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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant public health issue, with an increasing incidence and prevalence and a high incidence-to-mortality ratio. The prognosis of HCC depends on two competing factors, tumor burden and underlying liver disease severity, encompassed in the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification. To assess HCC staging and the way staging affects eligibility for treatment at the time of the first diagnosis in Romania in the setting of opportunistic diagnosis, in the absence of a national HCC screening policy. METHODS: Data regarding HCC staging, underlying liver disease, and eligibility for treatment at the time of diagnosis was analyzed using a prospectively maintained multicentric database, which included patients from the five largest tertiary care hepatology units in the country between June 2016 and February 2020. RESULTS: A consecutive series of 477 patients was included. The distribution within BCLC classes was as follows: very early (0) 7.1%, early (A) 34.3%, intermediate (B) 19.4%, advanced (C) 14.2%, terminal (D) 24.7%. At the time of the diagnosis, 198 (41.5%) were eligible for a curative intent treatment, while 359 (75.2%) were eligible for a disease-modifying therapy. 228 patients (47.8%) had decompensated liver disease at the time of diagnosis, the most common decompensating event being ascites (78.1%). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of HCC cases are diagnosed at the time of a decompensating event, severely restricting the therapeutic potential. Proactive diagnostic strategies should be implemented to improve the rate of actionable diagnosis.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/epidemiología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/epidemiología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/terapia , Rumanía/epidemiología , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano , Adulto , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Bases de Datos Factuales , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
Background and Objectives: Liver cancer poses a significant global health threat, ranking among the top three causes of cancer-related deaths. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often present with symptoms associated with neoplasms or unusual clinical features such as paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS), including hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, thrombocytosis, and erythrocytosis. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and survival outcomes associated with PNS in HCC patients and assess each PNS's impact on patient survival. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of PNS clinical features and survival among consecutive HCC patients diagnosed at our department over seven years, comparing them with HCC patients without PNS. The study involved a retrospective data evaluation from 378 patients diagnosed with HCC between January 2016 and October 2023. Results: We obtained a PNS prevalence of 25.7%, with paraneoplastic hypercholesterolemia at 10.9%, hypoglycemia at 6.9%, erythrocytosis at 4.5%, and thrombocytosis at 3.4%. Patients with PNS tended to be younger and predominantly male. Multivariate analysis revealed a strong correlation between PNS and levels of alpha-fetoprotein and tumor size, with diabetes also showing a significant statistical association (p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis based on specific paraneoplastic syndromes demonstrated shorter survival in patients with PNS, albeit without significant statistical differences, except for hypoglycemia (p < 0.0001). Matched analysis indicated a shorter survival rate for patients with PNS, although no significant statistical differences were observed. Conclusions: PNS are frequently observed in HCC cases and are associated with unfavorable prognoses and decreased survival rates due to their correlation with increased tumor burdens. However, they do not independently predict poor survival. The impact of individual PNS on HCC prognosis varies.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos , Humanos , Masculino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/epidemiología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/complicaciones , Femenino , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos/epidemiología , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos/mortalidad , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Neoplasias Hepáticas/epidemiología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/complicaciones , Anciano , Prevalencia , Adulto , Análisis de Supervivencia , Hipercolesterolemia/epidemiología , Hipercolesterolemia/complicaciones , Hipoglucemia/epidemiología , Hipoglucemia/complicaciones , Policitemia/epidemiología , Policitemia/complicaciones , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Trombocitosis/epidemiología , Trombocitosis/complicacionesRESUMEN
AIMS: Ultrasound (US) is an essential diagnostic and educational tool in medical practice, and its effective implementation into medical curricula is critical. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of two disparate educational approaches-an optional semester course and a specifically curated intensive workshop-on the learning curve of medical students in abdominal ultrasonography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Engaging fourth and fifth-year medical students, this study, incorporated both theoretical and practical elements of US, providing participants with hands-on experience and evaluative assessments pre- and post-training. Students were segregated into two groups: one experienced a 14-hour optional semester course and the other a 6-hour intensive workshop, both yielding distinct teaching methodologies yet aspiring for synonymous educational outcomes. RESULTS: Involving a total of 93 participants, findings elucidated that regardless of the educational method employed, post-training identification of US structures exhibited a significant enhancement compared to pre-training. Interestingly, no substantial disparities were discerned between the two educational approaches nor gender-based differences in learning outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation provides pivotal insights into the versatile utility of different educational strategies in abdominal US training for medical students, affirming that varied pedagogical methods can achieve comparable augmentations in student proficiency. Further research is paramount to ascertain the optimal integration of US education into medicalcurricula, considering aspects such as duration, depth, and mode of delivery.
