Noninvasive assessment of liver disease severity in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of simple, noninvasive tests (NITs) in NAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS AND RESULTS: This was an individual patient data meta-analysis of 1780 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and T2D. The index tests of interest were FIB-4, NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS), aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by vibration-controlled transient elastography, and AGILE 3+. The target conditions were advanced fibrosis, NASH, and fibrotic NASH(NASH plus F2-F4 fibrosis). The diagnostic performance of noninvasive tests. individually or in sequential combination, was assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and by decision curve analysis. Comparison with 2278 NAFLD patients without T2D was also made. In NAFLD with T2D LSM and AGILE 3+ outperformed, both NFS and FIB-4 for advanced fibrosis (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve:LSM 0.82, AGILE 3+ 0.82, NFS 0.72, FIB-4 0.75, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index 0.68; p < 0.001 of LSM-based versus simple serum tests), with an uncertainty area of 12%-20%. The combination of serum-based with LSM-based tests for advanced fibrosis led to a reduction of 40%-60% in necessary LSM tests. Decision curve analysis showed that all scores had a modest net benefit for ruling out advanced fibrosis at the risk threshold of 5%-10% of missing advanced fibrosis. LSM and AGILE 3+ outperformed both NFS and FIB-4 for fibrotic NASH (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve:LSM 0.79, AGILE 3+ 0.77, NFS 0.71, FIB-4 0.71; p < 0.001 of LSM-based versus simple serum tests). All noninvasive scores were suboptimal for diagnosing NASH. CONCLUSIONS: LSM and AGILE 3+ individually or in low availability settings in sequential combination after FIB-4 or NFS have a similar good diagnostic accuracy for advanced fibrosis and an acceptable diagnostic accuracy for fibrotic NASH in NAFLD patients with T2D.

Diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive tests to screen for at-risk MASH-An individual participant data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is a need to reduce the screen failure rate (SFR) in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) clinical trials (MASH+F2-3; MASH+F4) and identify people with high-risk MASH (MASH+F2-4) in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate non-invasive tests (NITs) screening approaches for these target conditions. METHODS: This was an individual participant data meta-analysis for the performance of NITs against liver biopsy for MASH+F2-4, MASH+F2-3 and MASH+F4. Index tests were the FibroScan-AST (FAST) score, liver stiffness measured using vibration-controlled transient elastography (LSM-VCTE), the fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) and the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) and thresholds including those that achieved 34% SFR were reported. RESULTS: We included 2281 unique cases. The prevalence of MASH+F2-4, MASH+F2-3 and MASH+F4 was 31%, 24% and 7%, respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F2-4 were .78, .75, .68 and .57 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F2-3 were .73, .67, .60, .58 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves for MASH+F4 were .79, .84, .81, .76 for FAST, LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS. The sequential combination of FIB-4 and LSM-VCTE for the detection of MASH+F2-3 with threshold of .7 and 3.48, and 5.9 and 20 kPa achieved SFR of 67% and sensitivity of 60%, detecting 15 true positive cases from a theoretical group of 100 participants at the prevalence of 24%. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential combinations of NITs do not compromise diagnostic performance and may reduce resource utilisation through the need of fewer LSM-VCTE examinations.

LIVERSTAT for risk stratification for patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: LIVERSTAT is an artificial intelligence-based noninvasive test devised to screen for and provide risk stratification for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) by using simple blood biomarkers and anthropometric measurements. We aimed to study LIVERSTAT in patients with MAFLD and to explore its role for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of data from MAFLD patients who underwent a liver biopsy. Patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent transient elastography and had liver stiffness measurement (LSM) < 5 kPa were included as patients with no fibrosis. Among these patients, controlled attenuation parameter <248 dB/m was considered as no steatosis. The LIVERSTAT results were generated based on a proprietary algorithm, blinded to the histological and LSM data. RESULTS: The data for 350 patients were analyzed (mean age 53 years, 45% male, advanced fibrosis 22%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and misclassification rate of LIVERSTAT to diagnose advanced fibrosis were 90%, 50%, 30%, 95%, and 42%, respectively. The corresponding rates for Fibrosis-4 score (FIB4) were 56%, 83%, 44%, 89%, and 22%, respectively. When LSM was used as a second test, the corresponding rates for LIVERSTAT were 60%, 97%, 76%, 94%, and 8%, respectively, while the corresponding rates for FIB4 were 38%, 99%, 83%, 89%, and 11%, respectively. CONCLUSION: LIVERSTAT had a higher negative predictive value compared with FIB4 and a lower misclassification rate compared with FIB4 when used in a two-step approach in combination with LSM for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis.

