The Significance of Systemic Inflammatory Markers in 'New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation' Following Cardiac Surgeries.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is a known complication of postoperative morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery. The purpose of this retrospective study was to look into the association between the incidence of new-onset AF in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and preoperative systemic inflammatory markers. Patients were divided into two groups (Group A: new-onset AF, Group B: no AF) depending on the occurrence of AF in the postoperative period, and a retrospective analysis was performed to look for the association between the incidence of new-onset AF and levels of systemic inflammatory markers. Five hundred patients were enrolled in the study, and the duration was three years. One-hundred and fifty out of 500 patients who underwent cardiac surgeries between 2020 and 2023 had higher levels of preoperative inflammatory markers. The systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil scores, platelet counts, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were examined. Compared to patients without AF (Group B), those who developed AF (Group A) had significantly higher mean levels of CRP (6.2 ± 1.8 mg/L), platelet count (320 ± 50 x109/L), neutrophil scores (4.6 ± 0.9), and SII (650 ± 120) (p<0.05 for all). Higher thresholds of these inflammatory markers were related to a notable increase in the prevalence of AF, with odds ratios showing significantly higher risks associated with raised marker levels. In summary, there was a significant correlation found between an increased risk of new-onset AF after surgery and elevated preoperative inflammatory markers, such as CRP levels, platelet counts, neutrophil scores, and SII. These findings could be used as prognostic markers to identify patients who are more likely to experience postoperative AF. Further prospective studies will be required to analyze their predictive value. Limitations of our study include the relatively small sample size, potential bias from single-institutional data, and the retrospective nature of the study design.

Integrated ACMG-approved genes and ICD codes for the translational research and precision medicine.

A timely understanding of the biological secrets of complex diseases will ultimately benefit millions of individuals by reducing the high risks for mortality and improving the quality of life with personalized diagnoses and treatments. Due to the advancements in sequencing technologies and reduced cost, genomics data are developing at an unmatched pace and levels to foster translational research and precision medicine. Over 10 million genomics datasets have been produced and publicly shared in 2022. Diverse and high-volume genomics and clinical data have the potential to broaden the scope of biological discoveries and insights by extracting, analyzing and interpreting the hidden information. However, the current and still unresolved challenges include the integration of genomic profiles of the patients with their medical records. The definition of disease in genomics medicine is simplified, whereas in the clinical world, diseases are classified, identified and adopted with their International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, which are maintained by the World Health Organization. Several biological databases have been produced, which include information about human genes and related diseases. However, still, there is no database that exists, which can precisely link clinical codes with relevant genes and variants to support genomic and clinical data integration for clinical and translational medicine. In this project, we focused on the development of an annotated gene-disease-code database, which is accessible through an online, cross-platform and user-friendly application, i.e. PROMIS-APP-SUITE-Gene-Disease-Code. However, our scope is limited to the integration of ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes with the list of genes approved by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. The results include over 17 000 diseases and 4000 ICD codes, and over 11 000 gene-disease-code combinations. Database URL https://promis.rutgers.edu/pas/.

A Comparative Evaluation between the Use of Buccal Pad of Fat and Bovine Collagen Membrane in the Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis.

PURPOSE: This study is intended to assess and compare the effectiveness of BFP and BCM as reconstruction materials in treating oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised twenty patients of 20 and 60 years who were clinically diagnosed with OSMF. All patients were subjected to fibrotomy with reconstruction under general anesthesia. In all the patients, following fibrotomy reconstruction was done using the buccal pad of fat on the left and with the collagen membrane on the right. The temporal muscle insertions were released, and coronoidectomy was performed as and when required. Any third molars if present were removed. All patients were feeded for 7 days by Ryle's tube and were on intravenous antibiotics for 5 days. Clinical evaluation was done at periodic intervals of 7, 30, 90, and 180 days postoperatively for mouth opening, burning, pain on mouth opening, and recurrence. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 27.3 years. A 12 mm was mean preoperative mouth opening. Intraoperative mouth opening was 37 mm in all the patients and maintained at 36 mm at the 6th-month postoperative period. No significant difference was observed between both sides pertaining to pain on maximal mouth opening, burning sensation, or postoperative infection. However, there was a significant difference in the time taken for epithelization on both sides. CONCLUSION: The results of this study reveal that both Buccal Pad of Fat (BPF) and BCM are viable reconstruction options, but BFP as a reconstruction material exhibited prompt epithelization with the lowest wound contracture.