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Educación de Pregrado en Medicina , Estudiantes de Medicina , Humanos , Curva de Aprendizaje , Evaluación Educacional/métodos , Ultrasonografía , Curriculum , Educación de Pregrado en Medicina/métodosRESUMEN
Acute pancreatitis (AP) remains a challenging medical condition, where a deeper metabolic insight could pave the way for innovative treatments. This research harnessed serum metabolomics to discern potential diagnostic markers for AP and distinguish between its biliary (BAP) and alcohol-induced (AAP) forms. Leveraging high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, the metabolic signatures of 34 AP patients were contrasted against 26 healthy participants, and then between different etiologies of AP. The results identified metabolites primarily from glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, fatty acyls, sterol lipids, and pteridines and derivative classes, with the Human Metabolome Database aiding in classification. Notably, these metabolites differentiated AP from healthy states with high AUROC values above 0.8. Another set of metabolites revealed differences between BAP and AAP, but these results were not as marked as the former. This lipidomic analysis provides an introduction to the metabolic landscape of acute pancreatitis, revealing changes in multiple lipid classes and metabolites and identifying these metabolites. Future research could add and discover new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies enhancing the management of acute pancreatitis.
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Pancreatitis , Humanos , Pancreatitis/metabolismo , Enfermedad Aguda , Metabolómica/métodos , Metaboloma , Biomarcadores/metabolismoRESUMEN
Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was the first non-invasive method used for assessing liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Over the years, many studies have evaluated its performance. It is now used globally, and, in some countries, it represents the primary step in evaluating liver fibrosis. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of VCTE and highlight the prevalence of liver fibrosis stages assessed by VCTE in a large cohort of patients at a single study center. We also aimed to observe the trends in liver stiffness (LS) values over the years according to each type of hepatopathy. A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 13 years (2007-2019) and included patients who presented to our clinic for LS measurements (LSMs), either with known liver diseases or with suspected liver pathology who were undergoing fibrosis screening. The database contained a total of 23,420 measurements. Valid LSMs were obtained in 90.91% (21,291/23,420) of the cases, while 2129 (9.09%) of the measurements were either failed or unreliable. In untreated patients with chronic viral hepatitis, LS values tended to increase during the years, while in patients undergoing antiviral therapy LS values significantly decreased. Our comprehensive study, one of the largest of its kind spanning 13 years, emphasizes the reliability and significance of VCTE in real-world clinical settings.
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Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are frequent complications of cirrhosis, and the dietary patterns of patients with these diseases significantly impact the development of both conditions. This study aims to evaluate the adequacy of the dietary intake of patients with liver cirrhosis. A total of 201 patients with liver cirrhosis were included in this analysis. We evaluated the nutritional status of the patients as stated by EWGSOP2 criteria. Subjects were divided into three groups: non-sarcopenic, sarcopenic, and with sarcopenic obesity. We conducted a dietary assessment three times over nonconsecutive 24 h periods within a month. According to EWGSOP2 criteria, combining low handgrip strength with low skeletal muscle index, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 57.2%. Sarcopenic obesity was found in 25.3% of patients. In the sarcopenic group of patients, the energy intake was lower than the current recommendations. Regarding protein intake, the consumption was relatively low in both sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity samples of patients (0.85 g/kg body weight and 0.77 g/kg BW, p < 0.0001). Patients had a median of 2-3 eating episodes daily, and they often missed late-evening snacks. In conclusion, diet quality in cirrhotic patients was relatively poor, and energy and protein intakes were lower than suggested.