Malaysian joint societies' consensus recommendations on diagnosis and management of disorders of esophagogastric junction outflow.

Disorders of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) outflow, including achalasia and EGJ outflow obstruction, are motility disorders characterized by inadequate relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter with or without impaired esophageal peristalsis. Current guidelines are technical and less practical in the Asia-Pacific region, and there are still massive challenges in timely diagnosis and managing these disorders effectively. Therefore, a Malaysian joint societies' task force has developed a consensus on disorders of EGJ outflow based on the latest evidence, while taking into consideration the practical relevance of local and regional context and resources. Twenty-one statements were established after a series of meetings and extensive review of literatures. The Delphi method was used in the consensus voting process. This consensus focuses on the definition, diagnostic investigations, the aims of treatment outcome, non-surgical or surgical treatment options, management of treatment failure or relapse, and the management of complications. This consensus advocates the use of high-resolution esophageal manometry for diagnosis of disorders of EGJ outflow. Myotomy, via either endoscopy or laparoscopy, is the preferred treatment option, while pneumatic dilatation can serve as a secondary option. Evaluation and management of complications including post-procedural reflux and cancer surveillance are recommended.

Frequency of significant steatosis and compensated advanced chronic liver disease among adults with chronic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: With changes in the epidemiology and treatment of chronic liver disease (CLD), the impact of various etiologies of liver disease on steatosis and advanced fibrosis are uncertain. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted among liver disease patients of various etiologies undergoing transient elastography (TE) over a 9-year duration. RESULTS: Data for 2886 patients were analyzed and had the following demographics: The median age was 60 (IQR: 45-69) years, 51% were males, and ethnicity was predominantly Chinese (52.5%), followed by Malays (34%) and Indians (12.3%). The median CAP score was 272 (IQR: 219-319) dB/m and the median liver stiffness measurement (LSM) score was 6.5 (IQR: 4.9-9.7) kPa. Hepatic steatosis occurred across the spectrum of etiologies of CLD. Among patients with steatosis, the most common etiologies were nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at 62% and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) at 26.3%. TE findings suggestive of cACLD (10.1-15 kPa) and highly suggestive of cACLD (>15 kPa) were observed in 11.3% and 12.4% of patients, respectively. NAFLD was found to be the most common etiology for cases with suggestive of cACLD (47.2%) and highly suggestive of cACLD (41.5%). CONCLUSION: Hepatic steatosis is common in CLD, regardless of etiology. Compared with other etiologies, NAFLD is now the leading cause of cACLD.

The impact of diet and ethnicity on gut microbiota variation in irritable bowel syndrome: A multi-center study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The gut microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is known to vary with diet. We aim to (i) analyze the gut microbiota composition of IBS patients from a multi-ethnic population and (ii) explore the impact of a low FODMAP diet on gastrointestinal symptoms and gut microbiota composition among IBS patients. METHODS: A multi-center study of multi-ethnic Asian patients with IBS was conducted in two phases: (i) an initial cross-sectional gut microbiota composition study of IBS patients and healthy controls, followed by (ii) a single-arm 6-week dietary interventional study of the IBS patients alone, exploring clinical and gut microbiota changes. RESULTS: A total of 34 adult IBS patients (IBS sub-types of IBS-D 44.1%, IBS-C 32.4%, and IBS-M 23.5%) and 15 healthy controls were recruited. A greater abundance of Parabacteroides species with lower levels of bacterial fermenters and short-chain fatty acids producers were found among IBS patients compared with healthy controls. Age and ethnicity were found to be associated with gut microbiota composition. Following a low FODMAP dietary intervention, symptom and quality of life improvement were observed in 24 (70.6%) IBS patients. Symptom improvement was associated with adherence to the low FODMAP diet (46.7% poor adherence vs 92.9% good adherence, P = 0.014), and gut microbiota patterns, particularly with a greater abundance of Bifidobacterium longum, Anaerotignum propionicum, and Blautia species post-intervention. CONCLUSION: Gut microbiota variation in multi-ethnic IBS patients may be related to dietary intake and may be helpful to identify patients who are likely to respond to a low FODMAP diet.

