Liver Involvement in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: Role of Transient Elastography in the Assessment of Hepatic Fibrosis and Steatosis.

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, multisystemic disorder of connective tissue characterized by widespread inflammation, vascular abnormalities, and both skin and visceral organ fibrosis. Tissue fibrosis is the final phase of a complex biological process of immune activation and vascular damage. Objectives The aim of the study was to assess hepatic fibrosis and steatosis in SSc patients by transient elastography (TE). Methods Fifty-nine SSc patients fulfilling the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria were recruited. Clinical and laboratory findings, modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), activity index, videocapillaroscopy, echocardiography, and lung function data were analyzed. Liver stiffness (LS) was measured by transient elastography (TE), with 7 kPa used as the cut-off value for significant liver fibrosis. In addition, hepatic steatosis was evaluated by means of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) findings. Specifically, CAP values ≥ 238 ≤ 259 dB/m were considered consistent with mild steatosis (S1), values ≥ 260 ≤ 290 dB/m were compatible with moderate steatosis (S2), and values ≥ 291 dB/m were indicative of severe steatosis (S3). Results The median age of patients was 51 years, with a median disease duration of 6 years. The median LS was 4.5 (2.9-8.3) kPa; 69.5% of patients had no evidence of fibrosis (F0); 27.1% displayed LS values between 5.2 and 7 kPa; and only 3.4% of patients had LS values > 7 kPa (F3). The median CAP value for liver steatosis was 223 dB/m (IQR: 164-343). Overall, 66.1% of patients did not show evidence of steatosis (CAP values < 238 dB/m); 15.2% showed values consistent with mild (S1) steatosis (CAP value ≥ 238 ≤ 259 dB/m); 13.5% had moderate (S2) steatosis (CAP value ≥ 260 ≤ 290 dB/m); and 5.1% were deemed to have severe steatosis (S3) due to CAP values ≥ 291 dB/m. Conclusions Although systemic sclerosis is associated with fibrosis of the skin and several organs, only 3.4% of our patient population showed evidence of marked liver fibrosis, which is the same prevalence as that expected in the general population. Therefore, fibrosis of the liver did not appear to be a significant concern in SSc patients, albeit moderate fibrosis could still be detected in a significant proportion of subjects. A prolonged follow-up may clarify whether liver fibrosis in SSc patients may still progress. Likewise, the prevalence of significant steatosis was low (5.1%) and depended on the same variables associated with fatty liver disease in the general population. TE was shown to be an easy and valuable method for detection and screening of hepatic fibrosis in SSc patients with no additional risk factors for liver disease and may be useful to assess the potential progression of liver fibrosis over time.

The Importance of Telemedicine during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy.

Recently, telemedicine has become remarkably important, due to increased deployment and development of digital technologies. National and international guidelines should consider its inclusion in their updates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mandatory social distancing and the lack of effective treatments has made telemedicine the safest interactive system between patients, both infected and uninfected, and clinicians. A few potential evidence-based scenarios for the application of telemedicine have been hypothesized. In particular, its use in diabetes and complication monitoring has been remarkably increasing, due to the high risk of poor prognosis. New evidence and technological improvements in telemedicine application in diabetic retinopathy (DR) have demonstrated efficacy and usefulness in screening. Moreover, despite an initial increase for devices and training costs, teleophthalmology demonstrated a good cost-to-efficacy ratio; however, no national screening program has yet focused on DR prevention and diagnosis. Lack of data during the COVID-19 pandemic strongly limits the possibility of tracing the real management of the disease, which is only conceivable from past evidence in normal conditions. The pandemic further stressed the importance of remote monitoring. However, the deployment of device and digital application used to increase screening of individuals and monitor progression of retinal disease needs to be easily accessible to general practitioners.

Management of the HBV reactivation in isolated HBcAb positive patients affected with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Occult HBV infection (OBI) is defined by the persistence of HBV in the liver without serum HBsAg and HBVDNA. It represents a life-threatening event during immunosuppressive chemotherapies. An OBI occurs in approximately 18% of HBcAb + patients. International guidelines suggest surveillance for HBV markers in immunosuppressed patients. In Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), the prevalence of OBI reactivation remains to be established. METHODS: In order to determine the prevalence of occult HBV reactivation in a large cohort of patients during chemotherapy for NHL, we analysed 498 NHL patients in a centre of Southern Italy. We evaluated HBV markers, NHL type, treatment type and occurrence of HBV reactivation. RESULTS: Forty % of patients were treated with monoclonal antibodies and 60.3% without. Ninety-six patients were HBcAb+, HBsAg-. HBV reactivation occurred in ten subjects of this subgroup. All of them were successfully treated with Lamivudine. None of the patients experienced liver-related death. The prevalence of OBI reactivation was of 10.42% in HBcAb + HBsAb- patients. This event occurred in 50% of patients treated with mild immunosuppressive therapies. Each reactivation was treated with Lamivudine. DISCUSSION: This report suggests that a strict surveillance is important and cost-effective in HBcAb + HBsAg- NHL patients treated with mild immunosuppressive therapies, in order to detect an occult HBV reactivation.