Delayed endoscopy increases re-bleeding and mortality in patients with hematemesis and active esophageal variceal bleeding: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Active bleeding is a poor prognostic indicator in patients with acute esophageal variceal bleeding. This study aimed at determining indicators of 6-week re-bleeding and mortality in patients with "active" esophageal variceal bleeding, particularly emphasizing the presenting symptoms and timing of endoscopy to define the treatment strategy. METHODS: From July 2005 to December 2009, cirrhotic patients with endoscopy-proven active esophageal variceal bleeding were evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine the indicators of 6-week re-bleeding and mortality. Outcome comparisons were performed by Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test. RESULTS: In 101 patients, the overall 6-week and 3-month re-bleeding rates were 25.7% (n=26) and 29.7% (n=30), respectively. The overall 6-week and 3-month mortality was 31.7% (n=32) and 38.6% (n=39), respectively. Door-to-endoscopy time (hr), MELD score, and portal vein thrombosis were indicators of 6-week re-bleeding, while hematemesis upon arrival, MELD score, and hepatocellular carcinoma were indicators of 6-week mortality. Overall mortality was poorer in hematemesis than in non-hematemesis patients (39.7% vs. 10.7%, p=0.007). In hematemesis patients, 6-week re-bleeding rate (18.9% vs. 38.9%, p=0.028) and mortality (27% vs. 52.8%, p=0.031) were lower in those with early (≤ 12 h) than delayed (>12h) endoscopy. In non-hematemesis patients, early and delayed endoscopy had no difference on 6-week re-bleeding rate (17.6% vs. 18.2%, p=0.944) and mortality (11.8% vs. 9.1%, p=0.861). CONCLUSIONS: It is likely that early endoscopy (≤ 12 h) is associated with a better outcome in hematemesis patients, but a randomized trial with larger case numbers is required before making a firm conclusion.

Magnolol Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits ERK-modulated Metastatic Potential in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of magnolol in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HCC SK-Hep1 cells were treated with different concentrations of magnolol or PD98059 [extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor] for 48 h, and then cell viability, apoptosis, signal transduction, expression of anti-apoptotic and metastasis-related proteins, and cell invasion were investigated by [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ĸB) reporter gene, western blotting, and cell invasion assays. RESULTS: Magnolol significantly induced accumulation of sub-G1 phase and caspase-3 activation and inhibited NF-ĸB activation, cell invasion, expression of phosphorylated ERK (pERK), anti-apoptotic and metastatic-related proteins. ERK inactivation was required for magnolol-induced inhibition of metastatic potential of SK-Hep1 cells. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results indicated that magnolol not only induced apoptosis, but also inhibited ERK-modulated metastatic potential of HCC SK-Hep1 cells.

Amentoflavone Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits NF-ĸB-modulated Anti-apoptotic Signaling in Glioblastoma Cells.

The goal of the present study was to investigate anticancer effect of amentoflavone on glioblastoma cells in vitro. Our results demonstrated that amentoflavone not only significantly reduced cell viability, nuclear factor-ĸappa B (NF-ĸB) activation, and protein expression of cellular Fas-associated protein with death domain-like interleukin 1 beta-converting enzyme inhibitory protein (C-FLIP) and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1), but significantly triggered cell accumulation at the sub-G1 phase, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of active caspase-3 and -8. In order to verify the effect of NF-ĸB inhibitor on expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, we performed western blotting. We found that the of NF-ĸB inhibitor or amentoflavone markedly diminished protein levels of MCL1 and C-FLIP. Taken all together, our findings show that amentoflavone induces intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis and inhibits NF-ĸB-modulated anti-apoptotic signaling in U-87 MG cells in vitro.

Curcumin Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Radiation via Suppression of Radiation-Induced NF-κB Activity.

The effects and possible underlying mechanism of curcumin combined with radiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro were evaluated. The effects of curcumin, radiation, and combination of both on cell viability, apoptosis, NF-κB activation, and expressions of NF-κB downstream effector proteins were investigated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), NF-κB reporter gene, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSA), and Western blot assays in Huh7-NF-κB-luc2, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells. Effect of I kappa B alpha mutant (IκBαM) vector, a specific inhibitor of NF-κB activation, on radiation-induced loss of MMP was also evaluated. Results show that curcumin not only significantly enhances radiation-induced cytotoxicity and depletion of MMP but inhibits radiation-induced NF-κB activity and expressions of NF-κB downstream proteins in HCC cells. IκBαM vector also shows similar effects. In conclusion, we suggest that curcumin augments anticancer effects of radiation via the suppression of NF-κB activation.

Life-threatening hemobilia caused by hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm: a rare complication of chronic cholangitis.

Hemobilia is one of the causes of obscure gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Most cases of hemobilia are of iatrogenic or traumatic origin. Hemobilia caused by a hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm due to ascending cholangitis is very rare and its mechanism is unclear. We report a 74-year-old woman with a history of surgery for choledocholithiasis 30 years ago, suffering from a protracted course of life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. A small intestines series and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed a chronic cholangitis with marked contrast reflux into the biliary tree. Angiography confirmed the bleeding from a pseudoaneurysm of the middle hepatic artery. Coil embolization achieved successful hemostasis. We discussed the mechanism and reviewed the literature.

