Hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A single-center study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the frequency of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to verify the guidelines relating to HBV reactivation in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 1351 RA patients who were treated with antirheumatic drugs at our hospital. RESULTS: Fifty patients (3.7%; 50/1351) were determined to be HBV carriers and 360 patients (26.7%; 360/1351) had resolved infections. HBV reactivation occurred in six cases (1.7%: 6/360) with resolved infections, of whom, two cases (0.6%; 2/360) developed de novo HBV infections. Eleven of the patients who were HBV carriers received a nucleoside analogue (NA) prophylactically. In all of the cases, the HBV-DNA levels became undetectable and the patients' liver function normalized. Sixteen patients, who had lower titers of the HBV surface antigen and undetectable HBV-DNA levels, did not show HBV reactivation in the absence of NA therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study suggest that HBV reactivation might not be so frequent among RA patients, and that reliable indicators for prescribing a NA should be clarified for RA patients.

Frequency of elevated biomarkers in patients with cryptogenic hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to increase in Japan, but the clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with HCC have not been well described. The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies and utilities of elevated a-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) levels as biomarkers in cryptogenic HCC. MATERIAL/METHODS: A total of 2638 patients with HCC diagnosed between 1999 and 2010 in the Nagasaki Association Study of Liver (NASLD) were recruited for this study. The cause of HCC was categorized into 4 groups; HCC-B, HCC-C, HCC-BC, and HCC-nonBC. The significance of factors was examined for HCC-nonBC using logistic regression analysis in all patients. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified age, sex, BMI, alcohol consumption, platelet count, AST, ALT, AFP, DCP, and TNM stage as independent and significant risk factors for HCC-nonBC. According to TNM stage, the median AFP levels in HCC-nonBC with TNM stages I, II, and III were significantly lower than in either HCC-B or HCC-C. In TNM stage IV, the median AFP level in HCC-nonBC was significantly lower than in either HCC-B or HCC-BC. The median DCP levels in HCC-nonBC with TNM stages I and II were significantly higher than those in either HCC-B or HCC-C. In TNM stage III, the median DCP level in HCC-nonBC was significantly higher than that in HCC-C. CONCLUSIONS: DCP was more sensitive than AFP for the diagnosis of early stage cryptogenic HCC. DCP should be used as the main serum test for cryptogenic HCC detection.

Liver Function in Older Patients With Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Administration of Lenvatinib.

BACKGROUND: The age of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for molecular-targeted drug treatment is increasing. We assessed liver function after lenvatinib administration according to age in patients with advanced HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective, multicenter, observational study, we reviewed the records of patients with HCC who received lenvatinib treatment (March 2018-March 2020). Liver function was measured using the Albumin-Bilirubin Index (ALBI). RESULTS: Of 119 patients, with a median age of 72.0 years, median overall survival was 15.3 months. Overall survival was significantly better in the group which maintained liver function (p=0.02). Older age (≥72 years) was associated with liver-function deterioration within 8 weeks (odds ratio=2.47, 95% confidence interval=1.06-5.75, p=0.035). The ALBI score was significantly higher in the older group at 4 and 8 weeks after lenvatinib administration. CONCLUSION: Lenvatinib administration was more likely to adversely affect liver function in older patients; dose adjustment should be considered in such patients.

[Radiofrequency (RF) ablation for liver metastases of colorectal cancer].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for liver metastases of colorectal cancer. METHODS: RFA was used to treat 31 tumors (median diameter 1.5 cm, range 0.5-3.9 cm) in 13 patients of liver metastases of colorectal cancer. The median number of tumors treated per patient was 2. 9 (range, 1-10). RESULTS: Two patients had complications; bleeding and liver dysfunction. Four (12.9%) of 31 lesions developed a local recurrence after the treatment. We achieved a local control in 2 (92.6%) of 27 lesions <3.0 cm in diameter. In 4 (30.8%) of 13 patients, new metastases were observed at follow-up. One year survival rate from the initial ablation was 92.3% and 2-year was 46.2%. One year total local recurrence rate from the initial ablation was 55.6%. CONCLUSION: In the case of tumor greater than 3 cm, RF ablation is an effective method to treat hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma.

