DESCRIPTION The practice of Hepatology is largely consultative in nature, whether evaluating outpatients referred for a variety of abnormal liver enzyme findings or diagnosing and managing critically-ill patients within a team of internists, hospitalists, residents, intensivists, and other healthcare providers. On any given day, a hepatologist will be confronted with complex patients and dizzying differential diagnoses to be methodically considered. The aim of this course is to provide insights about state-of-the-art consultative Hepatology attendees that can be applied to daily practice.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis has become a leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States and worldwide. At this symposium, faculty will review pre-transplant evaluation and assessment of comorbid conditions in these patients, early and long-term challenges after transplantation, patterns of recurrence of the disease and potentially preventive strategies.

Seonghwan Hwang, Yong He, Xiaogang Xiang, Wonhyo Seo, Seung‐Jin Kim, Jing Ma, Tianyi Ren, Seol Hee Park, Zhou Zhou, Dechun Feng, George Kunos, Bin Gao – 9 November 2019

Aynur Unalp‐Arida, Constance E. Ruhl – 9 November 2019

Recent approval of the synthetic FXR agonist obeticholic acid for primary biliary cholangitis treatment shows that targeting nuclear receptors in treating liver diseases, particularly cholestatic and autoimmune conditions, has therapeutic potential.

This timely program tackles the eternal question of how to best screen for liver disease in the general population. Speakers will take a global perspective to describe novel methods of screening, discuss high-risk patient populations and address issues of cost effectiveness and linkage to care.

Experts review recent progress in liver fibrosis research at this session, focusing on new discoveries of the molecular mechanisms and translational aspects of fibrosis and cirrhosis, including translation of findings into humans; the potential role of non-parenchymal cells; new transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of key contributors of fibrosis; mechanisms that may lead to novel therapies; and an update on antifibrotics.

What are the hotly debated issues in clinical hepatology today? At this session, explore current controversies in the field, including the role of statins, optimal management of acute gastric variceal bleeding and treatment of HCV in people who inject drugs. Speakers will then propose evidence-based guidance to address these difficult or challenging issues.

This two-hour symposium explores chronic hepatitis B management in diverse populations. Topics include the changing global epidemiology and comorbidity of chronic hepatitis B, how to apply current practice guidelines in “gray” zones, HCC prevention strategies beyond the guidelines, emerging curative therapies and current strategies in HCC surveillance for hepatitis B, especially in younger, noncirrhotic persons from endemic areas.

This two-session program explores the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of kidney failure in patients with cirrhosis. The first session reviews chronic kidney manifestations of portal hypertension, including sodium retention, ascites and chronic kidney failure. The second session discusses acute kidney injury in ACLF. Each part includes a case presentation to highlight management controversies, expert panel interviews and Q&A.