Effect of decoction of Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji formula plus chemoembolization on primary liver cancer in patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the decoction of Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji formula (, FJXF) plus chemoembolization (TACE) on primary liver cancer (PLC) in patients, and study the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Patients with PLC who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into case group and control group. The case group was treated with FJXF combined with TACE. The control group was treated with TACE alone. The short-term clinical effect was evaluated; liver biochemistry, liver function index and multidrug resistance-associated indicators were detected. RESULTS: FJXF combined with TACE in the case group significantly increased the disease control rate than TACE alone in the control group (83.3% 61.1%). There was a reduction in the serum alpha-fetoprotein at 8 weeks after treatment in each group, while no difference between the two groups. The same trend can be observed for transaminase and direct bilirubin in both groups. In the case group, it showed a significant increase for albumin at 8 weeks after treatment, while no change in the control group. Multidrug resistance-associated indicators for multidrug resistance protein 1 and p-glycoprotein were upregulated in the case group but remained stable in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: FJXF combined TACE had a better short-term effect than TACE alone in patients with PLC. The potential mechanism was probably associated with alleviated multidrug resistance induced by FJXF. Additionally, FJXF didn't increase the risk of liver damage in the combined therapy.

Research advances in systemic inflammatory response of acute decompensated cirrhosis patients / 临床肝胆病杂志

Acute decompensated cirrhosis is a stage of end-stage liver disease during which patients often experience decompensated complications and rapid progression. Systemic inflammatory response is characterized by excessive secretion of inflammatory factors caused by bacterial infection of local tissue and rapid spread to the whole body, thereby affecting the physiological activities of the body and causing organ damage or disorder, and it is a relatively serious inflammatory state. This article elaborates on the occurrence of systemic inflammation, the factors affecting the severity of systemic inflammation, the manifestation of systemic inflammation in different stages of decompensated cirrhosis, and the role of systemic inflammation in complications, in order to gain a deeper understanding of systemic inflammation and apply it in the research and development of new therapies and drugs.

Effect of Liangxue Jiedu decoction on intestinal flora in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure: An analysis based on high-throughput sequencing / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of Liangxue Jiedu decoction on intestinal flora in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods The patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed with HBV-ACLF in Beijing Ditan Hospital from October 2018 to October 2019 were enrolled, and healthy individuals were enrolled as HP group. High-throughput sequencing was used to screen for the differences in bacterial diversity and species between HBV-ACLF patients and healthy individuals, and differentially expressed bacteria between the two groups were screened out at the phylum and genus levels. With the help of in vitro simulated fermentation experiment, fecal samples were collected from the patients with HBV-ACLF and were then cultured in the medium containing different concentrations of Liangxue Jiedu decoction (0, 10%, 50%, and 100%) for 24 hours, and the changes in intestinal flora were analyzed and compared between the HBV-ACLF treatment group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, and the HP group at the genus level. The t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. Results A total of 10 HBV-ACLF patients were enrolled, with 5 in the HBV-ACLF treatment group and 5 in the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, and there were 15 individuals in the HP group. Compared with the HP group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had significant reductions in the diversity and abundance of intestinal flora. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were mainly observed in the samples of the HP group, while the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had a significant reduction in Bacteroidetes and significant increases in Fusobacteria , Proteobacteria , and Fibrobacteres. At the genus level, compared with the HP group, the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group had significant reductions in Ruminococcus, Blautia , and Eubacterium and significant increases in Parabacteroides, Lactobacillus, Fusobacterium , and Streptococcus . The in vitro fermentation experiment showed that compared with the HBV-ACLF non-treatment group, the HBV-ACLF treatment group had significant increases in Ruminococcus, Lachnospira, Bacteroides , and Genusgenus and significant reductions in Fusobacterium and Proteobacteria (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Liangxue Jiedu decoction can regulate intestinal flora disturbance, restore the diversity of intestinal flora, increase dominant bacteria, and reduce pathogenic bacteria, which may be one of its important mechanisms of action in the treatment of HBV-ACLF.

Effect of anti-liver fibrosis Chinese patent drugs in preventing renal hypofunction associated with alcoholic liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of anti-liver fibrosis Chinese patent drugs on renal hypofunction associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 592 patients with ALD who were admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from August 1, 2008 to March 1, 2016, and according to whether they were treated with Fuzheng Huayu capsules, Anluo Huaxian pills, or Fufang Biejia Ruangan tablets for ≥180 cumulative defined daily doses, they were divided into Chinese medicine group and control group. After propensity score matching at a ratio of 1∶1, two groups were obtained with 187 patients in each group. Related data were recorded, including medical history, drinking amount, routine blood test results, liver and renal function, coagulation, and abdominal imaging findings. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate of renal hypofunction between two groups. ResultsThere were no significant differences between the two groups in age, drinking amount, proportion of patients with hypertension or diabetes, baseline aspartate aminotransferase, estimated glomerular filtration rate, uric acid, and prothrombin time, and the patients were followed up for 36 months (range 23-54 months). Uric acid (hazard ratio ［HR］=1.003, 95% confidence interval ［CI］: 1001-1.005, P=0.001), prothrombin time (HR=1.103, 95%CI: 1.034-1.177, P=0.003), and red cell volume distribution width (HR=1.024, 95%CI: 1.011-1.038, P＜0.001) were independent risk factors for renal hypofunction in patients with ALD, and anti-liver fibrosis Chinese patent drug was an independent protective factor against renal hypofunction (HR=0.170, 95%CI: 0.053-0552, P=0.003). The Chinese medicine group had a significantly lower incidence rate of renal hypofunction than the control group (166% vs 32.1%, χ2=10.263, P=0.001). The subgroup analysis of the patients in the Chinese medicine group showed that Chinese medicine treatment for ＞24 months had the best effect (HR=0.210, 95%CI: 0.084-0.525, P=0.001). Compared with the control group, the Chinese medicine group had a significantly longer time to the onset of renal hypofunction (36 months vs 24 months, Z=-2.652, P=0.008). ConclusionAnti-liver fibrosis Chinese patent drugs can reduce the incidence rate and delay the onset of renal hypofunction in patients with ALD.