When is POEM truly equivalent to LHM? A comparison of complication rates during the learning curve.

INTRODUCTION: Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) is an effective treatment for Esophageal Achalasia Cardia (EAC) but the endoscopic technique required is complex. As competency is crucial for patient safety, we believe that its' competency can be demonstrated when the complication rate equals that of an established procedure such as Laparoscopic Heller's Myotomy with Fundoplication (LHM + F). METHODS: A multicentre, ambi-directional, non-randomized comparison of intra-procedural complications during the learning curve of POEM was performed against a historical cohort of LHM + F. Demographic, clinicopathological, procedural data and complications were collected. A direct head-to-head comparison was performed, followed by a population pyramid of complication frequency. Case sequence was then divided into blocks of 5, and the complication rates during each block was compared to the historical cohort. RESULTS: From January 2010 to April 2021, 60 patients underwent LHM + F and 63 underwent POEM. Mean age was lower for the POEM group (41.7 years vs 48.1 years, p = 0.03), but there was no difference in gender nor type of Achalasia. The POEM group recorded a shorter overall procedural time (125.9 min vs 144.1 min, p = 0.023) and longer myotomies (10.1 cm vs 6.2 cm, p = 0.023). The overall complication rate of POEM was 20.6%, whereas the historical cohort of LHM + F had a rate of 10.0%. On visual inspection of the population pyramid, complications were more frequent in the earlier procedures. On block sequencing, complication frequency could be seen tapering off dramatically after the 25th case, and subsequently equalled that of LHM + F. CONCLUSION: POEM is challenging even for experienced endoscopists. From our data, complication rates between POEM and LHM + F equalize after approximately 25 POEMs.

Validation of the Hepamet fibrosis score in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The Hepamet fibrosis score was introduced for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To date, external validation is limited, and its utility in combination with liver stiffness measurement (LSM) has not been explored. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on NAFLD patients who had a liver biopsy and LSM on the same day. The diagnostic performance of the Hepamet fibrosis score was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). RESULTS: The data for 196 patients were analyzed (mean age 50 ± 11 years old, 50% men, 56.6% Malay, 27.6% Chinese, 15.8% Indian, 67.9% NASH, 15.8% advanced liver fibrosis). The AUROC of Hepamet fibrosis score for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.80 - 0.91). Using the <0.12 and ≥0.47 cut-offs from the original study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, the proportion of indeterminate results and misclassification rate were 81.8%, 91.8%, 47.4%, 98.2%, 32.1% and 6.1%, respectively. Using LSM <10 kPa and ≥15 kPa for the diagnosis of absence and presence of advanced liver fibrosis, respectively, in patients with Hepamet fibrosis score ≥0.47 (i.e., the two-step approach) reduced indeterminate results and misclassification to 16.1% and 3.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found the Hepamet fibrosis score to have good diagnostic accuracy in a population that was largely unrepresented in earlier work and demonstrated its utility in a two-step approach with LSM for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis.

Diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive tests for advanced fibrosis in patients with NAFLD: an individual patient data meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Liver biopsy is still needed for fibrosis staging in many patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aims of this study were to evaluate the individual diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement by vibration controlled transient elastography (LSM-VCTE), Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) and NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) Fibrosis Score (NFS) and to derive diagnostic strategies that could reduce the need for liver biopsies. DESIGN: Individual patient data meta-analysis of studies evaluating LSM-VCTE against liver histology was conducted. FIB-4 and NFS were computed where possible. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) were calculated. Biomarkers were assessed individually and in sequential combinations. RESULTS: Data were included from 37 primary studies (n=5735; 45% women; median age: 54 years; median body mass index: 30 kg/m2; 33% had type 2 diabetes; 30% had advanced fibrosis). AUROCs of individual LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS for advanced fibrosis were 0.85, 0.76 and 0.73. Sequential combination of FIB-4 cut-offs (<1.3; ≥2.67) followed by LSM-VCTE cut-offs (<8.0; ≥10.0 kPa) to rule-in or rule-out advanced fibrosis had sensitivity and specificity (95% CI) of 66% (63-68) and 86% (84-87) with 33% needing a biopsy to establish a final diagnosis. FIB-4 cut-offs (<1.3; ≥3.48) followed by LSM cut-offs (<8.0; ≥20.0 kPa) to rule out advanced fibrosis or rule in cirrhosis had a sensitivity of 38% (37-39) and specificity of 90% (89-91) with 19% needing biopsy. CONCLUSION: Sequential combinations of markers with a lower cut-off to rule-out advanced fibrosis and a higher cut-off to rule-in cirrhosis can reduce the need for liver biopsies.

Gut Microbial Ecosystem in Parkinson Disease: New Clinicobiological Insights from Multi-Omics.

OBJECTIVE: Gut microbiome alterations in Parkinson disease (PD) have been reported repeatedly, but their functional relevance remains unclear. Fecal metabolomics, which provide a functional readout of microbial activity, have scarcely been investigated. We investigated fecal microbiome and metabolome alterations in PD, and their clinical relevance. METHODS: Two hundred subjects (104 patients, 96 controls) underwent extensive clinical phenotyping. Stool samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fecal metabolomics were performed using two platforms, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Fecal microbiome and metabolome composition in PD was significantly different from controls, with the largest effect size seen in NMR-based metabolome. Microbiome and NMR-based metabolome compositional differences remained significant after comprehensive confounder analyses. Differentially abundant fecal metabolite features and predicted functional changes in PD versus controls included bioactive molecules with putative neuroprotective effects (eg, short chain fatty acids [SCFAs], ubiquinones, and salicylate) and other compounds increasingly implicated in neurodegeneration (eg, ceramides, sphingosine, and trimethylamine N-oxide). In the PD group, cognitive impairment, low body mass index (BMI), frailty, constipation, and low physical activity were associated with fecal metabolome compositional differences. Notably, low SCFAs in PD were significantly associated with poorer cognition and low BMI. Lower butyrate levels correlated with worse postural instability-gait disorder scores. INTERPRETATION: Gut microbial function is altered in PD, characterized by differentially abundant metabolic features that provide important biological insights into gut-brain pathophysiology. Their clinical relevance further supports a role for microbial metabolites as potential targets for the development of new biomarkers and therapies in PD. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:546-559.

Epidemiological trends of gastrointestinal and liver diseases in Malaysia: A single-center observational study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The spectrum of gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases is recognized to have a geographical variation, which may be due to environmental or genetic differences. We aimed to explore this further in a specialist clinic serving a multi-ethnic Asian urban population. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of outpatient data from this institution's electronic medical records was conducted between January and June 2019. Clinical diagnoses of GI and liver diseases and associated demographic information were collected. RESULTS: Data from 3676 adult patients (median age 62 years, female 51.1%) were available for analysis. The frequency of luminal GI, liver and pancreato-biliary diseases were 34.2%, 63.2%, and 2.6%, respectively. Among luminal GI diseases, 38.6% were functional gastrointestinal disorders and 61.4% had an organic cause. A higher proportion of patients of Indian ethnicity were diagnosed with IBD compared with other ethnic groups (India 21.9%, Malay 16.5%, Chinese 12.2%, P = 0.001). Among liver diseases, the most common etiologies were HBV (44.4%) and NAFLD (39.3%). Cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma were present in 18% of liver diseases, with NAFLD as the most frequent etiology. Among patients with NAFLD, a higher proportion of ethnic Malays and Indians were evident (Malay 53.8% vs Chinese 28.7% vs Indian 61.1%, P < 0.001). In contrast, a greater proportion of ethnic Chinese were diagnosed with HBV compared with other ethnic groups (Malay 30.9% vs Chinese 57.5% vs Indian 8.4%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The spectrum of GI and liver diseases has a peculiar epidemiology, particularly with reference to the ethnic predilection of certain diseases.

Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology consensus statement on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

The Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology saw the need for a consensus statement on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The consensus panel consisted of experts in the field of gastroenterology/hepatology, endocrinology, bariatric surgery, family medicine, and public health. A modified Delphi process was used to prepare the consensus statements. The panel recognized the high and increasing prevalence of the disease and the consequent anticipated increase in liver-related complications and mortality. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in MAFLD patients; therefore, cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management is important. A simple and clear liver assessment and referral pathway was agreed upon, so that patients with more severe MAFLD can be linked to gastroenterology/hepatology care, while patients with less severe MAFLD can remain in primary care or endocrinology, where they are best managed. Lifestyle intervention is the cornerstone in the management of MAFLD. The panel provided a consensus on the use of statin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, pioglitazone, vitamin E, and metformin, as well as recommendations on bariatric surgery, screening for gastroesophageal varices and hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation in MAFLD patients. Increasing the awareness and knowledge of the various stakeholders on MAFLD and incorporating MAFLD into existing noncommunicable disease-related programs and activities are important steps to tackle the disease. These consensus statements will serve as a guide on MAFLD for clinicians and other stakeholders.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth In Various Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Case-Control Study.

INTRODUCTION: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is prevalent in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but its' association with other functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) is less certain. This study aimed to explore SIBO in a multi-racial Asian population with various FGIDs compared to non-FGID controls. METHODOLOGY: Consecutive Asian adults with Rome III diagnosed common FGIDs (functional dyspepsia/FD, IBS and functional constipation/FC) and non-FGID controls were subjected to glucose breath testing, with hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) levels determined. RESULTS: A total of 244 participants (FGIDs n = 186, controls n = 58, median age 45 years, males 36%, Malay ethnicity 76%) were recruited. FGIDs had a higher prevalence trend of SIBO compared to controls (16% FGIDs vs. 10% controls, p = 0.278) with 14% in FD, 18% in IBS and 17% in FC. Compared to controls, SIBO was associated with diarrhoea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) (24% vs. 10%, P = 0.050) but not with other types of FGIDs. IBS-D remained an independent predictor of SIBO (OR = 2.864, 95% CI 1.160-7.071, p = 0.023) but not PPI usage nor history of diabetes (both p > 0.050) at multivariate analysis. Compared to controls, SIBO in IBS-D was associated with an elevated H2 level (≥ 20 ppm from baseline) (18% vs. 3%, p = 0.017), but not CH4 levels (≥ 10 ppm) (9% vs. 7%, p = 0.493). In addition, no difference was found in the prevalence of methane-positive SIBO between chronic constipation (constipation-predominant IBS and FC) compared to controls (9% vs. 7%, P = 0.466). CONCLUSION: SIBO is prevalent amongst multi-ethnic Asian adults with and without FGIDs. Amongst various FGIDs, only IBS-D is significantly associated with SIBO.

Functional dyspepsia.

Dyspepsia is a complex of symptoms referable to the gastroduodenal region of the gastrointestinal tract and includes epigastric pain or burning, postprandial fullness, or early satiety. Approximately 80% of individuals with dyspepsia have no structural explanation for their symptoms and have functional dyspepsia. Functional dyspepsia affects up to 16% of otherwise healthy individuals in the general population. Risk factors include psychological comorbidity, acute gastroenteritis, female sex, smoking, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and Helicobacter pylori infection. The pathophysiology remains incompletely understood, but it is probably related to disordered communication between the gut and the brain, leading to motility disturbances, visceral hypersensitivity, and alterations in gastrointestinal microbiota, mucosal and immune function, and CNS processing. Although technically a normal endoscopy is required to diagnose functional dyspepsia, the utility of endoscopy in all patients with typical symptoms is minimal; its use should be restricted to people aged 55 years and older, or to those with concerning features, such as weight loss or vomiting. As a result of our incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology, functional dyspepsia is difficult to treat and, in most patients, the condition is chronic and the natural history is one of fluctuating symptoms. Eradication therapy should be offered to patients with functional dyspepsia who test positive for Helicobacter pylori. Other therapies with evidence of effectiveness include proton pump inhibitors, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, prokinetics, and central neuromodulators. The role of psychological therapies is uncertain. As our understanding of the pathophysiology of functional dyspepsia increases, it is probable that the next decade will see the emergence of truly disease-modifying therapies for the first time.

