Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Teduglutide Treatment in Patients with Short Bowel Syndrome in Slovakia-Multicenter Real-World Study.

(1) Background: We present the first real-world-data study on teduglutide-treated SBS patients in the Slovak Republic and the first study to enable the comparison of the effects of teduglutide treatment between the adult and pediatric populations. (2) Methods: This was a non-interventional retrospective cohort study of adult and pediatric SBS patients treated with teduglutide. Primary and secondary endpoints were the results of teduglutide use at 12 weeks and 6 months after the initiation of treatment, compared to baseline. (3) Results: Teduglutide treatment led to a statistically significant reduction in the volume of intravenous hydration, HPN caloric intake, HPN and intravenous hydration applications per week and to increased urine output in adult patients. The results in the pediatric population were similar, but not statistically significant. A complete weaning off HPN was achieved in 57.14% of all patients (50.00% of children; 62.50% of adults) after a median of 0.99 years of teduglutide treatment (1.07 and 0.98 years for children and adults, respectively). (4) Conclusions: Teduglutide treatment in SBS patients leads to considerable reduction in or even weaning off PN in both pediatric and adult patients.

Role of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt in the Liver Transplant Setting.

Liver transplantation is currently the only curative therapy for patients with liver cirrhosis. Not all patients in the natural course of the disease will undergo transplantation, but the majority of them will experience portal hypertension and its complications. In addition to medical and endoscopic therapy, a key role in managing these complications is played by the placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Some indications for TIPS placement are well-established, and they are expanding and broadening over time. This review aims to describe the role of TIPS in managing patients with liver cirrhosis, in light of liver transplantation. As far as it is known, TIPS placement seems not to affect the surgical aspects of liver transplantation, in terms of intraoperative bleeding rates, postoperative complications, or length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit. However, the placement of a TIPS "towards transplant" can offer advantages in terms of ameliorating a patient's clinical condition at the time of transplantation and improving patient survival. Additionally, the TIPS procedure can help preserve the technical feasibility of the transplant itself. In this context, indications for TIPS placement at an earlier stage are drawing particular attention. However, TIPS insertion in decompensated patients can also lead to serious adverse events. For these reasons, further studies are needed to make reliable recommendations for TIPS in the pre-transplant setting.

Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with NMOSD: a longitudinal retrospective analysis of a Slovak cohort of 63 patients.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are autoantibody-mediated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system predominantly targeting optic nerves and the spinal cord. Two distinct phenotypes are recognized based on the presence of serum aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG) antibodies. However, contrasting clinical course patterns have been identified between AQP4-IgG-positive and AQP4-IgG-negative patients. AIMS: This study aimed to present demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with NMOSD in Slovakia and to evaluate the significance of differences between AQP4-IgG-seropositive and AQP4-IgG-seronegative patients. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal multi-centric retrospective study and analysed the clinical and demographic characteristics of a cohort of 63 Slovak NMOSD patients. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of patients were women, and ninety-four patients were Caucasian. The median age at diagnosis was 37 years. The most frequent initial manifestations were optic neuritis (47.6% of patients) and transverse myelitis (39.7% of patients). The median EDSS score deteriorated from the initial 3.0 to 4.0 at the last follow-up. Sixty-eight percent of patients were AQP4-IgG positive; 10% of patients were MOG-IgG positive; 27% of patients had no NMOSD-specific antibodies detected. There was a higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis among AQP4-IgG-positive patients (25.6%) compared to AQP4-IgG-negative patients (0%) (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study provides a detailed overview of the clinical and demographic characteristics of NMOSD based on a retrospective analysis of a Slovak cohort of 63 NMOSD patients and extends information provided by similar recently published studies. The most important finding is that there is a high prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis among AQP4-IgG-negative patients (25%).

New Indications for TIPSs: What Do We Know So Far?

Since 1988, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been an effective therapy for portal hypertension in many settings. Thanks to continuous technical improvements and a wiser selection of patients, excellent results have been achieved with this therapeutic strategy. The historical indications for TIPS placement, in the context of liver cirrhosis, such as refractory ascites and variceal bleeding are now well established and known. However, in recent years, new indications are emerging. These have been investigated and approved in some studies but are not yet included in guidelines and clinical practice. This review aims to highlight what is new for the role of TIPS in portal vein thrombosis (especially in patients awaiting liver transplantation), in recurrent ascites and not only refractory ascites, as a neoadjuvant therapy before abdominal surgery and, finally, in the setting of noncirrhotic portal hypertension. All these new aspects are addressed in this review with a critical approach based on the literature revision and clinical practice. Future research is needed to explore and validate the new role of TIPS in these scenarios.

Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders: Their Impact on Cardiovascular Events in Liver Transplant Patients.

