Associations Between Inflammatory and Catecholamine Markers and Clinical Outcomes in People with Post-Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Purpose: The diagnosis of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) is broad, referring to new or persistent health problems >four weeks after being infected with SARSCoV-2. The aim of this study was to determine whether cytokines, chemokines or catecholamine levels could specify the clinical condition.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-nine participants participated in person to study PASC.

Assessments of Health Utilities in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis: Cross-Walk Between Disease-Specific Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire, Short Form SF-6D, and EuroQol EQ-5D Instruments.

Background And Aims: The EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) is a commonly used measure of health utilities to calculate quality-adjusted life years. For the clinical trials that use Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (CLDQ-NAFLD) or Short Form-36 (SF-36), ability to convert the health-related quality of life scores (CLDQ-NAFLD or SF-36) to EQ-5D scores provides a valuable method to estimate health utility.

Methods: Baseline data of noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) patients were used in this study.

Steatotic liver disease is the dominant indication for liver transplantation in both Europe and the United States: Trends and outcomes in the past 2 decades.

Regional differences in liver transplantation (LT) may exist. We described liver transplant populations in the US and European transplant centers over 2 decades. Data from 2 large LT registries: the US Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR), years 2000-2022, were compared.

Predicting Long-Term Health-Related Quality of Life in Individuals With Prior SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A 12-Month Prospective Study.

Objective: To identify predictors of clinically meaningful declines in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among COVID-19 patients over a 12-month period in a prospective, natural history investigation.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study involving individuals who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, assessing various factors and their impact on HRQoL after 12 months. Key potential predictors examined included demographic information, medical history, and symptom reporting.

Global patterns of utilization of noninvasive tests for the clinical management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Noninvasive tests (NITs) are used to risk-stratify metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The aim was to survey global patterns of real-world use of NITs.

Methods: A 38-item survey was designed by the Global NASH Council.

Pruritus and Fatigue in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: A Study of Turkish Patients From the Global NASH/MASH Registry.

Introduction: Despite being underappreciated, pruritus and fatigue are not uncommon in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In this prospective registry-based study, we sought to evaluate the prevalence, predictors, and impact of these symptoms on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with MASLD from Türkiye, a country with one of the highest burdens of MASLD globally.

Methods: A total of 1,874 Turkish patients from the Global Liver Registry were included.

Serum Bile Acid Elevation is an Independently Associated With Pruritus in Patients With At-risk Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: Elevated serum bile acids are associated with pruritus in cholestatic liver diseases. We assessed the association of serum bile acids and other putative biomarkers of cholestatic pruritus (autotaxin and interleukin-31 (IL-31) with pruritus in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Methods: We used serum from patients with MASLD and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), viral hepatitis B, viral hepatitis C, and healthy blood donors to measure the levels of bile acids, autotaxin, and IL-31.

Validation of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire for MASH (CLDQ-MASH).

Background & Aims: The new nomenclature for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) requires presence of steatohepatitis in the context of at least one cardiometabolic risk. Having a health-related quality of life (HRQL) instrument validated specifically in patients with MASH is important for clinical research and clinical trials.

Methods: From our non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) database, patients who met the definition of MASH according to the new criteria were selected.

Economic evaluation of non-invasive test pathways for high-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in the United Kingdom (UK).

Introduction And Objectives: Non-invasive tests (NITs) identifying high-risk MASLD in primary care is suggested but, these strategies cost-effectiveness remain uncertain in the United Kingdom (UK).

Materials And Methods: A cost-utility/budget impact model was developed for cost-effectiveness evaluation of two screening strategies (1) FIB-4 followed by Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) (FIB-4/ELF); (2) FIB-4 followed by Transient Elastography (FIB-4/TE) compared to standard of care (SoC). A cohort of primary care MASLD patients with an advanced fibrosis prevalence of 4.

Prevalence and predictors of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in the United States.

Background And Aims: There is a paucity of data about the prevalence of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in the US general population.

Approach And Results: We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 2017-2020) to estimate the prevalence of cirrhosis and clinically significant (CS)-portal hypertension in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), MetALD, viral hepatitis to include chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Cirrhosis was evaluated using liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography or FIB-4 score; CS-portal hypertension was defined through liver stiffness measurement and platelet count or the use of nonselective beta-blockers in the presence of cirrhosis.