Modest alcohol intake not associated with significant hepatic steatosis or more severe liver disease among patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The effect of modest alcohol intake on prevalence of significant hepatic steatosis and severity of liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unclear. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on T2DM patients. Modest alcohol intake was defined as alcohol intake ≤ 21 units/week in men and ≤ 14 units/week in women. Significant hepatic steatosis was diagnosed on the basis of controlled attenuation parameter > 263 dB/m, while advanced fibrosis was diagnosed on the basis of liver stiffness measurement ≥ 9.6 kPa using M probe or ≥ 9.3 kPa using XL probe. Patients with liver stiffness measurement ≥ 8.0 kPa were offered liver biopsy. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-seven patients underwent transient elastography, and 71 patients underwent liver biopsy. The prevalence of modest drinking was 16.5%. Modest drinking was equally prevalent among ethnic Indians and Chinese at 22.9% and 23.3%, respectively, but uncommon among ethnic Malays at 1.7%. Modest drinkers were more likely to be male, smoked, and had significantly lower glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, and platelet count. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of significant hepatic steatosis or advanced fibrosis based on transient elastography and steatohepatitis or advanced fibrosis between modest drinkers and nondrinkers. The prevalence of significant hepatic steatosis was higher among ethnic Malays and Indians compared with ethnic Chinese, but the Chinese did not have a lower prevalence of more severe liver disease. CONCLUSION: Modest alcohol intake is not associated with higher prevalence of significant hepatic steatosis or more severe liver disease among patients with T2DM.

Volumetric Liver Fat Fraction Determines Grade of Steatosis More Accurately Than Controlled Attenuation Parameter in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: HepaFat-Scan is a magnetic resonance imaging-based method for quantification of hepatic steatosis by volumetric liver fat fraction (VLFF) measurement. We aimed to validate VLFF and to compare it with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) for determination of hepatic steatosis grade in patients with NAFLD, using histopathology and stereologic analyses of biopsies as the reference standard. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of consecutive adults with NAFLD who were scheduled for a liver biopsy at a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. Patients underwent VLFF and CAP measurements on the same day as their liver biopsy. Histopathology analyses of liver biopsy specimens were reported according to the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network scoring system. Stereologic analysis was performed using grid-point counting method combined with the Delesse principle. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 97 patients (mean age 57.0 ± 10.1 years; 44.33% male; 91.8% obese; 95.9% centrally obese). Based on histopathology analysis, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for VLFF in detection of steatosis grade ≥S2 was 0.92 and for CAP the AUROC was 0.65 (P < .001). Based on stereological analysis, the AUROC for VLFF for detection of steatosis grade ≥S2 was 0.92 and for CAP the AUROC was 0.63, (P = .002); for identification of steatosis grade S3, the AUROC for VLFF was 0.92 and for CAP the AUROC was 0.68 (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective study of patients with NAFLD undergoing liver biopsy analysis, we found VLFF to more accurately determine grade of hepatic steatosis than CAP.

Performance of Simple Fibrosis Scores in Nonobese Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Because only a minority of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have advanced fibrosis and would eventually develop liver-related complications, current guidelines recommend initial assessment with noninvasive tests of fibrosis.1-3 Most previous studies focused on overweight and obese patients. Despite a strong association between obesity and NAFLD, 3%-30% of people with relatively normal body mass index (BMI) may still have NAFLD.4,5 Hence, this study aims to evaluate the performance of the common noninvasive tests in non-obese (BMI <25 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) NAFLD patients.