Cardiovascular diseases are currently one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in liver transplant patients over the long term. Therefore, evaluating prognostic factors for cardiovascular events (CVEs) in this population is essential for taking preventive measures. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of diabetes and other metabolic disorders on CVEs in liver transplant patients. Three hundred fifty-six liver transplant recipients who survived at least 6 months after surgery were enrolled. Patients were followed for a median time of 118 months (12-250 months). All cardiovascular events were carefully recorded and detailed in the patients' charts. Demographic data, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, weight changes, and a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome both before and after transplantation were noted to assess their possible relationship with CVE. The presence of a diagnosis of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) was also evaluated. Immunosuppressive therapy was included in the analysis. Diabetes mellitus (DM), especially when present before transplantation, was strongly associated with CVEs (hazard risk HR 3.10; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.60-6.03). Metabolic syndrome was found to be associated with CVEs in univariate analysis (HR 3.24; 95% CI: 1.36-7.8), while pretransplantation and de novo MAFLD were not. Immunosuppressive therapy had no influence on predisposing transplanted patients to CVEs during follow-up. Further prospective studies may be useful in investigating the risk factors for CVEs after liver transplantation and improving the long-term survival of transplant patients.

Cutaneous Impact Location Predicts Intracranial Injury Among the Elderly Population with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common trauma-related diagnoses among the elderly population treated in emergency departments (ED). Identification of patients with increased or decreased risk of intracranial bleeding is of clinical importance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implication of cutaneous impact location (CIL) on the prevalence of intracranial injury after suspected or confirmed TBI irrespective of its severity. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center, descriptive observational study of geriatric patients aged 65 years and older treated for suspected or confirmed TBI in a trauma surgery ED. The primary outcome of the study was the assessment of a CIL of the injury and its association with the prevalence of intracranial lesions found on a head computed tomography scan. Results: Among 381 patients included in the analysis, the CIL of interest (temporo-parietal and occipital impacts) was present among 178 (46.7%) cases. Thirty-six (9.5%) patients were diagnosed with intracranial bleeding. The prevalence of intracranial bleeding was higher in the CIL of interest group compared with other locations outside (12.9% vs 6.4%; p = 0.030). CIL of interest was a predictor of intracranial bleeding (p = 0.033; OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.06 to 4.42). Conclusion: The CIL of head injury is a predictor of intracranial lesions among geriatric patients with traumatic brain injury. Physicians should be aware of this association when assessing elderly patients with head injuries. More studies are needed to develop a clinical management tool incorporating CIL to guide the diagnosis of TBI in this population.

The Impact of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt on Nutrition in Liver Cirrhosis Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver cirrhosis leads to clinically significant portal hypertension. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been shown to effectively reduce the degree of portal hypertension and treat its complications. However, poor nutritional status has been shown to be associated with hepatic encephalopathy, acute on chronic liver failure, and mortality following TIPS placement. The purpose of this systematic review is to create another perspective and evaluate the effect of TIPS placement on the nutritional status of patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: A comprehensive search of four major electronic databases was conducted to identify studies that assessed the nutritional status of cirrhotic patients before and after TIPS placement. The risk of bias was evaluated using ROBINS-I guidelines. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were analyzed in this review. The results indicate that among the 11 studies that evaluated changes in ascites-free weight and body mass index or body cell mass, 10 reported an improvement in one or more measures. Furthermore, all seven studies that evaluated changes in muscle mass demonstrated an increase in muscle mass. Among the four studies that evaluated subcutaneous fat tissue, three showed a significant expansion, while two out of three studies evaluating visceral fat tissue reported a significant reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review suggest that TIPS placement is associated with improvement in the nutritional status of cirrhotic patients, indicated by an increase in ascites-free weight, body mass index, and muscle mass. Additionally, TIPS placement leads to a shift in the distribution of fat mass, with a preference for subcutaneous over visceral adipose tissue. Notably, sarcopenic patients seem to benefit the most from TIPS placement in terms of nutritional status.

