Donald L. Kaminski, Yashwant G. Deshpande – 1 July 1984 – The effect of prostacyclin on canine hepatic bile flow was evaluated. Utilizing chronic, unanesthetized bile fistula dogs, prostacyclin was found to significantly increase bile flow rates and bile bicarbonate and cyclic AMP concentration and output when compared to control values. The choleretic response was not due to the effect of the principal metabolic endproduct of prostacyclin, 6‐keto‐PGF1α, as this substance increased bile flow but did not increase bicarbonate or cyclic AMP concentrations in bile.

Kim Krogsgaard, Christian Gluud, Jens H. Henriksen, Per Christoffersen – 1 July 1984 – In 14 alcoholic patients, the degree of hepatic architectural destruction was graded (preserved architecture; nodules alternating with preserved architecture; totally destroyed architecture) and related to portal pressure. A positive correlation was found between the degree of architectural destruction and both wedged hepatic vein pressure (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) and wedged‐to‐free hepatic vein presure (r = 0.67, p < 0.02).

Mary J. Ruwart, Bob D. Rush, Nanette M. Friedle, Jerzy Stachura, Andrzej Tarnawski – 1 July 1984 – Male rats were treated with subcutaneous vehicle or 16, 16‐dimethyl‐PGE2 (dmPGE2, 100 μg per kg), 24,18 and 0.5 hr prior to and 6, 24 and 30 hr after challenge with oral α1‐napthylisothio‐cyanate (ANIT, 30 mg per kg). Forty‐eight hours after challenge, rats were sacrificed by decapitation; serum and liver samples were taken for biochemical and histological analysis, respectively.

Fayez K. Ghishan, Harry L. Greene, Susan Halter, John A. Barnard, J. Roberto Moran – 1 July 1984 – The majority of infants with cytomegalovirus hepatitis have resolution of the disease with little evidence of fibrosis; there are only rare instances of cirrhosis. We report an infant with cytomegalovirus hepatitis who developed portal hypertension and hematemesis at 3 months of age. Liver biopsy showed resolution of the hepatitis but the presence of noncirrhotic sinusoidal fibrosis.

Jacqueline S. Partin, Cynthia C. Daugherty, A. James Mcadams, John C. Partin, William K. Schubert – 1 July 1984 – All childhood liver biopsy specimens from The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation which had been prepared for light and electron microscopy were reviewed to identify biopsies from children with salicylate intoxication. Only two cases of primary salicylate intoxication were identified.

Marshall M. Kaplan, John V. Gandolfo, Elaine G. Quaroni – 1 July 1984 – We have developed an enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for antimitochondrial antibody. Polyvinyl microtiter plate wells are coated with partially purified rat kidney mitochondria, and excess protein binding sites are blocked with bovine serum albumin. Human serum, diluted 1:1,000, is incubated for 1 hr. Then β‐galactosidase‐goat‐anti‐human IgG (H+L) is added followed by the substrate, p‐nitrophenyl‐β‐D‐galactopyranoside. The plates are then read at 404 nM in a microelisa autoreader.

Lawrence S. Friedman – 1 July 1984

Premila Trivedi, M. Stuart Tanner, Bernard Portmann, Janet Mcclement, Alex P.

Eric Bercoff, Christian Bataille, Alexandre E. Pariente, Dominique Valla, Brigitte Delhotal, Didier Lebrec – 1 May 1984 – Fourteen patients with cirrhosis and bleeding esophageal varices were treated with propranolol. The dose of propranolol was determined by decreasing the resting heart rate by 25% 12 hr after an oral dose of propranolol which was given twice a day. Significant decreases in the hepatic venous pressure gradient and cardiac output after 1 month of propranolol administration was observed.

Didier Lebrec, Thierry Poynard, Jacques Bernuau, Eric Bercoff, Olivier Nouel, Jean‐Pierre Capron, Raoul Poupon, Michel Bouvry, Bernard Rueff, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou – 1 May 1984 – We have previously reported the results of a controlled trial showing that continuous oral administration of propranolol reduced the risk of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis; only part of our patients had been followed for 1 year. This controlled trial was continued for an additional year; accordingly, all of our patients have now been followed for at least 2 years.