Effect of rifaximin in patients with severe cirrhosis and ascites: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Evidence supporting primary prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is weak and the selection of quinolone-resistant bacteria is a concern. Herein, we present results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled trial to assess whether rifaximin (RFX) has a beneficial effect on 12-month survival in patients with severe cirrhosis and ascites.

Methods: In this trial conducted at 17 French centers, patients with severe cirrhosis and grade 2 or 3 ascites and ascites protein level <15 g/L were randomized 1:1 to receive RFX 550 mg or PBO twice daily for 12 months, as primary prophylaxis for SBP.

Cerebral oxygen saturation in cirrhotic patients with gastro-intestinal bleeding, a near infrared spectroscopy study.

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive optical technique allowing a continuous measurement of brain's hemoglobin (Hb) saturation in oxygen (rSO2). It is a marker of cerebral insult and rSO2 < 50% is associated with increased neurological impairment. Cirrhotic patients with gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) often develop hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

HLA evolutionary divergence effect on bacterial infection risk in cirrhotic liver transplant candidates.

Bacterial infections are common in cirrhosis patients, increasing the risk of decompensation and death. The impact of HLA evolutionary divergence (HED) on infection risk hasn't been studied in humans before. We conducted a retrospective study on cirrhosis patients awaiting liver transplantation (LT) from January 2019 to February 2022, examining class I and II-HED effects on bacterial infections and cirrhosis decompensation.

Protein-S-100-beta is increased in patients with decompensated cirrhosis admitted to ICU.

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is highly prevalent in patients with liver diseases. The pathophysiology of HE is centered on the synergic role of hyperammonemia and systemic inflammation. However, some data suggest altered functioning of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Obeticholic acid as a second-line treatment for low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis syndrome.

Background: Low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis (LPAC) syndrome is a rare genetic cause of hepatolithiasis. A pathogenic variant of the ABCB4 gene is reported in half of all patients. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only drug approved.

Current challenges and future perspectives in treating patients with NAFLD-related cirrhosis.

Despite the slow, progressive nature of NAFLD, the number of patients with NAFLD-related cirrhosis has significantly increased. Although the management of patients with cirrhosis is constantly evolving, improving the prognosis of patients with NAFLD-related cirrhosis is a challenge because it is situated at the crossroads between the liver, the metabolic, and the cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the therapeutic interventions should not only target the liver but also the associated cardiometabolic conditions and should be adapted accordingly.

Hepatic encephalopathy is not a contraindication to pre-emptive TIPS in high-risk patients with cirrhosis with variceal bleeding.

Background: A pre-emptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (pTIPS) reduces mortality in high-risk patients with cirrhosis (Child-Pugh C/B+active bleeding) with acute variceal bleeding (AVB). Real-life studies point out that <15% of patients eligible for pTIPS ultimately undergo transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) due to concerns about hepatic encephalopathy (HE). The outcome of patients undergoing pTIPS with HE is unknown.

Blood ammonia in patients with chronic liver diseases: A better defined role in clinical practice.

Ammonia is one of the main players in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with chronic liver diseases. The usefulness of measuring ammonemia has been debated since many years. New data reveal that besides helping in the differential diagnosis of HE, ammonemia could be a prognostic marker not only in patients with HE, but also in patients without any neurological symptoms, suggesting a potential toxic role of ammonia beyond the brain.

Identifying early indicators of secondary peritonitis in critically ill patients with cirrhosis.

Ascitic fluid infection (AFI) is a life-threatening complication of cirrhosis. We aimed to identify early indicators of secondary peritonitis (SP), which requires emergency surgery, and to describe the outcomes of SP and spontaneous bacterial/fungal peritonitis (SBFP). Adults with cirrhosis and AFI admitted to 16 university or university-affiliated ICUs in France between 2002 and 2017 were studied retrospectively.

Prognosis of patients undergoing salvage TIPS is still poor in the preemptive TIPS era.