Hemorheology in patients with liver cirrhosis: special emphasis on its relation to severity of esophageal variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Patients with decreased blood viscosity are supposed to have a higher risk of bleeding and increased severity of bleeding (severity of bleeding proportional to transmural pressure x area of variceal tear/blood viscosity). However, the hemorheological factors have never been assessed in patients with esophageal variceal bleeding. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the hemorheological factors in liver cirrhotic patients with special emphasis on the outcome of variceal bleeding. METHODS: Forty-two liver cirrhosis patients with variceal bleeding and another 44 matched patients without bleeding were enrolled. The hemorheological and hemostatic factors of their peripheral blood were examined. The clinical course was under careful surveillance. RESULTS: Patients with poor hepatic reserve (Child B + C vs A) had lower whole blood viscosity (4.34 +/- 0.56 mPa.s vs 5.06 +/- 1.35 mPa.s, P < 0.05), lower hematocrit levels (32.86 +/- 5.97% vs 36.62 +/- 5.44%, P < 0.05), lower platelet counts (79.7 +/- 47.6 x 10(3)/mL vs 108.0 +/- 71.2 x 10(3)/mL, P < 0.05) and prolonged prothrombin time (2.88 +/- 2.33 s vs 1.27 +/- 1.37 s, P < 0.05). Patients with bleeding (vs non-bleeding group) had lower hematocrit levels (31.44 +/- 5.75% vs 36.57 +/- 5.19%, P < 0.01) and lower fibrinogen levels (226.7 +/- 92.7 mg/dL vs 286.4 +/- 111.8 mg/dL, P < 0.05). Patients with bleeding with shock had worse liver cirrhosis (Child A/B/C = 0/5/4 vs 11/18/4, P < 0.05), lower whole blood viscosity (4.01 +/- 0.17 mPa.s vs 4.57 +/- 0.76 mPa.s, P < 0.05), reduced erythrocyte aggregability (2.94 +/- 0.41 vs 3.54 +/- 0.61, P < 0.001), and lower platelet counts (56.22 +/- 17.05 x 10(3)/mL vs 88.87 +/- 38.12 x 10(3)/mL, P < 0.001). The Child-Pugh grade and erythrocyte aggregability were two independent factors associated with bleeding shock. CONCLUSIONS: Whole blood viscosity, hematocrit levels and platelet counts were lower in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. Advanced liver cirrhosis and reduced erythrocyte aggregability were independent factors for hypovolemic shock in cirrhotic patients with esophageal variceal bleeding. However, the causal relationship between hemorheology and bleeding needs to be clarified in further studies.

A randomized trial of endoscopic treatment of acute gastric variceal hemorrhage: N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injection versus band ligation.

Progression of gastric variceal hemorrhage (GVH) is poorer than esophageal variceal bleeding. However, data on its optimal treatment are limited. We designed a prospective study to compare the efficacy of endoscopic band ligation (GVL) and endoscopic N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injection (GVO). Liver patients with cirrhosis with or without concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and patients presenting with acute GVH were randomized into two treatment groups. Forty-eight patients received GVL, and another 49 patients received GVO. Both treatments were equally successful in controlling active bleeding (14/15 vs. 14/15, P = 1.000). More of the patients who underwent GVL had GV rebleeding (GVL vs. GVO, 21/48 vs. 11/49; P = .044). The 2-year and 3-year cumulative rate of GV rebleeding were 63.1% and 72.3% for GVL, and 26.8% for both periods with GVO; P = .0143, log-rank test. The rebleeding risk of GVL was sustained throughout the entire follow-up period. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that concomitance with HCC (relative hazard: 2.453, 95% CI: 1.036-5.806, P = .041) and the treatment method (GVL vs. GVO, relative hazard: 2.660, 95% CI: 1.167-6.061, P = .020) were independent factors predictive of GV rebleeding. There was no difference in survival between the two groups. Severe complications attributable to these two treatments were rare. In conclusion, the efficacy of GVL to control active GVH appears not different to GVO, but GVO is associated with a lower GV rebleeding rate.

Antibiotic prophylaxis after endoscopic therapy prevents rebleeding in acute variceal hemorrhage: a randomized trial.

Bacterial infection may adversely affect the hemostasis of patients with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding (GEVB). Antibiotic prophylaxis can prevent bacterial infection in such patients, but its role in preventing rebleeding is unclear. Over a 25-month period, patients with acute GEVB but without evidence of bacterial infection were randomized to receive prophylactic antibiotics (ofloxacin 200 mg i.v. q12h for 2 days followed by oral ofloxacin 200 mg q12h for 5 days) or receive antibiotics only when infection became evident (on-demand group). Endoscopic therapy for the GEVB was performed immediately after infection work-up and randomization. Fifty-nine patients in the prophylactic group and 61 patients in the on-demand group were analyzed. Clinical and endoscopic characteristics of the gastroesophageal varices, time to endoscopic treatment, and period of follow-up were not different between the two groups. Antibiotic prophylaxis decreased infections (2/59 vs. 16/61; P <.002). The actuarial probability of rebleeding was higher in patients without prophylactic antibiotics (P =.0029). The difference of rebleeding was mostly due to early rebleeding within 7 days (4/12 vs. 21/27, P =.0221). The relative hazard of rebleeding within 7 days was 5.078 (95% CI: 1.854-13.908, P <.0001). The multivariate Cox regression indicated bacterial infection (relative hazard: 3.85, 95% CI: 1.85-13.90) and association with hepatocellular carcinoma (relative hazard: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.30-4.63) as independent factors predictive of rebleeding. Blood transfusion for rebleeding was also reduced in the prophylactic group (1.40 +/- 0.89 vs. 2.81 +/- 2.29 units, P <.05). There was no difference in survival between the two groups. In conclusion, antibiotic prophylaxis can prevent infection and rebleeding as well as decrease the amount of blood transfused for patients with acute GEVB following endoscopic treatment.