Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis and Management in 2021: A National Veterans Affairs Quality Improvement Project.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic profoundly disrupted preventative health care services including cancer screening. As the largest provider of cirrhosis care in the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Gastroenterology and Hepatology Program aimed to assess factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival. METHODS: Veterans with a new diagnosis of HCC in 2021 were identified from electronic health records (N = 2306). Structured medical record extraction was performed by expert reviewers in a 10% random subsample of Veterans with new HCC diagnoses. Factors associated with stage at diagnosis, receipt of treatment, and survival were assessed using multivariable models. RESULTS: Among 199 patients with confirmed HCC, the average age was 71 years and most (72%) had underlying cirrhosis. More than half (54%) were at an early stage (T1 or T2) at diagnosis. Less-advanced liver disease, number of imaging tests adequate for HCC screening, HCC diagnosis in the VA, and receipt of VA primary care were associated significantly with early stage diagnosis. HCC-directed treatments were administered to 145 (73%) patients after a median of 37 days (interquartile range, 19-54 d) from diagnosis, including 70 (35%) patients who received potentially curative treatments. Factors associated with potentially curative (vs no) treatments included HCC screening, early stage at diagnosis, and better performance status. Having fewer comorbidities and better performance status were associated significantly with noncurative (vs no) treatment. Early stage diagnosis, diagnosis in the VA system, and receipt of curative treatment were associated significantly with survival. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of HCC screening and engagement in care for HCC diagnosis, treatment, and survival while demonstrating the feasibility of developing a national quality improvement agenda for HCC screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Artificial Intelligence Evaluation of Stool Quality Guides Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy Using a Smartphone App.

Lactulose-based hepatic encephalopathy treatment requires bowel movements/day titration, which is improved with Bristol stool scale (BSS) incorporation. Dieta app evaluates artificial intelligence (AI)-based BSS (AI-BSS) with stool images. Initially, controls (N = 13) and cirrhosis patients on lactulose/not on lactulose (n = 33) were trained on the app. They entered self-reported BSS (self-BSS) with AI-BSS communicated. Lactulose dose changes were tracked. A subset (n = 12) was retested with AI communication blocked. Most subjects were comfortable with the app. Self/AI-BSS and lactulose dose/AI-BSS correlation increased with app use. AI-BSS communications improved insight into self-BSS over time. Dieta app to gauge stool AI characteristics was acceptable and increased insight into lactulose dose and BSS in cirrhosis.

Scavenger receptor a is a major homeostatic regulator that restrains drug-induced liver injury.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Drug-induced liver injury occurs frequently and can be life threatening. Although drug-induced liver injury is mainly caused by the direct drug cytotoxicity, increasing evidence suggests that the interplay between hepatocytes and immune cells can define this pathogenic process. Here, we interrogate the role of the pattern recognition scavenger receptor A (SRA) for regulating hepatic inflammation and drug-induced liver injury. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Using acetaminophen (APAP) or halothane-induced liver injury models, we showed that SRA loss renders mice highly susceptible to drug hepatotoxicity, indicated by the increased mortality and liver pathology. Mechanistic studies revealed that APAP-induced liver injury exaggerated in the absence of SRA was associated with the decreased anti-inflammatory and prosurvival cytokine IL-10 concomitant with excessive hepatic inflammation. The similar correlation between SRA and IL-10 expression was also seen in human following APAP uptake. Bone marrow reconstitution and liposomal clodronate depletion studies established that the hepatoprotective activity of SRA mostly resized in the immune sentinel KCs. Furthermore, SRA-facilitated IL-10 production by KCs in response to injured hepatocytes mitigated activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase-mediated signaling pathway in hepatocytes. In addition, supplemental use of IL-10 with N -acetylcysteine, only approved treatment of APAP overdose, conferred mice improved protection from APAP-induced liver injury. CONCLUSION: We identify a novel hepatocyte-extrinsic pathway governed by the immune receptor SRA that maintains liver homeostasis upon drug insult. Giving that drug (ie, APAP) overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure, targeting this hepatoprotective SRA-IL-10 axis may provide new opportunities to optimize the current management of drug-induced liver injury.