Response to Lenvatinib Is Associated with Optimal RelativeDose Intensity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Experience in Clinical Settings.

BACKGROUND: Lenvatinib is currently available as the first-line treatment for advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. We evaluated the relationship between its relative dose intensity (RDI) and response in clinical settings. METHODS: From March 2018 to May 2019, 93 patients were administered lenvatinib at the Nagasaki University Hospital and its related facilities. Among these, 81 patients (66 men, 15 women, median age 72.0) who received lenvatinib were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were Child-Pugh grade B, and 15 had received other systemic therapy. According to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), the objective response (OR) rate was 17.3%. The overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the OR group (p = 0.011). There was a significant difference in RDI between the OR and non-OR groups (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for OR prediction by the 4, 8, 12, and 16-week RDI were 0.666, 0.747, 0.731, and 0.704, respectively. In the 8-week RDI 67.0% group, OS was significantly better than in the 8-week RDI< 67.0% group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Because a sufficient RDI is required to achieve an OR, it is strongly recommended that lenvatinib should be administered to patients with good hepatic function and status.

Clinicopathological study of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Japan: the risk factors for fibrosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and compared the clinical and pathological features to identify the risk factors for NAFLD with severe fibrosis. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-two patients with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD from various medical centres were recruited into this study. RESULTS: The variables that were significantly associated with severe steatosis were male gender (mild:severe=36%:53%, P=0.02), younger age (mild:severe=57%:82%, P>0.001) and absence of type 2 diabetes (mild:severe=43%:71%, P>0.001). There was no significant difference in the degree of inflammation among the clinical groups. The variables that were significantly associated with severe fibrosis were female gender (mild:severe=54%:84%, P=0.002), older age (> or = 60 years old) (mild:severe=29%:53%, P=0.020), type 2 diabetes (mild:severe=42%:71%, P=0.020) and hypertension (mild:severe=24%:53%, P=0.002). Although there were more obese patients in the group with severe fibrosis, the association was not statistically significant (mild:severe=67%:78%, P=0.229). The prevalence of high serum triglyceride levels was similar between the two groups. The N (Nippon) score (total number of risk factor) could significantly predict severe fibrosis in NAFLD patients (1.48 +/- 1.14 vs. 2.66 +/- 0.94, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The N score can be used to predict severe fibrosis in cases of NAFLD.

Baseline serum cholesterol is associated with a response to pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C genotype 2.

Background. HCV infection is associated with lipid disorders because this virus utilizes the host lipid metabolism to sustain its life cycle. Several studies have indicated that higher concentrations of serum cholesterol and LDL before treatment are important predictors of higher rates of sustained virological response (SVR). However, most of these studies involved patients infected with HCV genotype 1. Thus, we performed a multi-institutional clinical study to evaluate the impact of lipid profiles on SVR rates in patients with HCV genotype 2. Methods. A total of 100 chronic hepatitis C patients with HCV genotype 2 who received peg-IFN alfa-2b and ribavirin therapy were consecutively enrolled. The significance of age, sex, BMI, AST level, ALT level, WBC, hemoglobin, platelet count, gamma-glutamyltransferase, total cholesterol level (TC), LDL level, HCV RNA, and histological evaluation was examined for SVR using logistic regression analysis. Results. The 100 patients infected with HCV genotype 2 were divided into 2 groups, an SVR group and a non-SVR group. Characteristics of each group were subsequently compared. There was no significant difference in the level of HCV RNA, BMI, platelet, TG, or stage of fibrosis between the groups. However, there were significant differences in the levels of TC and LDL-C. In multivariate logistic regression analysis using baseline characteristics, high TC level was an independent and significant risk factor (relative risk 18.59, P = 0.015) for SVR. Conclusion. Baseline serum total cholesterol levels should be considered when assessing the likelihood of sustained treatment response following the course of peg-IFN and ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic HCV genotype 2 infection.