Hepatitis E infection is an infrequent cause of acute hepatitis in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires.

Background Argentina is considered a region of low seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV), however; no studies have evaluated its burden among acute hepatitis cases. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to estimate the proportion of acute HEV and outcome in a cohort of patients with acute hepatitis from 6 liver units in the Metropolitan area of Buenos Aires (MABA). STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective cohort study including patients ≥18 years with acute hepatitis (increase in transaminases x 5 ULN) fromJuly 2016 to May 2018. Severe hepatitis was defined as acute hepatitis + INR> 1.5 and acute liver failure as severe hepatitis + encephalopathy. In patients in whom other etiologies were excluded, HEV tests were performed: anti-HEV IgM/G and HEV-RNA in serum and feces. RESULTS: Overall, 268 patients with acute hepatitis were included in the study. The most frequent etiologies of acute hepatitis were hepatitis B (67patients, 25 %), hepatotoxicity (65, 24 %) and autoimmune hepatitis (26, 10 %). Acute HEV infection was confirmed in 8 (2.98 %; 95 %CI 1.25-5.63) patients who tested positive for anti-HEV IgM. A total of 63 (23.5 %) patients were hospitalized and 9 (3.3 %) patients died. Overall, 48 (18 %) patients developed severe hepatitis, 6 (2.2 %) have acute liver failure, 6 (1.9 %) underwent liver transplantation and 9 (3.4 %) patients died. CONCLUSIONS: the proportion of acute HEV in MABA was low during the period studied. We believe our findings will aid physicians prioritize other etiologies of acute hepatitis over HEV in order to optimize diagnostic resources and offer better care to their patients.

Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir ± ribavirin is safe and effective in HCV-infected patients in a real-life cohort from Latin America.

Information about the use of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir ± ribavirin (OBV/PTV/r/DSV ± RBV) in real-clinical practice in Latin America is scarce. We aimed to confirm safety and effectiveness of OBV/PTV/r/DSV ± RBV therapy in real-world setting. We analyzed a cohort of patients with genotype 1 infection treated with OBV/PTV/r/DSV ± RBV. Data on demographics, clinical features, safety, and virological response were retrospectively collected from 21 centers in Latin America. A total of 96 patients received OBV/PTV/r/DSV, associated with RBV in 68% of the cases. Most were genotype 1b (80%), 56 (58%) had cirrhosis, and 45 (47%) failed prior HCV treatment. Adverse events occurred in 62% of patients. The most common adverse events were pruritus (21%), hyperbilirubinemia (17%), and asthenia (17%). Five patients discontinued therapy prematurely due to hepatic decompensation, three of them were Child-Pugh B at baseline and one patient died due to multi-organ failure. Follow up HCV-RNA 12 weeks after completion of therapy was evaluated in all the patients and sustained virologic response rate was 97%. No virologic breakthrough was detected. Our study confirms that OBV/PTV/r/DSV treatment is highly effective in patients with chronic HCV without cirrhosis or with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis in non-European populations. Adverse events were often mild and rarely led to treatment discontinuation except for patients with Child-Pugh B cirrhosis or with previous history of hepatic decompensation. These results can support the development of public strategies to expand the access of OBV/PTV/r + DSV and other DAAs combinations in order to reduce the burden of HCV infection in our region.

Ribavirin treatment of a patient with chronic hepatitis E. First case reported in Latin America.