Longitudinal transkingdom gut microbial approach towards decompensation in outpatients with cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE: First decompensation development is a critical milestone that needs to be predicted. Transkingdom gut microbial interactions, including archaeal methanogens, may be important targets and predictors but a longitudinal approach is needed. DESIGN: Cirrhosis outpatients who provided stool twice were included. Group 1: compensated, group 2: 1 decompensation (decomp), group 3: >1 decompensationwere followed and divided into those who remained stable or decompensated. Bacteria, viral and archaeal presence, α/ß diversity and taxa changes over time adjusted for clinical variables were analysed. Correlation networks between kingdoms were analysed. RESULTS: 157 outpatients (72 group 1, 33 group 2 and 52 group 3) were followed and 28%-47% developed outcomes. Baseline between those who remained stable/developed outcome: While no α/ß diversity differences were seen, commensals were lower and pathobionts were higher in those who decompensated. After decompensation: those experiencing their first decompensation showed greater decrease in α/ß-diversity, bacterial change (↑Lactobacillus spp, Streptococcus parasanguinis and ↓ beneficial Lachnospiraceae and Eubacterium hallii) and viral change (↑Siphoviridae, ↓ Myoviridae) versus those with further decompensation. Archaea: 19% had Methanobacter brevii, which was similar between/within groups. Correlation networks: Baseline archaeal-viral-bacterial networks were denser and more homogeneous in those who decompensated versus the rest. Archaea-bacterial correlations collapsed post first decompensation. Lactobacillus phage Lc Nu and C2-like viruses were negatively linked with beneficial bacteria. CONCLUSION: In this longitudinal study of cirrhosis outpatients, the greatest transkingdom gut microbial changes were seen in those reaching the first decompensation, compared with subsequent decompensating events. A transkingdom approach may refine prediction and provide therapeutic targets to prevent cirrhosis progression.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of albumin in outpatients with hepatic encephalopathy: HEAL study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Even after recovery from overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE), minimal HE (MHE), which impairs quality of life (QoL), can persist. A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was performed to determine the impact of albumin vs. saline on MHE and QoL in individuals with prior HE already on standard of care. METHODS: Outpatients with cirrhosis and prior HE, MHE and hypoalbuminemia already on treatment for HE were included. Patients on regular IV albumin infusions were excluded. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either weekly infusions of 25% IV albumin 1.5 g/kg or saline over 5 weeks. MHE was defined using either psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), Stroop or critical clicker frequency. MHE, QoL (based on sickness impact profile [SIP] total, physical, psychosocial domain) and serum markers (inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and ischemia-modified albumin) were compared between baseline, the final infusion visit (end-of-drug [EOD]) and 1-week post final infusion (end-of-study [EOS]). RESULTS: Forty-eight (24/group) participants were randomized and balanced (including by HE medication use) at baseline. Adverse events were similar, with MELD and ammonia remaining stable between/within groups. Albumin levels increased and ischemia-modified albumin decreased only in the albumin group at EOD and EOS vs. baseline. PHES and Stroop MHE reversal and improvement were greater in the albumin group at EOD and persisted at EOS. SIP total and psychosocial, but not physical, domain improved only in the albumin group at EOD and EOS vs. baseline. A significant reduction in IL-1ß and endothelial dysfunction markers was also observed in the albumin group. CONCLUSION: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of outpatients with cirrhosis, prior HE and current MHE, albumin infusions were associated with improved cognitive function and psychosocial QoL, likely due to amelioration of endothelial dysfunction. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov NCT03585257. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Even after recovery from overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE), minimal HE (MHE), which impairs quality of life, can persist. We found that intravenous albumin infusions were associated with improved cognitive function and psychosocial quality of life, likely owing to amelioration of endothelial dysfunction, compared to placebo in outpatients with prior HE and current MHE. In patients who continue to demonstrate cognitive dysfunction and impaired quality of life despite standard of care therapy for HE, albumin infusions could be considered if these results are validated.