Alcoholic Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Characteristics and Comparison to General Slovak Hepatocellular Cancer Population.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has multiple molecular classes that are associated with distinct etiologies and, besides particular molecular characteristics, that also differ in clinical aspects. We aim to characterize the clinical aspects of alcoholic liver disease-related HCC by a retrospective observational study that included all consequent patients diagnosed with MRI or histologically verified HCC in participating centers from 2010 to 2016. A total of 429 patients were included in the analysis, of which 412 patients (96%) had cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis. The most common etiologies were alcoholic liver disease (ALD) (48.3%), chronic hepatitis C (14.9%), NAFLD (12.6%), and chronic hepatitis B (10%). Patients with ALD-related HCC were more commonly males, more commonly had cirrhosis that was in more advanced stages, and had poorer performance status. Despite these results, no differences were observed in the overall (median 8.1 vs. 8.5 months) and progression-free survival (median 4.9 vs. 5.7 months). ALD-HCC patients within BCLC stage 0-A less frequently received potentially curative treatment as compared to the control HCC patients (62.2% vs. 87.5%, p = 0.017); and in patients with ALD-HCC liver function (MELD score) seemed to have a stronger influence on the prognosis compared to the control group HCC. Systemic inflammatory indexes were strongly associated with survival in the whole cohort. In conclusion, alcoholic liver disease is the most common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma in Slovakia, accounting for almost 50% of cases; and patients with ALD-related HCC more commonly had cirrhosis that was in more advanced stages and had poorer performance status, although no difference in survival between ALD-related and other etiology-related HCC was observed.

Infection prevention and control programme and COVID-19 measures: Effects on hospital-acquired infections in patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Bacterial infections affect survival of patients with cirrhosis. Hospital-acquired bacterial infections present a growing healthcare problem because of the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an infection prevention and control programme and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) measures on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections and a set of secondary outcomes, including the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms, empiric antibiotic treatment failure, and development of septic states in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: The infection prevention and control programme was a complex strategy based on antimicrobial stewardship and the reduction of patient's exposure to risk factors. The COVID-19 measures presented further behavioural and hygiene restrictions imposed by the Hospital and Health Italian Sanitary System recommendations. We performed a combined retrospective and prospective study in which we compared the impact of extra measures against the hospital standard. Results: We analysed data from 941 patients. The infection prevention and control programme was associated with a reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired infections (17 vs. 8.9%, p <0.01). No further reduction was present after the COVID-19 measures had been imposed. The impact of the infection prevention and control programme remained significant even after controlling for the effects of confounding variables (odds ratio 0.44, 95% CI 0.26-0.73, p = 0.002). Furthermore, the adoption of the programme reduced the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms and decreased rates of empiric antibiotic treatment failure and the development of septic states. Conclusions: The infection prevention and control programme decreased the incidence of hospital-acquired infections by nearly 50%. Furthermore, the programme also reduced the prevalence of most of the secondary outcomes. Based on the results of this study, we encourage other liver centres to adopt infection prevention and control programmes. Impact and implications: Infections are a life-threatening problem for patients with liver cirrhosis. Moreover, hospital-acquired infections are even more alarming owing to the high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This study analysed a large cohort of hospitalised patients with cirrhosis from three different periods. Unlike in the first period, an infection prevention programme was applied in the second period, reducing the number of hospital-acquired infections and containing multidrug-resistant bacteria. In the third period, we imposed even more stringent measures to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, these measures did not result in a further reduction in hospital-acquired infections.

Treatment response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment response definitions have been introduced in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, the lack of a gold standard results in heterogeneity in second-line treatment research and clinical practice. AIMS: This study aimed to explore which UDCA treatment response endpoint serves as the most accurate predictive model of long-term outcome. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of UDCA treatment response endpoints (and corresponding validations) were performed. RESULTS: Sixteen individual UDCA treatment response endpoints and 96 external validations were found. Barcelona, Paris-1, Paris-2, Rotterdam, Toronto and GLOBE and UK-PBC Risk Scores are currently most robustly validated in external populations. The results show that the continuous models (GLOBE and UK-PBC Risk Scores) serve as the most accurate predictive models. Besides standard UDCA treatment response endpoints, the alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin normalization has been suggested as a new therapeutic target. CONCLUSIONS: The GLOBE and UK-PBC Risk Scores are the most suitable for the real-world allocation of second-line therapies (obeticholic acid and fibrates). However, in the wake of the recent findings, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin normalization should be the primary outcome in trial research in PBC.

Inflammatory Indexes as Prognostic Factors of Survival in Geriatric Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Control Study of Eight Slovak Centers.

