Fetuin-A: a relevant novel serum biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): a retrospective case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how fetuin-A contributes to diagnosing and assessing MASLD severity. METHODS: Fifty MASLD patients and fifty healthy control participants were involved in this retrospective case-control research. Abdominal ultrasonography, fibroscan with controlled attenuated parameter scan (CAP scan), laboratory investigation (including fetuin-A assessment), clinical examination, and history-taking were performed on every case. RESULTS: Fetuin-A level was considerably higher in the Cases group (1154.85 ± 629.89) than in the Control group (505.29 ± 150.4) (p < 0.001). Fetuin-A had significant validity in the prediction of MASLD at a cut-off > 702.5 with 82% sensitivity, 90% specificity, and 86% overall accuracy. CONCLUSION: One possible marker for MASLD diagnosis could be fetuin-A. Furthermore, a substantial association between such marker and the severity of the disease as it revealed a significant correlation with ultrasound grading and fibroscan with controlled attenuated parameters. Trial registration 1- Pan African Clinical Trial Registry. Unique Identifying number/registration ID: PACTR202309644280965. URL: https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=26860 . Registration Approval date: 21/09/2023. 2- ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique Identifying number /registration ID: NCT06097039. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06097039?cond=NCT06097039&rank=1 . Registration Approval date: 25/10/2023.

Do obesity and diabetes increase the frequency and risk of bile reflux gastritis post-cholecystectomy?

<br><b>Introduction:</b> Biliary gastropathy is a disease characterized by upper abdominal pain, frequent heartburn, nausea, and vomiting of bile. It is caused by the backward flow of duodenal fluid into the stomach and esophagus.</br> <br><b>Aim:</b> A retrospective cohort study was performed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of bile reflux gastritis secondary to cholecystectomy and to evaluate the endoscopic and histopathologic changes in gastric mucosa caused by bile reflux gastritis.</br> <br><b>Materials and methods:</b> The study involved 64 patients with epigastric pain and/or dyspeptic symptoms during the period from January 2018 to December 2020 who presented to Zagazig University Hospitals. The subjects were divided into two groups: the control group (CG), with 30 subjects who had never undergone any biliary interventions, and the post-cholecystectomy group (PCG), consisting of 34 patients who had undergone cholecystectomy.</br> <br><b>Results:</b> The prevalence of bile reflux gastritis was 16.7% in the CG and 61.8% in the PCG. In both groups, diabetes, obesity, increased gastric bilirubin, and increased gastric pH were risk factors for bile reflux gastritis (r = 0.28, 0.48, 0.78, and 0.57, respectively). However, there were no correlations between age, sex, epigastric pain, heartburn, vomiting, and the presence of bile reflux gastritis.</br> <br><b>Discussion:</b> Bile reflux gastritis is a common complication following cholecystectomy and is more common among obese and diabetic patients.</br>.

Bile reflux gastropathy: Prevalence and risk factors after therapeutic biliary interventions: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Bile reflux gastropathy is caused by the backward flow of duodenal fluid into the stomach. A retrospective cohort study was performed to declare if the therapeutic biliary interventions cause bile reflux gastropathy, and to estimate its prevalence and risk factors, and to evaluate the gastric mucosa endoscopic and histopathologic changes. METHODS: 62 patients, with epigastric pain and/or dyspeptic symptoms, were grouped into, Group 1 : (34) patients that had undergone cholecystectomy and Group 2 : (28) patients who had undergone at least one of the following procedures for the treatment of benign pathology: endoscopic sphincterotomy and endoscopic stenting. Their ages ranged from 27 to 59 years. All participants had undergone gastroscopy for gastric aspirate analysis as well as gastric mucosa biopsy for histopathological examination. RESULTS: the prevalence of bile reflux gastropathy was (21.34%) after therapeutic biliary interventions with a P-value of 0.000. In both groups, diabetes, obesity, increased gastric bilirubin, and increased gastric pH were risk factors for bile reflux gastropathy (r = 0.27, 0.31, 0.68, 0.59 respectively), while age, sex, epigastric pain, heartburn, vomiting were mot. CONCLUSION: bile reflux gastropathy is common after therapeutic biliary interventions being more among obese and diabetic patients.