Changing landscape of steatotic liver diseases and liver fibrosis in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Steatotic liver diseases (SLDs) and their subcategories-metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)-significantly contribute to liver-related and extrahepatic morbidity and mortality. This project aimed to assess the landscape of SLDs and clinically significant fibrosis (CSF) before (2017-2020) and during (2021-2023) the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, we analyzed 8965 prepandemic and 6337 pandemic participants aged ≥18 years.

Predictive Machine Learning Model in ICU Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure and Two or More Organ Failures.

Background: Prediction of short-term mortality in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) may enhance effective management.

Methods: To develop, explain, and validate a predictive machine learning (ML) model for short-term mortality in patients with ACLF with two or more organ failures (OFs). Utilizing a large ICU cohort with detailed clinical information, we identified ACLF patients with two or more OFs according to the EASL-CLIF and NACSELD definitions.

Diabetes prevalence and management patterns in US adults, 2001-2023.

Background: Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. We aimed to characterize secular trends in diabetes prevalence, control of glucose and associated comorbidities, and medication use.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Series data from 2001 to 2023.

Improving the Readability of Institutional Heart Failure-Related Patient Education Materials Using GPT-4: Observational Study.

Background: Heart failure management involves comprehensive lifestyle modifications such as daily weights, fluid and sodium restriction, and blood pressure monitoring, placing additional responsibility on patients and caregivers, with successful adherence often requiring extensive counseling and understandable patient education materials (PEMs). Prior research has shown PEMs related to cardiovascular disease often exceed the American Medical Association's fifth- to sixth-grade recommended reading level. The large language model (LLM) ChatGPT may be a useful tool for improving PEM readability.

Anthropometric Measures and Mortality Risk in Individuals With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background/aims: As the primary anthropometric measure in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), waist circumference (WC) may more accurately reflect the visceral fat distribution than body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of BMI, WC and WC-related indices including waist-hip ratio (WHR), body shape index (BSI) and weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) in individuals with MASLD.

Methods: The study population was derived from four large-scale cohorts: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2017-2020 and NHANES III), the Kailuan Cohort and the UK Biobank Cohort.

Development and Validation of Crohn's Perianal Fistula Educational Videos and Website for Increasing Patient Knowledge and Engagement.

Introduction: There are few online resources that provide authoritative and comprehensive information on Crohn's perianal fistula (CPF). In this study, we aimed to use a human-centered design thinking approach to develop and validate 2 educational CPF videos and an accompanying website to support patients with CPF.

Methods: We used a design thinking approach to understand the unmet educational needs of patients with CPF.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor use improves clinical outcomes in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases: Target trial emulation using real-world data.

Background And Aims: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) prevent fibrosis progression in a preclinical model of steatotic liver disease. Our objective was to assess the impact of ACEi/ARB use on clinical outcomes in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases.

Approach And Results: Using TriNetX, a nationwide database, we identified all patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2019.

Comparative effectiveness of immunotherapy versus lenvatinib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A real-world analysis using target trial emulation.

Background And Aims: Immunotherapy has emerged as an effective treatment for advanced HCC. We aimed to investigate the real-world effectiveness of immunotherapy compared to lenvatinib in HCC.

Approach And Results: From the TriNetX database, we used a target trial emulation framework and identified patients with HCC who received first-line treatment with immunotherapy (atezolizumab/bevacizumab or tremelimumab/durvalumab) or lenvatinib between or between August 2018 and December 2023.

Examining the Accuracy and Reproducibility of Responses to Nutrition Questions Related to Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Generative Pre-trained Transformer-4.

Background: Generative pre-trained transformer-4 (GPT-4) is a large language model (LLM) trained on a vast corpus of data, including the medical literature. Nutrition plays an important role in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with an unmet need for nutrition-related patient education resources. This study examines the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and reproducibility of responses by GPT-4 to patient nutrition questions related to IBD.

Dose-dependent Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and the Risks of Hepatitis B Virus-associated Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.

Background And Aims: The quantitative effects of alcohol consumption on cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are unknown. This study aimed to establish a dose-dependent model of alcohol consumption on the risks of cirrhosis and HCC.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and four Chinese databases were searched for studies published from their inception to 15 May 2024.

Sex disparity in the association between alcohol consumption and sarcopenia: a population-based study.

Background: Previous studies have shown inconsistent findings regarding the association of alcohol consumption with sarcopenia. Therefore, this study comprehensively investigated the association of alcohol consumption with sarcopenia in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

Methods: This population-based study included adults aged 18 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III.

Vitamin E (300 mg) in the treatment of MASH: A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

The efficacy and safety of a lower dose of vitamin E for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) treatment are unclear. This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study includes 124 non-diabetic participants with biopsy-proven MASH. Participants are randomly assigned to receive oral vitamin E 300 mg or the placebo in a 1:1 ratio.

Long-Term Immunity and Anamnestic Response Following Hepatitis B Vaccination: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Using a systematic review and meta-analytic approach, this study determined the durability of HBV immunity and the prevalence of anamnestic response to a booster HBV vaccine dose in individuals previously vaccinated with a 3-dose HBV vaccine series as children or adolescents. Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane from inception to 6/1/2023 and performed data extraction. Studies that included individuals with significant comorbidities or < 5 years of follow-up were excluded.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis-Related Food Impaction: Distinct Demographics, Interventions, and Promising Predictive Models.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly common cause of food impaction.

Aims: This study aims to provide a nationwide analysis of food impaction in patients with or without EoE diagnosis, concentrating on patient demographics, interventions, outcomes, and development of predictive machine-learning models.

Methods: A retrospective assessment was conducted using Nationwide Emergency Department Sample data from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019.

Current and emerging strategies for the prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with incident cases expected to rise from 905,700 in 2020 to 1.4 million by 2040. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for about 80% of all primary liver cancers.

Temporal trend of drug overdose-related deaths and excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based study in the United States from 2012 to 2022.

Background: Drug overdose is an escalating public health crisis in the United States (U.S.).

Evaluating for Evidence of Sociodemographic Bias in Conversational AI for Mental Health Support.

The integration of large language models (LLMs) into healthcare highlights the need to ensure their efficacy while mitigating potential harms, such as the perpetuation of biases. Current evidence on the existence of bias within LLMs remains inconclusive. In this study, we present an approach to investigate the presence of bias within an LLM designed for mental health support.