Pivotal Role of the Intracellular Microenvironment in the High Photodynamic Activity of Cationic Phthalocyanines.

To investigate the influence of phthalocyanine aggregation on their photodynamic activity, a series of six cationic water-soluble zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing from four to sixteen 4-((diethylmethylammonium)methyl)phenoxy substituents was synthesized. Depending on their structure, the phthalocyanines have different aggregation behaviors in phosphate buffer solutions ranging from fully assembled to monomeric states. Remarkably, independent of aggregation in buffer, very high photodynamic efficiencies against the tumor cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 in the nanomolar range were found for all investigated phthalocyanine, and the IC(light) varied from 27 to 358 nM (3.

Type 2 diabetes and the minor allele of PNPLA3 consistently identify high-risk metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Association of genetic factors with non-invasive tests (NITs) for MASLD has not been well established.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data, liver biopsy and/or liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography were collected from MASLD patients seen in tertiary care hepatology practices. Minor allele frequency for genomic loci rs641738 (MBOAT7), rs58542926 (TM6SF2), rs738409 (PNPLA3), rs62305723 (HSD1713B) were evaluated for association with high ELF (≥11.

Stigma in steatotic liver disease: A survey of patients from Saudi Arabia.

Background: A recent name change of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease was primarily driven by potential stigma associated with the terminology. This stigma can be different between patients and healthcare providers and differ according to geographic regions of the world. Our aim was to better understand stigma and disease burden among patients with NAFLD enrolled in the global survey from Saudi Arabia (SA).

The impact of stigma on quality of life and liver disease burden among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) face a multifaceted disease burden which includes impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL) and potential stigmatization. We aimed to assess the burden of liver disease in patients with NAFLD and the relationship between experience of stigma and HRQL.

Methods: Members of the Global NASH Council created a survey about disease burden in NAFLD.

Liver Transplantation Profile Among Teenagers in the United States.

Purpose: Indications for liver transplantation (LT) vary across age groups. We identified predictors of outcomes for teenage LT waitlisted candidates and recipients in the United States from 2008 to 2022.

Methods: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients 2008-2022 provided data (clinical, sociodemographic, indications for LT, outcomes) for all teenagers (13-19 years) waitlisted for LT in the United States.

Validation of a Primary Biliary Cholangitis-Specific Version of Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire: CLDQ-PBC.

Introduction: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and impairment of patient-reported outcomes. We aimed to develop a PBC-specific version of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) instrument to assess health-related quality of life of patients with PBC.

Methods: From our Liver Database, we included patients with PBC who had CLDQ, clinicolaboratory data, and completed Short Form-36 and The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue.

Clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease from real-world practices in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) experience health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) impairments. We assessed and identified predictors of HRQoL and PROs in CLD patients from Saudi Arabia (SA), Turkey and Egypt. Patients enrolled in Global Liver Registry™ with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were included.

Clinical profiles and mortality rates are similar for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Recently, the term metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has replaced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Concern remains regarding whether the evidence generated under the NAFLD definition can be used for MASLD. We compared the clinical profile and outcomes of NAFLD to MASLD using tertiary care- and population-based data.

SERS probing of fungal HET-s fibrils formed at neutral and acidic pH conditions.

Advances in precision medical diagnostics require accurate and sensitive characterization of pathogens. In particular, health conditions associated with protein misfolding require an identification of proteinaceous amyloid fibrils or their precursors. These pathogenic entities express specific molecular structures, which require ultra-sensitive, molecular-level detection methods.

The impact of hepatitis B and C positive serologies on the outcomes of non-hepatic solid organ transplantation in the United States.

Chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infection could negatively affect outcomes of non-hepatic solid organ transplantations due to the risk of viral reactivation in the presence of immunosuppression. This study aimed to determine post-transplant outcomes in patients with HBV or HCV positivity receiving non-hepatic solid-state organ transplant. Data was collected from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) 2006-2021 for patients (≥18) who received a lung, heart, or kidney single organ transplant in the U.