192 = 28.6%, other = 37.2%) and controls (192/192 = 38.2%, 194/192 = 30.9%, other = 30.9%). The genotype frequency of COLIA1 polymorphism was also not different between PBC patients (SS = 72.9%, Ss = 22.8% and ss = 4.3%) and controls (SS = 58.4%, Ss = 35.9% and ss = 5.7%), however the "s" allele was significantly less frequent in patients with PBC (p = 0.038). Osteoporosis was present in 22 patients (31.4%). The IGF-I 192/192 allele was associated with higher FN Z-score compared to other genotypes (p = 0.036).In contrast to previous studies the "s" allele was less frequent in patients with PBC, and its presence was not associated with lower bone mineral density. Since IGF-I polymorphism was associated to BMD, it may be hypothesized that IGF-I microsatellite repeat polymorphism together with other genetic and environmental factors may be involved in the complex regulation of BMD in PBC.

ATP7B gene mutations were examined in 70 Wilson patients from Hungary. 11 different mutations were found. In Hungary, similarly to other Central-Eastern European countries, the H1069Q was the most the frequent mutation, detected in 51 patients (73%) by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. 10 further mutations have been found by sequencing as follows: P767P-fs, R778G, K844K-fs, I857T, R969Q, T977M, E1064K, M769L, Y715H and P1273S. These latter three mutations have not been described before. Among the 11 mutations there are five, which have been published only in patients of Turkish, Italian or Albanian origin. It might be the genetic consequence of the 150 years long occupation of Hungary in the 16th and 17th century by Turks. The genotype-phenotype analysis showed that the Kayser-Fleischer ring was more frequent (10/12 = 83%), and the age at the diagnosis was higher in H1069Q homozygous patients than in compound heterozygous or negative patients. Diverse clinical presentation of the disease was demonstrated by case reports giving messages for the practitioners. The gene mutation analysis is of particular importance in siblings of the index patient, since the detection of two mutant allels confirm the diagnosis of the disease even in absence of symptoms. The clinical manifestation of the disease can be preceded by the treatment.

AIM: Although liver cirrhosis is a predisposing factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), relatively few reports are available on HCC in primary biliary cirrhosis. High plasma nociceptin (N/OFQ) level has been shown in Wilson disease and in patients with acute and chronic pain. METHODS: We report a follow-up case of HCC, which developed in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis. The tumor appeared 18 years after the diagnosis of PBC and led to death within two years. Alfa fetoprotein and serum nociceptin levels were monitored before and during the development of HCC. Nociceptin content was also measured in the tumor tissue. RESULTS: The importance and the curiosity of the presented case was the novel finding of the progressive elevation of plasma nociceptin level up to 17-fold (172 pg/mL) above the baseline (9.2 ± 1.8 pg/mL), parallel with the elevation of alpha fetoprotein (from 13 ng/mL up to 3 480 ng/mL) during tumor development. Nociceptin content was more than 15-fold higher in the neoplastic tissue (0.16 pg/mg) than that in the tumor-free liver tissue samples (0.01 pg/mg) taken during the autopsy. CONCLUSION: Results are in concordance with our previous observation that a very high plasma nociceptin level may be considered as an indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma.