A Practical Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy.

A Practical Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy] Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of decompensated cirrhosis that can be reversed with treatment. Frequent episodes of recurrence are common, impacting patients, caregivers and healthcare systems, increasing morbidity and mortality statistics and resulting in grave financial consequences. Uptake and adherence to formal recommendations for HE diagnosis and management are low.

Addressing Complexities in Fontan Combined Heart-Liver Transplantation: A Collaborative Perspective.

In Fontan circulatory failure, heart or combined heart-liver transplantation (CHLT) is considered a final therapeutic option. Fontan patients present unique challenges for the cardiac and liver transplant teams. Improving outcomes of CHLT in Fontan patients requires a multidisciplinary team approach to patient selection, meticulous surgical planning, intraoperative and postoperative management, and continuous learning.

Extracellular vesicle digital scoring assay for assessment of treatment responses in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background: There are no validated biomarkers for assessing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment response (TR). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising circulating biomarkers that may detect minimal residual disease in patients with treated HCC.

Methods: We developed the HCC EV TR Score using HCC EV Digital Scoring Assay involving click chemistry-mediated enrichment of HCC EVs, followed by absolute quantification of HCC EV-specific genes by RT-digital PCR.

Rural-Urban Disparities in Mortality Related to Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease by Race/Ethnicity in the United States From 1999 to 2022.

Introduction: Mortality related to alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) has been increasing over the past two decades, especially in racial and ethnic minorities and those living in rural areas. The interaction between rurality, race and ethnicity in mortality disparities is unclear.

Methods: This cross-sectional study extracted data from the Underlying Cause of Death database of CDC Wide-Ranging Online Database for Epidemiological Research (1999-2022).

Projected Mitigation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B in the Gray Zone and the Immune-Tolerant Phase in the United States.

Purpose: Based on current practice guidelines, there are a substantial number of individuals who do not meet criteria for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment eligibility but may be at risk of developing HCC. We sought to determine the estimated number of untreated patients with CHB in the Gray Zone or immune-tolerant phase who would develop HCC.

Methods: US epidemiologic data were obtained from the US Department of HHS.

Coil or plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (CARTO/PARTO) for treating portal hypertensive variceal bleeding: A multicenter, real-world 10-year retrospective study.

Background And Aims: Coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (CARTO) and plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (PARTO) are well-accepted treatments for gastric variceal bleeding. However, long-term (>2 y) clinical outcomes have yet to be studied. In this study, we investigated long-term clinical outcomes, including overall survival (OS) in 10 years.

An Unusual Case of Chylous Ascites.

Chylous ascites occur when the lymphatic flow is blocked or disrupted, causing a leakage of fluid into the peritoneal space. It can be caused by a number of etiologies and identifying the exact cause can be challenging. We present the case of a 77-year-old man who presented with chylous ascites.

False-Positive Phosphatidylethanol Results Due to Blood Transfusion and Implications in the Process of Liver Transplantation Selection.

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) testing is becoming increasingly common as a tool to assess for alcohol consumption in the practice of addiction medicine. Its potential to be an objective measure of ethanol exposure is appealing; however, the field has yet to develop a complete understanding of the factors that can influence a PEth level. Here we describe 3 patient cases in which blood transfusion within the preceding 28 days was the reason that PEth studies were positive in patients undergoing liver transplant evaluation.

Review of Current and Upcoming Second-Line Treatments for Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Background: Treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) was defined by its singular relationship with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for decades. However, nearly 40% of patients fail to achieve adequate biochemical response with UDCA, necessitating second-line therapies.

Aims: The aim of our review was to assess the efficacy and safety of second-line therapies for PBC from phase three trials.

Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: Short- and Long-Term Management.

Alcohol-associated hepatitis, considered a severe form of alcohol-associated liver disease, carries with it multiple negative health outcomes ranging not only to increased hospitalizations but also increased rates of mortality. While the inpatient management remains critical in optimizing clinical outcomes, a shift in focus to the outpatient management of alcohol-associated hepatitis is warranted as a long-term solution to this emerging health pandemic. Here, we review the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and current prognostication scoring systems for alcohol-associated hepatitis.

Impact of phosphatidylethanol in the surveillance for alcohol use in post-liver transplant population: A retrospective study.

Background: Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in the surveillance for alcohol use after liver transplantation.

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study to assess the impact of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) for the surveillance of alcohol use and its correlation to health outcomes.

Safety of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Among Breastfeeding Infants of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B: A Systematic Review.

An integral component to achieving worldwide chronic hepatitis B (CHB) elimination is addressing vertical transmission. Guidelines differ in their recommendations for breastfeeding while on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). To conduct a systematic review of published studies analysing the concentration of tenofovir (TFV) in the breast milk of mothers receiving TDF and determining infant exposure from breastfeeding.

Hepatitis C Treatment Among Primary Care and Specialty Providers: A Single Center Study, 2015 to 2022.

Introduction: Despite national goals to eliminate Hepatitis C (HCV) and the advancement of curative, well-tolerated direct-acting antiviral (DAAs) regimens, rates of HCV treatment have declined nationally since 2015. Current HCV guidelines encourage treatment of HCV by primary care providers (PCPs). Payors have reduced restrictions to access DAAs nationally and in California however it remains unclear if the removal of these restrictions has impacted the proportion of PCPs prescribing DAAs at a health system level.

Lower FIB-4 threshold in patients with diabetes improves diagnostic accuracy of the test in a Hispanic population.

Background: Non-invasive tests (NITs) can be used to estimate the severity of fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but their diagnostic accuracy is variable. Hispanic patients are at increased risk of NAFLD and diabetes. We evaluate the diagnostic performance of the fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) in a population of Hispanic patients who underwent vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE).

Cost effectiveness of hepatitis C direct acting agents.

Introduction: Introduction of direct acting antivirals (DAA) has transformed treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and made the elimination of HCV an achievable goal set forward by World Health Organization by 2030. Multiple barriers need to be overcome for successful eradication of HCV. Availability of pan-genotypic HCV regimens has decreased the need for genotype testing but maintained high efficacy associated with DAAs.

Improving Outcomes in Hepatorenal Syndrome-Acute Kidney Injury With Early Diagnoses and Implementation of Approved Treatment Regimens.

Decompensated cirrhosis, defined by the overt manifestations of liver failure and portal hypertension (eg, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal bleeding), is the inflection point associated with increased morbidity and mortality in chronic liver disease. Acute kidney injury in the setting of cirrhosis (hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury [HRS-AKI]) is a severe and often fatal complication. The goals of treatment of HRS-AKI are to reverse renal failure and prolong survival in these critically ill patients or perhaps to allow the transplant team to complete the pretransplant evaluation and bridge the patient to transplant.