Extensive pelvic and abdominal lymphadenopathy with hepatosplenomegaly treated with radiotherapy-A case report.

This is a case report of a 65-year-old female patient diagnosed with Grade II Follicular Lymphoma of the pelvic and abdomen was treated with a combination of R-CHOP chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Association Between Race/Ethnicity and Insurance Status with Outcomes in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Racial/ethnic disparities in prognosis have been reported in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, few studies have evaluated racial/ethnic disparities in the context of insurance status. AIMS: Characterize racial/ethnic and insurance status in early tumor detection, receipt of curative therapy and overall survival in a multicenter diverse cohort of HCC patients from the USA. STUDY: We included patients with HCC diagnosed between June 2012 and May 2013 at four centers in the USA. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to compare early tumor detection (defined using Milan Criteria) and curative treatment receipt (liver transplantation, surgical resection, or local ablation) as a function of patient race/ethnicity and insurance status. A multivariable frailty survival model was used to compare risk of death between patient groups. RESULTS: Of 379 HCC patients (52.8% non-Hispanic White, 19.5% Hispanic White, 19.8% Black), 46.4% and 48.0% were found at an early stage and underwent curative therapy, respectively, and median overall survival of the cohort was 25.7 months. Early detection of HCC was associated with gastroenterology subspecialty care and receipt of HCC surveillance but not race/ethnicity or insurance status in adjusted models. However, commercial insurance was significantly associated with higher odds of curative treatment receipt, which in turn was the strongest correlate for overall survival. After adjusting for health system and insurance status, race/ethnicity was not associated with curative treatment receipt or overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Insurance status and access to gastroenterology subspecialty care may be important drivers of racial/ethnic disparities in prognosis among HCC patients.

Role of Age and Race in the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Veterans With Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatocellular (HCC) surveillance guidelines for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are based on race- and age-specific estimates of HCC risk, derived from studies conducted in areas in which HBV is endemic. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the national Veterans Administration data to identify patients with chronic HBV infection from 2001 through 2013. We examined the effect of race and age on HCC risk while adjusting for baseline clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The study cohort had 8329 patients; 3498 patients (42.0%) were white, 3248 (39%) were African Americans, and 659 (7.9%) were Asian Pacific Islanders. The annual HCC incidence was highest in Asian Pacific Islanders (0.65%), followed by whites (0.57%) and African Americans (0.40%). After adjusting for clinical and viral factors, the risk of HCC was significantly higher in Asian Pacific Islanders compared with whites (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.04; 95% CI, 1.31-3.17). There was no difference in HCC risk between African Americans and whites (adjusted HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-1.02). HCC risk increased with age: adjusted HR was 1.97 (95% CI, 0.99-3.87) for 40-49 years; adjusted HR was 3.00 (95% CI, 1.55-5.81) for 50-59 years; and adjusted HR was 4.02 (95% CI, 2.03-7.94) for more than 60 years vs less than 40 years. Patients with cirrhosis had higher risk of HCC than patients without cirrhosis (adjusted HR = 3.69; 95% CI, 2.82-4.83). However, even among patients without cirrhosis, the annual incidence of HCC was more than 0.2% for all patients older than 40 years with high levels of alanine aminotransferase-regardless of race. CONCLUSIONS: In a sample of male veterans with chronic HBV infection, risk of HCC is highest among Asian Pacific Islanders, followed by whites and African Americans. Cirrhosis increased HCC risk. Among patients without cirrhosis, male patients who are older than 40 years and have increased levels of alanine aminotransferase might benefit from HCC surveillance, regardless of race.

