Elevated Plasma Levels of Cell‐Free DNA During Liver Transplantation Are Associated With Activation of Coagulation

Fien A. von Meijenfeldt, Laura C. Burlage, Sarah Bos, Jelle Adelmeijer, Robert J. Porte, Ton Lisman – 31 August 2018 – Patients undergoing liver transplantation have complex changes in their hemostatic system, and the net effect of these changes appears to be a “rebalanced” hemostatic profile. Recently, a process called NETosis in which a neutrophil expels DNA and proteins that form a weblike structure, has been described as a mechanism of pathogen entrapment.

NGM282 for Treatment of Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Trial

Marlyn J. Mayo, Alan J. Wigg, Barbara A. Leggett, Hays Arnold, Alexander J. Thompson, Martin Weltman, Elizabeth J. Carey, Andrew J. Muir, Lei Ling, Stephen J. Rossi, Alex M. DePaoli – 30 August 2018 – Patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who had an inadequate response to ursodiol have few treatment options. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin levels correlate with the risk of liver transplant or death in PBC patients. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 19 is a hormone that acts directly in the liver to regulate bile acid synthesis.

Protective Role of Hepatocyte Cyclooxygenase‐2 Expression Against Liver Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in Mice

Omar Motiño, Daniel E. Francés, Natalia Casanova, Marina Fuertes‐Agudo, Carme Cucarella, Juana M. Flores, María Teresa Vallejo‐Cremades, Luis Olmedilla, José Pérez Peña, Rafael Bañares, Lisardo Boscá, Marta Casado, Paloma Martín‐Sanz – 29 August 2018 – Liver ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) remains a serious clinical problem affecting liver transplantation outcomes. IRI causes up to 10% of early organ failure and predisposes to chronic rejection. Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) is involved in different liver diseases, but the significance of COX‐2 in IRI is a matter of controversy.

Longitudinal Assessment of Three Serum Biomarkers to Detect Very Early‐Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Jonggi Choi, Gi‐Ae Kim, Seungbong Han, Woochang Lee, Sail Chun, Young‐Suk Lim – 28 August 2018 – We aimed to determine the surveillance performance of alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), lectin‐reactive AFP (AFP‐L3), des‐gamma‐carboxy prothrombin (DCP), and their combinations for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by using prospectively collected longitudinal samples in patients at risk.

Preventing Hepatitis B Reactivation During Anti‐CD20 Antibody Treatment in the Veterans Health Administration

A. Jasmine Bullard, Francesca E. Cunningham, Bryan D. Volpp, Elliott Lowy, Lauren A. Beste, Bernadette B. Heron, Mark Geraci, Julia M. Hammond, Kourtney LaPlant, Elise A. Stave, Marsha J. Turner, Meghan C. O’Leary, Michael J. Kelley, Christine M. Hunt – 28 August 2018 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation may occur with high risk immunosuppression, such as anti‐cluster of differentiation (CD)20 antibodies (Abs). Appropriate HBV prophylaxis during anti‐CD20 Ab therapy averts hepatitis, chemotherapy disruption, and death.

Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Stage at Diagnosis in the 1945‐1965 Birth Cohort Reflects Poor Use of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening

Ann Robinson, Hesam Tavakoli, Benny Liu, Taft Bhuket, Robert J. Wong – 28 August 2018 – Individuals from the 1945‐1965 birth cohort account for the majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases in the United States. Understanding trends in HCC among this birth cohort is vital given the increasing burden of chronic liver disease among this group. We retrospectively evaluated trends and disparities in HCC tumor stage at the time of diagnosis among the 1945‐1965 birth cohort in the United States using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry.

A Validated Score Predicts Acute Kidney Injury and Survival in Patients With Alcoholic Hepatitis

Ravi Sujan, Monica Cruz‐Lemini, Jose Altamirano, Douglas A. Simonetto, Rakhi Maiwall, Page Axley, Taylor Richardson, Vivek Desai, Joaquin Cabezas, Victor Vargas, Patrick S. Kamath, Vijay H. Shah, Shiv K. Sarin, Ramon Bataller, Ashwani K. Singal – 28 August 2018 – Identifying patients at high risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization among patients admitted with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is an unmet clinical need. We performed a multicentric prospective cohort study using data from 4 different cohorts on well‐characterized patients hospitalized with severe AH.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase‐7 for Biliary Atresia

Li Yang, Ying Zhou, Pei‐pei Xu, Reena Mourya, Hai‐yan Lei, Guo‐qing Cao, Xiao‐li Xiong, Hui Xu, Xu‐fei Duan, Na Wang, Lin Fei, Xiao‐pan Chang, Xi Zhang, Meng Jiang, Jorge A. Bezerra, Shao‐tao Tang – 28 August 2018 – The diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) remains a clinical challenge because affected infants have signs, symptoms, and serum liver biochemistry that are also seen in those with other causes of neonatal cholestasis (non‐BA). However, an early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment are required to improve clinical outcome.

Simtuzumab for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: Phase 2 Study Results With Insights on the Natural History of the Disease

Andrew J. Muir, Cynthia Levy, Harry L.A. Janssen, Aldo J. Montano‐Loza, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Stephen Caldwell, Velimir Luketic, Dora Ding, Catherine Jia, Bryan J. McColgan, John G. McHutchison, G. Mani Subramanian, Robert P. Myers, Michael Manns, Roger Chapman, Nezam H. Afdhal, Zachary Goodman, Bertus Eksteen, Christopher L. Bowlus, for the GS‐US‐321‐0102 Investigators – 28 August 2018 – Lysyl oxidase like‐2 (LOXL2) plays a central role in fibrogenesis and is elevated in the serum and liver of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

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