Publications by authors named "Albrecht Boehlig"
Article Synopsis
- Patient-reported outcomes are crucial in understanding nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with pruritus (itchiness) being particularly relevant for new therapies involving FXR agonists.
- A study of 123 NAFLD patients found that around 19-21% reported moderate to severe pruritus, with notable correlations to anxiety and depression levels.
- Findings indicated that pruritus was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus and both anxiety and depression, highlighting the need for further research in larger populations before considering FXR agonist treatments.
Article Synopsis
- A pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of transient elastography (VCTE), FAST-score, and LiMAx in assessing risk for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), revealing their potential for noninvasive risk stratification.
- Among the 57 NAFLD patients studied, a significant number showed high risk for fibrosis and impaired liver function, particularly among those with diabetes.
- The findings suggest that combining VCTE and LiMAx results can better identify NAFLD patients at risk for disease progression, minimizing false positives in diagnosis.
Background: Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus. This case report shows the difficulty in differential diagnosis in a patient with highly suspected hydatid disease.
Case Presentation: A 29-year-old Chinese woman presented with progressive abdominal distension.
Background: Microparticles (MPs) are small (<1 μm) cell membrane-derived vesicles that are formed in response to cellular activation or early stages of apoptosis. Increased plasma MP levels have been associated with liver disease severity. Here we investigated the clinical impact of ascites MPs in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSystemic immune cell dysfunction is a typical feature of liver diseases and increases the risk of bacterial infection, especially spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. We evaluated functional properties of neutrophil granulocytes in blood and ascites of patients both with and without decompensated cirrhosis. We collected blood and ascites samples from 63 patients with cirrhosis and eight without cirrhosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDetection of molecular bacterascites in decompensated cirrhosis defines a risk with decreased survival.
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol
November 2016
Background: The prognostic relevance of bacterial DNA (bactDNA) detection in ascitic fluid of patients with cirrhosis is still under debate. Using quantitative real-time PCR with broad-range primers targeting the V3 and V4 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene, we measured bactDNA concentrations in patients with and without leukocytic ascites and evaluated the impact on short-term survival.
Patients And Methods: Ascites samples from 173 patients with decompensated cirrhosis were consecutively collected between February 2011 and December 2012.
Stress and recovery from stress significantly affect interactions between the central nervous system, endocrine pathways, and the immune system. However, the influence of acute stress on circulating immune-endocrine mediators in humans is not well known. Using a double-blind, randomized study design, we administered a CO2 stress test to n = 143 participants to identify the effects of acute stress, and recovery from stress, on serum levels of several mediators with immune function (IL-6, TNF-α, leptin, and somatostatin), as well as on noradrenaline, and two hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones (ACTH and cortisol).
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