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Various statistical models predict the probability of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis, with GALAD being one of the most extensively studied scores. Biomarkers like alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3, and des-g-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) are widely used alone or in conjunction with ultrasound to screen for HCC. Our study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and Glypican-3 (GPC3) as standalone biomarkers and in a statistical model to predict the likelihood of HCC. We conducted a monocentric prospective study involving 154 participants with previously diagnosed liver cirrhosis, divided into two groups: 95 patients with confirmed HCC based on clinical, biological, and imaging features and 59 patients without HCC. We measured the levels of AFP, AFP-L3, DCP, GPC3, and CK19 in both groups. We used univariate and multivariate statistical analyses to evaluate the ability of GPC3 and CK19 to predict the presence of HCC and incorporated them into a statistical model-the GALKA score-which was then compared to the GALAD score. AFP performed better than AFP-F3, DCP, GPC3, and CK19 in predicting the presence of HCC in our cohort. Additionally, GPC3 outperformed CK19. We used multivariate analysis to compute the GALKA score to predict the presence of HCC. Using these predictors, the following score was formulated: 0.005*AFP-L3 + 0.00069*AFP + 0.000066*GPC3 + 0.01*CK19 + 0.235*Serum Albumin-0.277. The optimal cutoff was >0.32 (AUROC = 0.98, sensitivity: 96.8%, specificity: 93%, positive predictive value-95.8%, negative predictive value-94.8%). The GALKA score had a similar predictive value to the GALAD score for the presence of HCC. In conclusion, AFP, AFP-L3, and DCP were the best biomarkers for predicting the likelihood of HCC. Our score performed well overall and was comparable to the GALAD score.
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The aim of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 infection on patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC) in terms of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), chronic liver failure acute decompensation (CLIF-AD), hospitalization, and mortality. In this retrospective study, we analyzed patients with known DLC who were admitted to the Gastroenterology Department with COVID-19. Clinical and biochemical data were obtained to compare the development of ACLF, CLIF-AD, days of hospitalization, and the presence of independent factors of mortality in comparison with a non-COVID-19 DLC group. All patients enrolled were not vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2. Variables used in statistical analyses were obtained at the time of hospital admission. A total of 145 subjects with previously diagnosed liver cirrhosis were included; 45/145 (31%) of the subjects were confirmed with COVID-19, among which 45% had pulmonary injury. The length of hospital stay (days) was significantly longer in patients with pulmonary injury compared to those without (p = 0.0159). In the group of patients with COVID-19 infection, the proportion of associated infections was significantly higher (p = 0.0041). Additionally, the mortality was 46.7% in comparison with only 15% in the non-COVID-19 group (p = 0.0001). Pulmonary injury was associated with death during admission in multivariate analysis in both the ACLF (p < 0.0001) and the non-ACLF (p = 0.0017) group. COVID-19 significantly influenced disease progression in patients with DLC in terms of associated infections, hospitalization length, and mortality.
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Liver biopsy is the gold standard method for staging liver fibrosis, but it is an invasive procedure that is associated with some complications. There are also non-invasive techniques for assessing liver fibrosis, such as elastography and biological tests, but these techniques can fail in detection or generate false measurements depending on the subject's condition. This study aimed to determine whether liver fibrosis can be evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with arrival time parametric imaging using the ultrasound machine's parametric image software, the method being called (CEUS-PAT). CEUS-PAT was performed on each subject using SonoVue as a contrast agent, and images showing liver parenchyma and the right kidney on a single screen were used for analysis in parametric imaging, which was performed using the proprietary software of the ultrasound system. The ratio between the kidney and liver arrival times was calculated. The study included 64 predominantly male (56.3%) subjects, 37 cirrhotic patients, and 27 healthy volunteers, with a mean age of 58.98 ± 8.90 years. Significant differences were found between the liver cirrhosis and healthy groups regarding CEUS-PAT, 0.83 ± 0.09 vs. 0.49 ± 0.11, p < 0.0001. The correlation between CEUS-PAT and VCTE was r = 0.81. The optimal cut-off value for detecting liver cirrhosis was >0.7, with an AUC of 0.98, p < 0.001, Se = 89.19%, Sp = 100%, PPV = 100%, and NPV = 87.1%. We demonstrate that CEUS-PAT achieves excellent performance in diagnosing liver cirrhosis and is a fast method for diagnosing liver cirrhosis that can even be applied in situations where the use of other methods is excluded.