Metabolic reprogramming of the intestinal microbiome with functional bile acid changes underlie the development of NAFLD.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bile acids are hepatic metabolites and have many properties considered to be relevant to the pathophysiology of NAFLD. Circulating levels of the intestinal microbiome-modified bile acid deoxycholate are increased in cirrhosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: To further elucidate the role of bile acids and intestinal microbiota linked to bile acids in progressively severe NAFLD, a multiomic study of feces including 16S rRNA sequencing, microbial transcriptomics and metabolomics was performed in a cohort with varying phenotypes of NAFLD. Several bile acids of microbial origin derived from deoxycholic acid (DCA) (glycodeoxycholate, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid, dehydrocholic acid) increased with disease activity and fibrosis stage. These were linked to increased expression of microbial bile salt hydrolase, bile acid operon (BaiCD) and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (hdhA) required for DCA and downstream metabolite synthesis providing a mechanistic basis for altered bile acid profiles with disease progression. Bacteroidetes and several genera of Lachnospiraceae family containing DCA generating genes increased with increasing disease severity, whereas several potentially beneficial microbes sensitive to antibacterial effects of DCA e.g., Ruminococcaceae were decreased. The clinical relevance of these data was confirmed in an independent cohort enrolled in a clinical trial for NASH where at entry DCA and its conjugates were associated with advanced fibrosis. In patients treated with placebo, DCA declined in those with fibrosis regression and increased in those with fibrosis progression. DCA rose further in those with compensated cirrhosis when they experienced decompensation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a role for bile acids and the bile acid dependent microbiome in the development and progression of NAFLD and set the stage to leverage these findings for NASH biomarker development and for therapeutics.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Alcohol Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with microbial alterations that worsen with cirrhosis. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) could be a promising approach. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this phase 1, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, patients with AUD-related cirrhosis with problem drinking (AUDIT-10 > 8) were randomized 1:1 into receiving one placebo or FMT enema from a donor enriched in Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Six-month safety was the primary outcome. Alcohol craving questionnaire, alcohol consumption (urinary ethylglucuronide/creatinine), quality of life, cognition, serum IL-6 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, plasma/stool short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and stool microbiota were tested at baseline and day 15. A 6-month follow-up with serious adverse event (SAE) analysis was performed. Twenty patients with AUD-related cirrhosis (65 ± 6.4 years, all men, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease 8.9 ± 2.7) with similar demographics, cirrhosis, and AUD severity were included. Craving reduced significantly in 90% of FMT versus 30% in placebo at day 15 (P = 0.02) with lower urinary ethylglucuronide/creatinine (P = 0.03) and improved cognition and psychosocial quality of life. There was reduction in serum IL-6 and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and increased butyrate/isobutyrate compared with baseline in FMT but not placebo. Microbial diversity increased with higher Ruminococcaceae and other SCFAs, producing taxa following FMT but not placebo, which were linked with SCFA levels. At 6 months, patients with any SAEs (8 vs. 2, P = 0.02), AUD-related SAEs (7 vs. 1, P = 0.02), and SAEs/patient (median [interquartile range], 1.5 [1.25] vs. 0 [0.25] in FMT, P = 0.02) were higher in placebo versus FMT. CONCLUSIONS: This phase 1 trial shows that FMT is safe and associated with short-term reduction in alcohol craving and consumption with favorable microbial changes versus placebo in patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis with alcohol misuse. There was also a reduction in AUD-related events over 6 months in patients assigned to FMT.

The interaction of macronutrients and body composition among individuals with chronic spinal cord injury.