The Validity of HCC Diagnosis Codes in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients in the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: Administrative databases that include diagnostic codes are valuable sources of information for research purposes. AIM: To validate diagnostic codes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with chronic HBV seen in the national Veterans Administration (VA). HCC cases were identified by the presence of ICD-9 code 155.0. We randomly selected 200 HBV controls without this code as controls. We manually reviewed the electronic medical record (EMR) of all cases and controls to determine HCC status. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, and specificity for the HCC code. We conducted an implicit review of the false-positive cases to determine possible reasons for the miscoding. RESULTS: Of the 8350 patients with HBV, 416 had an ICD-9 code for HCC. Of these 416, 332 patients had confirmed HCC and 61 did not; HCC status was indeterminate for 23 patients. Of the 200 controls, none had HCC confirmed in the EMR. The PPV ranged from 85.3 to 80.0% and specificity ranged from 99.2 to 99.0% based on classification of indeterminate cases as true versus false positives, respectively. The NPV, sensitivity, and specificity were 100%. Two-thirds of false-positive cases were diagnosed with HCC prematurely as a workup of liver mass and latter imaging and/or biopsy were not diagnostic for HCC. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic code of HCC in chronic HBV patients in the VHA data is predictive of the presence of HCC in medical records and can be used for epidemiological and clinical research.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening Associated with Early Tumor Detection and Improved Survival Among Patients with Cirrhosis in the US.

BACKGROUND: Professional societies recommend hepatocellular carcinoma screening in patients with cirrhosis, but high-quality data evaluating its effectiveness to improve early tumor detection and survival in "real world" clinical practice are needed. We aim to characterize the association between hepatocellular carcinoma screening and early tumor detection, curative treatment, and overall survival among patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma between June 2012 and May 2013 at 4 health systems in the US. Patients were categorized in the screening group if hepatocellular carcinoma was detected by imaging performed for screening purposes. Generalized linear models and multivariate Cox regression with frailty adjustment were used to compare early detection, curative treatment, and survival between screen-detected and non-screen-detected patients. RESULTS: Among 374 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 42% (n = 157) were detected by screening. Screen-detected patients had a significantly higher proportion of early tumors (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A 63.1% vs 36.4%, P <.001) and were more likely to undergo curative treatment (31% vs 13%, P = .02). Hepatocellular carcinoma screening was significantly associated with improved survival in multivariate analysis (hazards ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.65) after adjusting for patient demographics, Child-Pugh class, and performance status. Median survival of screen-detected patients was 14.6 months, compared with 6.0 months for non-screen-detected patients, with the difference remaining significant after adjusting for lead-time bias (hazards ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.93). CONCLUSION: Hepatocellular carcinoma screening is associated with increased early tumor detection and improved survival; however, a minority of hepatocellular carcinoma patients are detected by screening. Interventions to increase screening use in patients with cirrhosis may help curb hepatocellular carcinoma mortality rates.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in the absence of cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The extent to which HCC occurs in U.S. in the absence of cirrhosis in CHB remains unclear. METHODS: We identified CHB patients who were diagnosed with HCC in the national Veterans Administration (VA) between 2001 and 2013. We defined presence and absence of cirrhosis at the time of HCC diagnosis using explicit histological, radiological, endoscopic, and laboratory criteria. We used multivariable regression analysis to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with CHB-related HCC in the absence of cirrhosis. We also examined liver transplant-free survival in CHB-HCC patients with and without cirrhosis. RESULTS: Among 8539 CHB patients, 317 developed HCC of whom 30 (9.5%) did not have any evidence of cirrhosis at the time of HCC diagnosis. Compared to HCC patients with cirrhosis, HCC patients without cirrhosis were more likely to be non-white (African American, OR=6.78; 95% CI 2.05-22.4; Asian, OR 11.6, 95% CI 2.63-50.8), have a family history of HCC (OR 32.9, 95% CI 3.76-288), and hypertension (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.02-9.75). There was no significant difference in the transplant-free survival between CHB-HCC patients with and without cirrhosis (hazard ratio 0.68, 95% CI 0.43-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than 10% of U.S. based CHB-related HCC patients did not have cirrhosis. Race and family history of HCC were the main risk factors for HCC in the absence of cirrhosis in CHB. These factors may help guide the decision to initiate HCC surveillance in CHB patients without cirrhosis. LAY SUMMARY: Patients with chronic hepatitis B who are African American, or Asian, older than 40years of age with family members with liver cancer or high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing liver cancer in the absence of cirrhosis. These patients should be included in the screening program for liver cancer.

