Outstanding feasibility of spleen stiffness measurement by 100-Hz vibration-controlled transient elastography.

This novel spleen-dedicated FibroScan has high success rate and is easy to operate. The spleen stiffness is correlated with liver stiffness, which reflects the liver fibrosis stage. However, whether SSM is able to reflect the severity of liver disease warrants further observation.

Prognostic and therapeutic significance of microbial cell-free DNA in plasma of people with acute decompensation of cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although the effect of bacterial infection on cirrhosis has been well-described, the effect of non-hepatotropic virus (NHV) infection is unknown. This study evaluated the genome fragments of circulating microorganisms using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in individuals with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis, focusing on NHVs, and related the findings to clinical outcomes. METHODS: Plasma mNGS was performed in 129 individuals with AD of cirrhosis in the study cohort. Ten healthy volunteers and 20, 39, and 81 individuals with stable cirrhosis, severe sepsis and hematological malignancies, respectively, were enrolled as controls. Validation assays for human cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation were performed in a validation cohort (n = 58) and exploratory treatment was instituted. RESULTS: In the study cohort, 188 microorganisms were detected in 74.4% (96/129) of patients, including viruses (58.0%), bacteria (34.1%), fungi (7.4%) and chlamydia (0.5%). A NHV signature was identified in individuals with AD, and CMV was the most frequent NHV, which correlated with the clinical effect of empirical antibiotic treatment, progression to acute-on-chronic liver failure, and 90-day mortality. The NHV signature in individuals with acute-on-chronic liver failure was similar to that in those with sepsis and hematological malignancies. CMV was detected in 24.1% (14/58) of patients in the validation cohort. Of the 14 cases with detectable CMV by mNGS, nine were further validated by real-time PCR or pp65 antigenemia testing. Three patients with CMV reactivation received ganciclovir therapy in an exploratory manner and experienced clinical resolutions. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that NHVs may play a pathogenic role in complicating the course of AD. Further validation is needed to define whether this should be incorporated into the routine management of individuals with AD of cirrhosis. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: A non-hepatotropic virus (NHV) signature, which was similar to that in individuals with sepsis and hematological malignancies, was identified in individuals with acute decompensation of cirrhosis. The detected viral signature had clinical correlates, including clinical efficacy of empirical antibiotic treatment, progression to acute-on-chronic liver failure and short-term mortality. Cytomegalovirus reactivation, which is treatable, may adversely affect clinical outcomes in some individuals with decompensated cirrhosis. Routine screening for NHVs, especially cytomegalovirus, may be useful for the management of individuals with acute decompensation of cirrhosis.

Baveno VI criteria and spleen stiffness measurement rule out high-risk varices in virally suppressed HBV-related cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There are no data validating the performance of spleen stiffness measurement in ruling out high-risk varices in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis under maintained viral suppression. Thus, we aimed to prospectively validate the performance of spleen stiffness measurement (cut-off 46 kPa) combined with Baveno VI criteria in ruling out high-risk varices in these patients. METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis were enrolled from April to December 2019 at the hepatology unit of the Nanfang Hospital, China. Liver and spleen transient elastography and esophagogastroduodenoscopy were performed at enrollment. Antiviral regimen(s) and virological responses, evaluated every 3-6 months, were recorded. RESULTS: Overall 341 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis under maintained viral suppression were enrolled, and the prevalence of high-risk varices was 20.5% (70/341). Baveno VI criteria spared 37.0% (126/341) esophagogastroduodenoscopies and no high-risk varices were missed (0/70). Eight cases of high-risk varices (8/70, 11.4%) were misclassified in patients (208/341, 61.0%) within the expanded Baveno VI criteria. The spleen stiffness measurement cut-off (≤46.0 kPa) was shown to safely rule out high-risk varices in these patients (the percentage of missed high-risk varices was 4.3%). Over half (61.6%, 210/341) of patients met the combined model (Baveno VI criteria and spleen stiffness measurement cut-off ≤46 kPa) and 4.3% (3/70) of high-risk varices cases were misclassified. This combined model exhibited a sensitivity of 95.71%, specificity of 76.38%, negative predictive value of 98.57%, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.06 for ruling out high-risk varices. CONCLUSIONS: We validated the excellent performance of Baveno VI criteria combined with spleen stiffness measurement (cut-off 46 kPa) for safely ruling out high-risk varices in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis under viral suppression; more than half of esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedures were spared using this combination. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04123509 LAY SUMMARY: Esophageal varices have important prognostic implications in patients with cirrhosis. Thus, their timely identification is important so that treatment can be initiated early. Herein, we validated the excellent performance of the combination of Baveno VI criteria with spleen stiffness measurement (cut-off 46 kPa) for ruling out high-risk esophageal varices in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis under maintained viral suppression (with antiviral treatment). This combined model was able to safely rule out high-risk varices (missed/total <5%) and over half (61.6%) of esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedures were spared.

[Efficacy of Yunnan Baiyao as an adjuvant treatment for active ulcerative colitis: an open-label randomized controlled study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of Yunnan Baiyao (YNBY)as an adjuvant treatment of active ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A total of 221 patients with active ulcerative colitis were randomized into YNBY group (78 cases) and control group (143 cases). The patients were followed up for 26 weeks and time of remission and serological data (WBC, HGB, PLT, and CRP) were recorded. RESULTS: The patients receiving YNBY as an adjuvant therapy had a median remission time of 9 weeks (95% CI: 8.293-9.707), significantly shorter than that of 13 weeks (95% CI: 11.855-14.145) in the control patients (P<0.001). According to the extent of the lesion, both YNBY group and control group were classified into E1, E2 and E3 subgroups, and the median remission time was 7 versus 11 weeks in E1 subgroups (P=0.09), 10 versus 13 weeks in E2 subgroups (P=0.04), and 9 versus 14 weeks in E3 subgroups (P<0.001). According to the disease severity, the patients in YNBY group and control group had a median remission time of 9 versus 10 weeks in mild cases (P=0.568), 9 versus 14 weeks in moderate cases (P<0.001), and 11 versus 20 weeks in severe cases (P=0.001). According to the standard treatment received, the median remission time in YNBY group and control group was 9 versus 12 weeks in those receiving mesalazine (P<0.001), 9 versus 13 weeks in those receiving corticosteroid (P=0.001), and 7 versus 14 weeks in those receiving infliximab (P=0.04). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that YNBY was a protective factor for disease remission. The remission time was shortened by 2.283 times (95% CI: 1.69-3.070, P<0.001) in patients having YNBY as an adjuvant treatment compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Patients with active ulcerative colitis can benefit from YNBY as an adjuvant treatment, which shortens the time of disease remission, relieves the symptoms and improves the quality of life of the patients.