Spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma on non-cirrhotic liver: A prospective case series.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma is an uncommon complication, and there are scarce data about non-cirrhotic patients. Tumor treatment is not standardized and the risk of peritoneal dissemination is unclear. AIM: we analyzed the treatment and survival in patients with rHCC on non-cirrhotic liver. METHODS: One hundred and forty-one non-cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosed by histology were included in a multicenter prospective registry (2018-2022). Seven of them (5%) presented with hemoperitoneum due to spontaneous rupture. RESULTS: Liver disease was associated in three patients (42.9%). A single nodule was detected in three cases (42.9%). One patient had vascular invasion and none extrahepatic spread. Initial hemostatic therapy and sequential treatment was individualized. Patients with single nodule were treated: resection (one case) with recurrence at 4 months treated with TACE and sorafenib. TACE/TAE followed by surgery (two cases) one in remission 43 months later, the other had liver recurrence at 18 months and was transplanted. Patients with multiple lesions were treated: TAE/emergency surgery and subsequent systemic therapy (two cases), one received lenvatinib (1-year survival) and the other sorafenib (5-month survival). TAE and surgery with subsequent systemic therapy (one case). Initial hemostatic surgery, dying on admission (one case). No patient developed intraperitoneal metastasis. All patients with multiple lesions died by tumor. The 3-year survival rate was 42.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Initial hemostasis was achieved in all patients by TAE/TACE or surgery. Subsequent treatment was individualized, based on tumor characteristics, regardless of rupture. Long-time remission could be achieved in single nodule patients.

Survival and adverse events of elderly patients treated with sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction: The first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, but its availability is not universal and elderly patients are underrepresented in clinical trials. There is little evidence of efficacy and tolerability in elderly patients under systemic treatment. The aims of this study were to characterize the profile of elderly patients treated with sorafenib, assess their survival and safety profile in order to extrapolate their eligibility for systemic treatment. Methods: Retrospective multicentre study of HCC patients aged ≥75 years old treated with sorafenib from January 2008 to December 2019. Demographic data, baseline characteristics, and variables related to HCC and sorafenib were recorded. Overall survival (OS) and safety were analyzed. Results: The study included 206 patients from 11 hospitals, median age 77.9 years; 71.4% men and 62.6% stage Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer- C (BCLC-C). The main causes of cirrhosis were hepatitis C (60.7%) and alcohol (14.7%). Most patients (84.5%) started with sorafenib 800mg and 15.5% at lower dosage. Arterial hypertension (AHT) (74.2 vs 62.2%; standardized mean differences (STD): 26) and baseline ECOG-PS>0 (45.3 vs 34.7%; STD: 38.2) differed significantly between patients receiving low and full doses. Median OS was 15.4 months (18.2 in BCLC-B vs 13.6 in BCLC-C). OS was not modified by comorbidities, age or period with more expertise. Conclusions: Sorafenib appears to be safe in elderly patients with HCC. This is the first study to characterize the profile of elderly patients to be considered for systemic treatment. These findings could be used as the reference profile for elderly candidates for atezolizumab-bevacizumab.

Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Cytometric Pattern Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Coeliac Disease Diagnosis Irrespective of Degree of Mucosal Damage and Age-A Validation Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: The study of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) by flow cytometry is a useful tool in the diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD). Previous data showed that an increase in %TCRγδ+ and decrease of %CD3- IEL constitute a typical CD cytometric pattern with a specificity of 100%. However, there are no data regarding whether there are differences in the %TCRγδ+ related to sex, age, titers of serology, and degree of histological lesion. STUDY AIMS: To confirm the high diagnostic accuracy of the coeliac cytometric patterns. To determine if there are differences between sex, age, serology titers, and histological lesion grade. RESULTS: We selected all patients who fulfilled "4 of 5" rule for CD diagnosis (n = 169). There were no differences in %TCRγδ+ between sexes (p = 0.909), age groups (p = 0.986), serology titers (p = 0.53) and histological lesion grades (p = 0.41). The diagnostic accuracy of complete CD cytometric pattern was: specificity 100%, sensitivity 82%, PPV 100%, NPV 47%. CONCLUSION: We confirmed, in a validation cohort, the high diagnostic accuracy of complete CD pattern irrespective of sex, age, serology titers, and grade of mucosal lesion.

Survival of patients with cirrhosis and acute peptic ulcer bleeding compared with variceal bleeding using current first-line therapies.