Changes in body composition and dietary intake occur following spinal cord injury (SCI). The Geometric Framework for Nutrition (GFN) is a tool that allows the examination of the complex relationships between multiple nutrition factors and health parameters within a single model. This study aimed to utilize the GFN to examine the associations between self-reported macronutrient intakes and body composition in persons with chronic SCI. Forty-eight individuals with chronic SCI were recruited. Participants completed and returned 3- or 5-day self-reported dietary recall sheets. Dietary intake of macronutrients (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) were analysed. Anthropometric measures (circumferences), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to assess whlole-body composition. Associations between all circumference measures and carbohydrates were observed. Among MRI measures, only significant associations between subcutaneous adipose tissue and protein x carbohydrate as well as carbohydrates alone were identified. Carbohydrates were negatively associated with several measures of fat mass as measured by DXA. Overall, carbohydrates appear to play an important role in body composition among individuals with SCI. Higher carbohydrate intake was associated with lower fat mass. Additional research is needed to determine how carbohydrate intake influences body composition and cardiometabolic health after SCI.

"Wet Heparin" and "Wet Saline" EUS-Guided Liver Biopsy Techniques Both Provide High Rates of Specimen Adequacy for Benign Parenchymal Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) has emerged as a viable mean to obtain core tissue, but the optimal tools and techniques are still an area of active investigation. AIMS: (1) To compare tissue adequacy using "wet saline" (WS) vs. "wet heparin" (WH) technique (2) To compare post-procedure pain between EUS-LB and percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB). METHODS: Retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent EUS-LB and PLB for benign parenchymal liver disease between May 2017 to October 2019 at a single tertiary veterans affairs medical center. RESULTS: About 257 biopsies from 217 patients were included. Among the 102 EUS-LB specimens, 53 were obtained using WS technique and 49 were obtained using WH technique. Specimen adequacy was similar in both groups. Median Aggregate Specimen Length (ASL) and length of longest piece did not differ significantly between WS and WH groups. Clots were present more frequently in the WS group. Among patients who underwent EUS-LB of both right and left liver lobes, an adequate biopsy was obtained in 85% of patients in the WS group and 96% of patients in the WH group. The percentage of patients experiencing immediate post-procedure pain was higher with PLB compared to EUS-LB, but these results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Both WS and WH EUS-LB techniques can offer high rates of specimen adequacy with low rates of pain and other post-procedure complications.

Liver-Unrelated Comorbid Conditions Do Not Affect Cognitive Performance or Hepatic Encephalopathy Progression in Cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the effect of comorbidities on covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) diagnosis and overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) development. METHODS: Cirrhotic outpatients underwent CHE testing and 2-year follow-up. Cox regression was performed for time to OHE. In total, 700 patients (60 years, 84% men, model for end-stage liver disease 11) and 33% prior OHE underwent testing and follow-up. RESULTS: Major comorbidities were hypertension (54%), diabetes (35%), and depression (29%). Common medications were proton pump inhibitor (49%), beta-blockers (32%), and opioids (21%). Approximately 90 (40%) prior-OHE patients developed recurrence 93 (30,206) days post-testing predicted only by liverrelated variables. DISCUSSION: Demographics, cirrhosis characteristics, and opioid use, but not other comorbid conditions, were associated with CHE diagnosis and OHE progression.

