Guido Gerken, Patricia Paterlini, Michael Manns, Chantal Housset, Sylvie Terre, Hans‐Peter Dienes, Georg Hess, Wolfram H. Gerlich, Pierre Berthelot, Karl‐Hermann Meyer Zum Büschenfelde, Christian Brechot – 1 January 1991 – The polymerase chain reaction was evaluated as a diagnostic tool in 72 chronic hepatitis B virus carriers. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detectable in the serum of HBsAg—positive virus carriers using aliquots as small as 100 al. The detection limit for cloned hepatitis B virus DNA was 100 ag.

Michael Lucey, Peter G. Traber – 1 January 1991 – These studies used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in clinical samples collected from patients with chronic liver disease or from blood donors. The relative role of this assay compared with detection of HCV antibodies in serum was evaluated. Weiner and colleagues found that 9 of 15 patients with non‐A, non‐B (NANB) chronic hepatitis and the only patient with cryptogenic cirrhosis had persistent antibodies to a nonstructural protein of HCV (C100‐3).

Timothy Hofer, Laurence McMahon – 1 January 1991 – The purpose of the study was to determine whether corticosteroids affect short‐term mortality from alcoholic hepatitis. A metanalysis was conducted using studies identified through a MEDLINE computer search from 1966 to 1989 and extensive manual searches of associated bibliographies. Eleven randomized studies that assessed mortality in hospitalized patients diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis and treated with corticosteroids were evaluated. Overall, the protective efficacy of corticosteroids was 37% (95% confidence interval 20% to 50%).

Kathleen B. Schwarz, Saroj Larroya, Carole Vogler, C. Jeffrey Sippel, Sharon Homan, Ronald Cockrell, Irene Schulze – 1 January 1991 – The hepatic steatosis observed in the influenza B virus mouse model of Reye syndrome has been attributed to infectious virus or, alternately, to decreased food intake in the virus‐treated mice or impurities in the virus preparation.

Tadashi Iwao, Atsushi Toyonaga, Michihiro Sumino, Kohsuke Takagi, Kazunori Ohkubo, Rintaroh Inoue, Kyuichi Tanikawa – 1 January 1991 – We studied 14 patients with portal hypertension and cirrhosis using portal and hepatic vein catheterizations to determine the effects of transdermal application of nitroglycerin tape (containing 10 mg of nitroglycerin and capable of releasing 6 to 7 mg of nitroglycerin in 12 hr) on splanchnic hemodynamics. Patients randomly received nitroglycerin (n = 7) or a placebo (n = 7). No significant changes were observed after the administration of the placebo.

Jorge J. Gumucio, W. Michael McDonnell, Rebecca W. Van Dyke – 1 January 1991 – This study investigates the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of hepatic injury during hepatitis B virus infection. A transgenic mouse line containing the gene sequences for the hepatitis B virus envelope region (pre‐S1, pre‐S2, and HBs Ags) ligated to mouse albumin regulatory sequences was developed. Mice of this lineage did not contract spontaneous liver disease and were immunologically tolerant to pre‐S and HBs Ags.

1 January 1991

Hirohito Tsubouchi, Yoshiyuki Niitani, Shuichi Hirono, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Eiichi Gohda, Naokatu Arakaki, Osami Sakiyama, Kozo Takahashi, Masayoshi Kimoto, Shuichi Kawakami, Minami Setoguchi, Tetsuya Tachikawa, Sadahito Shin, Terukatsu Arima, Yasushi Daikuhara – 1 January 1991 – We have found a hepatotrophic factor in plasma or sera of patients with fulminant hepatic failure and have purified human hepatocyte growth factor from plasma of these patients.

David R. Triger, Howard L. Smart, Shorland W. Hosking, Alan G. Johnson – 1 January 1991 – Survival after prophylactic sclerotherapy was assessed in a single‐center study involving 99 cirrhotic (41 alcoholic) patients enrolled over 8‐yr. The wedged hepatic vein pressure gradient was measured; those with pressure ≥ 12 mm Hg were randomized to receive sclerotherapy or no treatment. The rest were not randomized. Patients in all three groups who bled were treated with emergency endoscopy and sclerotherapy. Stratification according to presence of ascites was also undertaken.

Peter T. Donaldson, J. Mark Farrant, Mark L. Wilkinson, Karen Hayllar, Bernard C. Portmann, Roger Williams – 1 January 1991 – Human leukocyte antigen typing was performed in 81 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis to investigate reported associations between human leukocyte antigen type and this disease. The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of the antigens B8 and DR3 compared with controls (53% vs. 23%, p < 0.0005, and 56% vs. 21%, p < 0.0005).