Natural History of Untreated Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a US Cohort and the Role of Cancer Surveillance.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Determining the natural history and predictors of survival in patients with untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States is useful to test existing tumor classifications, identify subgroups of patients likely to benefit from treatment, and estimate lead time related to HCC surveillance. METHODS: We identified a national cohort of 518 veterans diagnosed with HCC from 2004 through 2011, with follow-up ending in 2014, who received no palliative or curative treatment. We examined the association between postdiagnosis survival and patient factors, tumor characteristics, and prediagnosis surveillance. RESULTS: The mean age at HCC diagnosis was 65.7 years and most patients had hepatitis C (60.6%). Almost all patients (99%) died within the observation period; the median overall survival time was 3.6 months and survival times were 13.4, 9.5, 3.4, and 1.6 months for patients of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages 0/A, B, C, and D, respectively. In addition, model for end-stage liver disease and levels of α-fetoprotein were predictive of survival. Nearly 28% received prediagnosis HCC surveillance, which was associated with detection of disease at an earlier stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer 0/A/B; 26.4% vs 14.4%; P = .0006) and slightly longer survival than patients with no surveillance overall (5.2 months vs 3.4 months; P = .021); there was no difference in survival times of patients with 0/A stage who did versus did not receive surveillance (10.3 months vs 10.5 months). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HCCs, including those detected through surveillance, survived for short time periods in the absence of treatment, irrespective of their initial stage at diagnosis. Model for end-stage liver disease scores and levels of α-fetoprotein were prognostic factors, independent of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage. The lead time related to detection by surveillance was modest (<2 months) and therefore unlikely to explain the survival benefit associated with surveillance in previous studies.

Everolimus with early withdrawal or reduced-dose calcineurin inhibitors improves renal function in liver transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are the mainstay of immunosuppression after liver transplantation (LT), but CNIs are associated with significant nephrotoxicity. Recently, mTOR inhibitors such as sirolimus and everolimus (EVR) have been used with or without CNIs in LT recipients for their renal-sparing effect. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) that examined the effect of EVR with CNI minimization or withdrawal on renal function in LT recipients. RCT of primary adult LT recipients with baseline GFR >30 mL/min who received EVR with CNI minimization or withdrawal were included. Four RCTs (EVR n=465, control n=428) were included. In three RCTs, EVR was initiated 4 weeks following LT; these studies were used to assess the primary outcome. All four studies were used to assess the secondary outcomes. Based on this study, EVR use with CNI minimization in LT recipients is associated with improved renal function at 12 months by GFR of 10.2 mL/min (95% CI: 2.75-17.8). EVR use was not associated with an increased risk of biopsy-proven acute rejection (RR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.31-1.46), graft loss (RR 1.60, 95% CI: 0.51-5.00), or mortality (RR 1.34, 95% CI 0.62-2.90). However, it was associated with an increased risk of overall infections (RR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.91).