Fecal Microbiome Distinguishes Alcohol Consumption From Alcoholic Hepatitis But Does Not Discriminate Disease Severity.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The role of the intestinal microbiome in alcoholic hepatitis is not established. The aims of this study were to (1) characterize the fecal microbial ecology associated with alcoholic hepatitis, (2) relate microbiome changes to disease severity, and (3) infer the functional relevance of shifts in microbial ecology. APPROACH AND RESULTS: The fecal microbiome in patients with moderate alcoholic hepatitis (MAH) or severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) was compared with healthy controls (HCs) and heavy drinking controls (HDCs). Microbial taxa were identified by 16S pyrosequencing. Functional metagenomics was performed using PICRUSt. Fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry platform. A total of 78 participants (HC, n = 24; HDC, n = 20; MAH, n = 10; SAH, n = 24) were studied. HDC had a distinct signature compared with HC with depletion of Bacteroidetes (46% vs. 26%; P = 0.01). Alcoholic hepatitis was associated with a distinct microbiome signature compared with HDC (area under the curve = 0.826); differential abundance of Ruminococcaceae, Veillonellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Porphyromonadaceae, and Rikenellaceae families were the key contributors to these differences. The beta diversity was significantly different among the groups (permutational multivariate analysis of variance [PERMANOVA] P < 0.001). SAH was associated with increased Proteobacteria (SAH 14% vs. HDC 7% and SAH vs. HC 2%, P = 0.20 and 0.01, respectively). Firmicutes abundance declined from HDC to MAH to SAH (63% vs. 53% vs. 48%, respectively; P = 0.09, HDC vs. SAH). Microbial taxa did not distinguish between MAH and SAH (PERMANOVA P = 0.785). SCFAs producing bacteria (Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae) were decreased in alcoholic hepatitis, and a similar decrease was observed in fecal SCFAs among alcoholic hepatitis patients. CONCLUSIONS: There are distinct changes in fecal microbiome associated with the development, but not severity, of alcoholic hepatitis.

Cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide alleviates alcoholic liver disease through inhibiting inflammasome activation.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is associated with gut dysbiosis and hepatic inflammasome activation. While it is known that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play a critical role in the regulation of bacterial homeostasis in ALD, the functional role of AMPs in the alcohol-induced inflammasome activation is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) on inflammasome activation in ALD. CRAMP knockout (Camp-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to binge-on-chronic alcohol feeding and synthetic CRAMP peptide was administered. Serum/plasma and hepatic tissue samples from human subjects with alcohol use disorder and/or alcoholic hepatitis were analyzed. CRAMP deficiency exacerbated ALD with enhanced inflammasome activation as shown by elevated serum interleukin (IL)-1ß levels. Although Camp-/- mice had comparable serum endotoxin levels compared to WT mice after alcohol feeding, hepatic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding protein (LBP) and cluster of differentiation (CD) 14 were increased. Serum levels of uric acid (UA), a Signal 2 molecule in inflammasome activation, were positively correlated with serum levels of IL-1ß in alcohol use disorder patients with ALD and were increased in Camp-/- mice fed alcohol. In vitro studies showed that CRAMP peptide inhibited LPS binding to macrophages and inflammasome activation stimulated by a combination of LPS and UA. Synthetic CRAMP peptide administration decreased serum UA and IL-1ß concentrations and rescued the liver from alcohol-induced damage in both WT and Camp-/- mice. In summary, CRAMP exhibited a protective role against binge-on-chronic alcohol-induced liver damage via regulation of inflammasome activation by decreasing LPS binding and UA production. CRAMP administration may represent a novel strategy for treating ALD. © 2020 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Liver Transplant Is Associated with Sustained Improvement in Tandem Gait and Risk of Falls.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), cognitive dysfunction (CD), and lack of coordination leading to falls. Tandem gait (TG; heel-toe) can be used to assess coordination. The impact and relationship between CD, TG and falls pre-/post-liver transplant (LT) is unclear. We aimed to determine the impact of LT on CD, abnormal TG, and HRQOL in cirrhosis. METHODS: We analyzed patients who underwent complete neurological examination, cognitive testing by psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), and HRQOL assessment using sickness impact profile (SIP). All patients were followed for 1 post-LT visit at 6 or 12 months post-LT for clinical course and falls. Change in CD, TD, and falls pre-/post-LT were compared. RESULTS: Off 131 recruited, 61 patients completed all visits. Majority were men (84%), with HCV etiology (34%). Pre-LT: Abnormal TG trended towards increased falls (OR 3.3, P = 0.08). Forty-nine % had abnormal TG, 61% had CD, 32.7% had CD + abnormal TG, 62% had prior OHE, and 14.7% had falls. Abnormal and normal TG patients had similar ages, BMI, sex, education level, and MELD scores. Abnormal TG group had higher prior overt HE (P = 0.03) and worse physical SIP score (P = 0.008). Post-LT: There was sustained improvement in CD, HRQOL, falls, and TG post-LT more at 12 than 6 months in all patients. Patients who had abnormal TG pre-LT continued to have a worse PHES (P = 0.0064) and physical SIP score (P = 0.008) compared to normal pre-LT TG patients. CONCLUSION: After LT, there is a sustained improvement in coordination measured via tandem gait, accompanied by a lower rate of falls.