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Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a typical medical emergency, with an incidence of 84 to 160 cases per 100,000 individuals and a mortality rate of approximately 10%. This study aimed to identify all cases of UGIB hospitalized in a tertiary gastroenterology department, to identify possible predictive factors involved in rebleeding and mortality, potential associations between different elements and the severity of bleeding, and the differences between the upper digestive hemorrhage due to nonvariceal and variceal bleeding. This was an observational, retrospective study of patients with UGIB admitted to the tertiary Department of Gastroenterology between January 2013 and December 2020. A total of 1499 patients were enrolled in the study. One thousand four hundred and ninety-nine patients were hospitalized for 7 years with active upper digestive hemorrhage, 504 variceal bleeding, and 995 nonvariceal bleeding. When comparing variceal with nonvariceal bleeding, in nonvariceal bleeding, the mean age was higher, similar sex, higher mortality rate, higher rebleeding rate, and higher hemorrhagic shock rate. Endoscopy treatment was also performed more frequently in variceal bleeding than in nonvariceal bleeding. Severe anemia was found more frequently in patients with variceal bleeding. The mortality rate was 10% in the entire study group, which was not significantly different between the 2 batches. However, the rebleeding rate is higher in patients with variceal gastrointestinal bleeding.
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Várices Esofágicas y Gástricas , Várices , Humanos , Hemorragia Gastrointestinal/epidemiología , Hemorragia Gastrointestinal/etiología , Hemorragia Gastrointestinal/terapia , Várices Esofágicas y Gástricas/complicaciones , Estudios Retrospectivos , Enfermedad Aguda , Endoscopía Gastrointestinal/efectos adversos , Várices/complicacionesRESUMEN
This study aims to evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and biological tests to characterize portal vein thrombosis (PVT). We retrospectively analyzed 101 patients with PVT, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In all patients, demographic, biologic, imaging, and endoscopic data were collected. All patients underwent CEUS and a second line imaging technique (CE-CT/MRI) to characterize PVT. Of the 101 cirrhotic subjects, 77 (76.2%) had HCC. CEUS had 98.6% sensitivity (Se) and 89.3% specificity (Sp) for the characterization of PVT type. A significant correlation was found between alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and the PVT characterization at CEUS (r = 0.28, p = 0.0098) and CT/MRI (r = 0.3, p = 0.0057). Using the AFP rule-out cutoff values for HCC (AFP < 20 ng/dL), 78% of the subjects were correctly classified as having benign PVT, while 100% of the subjects were correctly classified as tumor-in-vein (TIV) when the rule-in cutoff value was used (AFP ≥ 200 ng/dL). Using multiple regression analysis, we obtained a score for classifying PVT. The PVT score performed better than CEUS (AUC0.99 vs. AUC0.93, p = 0.025) or AFP serum levels (AUC0.99 vs. AUC0.96, p = 0.047) for characterizing PVT. In conclusion, CEUS is a sensitive method for the characterization of PVT. The PVT score had the highest performance for PVT characterization.