Effectiveness of surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice: A United States cohort.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The effectiveness of surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in reducing cancer related mortality among patients with cirrhosis is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to study the effectiveness of HCC surveillance in the national Veterans Administration (VA) clinical practice. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with HCC during 2005-2010 by reviewing patients' medical records to determine receipt of HCC surveillance in the 2years prior to HCC diagnosis. We determined association of HCC surveillance with overall mortality adjusting for age, risk factors, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, comorbidity index, alpha-fetoprotein levels, healthcare utilization, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and treatment. We accounted for lead and length time biases. RESULTS: Of 887 patients with HCC, only 412 (46.5%) received any surveillance prior to HCC diagnosis. Patients who received surveillance were significantly more likely to have early stage disease HCC (BCLC stage 0/A 27.2% vs. 11.6%) and receive potentially curative (20.9% vs. 11.6%) or palliative (59.2% vs. 45.5%) treatments compared to those without HCC surveillance. Receipt of HCC surveillance was associated with 38% reduction in mortality risk (unadjusted hazard ratios (HR) 0.62, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.54-0.71) that declined to 20% (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69-0.94) after adjusting for HCC stage and treatment, compared to those without HCC surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with HCC, pre-diagnosis HCC surveillance is associated with a significant 38% reduction in overall mortality. The reduction in mortality risk with surveillance is mediated via stage migration and receipt of HCC specific treatment. LAY SUMMARY: Surveillance for liver cancer leads to earlier detection of cancer and increases chances of getting curative treatment. This ultimately leads to increased longevity in patients with liver cancer.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Absence of Cirrhosis in United States Veterans is Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can develop in individuals without cirrhosis. We investigated risk factors for development of HCC in the absence of cirrhosis in a U.S. METHODS: We identified a national cohort of 1500 patients with verified HCC during 2005 to 2010 in the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) and reviewed their full VA medical records for evidence of cirrhosis and risk factors for HCC. Patients without cirrhosis were assigned to categories of level 1 evidence for no cirrhosis (very high probability) or level 2 evidence for no cirrhosis (high probability), which were based on findings from histologic analyses, laboratory test results, markers of fibrosis from noninvasive tests, and imaging features. RESULTS: A total of 43 of the 1500 patients with HCC (2.9%) had level 1 evidence for no cirrhosis, and 151 (10.1%) had level 2 evidence for no cirrhosis; the remaining 1203 patients (80.1%) had confirmed cirrhosis. Compared with patients with HCC in presence of cirrhosis, greater proportions of patients with HCC without evidence of cirrhosis had metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or no identifiable risk factors. Patients with HCC without evidence of cirrhosis were less likely to have abused alcohol or have hepatitis C virus infection than patients with cirrhosis. Patients with HCC and NAFLD (unadjusted odds ratio, 5.4; 95% confidence interval, 3.4-8.5) or metabolic syndrome (unadjusted odds ratio, 5.0; 95% confidence interval, 3.1-7.8) had more than 5-fold risk of having HCC in the absence of cirrhosis, compared with patients with HCV-related HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 13% of patients with HCC in the VA system do not appear to have cirrhosis. NAFLD and metabolic syndrome are the main risk factors for HCC in the absence of cirrhosis.

Coffee and Caffeine Are Associated With Decreased Risk of Advanced Hepatic Fibrosis Among Patients With Hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Coffee or caffeine has been proposed to protect against hepatic fibrosis, but few data are available on their effects in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of veterans with chronic HCV infection to evaluate the association between daily intake of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, tea, and soda, and level of hepatic fibrosis, based on the FibroSURE test (BioPredictive, Paris, France) (F0-F3, mild [controls] vs. F3/F4-F4, advanced). Models were adjusted for multiple potential confounders including age, alcohol abuse, and obesity. RESULTS: Among 910 patients with chronic HCV infection, 98% were male and 38% had advanced hepatic fibrosis. Daily intake of caffeinated coffee was higher among controls than patients with advanced fibrosis (1.37 vs. 1.05 cups/d; P = .038). In contrast, daily intake of caffeinated tea (0.61 vs. 0.56 cups/d; P = .651) or soda (1.14 vs. 0.95 cans/d; P = .106) did not differ between the groups. A higher percentage of controls (66.0%) than patients with advanced fibrosis (57.9%) consumed 100 mg or more of caffeine daily from all sources (P = .014); controls also received a larger proportion of their caffeine from coffee (50.2% vs. 43.0%; P = .035). Hepatoprotective effects of an average daily intake of 100 mg or more of caffeine (adjusted odds ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.95; P = .020) and 1 cup or more of caffeinated tea by non-coffee drinkers (adjusted odds ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.94; P = .028) persisted after adjustment for confounders, including insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A modest daily caffeine intake (as little as 100 mg) may protect against advanced hepatic fibrosis in men with chronic HCV infection. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings in women and in people with other chronic liver diseases.

