[Comparison of two types of classification in functional dyspepsia; postprandial distress or epigastric pain vs a multidimensional cluster analysis using unsupervised learning]. / Comparación de dos tipos de clasificación en dispepsia funcional; distrés postprandial o dolor epig ástrico vs un an álisis multidimensional por conglomerados utilizando aprendizaje no supervisado.

Artificial intelligence methods using unsupervised learning tools can support problem solving by establishing unidentified grouping or classification patterns that allow typing subgroups for more individualized management. There are few studies that allow us to know the influence of digestive and extra-digestive symptoms in the classification of functional dyspepsia. This research carried out a cluster unsupervised learning analysis based on these symptoms to discriminate subtypes of dyspepsia and compare with one of the currently most accepted classifications. An exploratory cluster analysis was carried out in adults with functional dyspepsia according to digestive, extra-digestive and emotional symptoms. Grouping patterns were formed in such a way that within each group there was homogeneity in terms of the values adopted by each variable. The cluster analysis method was two-stage and the results of the classification pattern were compared with one of the most accepted classifications of functional dyspepsia. Of 184 cases, 157 met the inclusion criteria. The cluster analysis excluded 34 unclassifiable cases. Patients with type 1 dyspepsia (cluster one) presented improvement after treatment in 100% of cases, only a minority presented depressive symptoms. Patients with type 2 dyspepsia (cluster two) presented a higher probability of failure to treatment with proton pump inhibitor, suffered more frequently from sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, physical limitations or chronic pain of a non-digestive nature. This classification of dyspepsia by cluster analysis establishes a more holistic vision of dyspepsia in which extradigestive characteristics, affective symptoms, presence or absence of sleep disorders and chronic pain allow discriminating behavior and response to first-line management.

[Post-COVID-19 severe cholangiopathy: report of 6 cases]. / Colangiopatía post-COVID-19 grave: reporte de 6 casos.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a predominantly respiratory tract infection with the capacity to affect other organs. Liver chemistry abnormalities are a frequent manifestation of COVID-19 but are usually transient. We describe the clinical course and most relevant findings of 6 patients who developed a cholangiopathy after severe COVID-19. The mean age of the patients, 4 men and 2 women, was 56 years and the mean time from COVID-19 diagnosis to diagnosis of cholangiopathy was 138 days. The features most important were the increase of alkaline phosphatase and destructuring and beading of the intrahepatic bile duct in magnetic resonance imaging. Cholangiopathy after severe COVID-19 constitutes a novel entity with unique features and potential for progressive biliary injury and secondary biliary cirrhosis. Further studies are required to understand this disease.

Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (LAASL) clinical practice guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the third most common cause of cancer death, and accounts for 5.6% of all cancers. Nearly 82% of the approximately 550,000 liver cancer deaths each year occur in Asia. In some regions, cancer-related death from HCC is second only to lung cancer. The incidence and mortality of HCC are increasing in America countries as a result of an ageing cohort infected with chronic hepatitis C, and are expected to continue to rise as a consequence of the obesity epidemic. Clinical care and survival for patients with HCC has advanced considerably during the last two decades, thanks to improvements in patient stratification, an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, and because of developments in diagnostic procedures and the introduction of novel therapies and strategies in prevention. Nevertheless, HCC remains the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. These LAASL recommendations on treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma are intended to assist physicians and other healthcare providers, as well as patients and other interested individuals, in the clinical decision-making process by describing the optimal management of patients with liver cancer.

Colangiopatía post-COVID-19 grave: reporte de 6 casos / Post-COVID-19 severe cholangiopathy: report of 6 cases

RESUMEN La enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19) es una infección predominantemente del tracto respiratorio con la capacidad de afectar otros órganos. Las alteraciones en las pruebas hepáticas son una manifestación frecuente de la COVID-19 pero suelen ser transitorias. Describimos el curso clínico y los hallazgos más relevantes de 6 pacientes que desarrollaron una colangiopatía tras una COVID-19 grave. La edad promedio de los pacientes, 4 hombres y dos mujeres, fue de 56 años y el tiempo promedio desde el diagnóstico de COVID-19 hasta el diagnóstico de la colangiopatía fue de 138 días. Las características más importantes fueron la elevación de la fosfatasa alcalina y la desestructuración y el arrosariamiento de la vía biliar intrahepática en las imágenes de resonancia magnética. La colangiopatía tras una COVID-19 grave constituye una nueva entidad con características únicas con el potencial para la lesión progresiva biliar y la cirrosis biliar secundaria. Se requieren más estudios para entender esta enfermedad.

ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a predominantly respiratory tract infection with the capacity to affect other organs. Liver chemistry abnormalities are a frequent manifestation of COVID-19 but are usually transient. We describe the clinical course and most relevant findings of 6 patients who developed a cholangiopathy after severe COVID-19. The mean age of the patients, 4 men and 2 women, was 56 years and the mean time from COVID-19 diagnosis to diagnosis of cholangiopathy was 138 days. The features most important were the increase of alkaline phosphatase and destructuring and beading of the intrahepatic bile duct in magnetic resonance imaging. Cholangiopathy after severe COVID-19 constitutes a novel entity with unique features and potential for progressive biliary injury and secondary biliary cirrhosis. Further studies are required to understand this disease.

