Diagnosed Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B and Delta Virus in Italy in 2024: An Estimation From a National Real-World Database.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) infection have undergone significant changes in Italy over the past few decades, but reliable and updated prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and Delta (CHD) data are lacking. The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology of CHB and CHD in Italy in 2024, based on real-world data.

Methods: The number of patients with a healthcare expenditure exemption for CHB (016.

Immunosuppressive contribution of tumour-infiltrating B cells in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and their role in chemoimmunotherapy outcome.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly aggressive biliary tract cancer with a poor prognosis and a complex tumour microenvironment (TME) that remains poorly understood.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of B lymphocytes, their interactions with the TME and their prognostic implications.

Design: B-cell compartments in the tumour, peritumour, and peripheral blood of iCCA patients were analysed using multimodal single-cell technologies.

Role of Gut-Derived Endotoxins in Porto-Sinusoidal Vascular Disorder: Comparison Between patients with and without portal hypertension.

Background: Etiopathogenesis of porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD) is poorly known. The present study aimed to investigate alterations in gut barrier, bacterial translocation, and pro-aggregating/pro-coagulant state and their relationship with liver injury in patients with PSVD without portal hypertension (PH-) in comparison with PSVD with PH (PH+) and healthy controls.

Methods: 34 patients with PSVD (17 PH+ and 17 PH-) and 17 healthy subjects were submitted to measurement of zonulin and lipopolysaccharides (LPS), markers of intestinal permeability, of s-Glycoprotein VI, sP-selectin, ADAMTS13 and von Willebrand factor (vWF), markers of platelet aggregation and vascular dysfunction, factor VIII and F1 + 2, markers of hypercoagulability.

Risk Factors of Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease in a Cohort of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background & Aims: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) commonly co-exist, with conflicting data in prevalence and disease severity. We aimed to investigate these discrepancies.

Methods: This multicenter study included consecutive patients with CHB from 19 European centers.

Impact of first and further decompensation in patients with compensated ACLD due to MASLD.

Background & Aims: First and further decompensation events mark key transitions in the natural history of cirrhosis and significantly influence mortality risk. We assessed the cumulative incidence of first and further (acute and non-acute) decompensation and evaluated their impact on liver-related death (LR-D) in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) due to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Methods: We conducted an international, multicenter (17 centers), retrospective study involving 6,061 consecutive patients with cACLD due to MASLD, diagnosed either clinically (liver stiffness measurement >10 kPa) or histologically (F3-F4 fibrosis).

Attitudes of physicians managing inflammatory bowel disease toward alterations of liver function tests: an Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IG-IBD) survey.

Background: Liver diseases are common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Little is known about how specialists perceive and manage liver enzyme abnormalities. This study investigates the current practice and educational needs of IBD specialists in the management of liver enzyme abnormalities.

Key Predictors of Relevant Weight Loss in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: Weight loss is an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This study aimed to identify factors that predict relevant weight loss, defined as at least 7% of initial body weight, in MASLD outpatients.

Method: We retrospectively included all MASLD patients referred to four Italian tertiary centers between January 2019 and December 2021.

Lights and Shadows of a Vegetarian Diet in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

The prevalence and socioeconomic impact of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasing. Despite the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Resmetirom as the first drug for patients with Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and significant fibrosis, and several ongoing clinical trials, lifestyle changes aimed at achieving sustained weight loss remain a cornerstone in the management of these patients. In addition to regular and structured physical activity, diet is crucial.

Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of ChatGPT-4 in the histopathological evaluation of liver fibrosis in MASH.

Background: Large language models like ChatGPT have demonstrated potential in medical image interpretation, but their efficacy in liver histopathological analysis remains largely unexplored. This study aims to assess ChatGPT-4-vision's diagnostic accuracy, compared to liver pathologists' performance, in evaluating liver fibrosis (stage) in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Methods: Digitized Sirius Red-stained images for 59 metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis tissue biopsy specimens were evaluated by ChatGPT-4 and 4 pathologists using the NASH-CRN staging system.