Temporal trends of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related hepatocellular carcinoma in the veteran affairs population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, no systemic studies from the United States have examined temporal trends, HCC surveillance practices, and outcomes of NAFLD-related HCC. METHODS: We identified a national cohort of 1500 patients who developed HCC from 2005 through 2010 from Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals. We reviewed patients' full VA medical records; NAFLD was diagnosed based on histologic evidence for, or the presence of, the metabolic syndrome in the absence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, hepatitis B, or alcoholic liver disease. We compared annual prevalence values for the main risk factors (NAFLD, alcohol abuse, and HCV), as well a HCC surveillance and outcomes, among HCC patients. RESULTS: NAFLD was the underlying risk factor for HCC in 120 patients (8.0%); the annual proportion of NAFLD-related HCC remained relatively stable (7.5%-12.0%). In contrast, the proportion of HCC cases associated with HCV increased from 61.0% in 2005 (95% confidence interval, 53.1%-68.9%) to 74.9% in 2010 (95% confidence interval, 69.0%-80.7%). The proportion of HCC cases associated with only alcohol abuse decreased from 21.9% in 2005 to 15.7% in 2010, and the annual proportion of HCC cases associated with hepatitis B remained relatively stable (1.4%-3.5%). A significantly lower proportion of patients with NAFLD-related HCC had cirrhosis (58.3%) compared with patients with alcohol- or HCV-related HCC (72.4% and 85.6%, respectively; P < .05). A significantly higher percentage of patients with NAFLD-related HCC did not receive HCC surveillance in the 3 years before their HCC diagnosis, compared with patients with alcohol- or HCV-associated HCC. A lower proportion of patients with NAFLD-related HCC received HCC-specific treatment (61.5%) than patients with HCV-related HCC (77.5%; P < .01). However, the 1-year survival rate did not differ among patients with HCC related to different risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: NAFLD is the third most common risk factor for HCC in the VA population. The proportion of NAFLD-related HCC was relatively stable from 2005 through 2010. Although patients with NAFLD-related HCC received less HCC surveillance and treatment, a similar proportion survive for 1 year, compared with patients with alcohol-related or HCV-related HCC.

Limited life expectancy among a subgroup of medicare beneficiaries receiving screening colonoscopies.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Life expectancy is an important consideration when assessing appropriateness of preventive programs for older individuals. Most studies on this subject have used age cutoffs as a proxy for life expectancy. We analyzed patterns of utilization of screening colonoscopy in Medicare enrollees by using estimated life expectancy. METHODS: We used a 5% random national sample of Medicare claims data to identify average-risk patients who underwent screening colonoscopies from 2008 to 2010. Colonoscopies were considered to be screening colonoscopies in the absence of diagnoses for nonscreening indications, which were based on either colonoscopies or any claims in the preceding 3 months. We estimated life expectancies by using a model that combined age, sex, and comorbidity. Among patients who underwent screening colonoscopies, we calculated the percentage of those with life expectancies <10 years. RESULTS: Among the 57,597 Medicare beneficiaries 66 years old or older who received at least 1 screening colonoscopy, 24.8% had an estimated life expectancy of <10 years. There was a significant positive association between total Medicare per capita costs in hospital referral regions and the proportion of patients with limited life expectancies (<10 years) at the time of screening colonoscopy (R = 0.25; P < .001, Pearson correlation test). In a multivariable analysis, men were substantially more likely than women to have limited life expectancy at the time of screening colonoscopy (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 2.16-2.34). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 25% of Medicare beneficiaries, especially men, had life expectancies <10 years at the time of screening colonoscopies. Life expectancy should therefore be incorporated in decision-making for preventive services.

Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma: consider the population.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in incidence and has a very high fatality rate. Cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C is the leading risk factor for HCC. Global epidemiology of HCC is determined by the prevalence of dominant viral hepatitis and the age it is acquired in the underlying population. Upcoming risk factors include obesity, diabetes, and related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This review discusses the latest trends of HCC globally and in the United States. It also provides an evidence-based commentary on the risk factors and lists some of the preventive measures to reduce the incidence of HCC.