Colitis ulcerativa para no gastroenterólogos / Ulcerative colitis for non-gastroenterologists

Resumen La colitis ulcerativa es una enfermedad intestinal inflamatoria crónica, de etiología idiopática y fisiopatología multifactorial, caracterizada por la inflamación de la mucosa rectal, con extensión proximal, continua y simétrica a través del colon. Su diagnóstico se establece a partir de los hallazgos clínicos, endoscópicos e histológicos. La meta terapéutica es lograr la remisión clínica y endoscópica, reducir el riesgo de colectomía, cáncer colorrectal y mejorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes. Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos científicos y se exponen los aspectos más relevantes y actualizados sobre la enfermedad; con el objetivo de proporcionar elementos para su abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico.

Abstract Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of idiopathic etiology and multifactorial pathophysiology. It is characterized by inflammation of the rectal mucosa with proximal, continuous and symmetrical extension through the colon. Its diagnosis is established based on clinical, endoscopic and histological findings. The therapeutic goal is to achieve clinical and endoscopic remission, reduce the risk of colectomy, colorectal cancer and improve quality of life of patients. A search for scientific articles was carried out, achieving this narrative review of the literature where the most relevant and updated aspects of the disease are exposed; with the objective of providing elements for the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of the disease.

Patogenia, diagnóstico y tratamiento de la disfunción renal en cirrosis / Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Renal Dysfunction in Cirrhosis

Los pacientes con cirrosis hepática son susceptibles a presentar un deterioro de la función renal que puede ser de naturaleza funcional y/o estructural. La insuficiencia renal aguda (IRA) prerrenal representa la forma más frecuente en el 68% de los casos, e incluye un tipo especial de insuficiencia renal funcional conocida como síndrome hepatorrenal (SHR). La creatinina sérica permanece como el mejor biomarcador de IRA en cirrosis a pesar de sus reconocidas limitaciones. La diferenciación entre necrosis tubular aguda (NTA) y SHR se puede establecer con el uso de biomarcadores urinarios como la uNGAL. Los factores de riesgo de IRA en cirrosis incluyen las infecciones bacterianas, la hemorragia digestiva, las pérdidas de líquidos gastrointestinales y renales, la paracentesis sin albúmina y los agentes nefrotóxicos, entre otros. Los nuevos criterios por estadios de la AKI-IAC para el diagnóstico de IRA en cirrosis, que inician por un aumento de la creatinina sérica ≥0,3 mg/dL en menos de 48 horas, mejoran el pronóstico de los pacientes al permitir una intervención más temprana. El diagnóstico del SHR se establece al excluir las causas de azoemia prerrenal, NTA y expandir el volumen con albúmina. El uso de vasoconstrictores esplácnicos, como la terlipresina junto con la albúmina, permite revertir hasta el 40% de los casos de SHR. El trasplante hepático representa el tratamiento definitivo en pacientes con SHR.

Patients with cirrhosis of the liver are susceptible to deterioration of renal function which may be functional or structural. Prerenal acute renal failure which occurs in 68% of these cases is the most common form. It includes a special type of functional renal failure known as hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Serum creatinine remains the best biomarker for acute renal failure in cirrhosis despite its recognized limitations. Acute tubular necrosis and HRS can be differentiated by using urinary biomarkers such as urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL). Risk factors for acute renal failure in cirrhosis include bacterial infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, loss of gastrointestinal and renal fluids, paracentesis without albumin, and nephrotoxic agents. The new criteria for staging acute kidney injury (AKI) in cirrhosis have improved patient outcomes by enabling earlier interventions by starting when serum creatinine increases above 0.3 mg/dl in less than 48 hours. The diagnosis of HRS is established by excluding causes of pre-renal azotemia, acute tubular necrosis and volume expansion with albumin. The use of splanchnic vasoconstrictors such as terlipressin together with albumin can reverse up to 40% of cases of SHR. Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for patients with hepatorenal syndrome.

Tratamiento oncológico / Chemotherapy

Los esquemas de quimioterapia convencionales no han demostrado ningún beneficio en el tratamiento del paciente con carcinoma hepatocelular (CHC), las tasas de respuesta han sido muy bajas y no se ha observado ningún beneficio en la sobrevida cuando se usan agentes únicos o en combinación de quimioterapia. El advenimiento de nuevas moléculas de acción en sitios más específicos ha brindado una mejor esperanza en la sobrevida con menores efectos adversos.

Conventional chemotherapy has shown no benefit for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Response rates have been very low and no survival benefits have been observed for any single agent or combination chemotherapy regime. Nevertheless, the advent of new molecules which act on specific sites has given more hope for better survival with fewer adverse effects from chemotherapy.

Cuándo considerar un paciente para trasplante hepático / When a patient considers for hepatic transplant

El trasplante hepático se ha convertido en una opción real para nuestros pacientes. Los centros de trasplante hepático en nuestro país realizan, en promedio, 50 trasplantes por año. Pero ante la escasez de donantes se requiere optimizar y determinar qué pacientes y en qué momento deben ser considerados para trasplante hepático. Esta revisión pretende establecer pautas para que los pacientes puedan disponer de este recurso en el menor tiempo posible y en el momento justo, sin congestionar las listas de espera de los diferentes centros