Risk Factors for Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis in the Indomethacin Era - A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an essential procedure used to treat conditions affecting the biliopancreatic system, it can lead to several complications. Post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) is the most frequent one, with an incidence ranging from 3 to 14%. Our aim was to assess the potential risk factors associated with PEP occurrence in patients undergoing ERCP with indomethacin prophylaxis. METHODS: Prospective, single-center, real-world observational study (January to December 2015) with inclusion of patients submitted to ERCP, where relevant patient-related and procedure-related data had been collected. Patients had to have been admitted for a minimum of 24 h in order to establish the presence of early complications. All patients were submitted to PEP prophylaxis with 1 or 2 methods: rectal indomethacin and pancreatic duct (PD) stenting. RESULTS: A total of 188 patients who had undergone ERCP were included (52.7% women; mean age 69.2 ± 16.0 years) and PEP was diagnosed in 13 (6.9%). PEP prophylaxis consisted of indomethacin in all cases (100%) and PD stenting in 7.4%. The pancreatitis was mild in 11 patients (84.6%) and severe in the other 2. One of them died (0.5%). None of the patient-related risk factors were associated with changes in PEP probability. Of all patients, 33.0% had 2 or more procedure-related risk factors. A higher number of synchronous procedure-related risk factors showed a statistically significant correlation with PEP occurrence, p = 0.040. CONCLUSIONS: The 6.9% PEP rate is considered acceptable since 33.0% patients had a medium-high risk for PEP due to challenging biliary cannulation. The total number of procedure-related risk factors seems to play a critical role in the development of PEP despite indomethacin prophylaxis.

INTRODUÇÃO E OBJETIVO: A colangiopancreatografia retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) é um método terapáutico crucial em doenças biliopancreáticas, mas pode levar a várias complicações. A pancreatite pós-CPRE (PPC) é a complicação mais frequente, podendo atingir uma incidáncia de 3 a 14%. O objetivo foi estudar os fatores de risco associados à PPC em doentes submetidos a CPRE com profilaxia por indometacina. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospetivo e observacional com inclusão (janeiro-dezembro 2015) de doentes submetidos a CPRE num centro terciário, em condições de prática real. Foram registados os dados relevantes do doente e procedimento. Os doentes foram observados em internamento por, pelo menos, 24 horas para deteção de complicações. Todos os doentes incluídos foram submetidos a profilaxia de PPC, com recurso a um ou dois métodos indometacina retal e prótese pancreática. RESULTADOS: Estudados 188 doentes, 52.7% mulheres, com idade média de 69.2 ± 16.0 anos. Profilaxia de PPC envolveu indometacina em todos os casos (100%) e colocação de prótese pancreática em 7.4%. Registou-se PPC em 13 doentes (6.9%), sendo que 11 (84.6% de PPC) tiveram pancreatite ligeira. Os restantes dois apresentaram pancreatite grave e um deles faleceu (0.5%). Nenhum dos fatores de risco do doente se relacionou com maior probabilidade de PPC. Do total de doentes, em 33.0% estiveram presentes 2 ou mais fatores de risco associados ao procedimento. A presença simultânea de um número superior de fatores de risco associados ao procedimento relacionou-se significativamente com a ocorráncia de PPC, p = 0.040. CONCLUSÕES: Considera-se aceitável a taxa de PPC de 6.9%, tendo em conta que 33.0% dos doentes apresentavam risco médio-alto para PPC devido a canulação biliar difícil. O número total de fatores de risco associados ao procedimento parece desempenhar um papel crucial no desenvolvimento de PPC, apesar da profilaxia com indometacina.