Background: Salvage transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) are associated with poor prognosis, especially in patients with Child-Pugh C cirrhosis. Since preemptive TIPS improved prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in those patients, recourse to salvage TIPS may now affect patients with a better prognosis.

Aim: To assess the impact of the preemptive TIPS policy on outcomes after salvage TIPS placement.

Covid-19 in liver transplant recipients: the French SOT COVID registry.

Background: Notwithstanding the ongoing coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, information on its clinical presentation and prognosis in organ transplant recipients remains limited. The aim of this registry-based observational study was to report the characteristics and clinical outcomes of liver transplant (LT) recipients included in the French nationwide Registry of Solid Organ Transplant Recipients with Covid-19.

Methods: COVID-19 was diagnosed in patients who had a positive PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 or in presence of typical lung lesions on imaging or specific SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Optimal management of ascites.

Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis, which develops in 5%-10% of patients per year. Its management is based on symptomatic measures including restriction of sodium intake, diuretics and paracentesis. Underlying liver disease must always be treated and may improve ascites.

Neurocognitive impairment is associated with erectile dysfunction in cirrhotic patients.

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is common in patients with chronic diseases. It is evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF5) questionnaire. The relationship between ED and cirrhosis is complex.

Combined diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to predict neurological outcome before transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) may occur after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) placement. Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), combining anatomical sequences, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and H magnetic resonance spectroscopy, is modified in cirrhotic patients.

Aims: To describe multimodal MRI images before TIPSS, to assess if TIPSS induces changes in multimodal MRI, and to find predictors of HE after TIPSS in patients with cirrhosis.

Why and when to measure ammonemia in cirrhosis?

Hyperammonemia plays a key role in the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and most HE treatments are ammonia-lowering drugs. However, the usefulness of measuring ammonemia in routine practice remains controversial and not recommended systematically even when neurological symptoms are present. First, ammonemia measurement should be carefully performed in order to avoid a falsely elevated result.

Serum apolipoprotein A1 and haptoglobin, in patients with suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) as biomarkers of recovery.

Background: There is a clear need for better biomarkers of drug-induced-liver-injury (DILI).

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the possible prognostic value of ActiTest and FibroTest proteins apoliprotein-A1, haptoglobin and alpha-2-macroglobulin, in patients with DILI.

Methods: We analyzed cases and controls included in the IMI-SAFE-T-DILI European project, from which serum samples had been stored in a dedicated biobank.

Treating hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients admitted to ICU with sodium phenylbutyrate: a preliminary study.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) influences short-term and long-term prognoses. Recently, glycerol phenylbutyrate (PB), that lowers ammonia by providing an alternate pathway to urea for waste nitrogen excretion, has shown that it was effective in preventing the occurrence of HE in RCT. The aim was to assess the benefits of sodium PB in cirrhotic patients admitted to ICU for overt HE, in terms of ammonia levels decrease, neurological improvement, and survival.

Variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

Variceal bleeding is one of the major causes of death in cirrhotic patients. The management during the acute phase and the secondary prophylaxis is well defined. Recent recommendations (2015 Baveno VI expert consensus) are available and should be followed for an optimal management, which must be performed as an emergency in a liver or general intensive-care unit.

Longitudinal qualitative study describing family physicians' experiences with attempting to integrate physical activity prescriptions in their practice: 'It's not easy to change habits'.

Objective: Physical activity (PA) prescriptions provided by family physicians can promote PA participation among patients, but few physicians regularly write PA prescriptions. The objective of this study was to describe family physicians' experiences of trying to implement written PA prescriptions into their practice.

Design: Longitudinal qualitative study where participants were interviewed four times during a 12-month period.

Elevated procalcitonin is associated with bacterial infection during acute liver failure only when unrelated to acetaminophen intoxication.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting bacterial infection and survival without transplantation upon admission in the ICU for acute liver failure (ALF).

Patients And Methods: From January 2009 until October 2015, all cases of ALF patients admitted in our ICU were retrospectively reviewed and included in the study if the PCT level upon admission was available. Patients with pre-existing liver pathology or ALF in a context of already advanced multiorgan failure were excluded.