The presence of cirrhosis increases the mortality of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). Both acute variceal bleeding (AVB) and PUB are associated with substantial mortality in cirrhosis. This multicenter cohort study was performed to assess whether the mortality of patients with cirrhosis with PUB is different from that of those with AVB. Patients with cirrhosis and acute gastrointestinal bleeding were consecutively included and treated with somatostatin and proton pump inhibitor infusion from admission and with antibiotic prophylaxis. Emergency endoscopy with endoscopic therapy was performed within the first 6 hours. 646 patients with AVB and 144 with PUB were included. There were baseline differences between groups, such as use of gastroerosive drugs or ß-blockers. Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease MELD scores were similar. Further bleeding was more frequent in the AVB group than those in the PUB group (18% vs. 10%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29-0.88). However, mortality risk at 45 days was similar in both groups (19% in the AVB group vs. 17% in the PUB group; OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.55-1.33; P = 0.48). Different parameters, such as Child-Pugh score, acute kidney injury, acute on chronic liver failure, or presence of shock or bacterial infection, but not the cause of bleeding, were related to the risk of death. Only 2% of the PUB group versus 3% of the AVB group died with uncontrolled bleeding (P = 0.39), whereas the majority of patients in either group died from liver failure or attributed to other comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Using current first-line therapy, patients with cirrhosis and acute peptic ulcer bleeding have a similar survival than those with variceal bleeding. The risk of further bleeding is higher in patients with variceal hemorrhage. However, few patients in both groups died from uncontrolled bleeding, rather the cause of death was usually related to liver failure or comorbidities. (Hepatology 2018;67:1458-1471).

Hepatic glycogenosis: a diagnostic challenge.

Recently, several cases of hepatic glycogenosis (HG) have been reported. García-Suárez et al. described a young female patient with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes, right upper quadrant pain and elevated serum transaminases and GGT. After other causes of liver disease were excluded and a liver biopsy was performed, the patient was diagnosed with HG. HG is rare and can be misdiagnosed as steatohepatitis. To date, less than 20 cases have been reported in adults.

Resultados en la práctica clínica del tratamiento de la hepatitis crónica por virus B con tenofovir y entecavir / Results in clinical practice of treatment of chronic hepatitis b virus with tenofovirand entecavir

Actualmente hay pocos datos sobre los resultados obtenidos con tenofovir y entecavir en la práctica clínica. Objetivo: Valorar la respuesta viral y la seguridad de tenofovir y entecavir en un periodo de 5 años. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional en donde se incluyó a todos los pacientes con hepatitis crónica por virus B que iniciaron tratamiento con tenofovir o entecavir desde enero de 2008 hasta diciembre de 2012. Resultados: De un total de 70 pacientes: 42 (60%) en tratamiento con entecavir y 28 (40%) con tenofovir. Un 75,7% eran hombres, con una edad media de 53 (DE 14) años. Un 70% eran caucásicos. Se realizó biopsia hepática en 46 pacientes (F0 8,7%; F1 6,5%; F2 26,1%; F3 43,5% y F4 15,2%). El 51,4% eran naïve. Del grupo de pacientes previamente tratados, un 17,6% había recibido interferón; un 26,4% interferón inicialmente y luego análogos; y un 55,8% otros análogos de los nucleósidos o de los nucleótidos. El tiempo de seguimiento fue de 36 (DE 12) meses. El DNA del VHB inicial medio era de 31.570.006 UI/mL (rango 24-1.100.000.000 UI/mL).Todos ellos, excepto 3, presentaron un DNA indetectable al año del tratamiento. De los 10 con HBeAg+, 2 de ellos presentaron seroconversión. Los valores de creatinina y la estimación del filtrado glomerular (EFG) fueron de 0,9 (DE 0,3) mg/dL y de 93,92 ml/min/1,73 m² (DE 21,92) al inicio y creatinina 0,93 (DE 0,27) mg/dL y EFG 91,7392 ml/min/1,73 m² (DE 21,38) al año de seguimiento. Conclusiones: Entecavir y tenofovir son eficaces y seguros en la práctica clínica en pacientes con hepatitis crónica por virus B.

The current first line treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus is with entecavir andtenofovir. However, there are few data regarding the results obtained from these treatmentsin clinical practice. Objective: To assess viral response and safety of treatment with entecavir and tenofovir in a5-year follow-up. Material and methods: Observational study on patients with chronic hepatitis B virus who begantreatment with tenofovir or entecavir between January 2008 and December 2012. Results: Seventy patients were included; 42 (60%) were treated with entecavir and 28 (40%)with tenofovir. Of these, 75.7% were men, with an average age of 53 (SD ± 14) years, and mostwere white (70%). A liver biopsy was performed on 46 patients (F0 8.7%; F1 6.5%; F2 26.1%;F3 43.5% and F4 15.2%). Of all the patients, 51.4% were treatment naïve, and of the groupof previously treated patients, 17.6% had received interferon; 26.4% had received interferonfollowed by one or more analogues; and 55.8% had received other nucleoside or nucleotideanalogues.The time of follow-up was 36 (SD ± 12) months. The average initial DNA was 31,570,006UI/mL (range 24-1,100,000,000 UI/mL). All except 3 presented undetectable DNA after oneyear of treatment. Ten patients were HBeAg-positive at the beginning of the treatment and 2seroconverted. At the beginning of the treatment, creatinine was 0.9 (SD ± 0.3) mg/dL and theestimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 93.92 ml/min/1.73 m²(DE 21.92); both keepingstable after a year of treatment (creatinine levels 0.93 SD ± 0.27 mg/dL, eGFR 91.7392 SD± 21.38 ml/min/1.73 m²). Conclusions: Entecavir and tenofovir are safe and effective in clinical practice for the treatmentof chronic hepatitis B virus, both in treatment-naïve patients and in those previously treated.