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Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common gastrointestinal indication requiring hospitalisation. Severe hypertriglyceridaemia (HTG) is the third most common aetiology of AP (HTGAP), with a complication rate and severity that are higher than those of other aetiologies (non-HTGAP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the supposedly higher complication rate of HTGAP compared to non-HTGAP. The secondary objectives were to find different biomarkers for predicting a severe form. This was a retrospective study that included patients admitted with AP in a tertiary department of gastroenterology and hepatology. The patients were divided into two groups: HTGAP and non-HTGAP. We searched for differences regarding age, gender, the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), the severity of the disease, the types of complications and predictive biomarkers for severity, hospital stay and mortality. A total of 262 patients were included, and 11% (30/262) of the patients had HTGAP. The mean ages were 44.4 ± 9.2 in the HTGAP group and 58.2 ± 17.1 in the non-HTGAP group, p < 0.0001. Male gender was predominant in both groups, at 76% (23/30) in the HTGAP group vs. 54% (126/232) in non-HTGAP, p = 0.02; 53% (16/30) presented with DM vs. 18% (42/232), p < 0.0001. The patients with HTG presented higher CRP 48 h after admission: 207 mg/dL ± 3 mg/dL vs. non-HTGAP 103 mg/dL ± 107 mg/dL, p < 0.0001. Among the patients with HTGAP, there were 60% (18/30) with moderately severe forms vs. 30% (71/232), p = 0.001, and 16% (5/30) SAP vs. 11% (27/232) in non-HTGAP, p = 0.4 Among the predictive markers, only haematocrit (HT) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) had AUCs > 0.8. According to a multiple regression analysis, only BUN 48 h was independently associated with the development of SAP (p = 0.05). Diabetes mellitus increased the risk of developing severe acute pancreatitis (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 0.1963−9.7682; p = 0.7). In our cohort, HTGAP more frequently had local complications compared with non-HTGAP. A more severe inflammatory syndrome seemed to be associated with this aetiology; the best predictive markers for complicated forms of HTGAP were BUN 48 h and HT 48 h.
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Malnutrition and sarcopenia are common complications of liver cirrhosis. This study compares the performance of different nutritional assessment techniques in detecting malnourished patients. Data from 156 patients with liver cirrhosis were collected. We assessed the nutritional status of these patients according to: Subjective Global Assessment (SGA); Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool (RFH-NPT), skinfold thickness (TSF), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), mid-upper arm muscle circumference (MUMC), handgrip strength (HGS), body mass index (BMI), and skeletal muscle index (SMI) evaluated by Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography (CT). According to EWGSOP2 criteria, combining low HGS with low SMI, the prevalence of malnutrition/sarcopenia was 60.2%. RFH-NPT, MUAC, MAMC, and HGS were excellent tests for detecting malnourished patients. Combining RFH-NPT with MUAC or MUMC increased diagnosis accuracy, AUC = 0.89, p < 0.0001. Age, Child-Pugh class C, albumin level, vitamin D deficiency, male gender, and alcoholic etiology were significantly associated with malnutrition. In conclusion, the prevalence of malnutrition among patients with cirrhosis was relatively high. Our study highlights the potential use of a simpler and inexpensive alternative that can be used as a valuable tool in daily practice, the combination between RFH-NPT and MUAC.
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OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), magnetic resonance pancreatography (MRCP) and histological examination for malignant biliary obstruction. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients admitted for biliary obstruction caused by biliary tree malignancy that underwent ERCP, MRCP and histological examination. Data were collected from the medical records. The primary endpoints were the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve value, sensitivity, specificity and overall diagnostic accuracy of the three procedures in terms of a final diagnosis of obstructive biliary malignancy; and the agreement between ERCP, MRCP and histological examination with the final diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients were included in the study (85 males, 53.1%; mean ± SD age, 69.31 ± 10.96 years). Considering the final diagnosis, the performance of MRCP, ERCP and histology in assessing biliary tumours produced AUROC values of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75, 0.90), 0.94 (95% CI 0.85, 0.99) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.70, 0.82), respectively. ERCP presented higher sensitivity, overall diagnostic accuracy and agreement with the final diagnosis than MRCP and histological examination. CONCLUSION: These current data suggest that invasive methods such as ERCP with biopsy remain more reliable than non-invasive methods.