Posttransplant Outcome of Lean Compared With Obese Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in the United States: The Obesity Paradox.

Morbid obesity is considered a relative contraindication for liver transplantation (LT). We investigated if body mass index (BMI; lean versus obese) is a risk factor for post-LT graft and overall survival in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and non-NASH patients. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, LT recipients from January 2002 to June 2013 (age ≥18 years) with follow-up until 2017 were included. The association of BMI categories calculated at LT with graft and overall survival after LT were examined. After adjusting for confounders, all obesity cohorts (overweight and class 1, class 2, and class 3 obesity) among LT recipients for NASH had significantly reduced risk of graft and patient loss at 10 years of follow-up compared with the lean BMI cohort. In contrast, the non-NASH group of LT recipients had no increased risk for graft and patient loss for overweight, class 1, and class 2 obesity groups but had significantly increased risk for graft (P < 0.001) and patient loss (P = 0.005) in the class 3 obesity group. In this retrospective analysis of the UNOS database, adult recipients selected for first LT and NASH patients with the lowest BMI have the worse longterm graft and patient survival as opposed to non-NASH patients where the survival was worse with higher BMI.

Fecal Microbial Transplant Capsules Are Safe in Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Phase 1, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) can cause major morbidity despite standard of care (SOC; rifaximin/lactulose). Fecal microbial transplant (FMT) enemas postantibiotics are safe, but the effect of FMT without antibiotics using the capsular route requires investigation. The aim of this work was to determine the safety, tolerability, and impact on mucosal/stool microbiota and brain function in HE after capsular FMT in a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in Virginia. Patients with cirrhosis with recurrent HE with MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) <17 on SOC were randomized 1:1 into receiving 15 FMT capsules versus placebo from a single donor enriched in Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Endoscopies with duodenal and sigmoid biopsies, stool analysis, cognition, serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and duodenal antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression at baseline were used. Clinical follow-up with SOC maintenance was performed until 5 months. FMT-assigned patients underwent repeat endoscopies 4 weeks postenrollment. Twenty subjects on lactulose/rifaximin were randomized 1:1. MELD score was similar at baseline (9.6 vs. 10.2) and study end (10.2 vs. 10.5). Six patients in the placebo group required hospitalizations compared to 1 in FMT, which was deemed unrelated to FMT. Infection/HE episodes were similar between groups. Baseline microbial diversity was similar in all tissues between groups. Post-FMT, duodenal mucosal diversity (P = 0.01) increased with higher Ruminococcaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae and lower Streptococcaceae and Veillonellaceae. Reduction in Veillonellaceae were noted post-FMT in sigmoid (P = 0.04) and stool (P = 0.05). Duodenal E-cadherin (P = 0.03) and defensin alpha 5 (P = 0.03) increased whereas interleukin-6 (P = 0.02) and serum LBP (P = 0.009) reduced post-FMT. EncephalApp performance improved post-FMT only (P = 0.02). Conclusion: In this phase 1 study, oral FMT capsules are safe and well tolerated in patients with cirrhosis and recurrent HE. FMT was associated with improved duodenal mucosal diversity, dysbiosis, and AMP expression, reduced LBP, and improved EncephalApp performance. Further studies are needed to prove efficacy.

