Flemming Bendtsen, Lene Theil Skovgaard, Thorkild I. A. Sørensen, Peter Matzen – 1 March 1990 – The interobserver variation in diagnosis and grading of esophageal varices may be ascribed by characteristics of the observers as well as to the patients. Assessment of this variation therefore requires the contributions of multiple observers and patients. Twenty‐eight patients with cirrhosis without previous bleeding or known presence of varices were subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Each endoscopy was videotaped and shown to 22 endoscopists.

1 March 1990

Hidefumi Higashi, Katsuhiko Yanaga, J. Wallis Marsh, Andreas Tzakis, Saduro Kakizoe, Thomas E. Starzi – 1 March 1990 – Between February 26, 1981, and July 30, 1987, 36 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with ulcerative colitis. Three of the 36 recipients died within 3 mo because of graft nonfunction or surgical complications. The other 33 (92%) lived for at least 1 yr. Two of the 33 died after 12 and 14 mo, respectively, of recurrent cholangiocarcinoma that was not diagnosed before transplantation.

Salvatore Badalamenti, Pere Gines, Vicente Arroyo, Josep Llach, Carlos Piera, Antoni Rimola, Wladimiro Jimenez, Joan Gaya, Roser Casamitjana, Francisca Rivera, Joan Rodes – 1 March 1990 – Acute intravenous amino acid infusion or a highprotein diet increases renal plasma flow and the glomerular filtration rate in healthy subjects. Conversely, a low‐protein diet reduces renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intravenous amino acid infusion and dietary proteins on kidney function in cirrhosis.

Mercedes Roget, Maria Buti, Juan Ignacio Esteban, Rafael Esteban, Jaime Guardia, Albert J. Czaja, J. Eileen Hay, Jorge Rakela – 1 February 1990

1 February 1990

Jean Pierre Vinel, Jean‐Luc Monnin, Jean‐Marc Combis, Paul Cales, Herve Desmorat, Jean‐Pierre Pascal – 1 February 1990 – Organic nitrates were reported to reduce portohepatic venous pressure gradient in patients with cirrhosis. However, these drugs lower arterial pressure and are well known to induce tolerace. The aim of the present study was to assess the hemodynamic effects of molsidomine, an antianginal agent, which does not induce tolerance and has little effect on arterial pressure in patients with normal liver, in 13 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

J. T. Beranek – 1 February 1990

S. K. Sarin – 1 February 1990 – Absolute alcohol is a potentially optimal agent for sclerotherapy of esophageal varices. It is cheap and readily available. We compared the efficacy and safety of alcohol with those of a commonly used sclerosing agent, polidocanol. The study was planned to include patients with previous bleeding from esophageal varices randomly assigned to one of the two treatments.

Steven Schenker, Henry S. Perkins, Michael F. Sorrell – 1 February 1990