A potential novel treatment for cirrhosis-related ascites: Empagliflozin is safe and tolerable in advanced chronic liver disease.

AIMS: Advanced chronic liver disease and advanced chronic liver disease-related ascites have a high mortality. The pharmacological treatment of ascites and fluid overload has changed little over time. Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitor is an untested potential novel treatment in cirrhosis, as it has survival benefits in heart failure, which has similar pathophysiological fluid overload mechanisms. Before investigating empagliflozin's potential benefit in cirrhosis, its safety must be addressed. METHODS: Ten participants (five each with compensated or decompensated advanced chronic liver disease, based on Child-Pugh class) received empagliflozin 10 mg orally daily for 4 weeks with 2 weeks follow-up. Empagliflozin safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were investigated. RESULTS: In total, eight patients (80%) reported an adverse event, and three patients (30%) experienced a serious adverse event, one of which was attributed to empagliflozin. Overall, the frequency of adverse events was similar to previous phase 3 trials of gliflozins. Higher plasma empagliflozin concentrations did not significantly increase the risk of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Four-week treatment with empagliflozin was safe and well tolerated in patients with advanced chronic liver disease. These preliminary data support assessment of long-term treatment on disease-related and mortality outcomes in patients with cirrhosis through randomized control trials.

HCC incidence after hepatitis C cure among patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: HCV cure reduces but does not eliminate the risk of HCC. HCC surveillance is recommended in populations where the incidence exceeds 1.5% per year. In cirrhosis, HCC surveillance should continue after HCV cure, although it is uncertain if this should be indefinite. For patients with advanced fibrosis (F3), guidelines are inconsistent in their recommendations. We evaluated the incidence of HCC after HCV cure among patients with F3 fibrosis or cirrhosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis identified 44 studies (107,548 person-years of follow-up) assessing the incidence of HCC after HCV cure among patients with F3 fibrosis or cirrhosis. The incidence of HCC was 2.1 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 1.9-2.4) among patients with cirrhosis and 0.5 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 0.3-0.7) among patients with F3 fibrosis. In a meta-regression analysis among patients with cirrhosis, older age (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] per 10-year increase in mean/median age, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00-1.73) and prior decompensation (aRR per 10% increase in the proportion of patients with prior decompensation, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.12) were associated with an increased incidence of HCC. Longer follow-up after HCV cure was associated with a decreased incidence of HCC (aRR per year increase in mean/median follow-up, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with cirrhosis, the incidence of HCC decreases over time after HCV cure and is lowest in patients with younger age and compensated cirrhosis. The substantially lower incidence in F3 fibrosis is below the recommended threshold for cost-effective screening. The results should encourage the development of validated predictive models that better identify at-risk individuals, especially among patients with F3 fibrosis.

Are Oxford Hip Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Useful Predictors of Clinical Meaningful Improvement and Satisfaction After Total Hip Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Up to 15% of patients express dissatisfaction after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Preoperative patient-report outcome measures (PROMs) scores can potentially mitigate this by predicting postoperative satisfaction, identifying patients that will benefit most from surgery. The aim of this study was to (1) calculate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds for Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) scores and (2) identify the threshold values of these PROMs that could be used to predict patient satisfaction and expectation fulfilment. METHODS: Prospectively collected registry data of 1334 primary THA patients who returned for 2-year follow-up from 1998 to 2016 were reviewed. All patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 2 years using the OHS, WOMAC, and SF-36 PCS/MCS scores. The MCID for each PROMs was calculated, and the proportion of patients that attained MCID was recorded. The relationship between satisfaction, expectation fulfilment, and MCID attainment was analyzed using Spearman rank correlation. Optimal threshold scores for each PROM that predicted MCID attainment and satisfaction/expectation fulfilment at 2 years were calculated using receiver operating curve analysis. RESULTS: The calculated MCID for OHS, WOMAC, SF-36 PCS, and SF-36 MCS were 5.2, 10.8, 6.7, and 6.2, respectively. A threshold value of 24.5 for the preoperative OHS was predictive of achieving WOMAC MCID at 2 years after THA (area under the curve 0.80, P < .001). 93.1% of patients were satisfied, and 95.5% had expectations fulfilled at 2 years. None of the PROMs were able to predict satisfaction. CONCLUSION: OHS and WOMAC scores can be used to determine clinical meaningful improvement but are limited in their ability to predict patient satisfaction after THA.

Prevalence of Metatarsus Adductus in Symptomatic Hallux Valgus and Its Influence on Functional Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Metatarsus adductus (MA) increases the risk of developing symptomatic hallux valgus (HV). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MA in patients with symptomatic HV and to evaluate how it affected the functional outcome after scarf osteotomy. METHODS: Between January 2007 and June 2012, a total of 206 patients who underwent scarf osteotomy for symptomatic HV at a tertiary hospital were included. The metatarsus adductus angle (MAA) was determined using the Modified Sgarlato method, and these patients were categorized into 2 groups: MA (MAA > 20 degrees); and Control (MAA ≤ 20 degrees). The patients were prospectively followed for 2 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of MA was 33% (68/206) with a mean MAA of 24 ± 4 degrees (range = 20-39). There was a 21 ± 12 degrees and 18 ± 9 degrees improvement in hallux valgus angle for the MA and Control groups, respectively (P = .061), whereas there was a 6 ± 4 degrees and 6 ± 3 degrees improvement in intermetartarsal angle for the MA and Control groups, respectively (P = .475). The visual analog scale, AOFAS Hallux Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal Scale, and Physical and Mental Component Scores were comparable between the 2 groups both preoperatively and at 2 years' follow-up (all P > .05). Two patients in the control group required revision surgery for recurrence symptomatic HV. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that MA did not predispose the patient to poorer functional outcome after scarf osteotomy with the advent of good operative techniques. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective comparative study.