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Colestasis , Neoplasias , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Colangiopancreatografia Retrógrada Endoscópica , Pancreatocolangiografía por Resonancia Magnética , Colestasis/diagnóstico por imagen , Colestasis/etiología , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Espectroscopía de Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer in men (after prostate and lung cancers) and in women (after breast and lung cancer). It is the second cause of cancer death in men (after lung cancer) and the third one in women (after breast and lung cancers). It is estimated that, in EU-27 countries in 2020, colorectal cancer accounted for 12.7% of all new cancer diagnoses and 12.4% of all deaths due to cancer. Our study aims to assess the opportunistic colorectal cancer screening by colonoscopy in a private hospital. A secondary objective of this study is to analyse the adenoma detection rate (ADR), polyp detection rate (PDR), and colorectal cancer (CRC) detection rate. We designed a retrospective single-centre study in the Gastroenterology Department of Saint Mary Hospital. The study population includes all individuals who performed colonoscopies in 2 years, January 2019-December 2020, addressed to our department by their family physician or came by themselves for a colonoscopy. One thousand seven hundred seventy-eight asymptomatic subjects underwent a colonoscopy for the first time. The mean age was 59.0 ± 10.9, 59.5% female. Eight hundred seventy-three polyps were found in 525 patients. Five hundred and twenty-five had at least one polyp, 185 patients had two polyps, 87 had three polyps, and 40 patients had more than three polyps. The PDR was 49.1%, ADR 39.0%, advanced adenomas in 7.9%, and carcinomas were found in 5.4% of patients. In a country without any colorectal cancer screening policy, polyps were found in almost half of the 1778 asymptomatic patients evaluated in a single private center, 39% of cases adenomas, and 5.4% colorectal cancer. Our study suggests starting screening colonoscopy at the age of 45. A poor bowel preparation significantly impacted the adenoma detection rate.
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ABSTRACT: Acute pancreatitis is a common disease, and the mortality rate can be high. Thus, a risk assessment should be performed early to optimize treatment. We compared simple prognostic markers with the bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) scoring system to identify the best predictors of severity and mortality.This retrospective study stratified disease severity based on the revised Atlanta criteria. The accuracies of the markers for predicting severe AP (SAP) were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated for each marker. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of SAP and mortality.The area under the curve (AUC) for the BISAP score was classified as fair for predicting SAP. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at 48âhours (NLR48âh) and the C-reactive protein level at 48âhours (CRP48âh) had the best AUCs and were independently associated with SAP. When both criteria were met, the AUC was 0.89, sensitivity was 68%, and specificity was 92%. CRP48âh and hematocrit at 48âhours were independently associated with mortality.NLR48âh and CRP48âh were independently associated with SAP but not superior to the BISAP score at admission. Assessing NLR48âh and CRP48H together was most suitable for predicting SAP. The CRP level was a good predictive marker for mortality.
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Biomarcadores/sangre , Creatinina/sangre , Pancreatitis/diagnóstico , Enfermedad Aguda , Nitrógeno de la Urea Sanguínea , Proteína C-Reactiva/metabolismo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pancreatitis/sangre , Pancreatitis/mortalidad , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Pronóstico , Curva ROC , Receptores Inmunológicos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Índice de Severidad de la EnfermedadRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Multiparametric ultrasound (MPUS) is a concept whereby the examiner is encouraged to use the latest features of an ultrasound machine. The aim of this study was to reanalyze inconclusive focal liver lesions (FLLs) that had been analyzed via contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) using the MPUS approach with the help of a tree-based decision classifier. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed FLLs that were inconclusive upon CEUS examination in our department, focusing our attention on samples taken over a period of two years (2017-2018). MPUS reanalysis followed a three-step algorithm, taking into account the liver stiffness measurement (LSM), time-intensity curve analysis (TIC), and parametric imaging (PI). After processing all steps of the algorithm, a binary decision tree classifier (BDTC) was used to achieve a software-assisted decision. RESULTS: Area was the only TIC-CEUS parameter that showed a significant difference between malign and benign lesions with a cutoff of >-19.3 dB for washout phenomena (AUROC = 0.58, Se = 74.0%, Sp = 45.7%). Using the binary decision tree classifier (BDTC) algorithm, we correctly classified 71 out of 91 lesions according to their malignant or benignant status, with an accuracy of 78.0% (sensitivity = 62%, specificity = 45%, and precision = 80%). CONCLUSIONS: By reevaluating inconclusive FLLs that had been analyzed via CEUS using MPUS, we managed to determine that 78% of the lesions were malignant and, in 28% of them, we established the lesion type.