The Role of the CLIF-C OF and the 2016 MELD in Prognosis of Cirrhosis with and without Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is defined by the development of acute deterioration of liver function associated with failure of other organs and high short-term mortality in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). There is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria, and its independence from ordinary decompensation of CLD has frequently been questioned. This study aimed to identify and characterize this condition and to test the CLIF-C OF score comparing it to the 2016-MELD (with sodium) and the Child-Pugh. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 18-month prospective observational study with systematic inclusion of admitted patients with CLD decompensation. RESULTS: 39 patients had ACLF (33.1%). These patients experienced higher 28-day and 90-day mortality, when compared to patients without ACLF (43.6% and 64.1% vs. 2.5% and 7.6% respectively, p < 0.0001). ACLF was linked with a higher acute infection rate (74.4%). For all patients (N = 118), the scores 2016-MELD, CLIF-C OF and Child-Pugh showed an area under the curve (AUC) for 28-day mortality of 0.908, 0.844, 0.753 and for 90-day of 0.902, 0.814, 0.724 respectively, p < 0.0001 for all scores. The 90-day mortality 2016-MELD AUC was greater than the CLIF-C OF AUC, p = 0.021. Within ACLF patients, the 2016-MELD, CLIF-C ACLF and Child-Pugh scores showed an AUC of 0.774, 0.734, 0.584 (28-day) and 0.880, 0.771, 0.603 (90-day); for 2016-MELD p = 0.004 (28-day) and p < 0.0001 (90-day). CONCLUSION: ACLF is a frequent and relevant condition, associated with high mortality. The CLIF-C OF score revealed good accuracy and diagnoses ACLF when it is present. However, the 2016-MELD performed better for 90-day mortality prediction.

Clarifying the role of C-reactive protein as a bacterial infection predictor in decompensated cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial infections are frequent in cirrhosis and may induce other deleterious complications. Ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (US-CRP), like other acute-phase proteins, is often considered useful in predicting bacterial infection in decompensated cirrhosis. However, US-CRP's reliability remains inconclusive, as inflammation in cirrhosis causes US-CRP synthesis independently of infection. The aim of this study was to clarify US-CRP's role as an infection predictor in decompensated cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective single-center study with systematic inclusion of cirrhotic patients admitted because of decompensation. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients were enrolled, of whom 47 (39.8%) had an overt infection, defined by clinical and laboratory/imaging criteria. Within those, 17 had infection confirmed by culture bacterial identification. Escherichia coli was the most frequent isolated bacteria. Seventeen patients had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, but only four (23.5%) had positive ascitic fluid cultures. US-CRP levels were significantly higher in cases of overt infection and positive culture groups than the no infection group (median: 4.14 and 6.40 vs. 1.11 mg/dl, P<0.0001 for both). When considering both overt infection and positive culture groups, the US-CRP values of area under the curve as an infection predictor were, respectively, 0.824 and 0.870, P<0.0001 for both, with associated cutoff values of 2.40 and 3.92 mg/dl, and sensitivity and specificity of 78.7/74.6 and 82.4/79.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The ideal US-CRP infection confirmatory cutoff is probably situated between 2.40 and 3.92 mg/dl. However, as infection is somewhat concealed and hazardous in cirrhotic patients, if not considered with lower US-CRP levels according to specific clinic scenarios, it should be carefully considered, at least, if US-CRP is greater than 2.40 mg/dl (0.5 mg/dl normal upper cutoff).

Auxiliary Liver Transplantation as a Transient Treatment for Acute Liver Failure: Two Cases.

INTRODUCTION: Acute liver failure is an uncommon condition associated with a high mortality. Most patients do not survive without liver transplantation. In the last decades, auxiliary liver transplantation has emerged as a therapeutic option. CLINICAL CASE: The authors present two cases of acute liver failure that required liver transplantation. Given the patients' young age and the preserved macroscopic liver pattern evaluated in surgery, auxiliary liver transplantation was executed using different surgical approaches. Afterwards, following confirmed full native liver regeneration, the patients were submitted to auxiliary liver hepatectomy, which was accomplished without complications. CONCLUSION: Auxiliary liver transplantation can be regarded as an effective temporary treatment for acute liver failure in selected cases, allowing an immunosuppression-free life.

INTRODUÇÃO: A falência hepática aguda é uma entidade clínica pouco comum, mas associada a elevada mortalidade. A maioria dos doentes não sobreviverá sem transplante hepático. Nas últimas décadas, o transplante hepático auxiliar tem sido utilizado como uma opção terapêutica valorizável. CASO CLÍNICO: Apresentam-se dois casos de falência hepática aguda tratados com transplante hepático. Tendo em conta a idade jovem dos doentes e a noção de preservação macroscópica do fígado, recorreu-se à opção de transplante hepático auxiliar utilizando técnicas diferentes. Posteriormente, após confirmação de regeneração hepática completa, procedeu-se à hepatectomia do fígado auxiliar. CONCLUSÃO: O transplante hepático auxiliar constitui uma terapêutica transitória eficaz em alguns casos de falência hepática aguda, permitindo um futuro isento de imunossupressão.