Alcohol consumption is associated with the severity and outcome of acute liver injury/failure.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-medical factors which contribute to the severity of acute liver failure (ALF) remain poorly defined. The association of alcohol consumption on the severity of presentation and outcome were determined in patients with ALF and acute liver injury (ALI) in a large, multicentre registry. METHODS: Alcohol consumption during the 6 months prior to study entry was analysed in 1170 patients enrolled in the ALF Study Group Registry. Consumption was categorized as none/minimal (<3 alcoholic beverages/week) or at least moderate (≥3/week). Clinical characteristics, the severity of liver injury at presentation (ALI or ALF) and outcome were compared. RESULTS: In patients with acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, at least moderate alcohol consumption was associated with higher peak aminotransferases, bilirubin, creatinine and INR on admission, compared to no/minimal consumption. In patients with non-APAP ALI/ALF, at least moderate alcohol consumption was associated with higher peak aminotransferases and creatinine. In APAP, non-APAP or all aetiologies, at least moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a 75%, 89% and 82% higher odds, respectively, of presenting as ALF rather than ALI (all P < .005). At least moderate alcohol consumption increased the odds of death by 45% (P = .01) across all aetiologies. In multivariate analysis, older age, non-Caucasian race, peak INR, peak bilirubin and at least moderate alcohol consumption were significantly associated with death. Finally, in Kaplan-Meier analysis of patients with all aetiologies, at least moderate alcohol consumption was associated with decreased time-dependent survival (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption adversely affects the presentation and outcome of both APAP- and non-APAP-induced ALI/ALF.

Training of hepatology providers improves the screening and resultant interventions for alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) screening is important but focused training with using AUDIT-10 with counselling/mental health (MH) referral may be needed. We aimed to compare the effect of training on AUD screening/intervention in hepatology clinics in pre vs post-training phases of a quality-improvement initiative. Pre-training encounters were evaluated for inquiry into AUD, AUDIT-10 and MH referrals. Dedicated AUD-related training was provided to hepatology providers and analyses repeated post-training. Pre-training (n = 378) and post-training patients(n = 318) had similar demographics and disease characteristics. Post-training there was higher inquiry about alcohol(92% vs 80%, P < .0001), counselling (82% vs 68%, P < .0001). This led to higher diagnosis of drinkers (49% vs 31%, P < .0001) of whom higher proportion had AUDIT-10 administered(91% vs 34%, P < .0001) and referred to MH(29% vs 8%, P < .0001). On regression presumed alcohol-related aetiology, younger age and post-training period were associated with AUDIT-10 administration. AUD-focused training significantly improves rates of screening and MH referral for problem drinking in a hepatology clinic population.

Serum metabolites detect the presence of advanced fibrosis in derivation and validation cohorts of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: Non-invasive and accurate diagnostic tests for the screening of disease severity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remain a major unmet need. Therefore, we aimed to examine if a combination of serum metabolites can accurately predict the presence of advanced fibrosis. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective derivation cohort including 156 well-characterised patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and two validation cohorts, including (1) 142 patients assessed using MRI elastography (MRE) and(2) 59 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD with untargeted serum metabolome profiling. RESULTS: In the derivation cohort, 23 participants (15%) had advanced fibrosis and 32 of 652 analysed metabolites were significantly associated with advanced fibrosis after false-discovery rate adjustment. Among the top 10 metabolites, 8 lipids (5alpha-androstan-3beta monosulfate, pregnanediol-3-glucuronide, androsterone sulfate, epiandrosterone sulfate, palmitoleate, dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate, 5alpha-androstan-3beta disulfate, glycocholate), one amino acid (taurine) and one carbohydrate (fucose) were identified. The combined area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the top 10 metabolite panel was higher than FIB--4 and NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) for the detection of advanced fibrosis: 0.94 (95% CI 0.897 to 0.982) versus 0.78 (95% CI0.674 to 0.891), p=0.002 and versus 0.84 (95% CI 0.724 to 0.929), p=0.017, respectively. The AUROC of the top 10 metabolite panel remained excellent in the independent validation cohorts assessed by MRE or liver biopsy: c-statistic of 0.94 and 0.84, respectively. CONCLUSION: A combination of 10 serum metabolites demonstrated excellent discriminatory ability for the detection of advanced fibrosis in an derivation and two independent validation cohorts with greater diagnostic accuracy than the FIB-4-index and NFS. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that a non-invasive blood-based diagnostic test can provide excellent performance characteristics for the detection of advanced fibrosis.