We describe a clinical case of a kidney transplant patient who presented a sudden elevation of his liver function tests. Once we ruled out the most frequent causes of acute hepatitis, serum tests for Hepatitis E were performed. Hepatitis E virus RNA was detected in blood and stools. After six months the virus was still detected. Ribavirin treatment was initiated with normalization of the serum aminotransferases and sustained virology response was achieved.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma within Milan criteria and beyond: outcomes of liver transplantation in a single Argentinian institution]. / Hepatocarcinoma dentro y fuera de los criterios de Milán: resultados de un centro de trasplante hepático en la Argentina.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence following liver transplantation is associated to bad prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 95 patients who underwent liver transplantation for HCC. Recurrence rate and variables associated with recurrence were reviewed. According to the findings on the explanted livers they were divided in two groups: Milan (M) 67% and non-Milan (NM) 33%. Global recurrence rate, and M-group and NM-group recurrence rates were 19%; 12% and 32%, respectively (P = 0.001). Although in the univariate analysis we found some factors associated to recurrence (hemocromathosis, year of transplant, bilobar distribution, vascular invasion and previous chemoembolization), they were not independent predictors of recurrence in the multivariate analysis. Actuarial survival in cirrhotic patients with and without HCC at 1, 3 and 5 years was 86% and 91% (NS), 77% and 88% (NS), and 67% and 86% (P = 0.002), respectively; whereas actuarial survival of the M and NM groups was 86% and 71%; 82% and 61%, and 78% and 58%, respectively (P = 0.02). We had a satisfactory five-year global survival in our series even though one third of our patients grafted for HCC were outside Milan criteria.

[Hepatitis E: an infrequent virus or an unfrecuently investigated agent?]. / Hepatitis E: un virus infrecuente o un agente infrecuentemente pensado?

Two cases of hepatitis E that were assisted in our Unit of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation are described in this article. The first patient had prior hepatic involvement and therefore a more severe course, whereas the second case, with normal liver function, only developed a self-limited acute hepatitis.

Hepatitis E: un virus infrecuente o un agente infrecuentemente pensado? / [Hepatitis E: an infrequent virus or an unfrecuently investigated agent?].

Two cases of hepatitis E that were assisted in our Unit of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation are described in this article. The first patient had prior hepatic involvement and therefore a more severe course, whereas the second case, with normal liver function, only developed a self-limited acute hepatitis.

Hepatocarcinoma dentro y fuera de los criterios de Milán: resultados de un centro de trasplante hepático en la Argentina / [Hepatocellular carcinoma within Milan criteria and beyond: outcomes of liver transplantation in a single Argentinian institution].

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence following liver transplantation is associated to bad prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 95 patients who underwent liver transplantation for HCC. Recurrence rate and variables associated with recurrence were reviewed. According to the findings on the explanted livers they were divided in two groups: Milan (M) 67

. Global recurrence rate, and M-group and NM-group recurrence rates were 19

, respectively (P = 0.001). Although in the univariate analysis we found some factors associated to recurrence (hemocromathosis, year of transplant, bilobar distribution, vascular invasion and previous chemoembolization), they were not independent predictors of recurrence in the multivariate analysis. Actuarial survival in cirrhotic patients with and without HCC at 1, 3 and 5 years was 86

(NS), and 67

(P = 0.002), respectively; whereas actuarial survival of the M and NM groups was 86

, and 78

, respectively (P = 0.02). We had a satisfactory five-year global survival in our series even though one third of our patients grafted for HCC were outside Milan criteria.

[Accuracy of multislice computed tomography in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis evaluated for liver transplantation]. / Precisión de la tomografía multidetector en el diagnóstico de hepatocarcinoma en pacientes con cirrosis evaluados para trasplante hepático.

BACKGROUND: The presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within Milan criteria provides additional points in the MELD (Model for end stage liver disease) system and benefits in the order of organ allocation. The imaging methods play a key role in this process and represent an essential tool in the diagnosis and staging of HCC. OBJECTIVES: 1) To assess the accuracy of dynamic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the diagnosis of HCC in patients with cirrhosis who are listed for liver transplantation. 2) To evaluate the diagnostic performance of TCMD in relation to tumor size. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the reports of MDCT performed in our institution to 62 patients who were then transplanted The histological analysis of explants was considered as the reference method in the diagnosis of HCC. MDCT studies were performed with dynamic protocol in arterial, portal and late phases. RESULTS: Dynamic MDCT showed a sensitivity of 87.5% and correctly characterized 28 of 35 patients with pathology proved hepatocellular carcinoma. MDCT was negative in 25 of 30 patients without hepatocellular carcinoma in the explanted liver, with a specificity of 83.3%. Nodule by nodule evaluation revealed a sensitivity of 80.3% and a specificity of 72.2%. CONCLUSION: In our center MDCT presented high accuracy in the correct diagnosis of HCC, showing its reliability when requesting additional points for organ allocation.