Positive Hepatitis B Core Antibody Is Associated With Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Previous exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) may increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We aim to study the impact of previous HBV infection on the severity and outcomes of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: This was a multicenter study of 489 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 69 patients with NAFLD-related or cryptogenic HCC. Antihepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) was used to detect the previous HBV infection. RESULTS: In the biopsy cohort, positive anti-HBc was associated with lower steatosis grade but higher fibrosis stage. 18.8% and 7.5% of patients with positive and negative anti-HBc had cirrhosis, respectively (P < 0.001). The association between anti-HBc and cirrhosis remained significant after adjusting for age and metabolic factors (adjusted odds ratio 2.232; 95% confidence interval, 1.202-4.147). At a mean follow-up of 6.2 years, patients with positive anti-HBc had a higher incidence of HCC or cirrhotic complications (6.5% vs 2.2%; P = 0.039). Among patients with NAFLD-related or cryptogenic HCC, 73.9% had positive anti-HBc. None of the patients had positive serum HBV DNA. By contrast, antihepatitis B surface antibody did not correlate with histological severity. DISCUSSION: Positive anti-HBc is associated with cirrhosis and possibly HCC and cirrhotic complications in patients with NAFLD. Because a significant proportion of NAFLD-related HCC may develop in noncirrhotic patients, future studies should define the role of anti-HBc in selecting noncirrhotic patients with NAFLD for HCC surveillance.

Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection has been associated with worse motor function in Parkinson's disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effects of HP eradication on PD symptoms. METHODS: In this parallel-group, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled, single-center trial, patients with PD with positive HP urea breath test and serology were block randomized (1:1) to receive standard eradication triple therapy or identically appearing placebo capsules for 1 week. Prespecified motor (International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Unified PD Rating Scale [MDS-UPDRS], timed tests, and home-based wearable sensor measurements), nonmotor (Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire and Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and quality-of-life (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39) outcome measures were assessed at weeks 6, 12, 24, and 52. The primary outcome was the baseline-to-week 12 change in ON medication MDS-UPDRS motor scores. Lactulose-hydrogen breath testing for concomitant small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was performed at baseline and repeated at week 24, together with the urea breath test. RESULTS: A total of 310 patients were screened for eligibility and 80 were randomly assigned, of whom 67 were included in the full-analysis set (32 treatment group patients, 35 placebo patients). HP eradication did not improve MDS-UPDRS motor scores at week 12 (mean difference 2.6 points in favor of placebo, 95% confidence interval: -0.4 to 5.6, P = 0.089). There was no significant improvement in any motor, nonmotor, or quality-of-life outcome at weeks 12 and 52. Both the full-analysis and per-protocol analyses (based on eradication status) supported these conclusions. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth status did not influence treatment results. CONCLUSIONS: HP eradication does not improve clinical outcomes in PD, suggesting that there is no justification for routine HP screening or eradication with the goal of improving PD symptoms. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Allele HLA-DQB1*06 reduces fibrosis score in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

AIM: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) regions were highlighted as important genetic markers for various liver diseases by hepatology-related genome-wide association studies. Replication studies in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited and none has investigated the association of HLA alleles with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and other histological characteristics. In the current study, we examined the association of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles with NAFLD spectrum and its histological characteristics. METHODS: Consecutive biopsy-proven NAFLD patients (n = 191) and healthy controls (n = 188) were enrolled and genotyped for HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles using the sequence-specific oligonucleotide-polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: No association was found between the HLA alleles and NAFLD or NASH in a case-control setting. Nevertheless, among NAFLD patients, the frequency of HLA-DQB1*06 allele was significantly the lowest in NASH with significant fibrosis (10.4%) and approximately similar for NASH without significant fibrosis (22.9%) and NAFL (22.5%) (P = 0.004). It is noteworthy that the association remains significant after correction for multiple comparisons (Pc = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that HLA-DQB1*06 allele is also associated with fibrosis score (P = 0.001); the result remains significant after correction for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that HLA-DQB1*06 is associated with lower fibrosis score in NAFLD patients.