Nucleos(t)ide Analogues for Reducing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims@#Studies have shown that nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but it is unclear which NA is most effective. We performed a meta-analysis and systematic review comparing the efficacies of NAs in CHB patients. @*Methods@#We searched literature databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that analyzed the hepatic biochemical response, virological response, seroconversion rate, drug resistance rate, and HCC incidence rate in CHB patients treated with NAs. Meta-analyses were performed with RevMan and Stata/SE software. @*Results@#Twelve cohort studies and one RCT were selected, in which entecavir (ETV), lamivudine (LAM), telbivudine (LdT), and/or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were evaluated in CHB patients. The meta-analysis showed that ETV was superior to LAM with regard to the HCC incidence (p<0.001), biochemical response (p=0.001), virological response (p=0.02), and drug resistance (p<0.001), and ETV was superior to LdT with regard to the virological response (p<0.001) and drug resistance (p<0.001). We found no significant difference between ETV and TDF with regard to the HCC incidence (p=0.08), biochemical response (p=0.39), virological response (p=0.31), serological conversion (p=0.38), or drug resistance (p=0.95). NA-treated patients with pre-existing cirrhosis had a 5.49 times greater incidence of HCC than those without cirrhosis (p<0.001). @*Conclusions@#ETV or TDF should be used for long-term first-line monotherapy in CHB patients according to the current guidelines. Standardized protocols are needed for future studies of ETV and TDF to facilitate conclusive comparisons. Patients with cirrhosis are at significantly elevated risk for HCC, despite the benefits of NA treatment.

Research advances in diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a common complication of cirrhotic ascites, and has a high incidence rate, rapid progression, and a high fatality rate. At present, there are no uniform diagnostic criteria for SBP at home and abroad. Some patients do not have the typical clinical symptoms of SBP, and therefore, missed diagnosis might occur in such patients and the patient′s condition might be delayed. This article reviews the advances in the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of SBP, in order to provide a reference to clinical physicians, increase the diagnostic rate of SBP, reduce clinical fatality rate, and improve patients′ prognosis.

Analysis of the Parameters of Serum Iron Metabolism in Patients with Viral Hepatitis / 天津医药

Objective To investigate the relationships between parameters of serum iron metabolism and liver in-flammatory activity grades, and to find out the difference in parameters of serum iron metabolism between patients with hepa-titis B and patients with hepatitis C. Methods A total of 166 patients with viral hepatitis were enrolled in this study, in-cluding 135 case of hepatitis B and 31 cases of hepatitis C. The serum iron metabolism indexes including serum iron (SI), se-rum ferritin (SF), transferring (TRF), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were collected, and the transferring saturation (TS), al-anine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL) and albumin (ALB) were calculated. Thirty-nine patients were selected from 135 hepatitis B patients by corresponding gender, age and liver function with 31 hep-atitis C patients. The indicators of iron metabolism were compared between two groups. Results There was a positive corre-lation between age , TRF and TIBC. There were positive correlations between SI, SF, TS and ALT, AST, TBIL respectively, and negative correlations between SF, TS and ALB. TRF and TIBC were negatively correlated with ALT, AST and TBIL, but positively correlated with ALB (rs=0.551,P<0.001). The value of SF was significantly higher in patients with hepatitis C than that of patients with hepatitis B. The levels of TRF and TIBC were significantly lower in patients with hepatitis C than those of patients with hepatitis B (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in SI and TS between two groups. Conclu-sion There was a significant correlation between parameters of serum iron metabolism and live inflammatory activity grades. The iron overload phenomenon is much common in patients with chronic hepatitis C than that of patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Clinical research on the correlation of liver function CTP classification and MELD score of post-hepatitis B cirrhosis between different TCM syndromes / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To explore and identify the correlation of CTP classification,MELD score of patients with cirrhosis after hepatitis between different TCM syndromes.Methods For 135 patients comply with hepatitis B cirrhosis standard,standardized TCM syndrome differentiation and laboratory tests is executed so as to analyze the correlation of CTP classification,MELD score of patients with cirrhosis after hepatitis between different TCM syndromes.Results The liver function CTP classification in liver Qi stagnation syndrome and dump-heat accumulation syndrome patients mainly scores to Class A,and the MELD score less than 10 points-based.The liver function CTP classification in Yin deficiency of Liver and kidney,Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney and blood stasis syndromes mainly scores to Class B-C,and the MELD scores more than 10 points basically.Yin deficiency of Liver and kidney,Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney and blood stasis syndromes take majority in advanced cirrhosis patients compared with liver Qi stagnation syndrome and dump-heat accumulation syndrome take majority in early stage cirrhosis patients.Conclusion Matches the traditional view in TCM that form Qi stagnation,to damp heat-water stopped,to blood stasis-Yang and Yin deficiency is the regular pathogenesis evolution pattern of post-hepatitis cirrhosis.