Burden of cancer attributable to high body mass index: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: High body mass index (BMI) is a well-established cancer risk factor. Reliable, updated data are essential for guiding public health policies and designing effective interventions to reduce the cancer burden associated with high BMI.

Methods: Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 on cancer burden attributable to high BMI were analysed globally, stratified by sex, age, geographic region, cancer type, and socio-demographic index (SDI).

Incidence and Predictors of Complications Following Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Large Italian Multicentre Study.

Background And Aims: Management of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) lacks standardisation. Despite the low risk of major complications (< 1%), repeated blood counts and up to 4 h of in-hospital observation are typically recommended. We aimed to assess complication rates and predictors in a large cohort of patients undergoing US-PLB across three Italian tertiary centres.

Revolutionizing MASLD: How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping the Future of Liver Care.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is emerging as a leading cause of chronic liver disease. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted significant attention in healthcare, particularly in diagnostics, patient management, and drug development, demonstrating immense potential for application and implementation. In the field of MASLD, substantial research has explored the application of AI in various areas, including patient counseling, improved patient stratification, enhanced diagnostic accuracy, drug development, and prognosis prediction.

Liver transplantation for HBV-related liver disease: Impact of prophylaxis for HBV on HCC recurrence.

Background & Aims: Conflicting data exist regarding optimal prophylaxis for HBV recurrence (HBV-R) after liver transplantation (LT), particularly in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We assessed current practices for HBV-R prophylaxis in Italy, evaluating rates, risk factors, and the clinical impact of HBV-R and HCC-R.

Methods: We performed a multicentric, retrospective study involving 20 Italian LT centers.

Anatomic sub-segmentectomy with single-session combined transcatheter arterial embolization/microwave ablation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: preliminary results.

Purpose: This retrospective study aimed to confirm the safety and long-term efficacy of a single-session combined treatment approach with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and microwave ablation (MWA) for inoperable small-to intermediate-sized hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), focusing on their combined benefits for improving local control.

Materials And Methods: All consecutive patients with up to 2 small-to-intermediate HCC lesions (≤ 5 cm) treated with a combined single-session MWA-TAE approach were enrolled between April 2020 and October 2023. All procedures were performed in two stages: TAE and MWA.

Assessment of ChatGPT-generated medical Arabic responses for patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background And Aim: Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT), have shown promising results in healthcare settings. These tools can help patients obtain real-time responses to queries, ensuring immediate access to relevant information. The study aimed to explore the potential use of ChatGPT-generated medical Arabic responses for patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

The evolving scenario of HCV-related mixed cryoglobulinemia and B-cell lymphoma in the era of direct-acting antivirals.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a significant global health burden, particularly due to its extrahepatic immune-mediated manifestations, such as mixed cryoglobulinemia, associated vasculitis (CryoVas), and non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL), which pose significant challenges. The advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) has changed the therapeutic landscape for HCV-related complications.

Areas Covered: This review explores the evolving epidemiology and management of HCV extrahepatic manifestation and lymphoproliferative disorders in the era of DAAs.

Drug-Drug Interactions Between DAAs and Anticoagulants or Antiplatelets: A Position Paper of the Italian Anticoagulation Clinics.

The natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has changed after the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Screening programs have been ongoing to reach the World Health Organisation's goal of HCV elimination by 2030, and most infected people are eligible for treatment. Given the increased cardiovascular risk in people with HCV infection and the metabolic pathways of DAAs, it is not uncommon to face the issue of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.

Safety of Sofosbuvir-Based Direct-Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Direct Oral Anticoagulant Co-Administration.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended for the management of thrombosis prophylaxis, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation. As substrates of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and/or P-glycoprotein, they are implicated in potential drug-drug interactions. NS5A/NS5B inhibitors are direct-acting agents (DAAs) against the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection that exert a mild inhibition of P-glycoprotein without effects on CYP3A4.