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Background: Sarcopenia is now recognized more and more as a biomarker with poor outcomes in cirrhotic patients. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis and prospectively investigate the association between sarcopenia and different complications and its impact on survival. Material and Methods: This prospective study included patients with liver cirrhosis admitted to our department from 2018 to 2020. Sarcopenia was assessed according to EWGSOP2 criteria, incorporating low Handgrip strength (<27 kg for men and <16 kg for women) with low skeletal muscle index evaluated by CT (<50 for men and <39 for women). Associations between sarcopenia and portal hypertension-related complications, infectious complications, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, the number of in-hospital days, 30-day readmission, and survival over the next 6 and 12 months were analyzed. Results: A total of 201 patients were enrolled in the study, 63.2% male, mean age 61.65 ± 9.49 years, 79.6% Child-Pugh class B and C. The primary etiology of liver cirrhosis was alcohol consumption (55.2%). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 57.2 %, with no significant differences between the male and female groups. Significant associations were found between sarcopenia and portal hypertension-related complications, infectious complications, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. In multivariate analysis, sarcopenia was assessed as a risk factor alone, increasing the risk for ascites 3.78 times, hepatocellular carcinoma by 9.23 times, urinary tract infection by 4.83 times, and spontaneous peritonitis 2.49 times. Sarcopenia was associated with more extended hospital stay and higher 30 days readmission. Six months and 1-year survival were reduced in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Sarcopenia is a common complication of liver cirrhosis and associates with adverse health-related outcomes and poor survival rates.
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AIM: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has become a relevant imaging method for the evaluation of focal liver le-sions (FLL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of CEUS for the assessment of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) in a large study group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a multicentre prospective observational study, which included successive CEUS examinations from fourteen Romanian centres. CEUS examinations were performed in de novo FLL, using low mechanical index ultrasound, following an intravenous bolus of 2.4 ml SonoVue. CEUS was considered conclusive for FNH if a typical pattern was present following contrast (rapid "spoke-wheel" enhancement during the arterial phase, hyperenhanced lesion during venous phase, hyper- or isoenhanced in the late phase). In all cases a reference method was available (contrast enhanced CT or MRI or biopsy). The trial was registered in clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier NCT01329458). RESULTS: During the 6 years study, 2062 "de novo" FLL were evaluated by CEUS. From this cohort, 94/2062 (4.5%) had a typical enhancing pattern for FNH as described in the EFSUMB guidelines. Contrast enhanced CT/MRI and biopsy diagnosed additional 15 FNH. From the 94 cases diagnosed as FNH by CEUS, in nine the final diagnosis was different (five of them adenomas). CEUS had 85% sensitivity, 99.5% specificity, 90.4% positive predictive value, 99.2% negative predictive value and 98.8% diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of FNH. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS is a sensitive and very specific method for the diagnosis of FNH.
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Hiperplasia Nodular Focal , Medios de Contraste , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Hiperplasia Nodular Focal/diagnóstico por imagen , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Elastography can provide information regarding tissue stiffness (TS). This study aimed to analyze the elastographic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the factors that influence intratumoral elastographic variability in patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: This prospective study included 115 patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma evaluated between June 2016-November 2019. A total of 88 HCC nodules visualized in conventional abdominal ultrasound (US) met the inclusion criteria and underwent elastographic evaluation. Elastographic measurements (EM) were performed in HCC and liver parenchyma using VTQ (Virtual Touch Quantification), a point shear wave elastography (pSWE) technique. In all patients, we performed contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and the final diagnosis of HCC was established by contrast-enhanced-CT or contrast-enhanced-MRI. RESULTS: The mean VTQ values in HCCs were 2.16 ± 0.75 m/s. TS was significantly lower in HCCs than in the surrounding liver parenchyma 2.16 ± 0.75 m/s vs. 2.78 ± 0.92 (p < 0.001). We did not find significant differences between the first five and the last five EM, and the intra-observer reproducibility was excellent ICC: 0.902 (95% CI: 0.87-0.950). However, the tumor size, heterogeneity, and depth correlated with higher intralesional stiffness variability (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: VTQ brings additional information for HCC characterization. Intra-observer reproducibility for both HCC and liver parenchyma was excellent. Knowing the stiffness of HCC's might endorse an algorithm-based approach towards focal liver lesions (FLLs) in liver cirrhosis.