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Postinfantile giant cell hepatitis (PIGCH) is a rare hepatitis pattern in adults with variable etiologies and clinical outcomes. We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective study to define the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with PIGCH. A total of 70 PIGCH cases were identified and reviewed for pathological features, including fibrosis, cholestasis, inflammation, steatosis, necrosis, and apoptosis, as well as the distribution of giant cells and the maximum number of giant cells per high-power field. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, laboratory results, etiologies, and follow-up results, were recorded. Among the 70 cases, 40% (28/70) were associated with autoimmune liver diseases, followed by 9 (13%) with unknown etiology, 8 (11%) with viral infection, 5 (7%) with medications, 5 with combined etiologies, and 4 (6%) with malignancies (mostly chronic lymphocytic leukemia). Notably, another 16% were de novo PIGCH in liver allografts, most of which occurred after a rejection event. During follow-up, 26 (37%) patients died of the disease and 44 (63%) were alive. Deceased patients were characterized by older age (mean age, 54.9 vs 45.5 years; P = .02), higher alkaline phosphatase level (mean value, 253.3U/L vs 166.3 U/L; P = .03), higher fibrosis stage (stage 3-4 vs stage 0-2, 57.7% vs 29.6%; P = .03), being more likely to have de novo PIGCH after transplantation (23.1% vs 11.4%; P = .04), and being less likely to have primary autoimmune liver disease etiology (26.9% vs 47.7%; P = .04). These results indicate that PIGCH is a rare pattern of liver injury associated with different etiologies and variable clinical outcomes. Autoimmune liver disease with PIGCH is associated with better survival, whereas de novo PIGCH in allografts is associated with poorer survival. Older age, higher alkaline phosphatase level, and advanced fibrosis are adverse prognostic factors.

Background: Cereal grains are rich in carbohydrates and could trigger a hyperglycemic response which is closely linked to blood pressure status. We aim to examine the associations between the consumption of cereals with different cooking methods and hypertension risk. Methods: We conducted a prospective analysis utilizing the nationwide data of 11,080 adult participants who were free of hypertension at baseline. Cereal intake was assessed using 3-day 24 h dietary recalls with a weighing technique. Hypertension incidence was identified in adherence with the Seventh Joint National Commission guidelines during the follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to extrapolate hazard ratios associated with hypertension risk. Results: Over an average follow-up span of 7 years (77,560 person-years), we identified 3643 new hypertension cases. The intake of total, fried, and baked cereals was associated with 15%, 20%, and 20% higher risk of hypertension, respectively. Whole grain consumers had an 8% lower risk of hypertension compared with non-consumers, while total refined grain consumers showed no significant association. Replacing one daily serving of fried or baked cereals with an equivalent serving of boiled cereals was related to a 28% or 14% lower risk, respectively. Conclusions: Total, fried, and baked cereal consumption was positively associated with hypertension risk, while consuming whole grains was related to a lower risk. Modifying cooking methods from frying or baking to boiling for cereals may be beneficial to lower risk. The current study underscores the significance of considering both the degree of processing and cooking methods applied to cereals in addressing hypertension prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of metabolic abnormalities composed of central obesity, elevated blood pressure, glucose disturbances, hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidaemia, has increasingly become a public health problem in the 21st century worldwide. The dysfunction of telomeres, the repetitive DNA with highly conserved sequences (5′-TTAGGG-3′), is remarkably correlated with organismal aging, even suggesting a causal relationship with metabolic disorders. The health benefits of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in multiple disorders are associated with telomere length in evidence, which have recently drawn wide attention. However, functional targets and pathways for the associations of n-3 PUFAs and telomere with MetS remain scare. Few studies have summarized the role of n-3 PUFAs in DNA damage repair pathways, anti-inflammatory pathways, and redox balance, linking with telomere biology, and other potential telomere-related signaling pathways. This review aims to (i) elucidate how n-3 PUFAs ameliorate telomere attrition in the context of anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation; (ii) unravel the role of n-3 PUFAs in modulating telomere-related neuron dysfunction and regulating the neuro-endocrine-immunological network in MetS; (iii) epidemiologically implicate the associations of metabolic disorders and n-3 PUFAs with telomere length; and (iv) suggest promising biochemical approaches and advancing methodologies to overcome the inter-variation problem helpful for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]