Association of Pretransplant Renal Function With Liver Graft and Patient Survival After Liver Transplantation in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the top 3 indications for liver transplantation (LT) in Western countries. It is unknown whether renal dysfunction at the time of LT has any effect on post-LT outcomes in recipients with NASH. From the United Network for Organ Sharing-Standard Transplant Analysis and Research data set, we identified 4088 NASH recipients who received deceased donor LT. We divided our recipients a priori into 3 categories: group 1 with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/minute/1.73 m2 at the time of LT and/or received dialysis within 2 weeks preceding LT (n = 937); group 2 with recipients who had eGFR ≥30 mL/minute/1.73 m2 and who did not receive renal replacement therapy prior to LT (n = 2812); and group 3 with recipients who underwent simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation (n = 339). We examined the association of pretransplant renal dysfunction with death with a functioning graft, all-cause mortality, and graft loss using competing risk regression and Cox proportional hazards models. The mean ± standard deviation age of the cohort at baseline was 58 ± 8 years, 55% were male, 80% were Caucasian, and average exception Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 24 ± 9. The median follow-up period was 5 years (median, 1816 days; interquartile range, 1090-2723 days). Compared with group 1 recipients, group 2 recipients had 19% reduced trend for risk for death with a functioning graft (subhazard ratio [SHR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-1.02) and similar risk for graft loss (SHR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.59-2.62), whereas group 3 recipients had similar risk for death with a functioning graft (SHR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.96-1.57) and graft loss (SHR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.02-1.37) using an adjusted competing risk regression model. In conclusion, recipients with preserved renal function before LT showed a trend toward lower risk of death with a functioning graft compared with SLKT recipients and those with pretransplant severe renal dysfunction in patients with NASH.

The circulating microbiome signature and inferred functional metagenomics in alcoholic hepatitis.

Intestinal dysbiosis is implicated in alcoholic hepatitis (AH). However, changes in the circulating microbiome, its association with the presence and severity of AH, and its functional relevance in AH is unknown. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of changes in the circulating microbiome were performed by sequencing bacterial DNA in subjects with moderate AH (MAH) (n = 18) or severe AH (SAH) (n = 19). These data were compared with heavy drinking controls (HDCs) without obvious liver disease (n = 19) and non-alcohol-consuming controls (NACs, n = 20). The data were related to endotoxin levels and markers of monocyte activation. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis, inferred metagenomics, and predictive functional analysis using PICRUSt were performed. There was a significant increase in 16S copies/ng DNA both in MAH (P < 0.01) and SAH (P < 0.001) subjects. Compared with NACs, the relative abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased in HDCs, MAH, and SAH (P < 0.001). In contrast, all alcohol-consuming groups had enrichment with Fusobacteria; this was greatest for HDCs and decreased progressively in MAH and SAH. Subjects with SAH had significantly higher endotoxemia (P = 0.01). Compared with alcohol-consuming groups, predictive functional metagenomics indicated an enrichment of bacteria with genes related to methanogenesis and denitrification. Furthermore, both HDCs and SAH showed activation of a type III secretion system that has been linked to gram-negative bacterial virulence. Metagenomics in SAH versus NACs predicted increased isoprenoid synthesis via mevalonate and anthranilate degradation, known modulators of gram-positive bacterial growth and biofilm production, respectively. CONCLUSION: Heavy alcohol consumption appears to be the primary driver of changes in the circulating microbiome associated with a shift in its inferred metabolic functions. (Hepatology 2018;67:1284-1302).