Background and Aims: Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) often occurs in geriatric patients. The aim of our study was to compare overall survival and progression-free survival between geriatric patients (>75 years) and patients younger than 75 years and to identify predictive factors of survival in geriatric patients with HCC. Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with HCC diagnosed in Slovakia between 2010−2016. Cases (HCC patients ≥75 years) were matched to controls (HCC patients <74 years) based on the propensity score (gender, BCLC stage and the first-line treatment). Results: We included 148 patients (84 men, 57%) with HCC. There were no differences between cases and controls in the baseline characteristics. The overall survival in geriatric patients with HCC was comparable to younger controls (p = 0.42). The one-, two-, and three-year overall survival was 42% and 31%, 19% and 12%, and 12% and 9% in geriatric patients and controls, respectively (p = 0.2, 0.4, 0.8). Similarly, there was no difference in the one- and two-year progression-free survival: 28% and 18% vs. 10% and 7% in geriatric HCC patients and controls, respectively (p = 0.2, 1, -). There was no case−control difference between geriatric HCC patients and younger HCC controls in the overall survival in the subpopulation of patients with no known comorbidities (p = 0.5), one and two comorbidities (p = 0.49), and three or more comorbidities (p = 0.39). Log (CRP), log (NLR), log (PLR), and log (SII) were all associated with the three-year survival in geriatric HCC patients in simple logistic regression analyses. However, this time, only log (NLR) remained associated even after controlling for the age and BCLC confounding (OR 5.32, 95% CI 1.43−28.85). Conclusions. We found no differences in overall survival and progression-free survival between older and younger HCC patients. Parameters of subclinical inflammation predict prognosis in geriatric patients with HCC. A limitation of the study is small number of the treated patients; therefore, further investigation is warranted.

Incidence and prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders in Slovakia.

OBJECTIVE: : Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are a group of rare, inflammatory, demyelinating diseases that affect the central nervous system. Neither the incidence nor the prevalence of NMOSD has been determined in Slovakia thus far. The aim of this study was to determine both the incidence and the prevalence of NMOSD in Slovakia using the 2015 International Panel of NMOSD diagnosis (IPND) criteria. METHODS: : We performed a population-based study in Slovakia to estimate both the incidence and the prevalence of NMOSD during the period from 1 January 2006 through 31 December 2019. NMOSD cases were reported from multiple sources and the diagnosis was subsequently verified using the IPND criteria by a joint commitee of three neurologists. The prevalence is reported as number of cases per 100,000 inhabitans and the incidence as number of new cases per 1,000,000 person-years. Age-adjusted rates to the WHO standard population 2005-2025 were also calculated. RESULTS: : We identified 63 NMOSD cases. The crude point-prevalence rate was 1.37 (95% CI 1.03-1.71) per 100,000 inhabitants. The crude indidence rate was 0.88 (95% CI 0.65-1.12) per 1,000,000 person-years. The age-adjusted point-prevalence rate was 1.42 (95% CI 1.07-1.84) per 100,000 persons and the age-adjusted incidence rate was 0.96 (95% CI 0.72-1.25) per 1,000,000 person-years. CONCLUSION: : The NMOSD epidemiological situation in Slovakia is comparable to those reported from other Caucasian populations.

IgG4-Related Sclerosing Cholangitis: Rarely Diagnosed, but not a Rare Disease.

IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis, a biliary manifestation of an IgG4-related disease, belongs to the spectrum of sclerosing cholangiopathies which result in biliary stenosis. It presents with signs of cholestasis and during differential diagnosis it should be distinguished from cholangiocarcinoma or from other forms of sclerosing cholangitis (primary and secondary sclerosing cholangitis). Despite increasing information and recently established diagnostic criteria, IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis remains underdiagnosed in routine clinical practice. The diagnosis is based on a combination of the clinical picture, laboratory parameters, histological findings, and a cholangiogram. Increased serum IgG4 levels are nonspecific but are indeed a part of the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japan Biliary Association and the HISORt criteria for IgG4-SC. High serum IgG4 retains clinical utility depending on the magnitude of elevation. Approximately 90% of patients have concomitant autoimmune pancreatitis, while 10% present with isolated biliary involvement only. About 26% of patients have other organ involvement, such as IgG4-related dacryoadenitis/sialadenitis, IgG4-related retroperitoneal fibrosis, or IgG4-related renal lesions. A full-blown histological finding characterized by IgG4-enriched lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, obliterative phlebitis, and storiform fibrosis is difficult to capture in practice because of its subepithelial localization. However, the histological yield is increased by immunohistochemistry, with evidence of IgG4-positive plasma cells. Based on a cholangiogram, IgG-4 related sclerosing cholangitis is classified into four subtypes according to the localization of stenoses. The first-line treatment is corticosteroids. The aim of the initial treatment is to induce clinical and laboratory remission and cholangiogram normalization. Even though 30% of patients have a recurrent course, in the literature data, there is no consensus on chronic immunosuppressive maintenance therapy. The disease has a good prognosis when diagnosed early.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Application to Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Diagnosis.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency and/or portosystemic shunting. HE manifests as a spectrum of neurological or psychiatric abnormalities. Diagnosis of overt HE (OHE) is based on the typical clinical manifestation, but covert HE (CHE) has only very subtle clinical signs and minimal HE (MHE) is detected only by specialized time-consuming psychometric tests, for which there is still no universally accepted gold standard. Significant progress has been made in artificial intelligence and its application to medicine. In this review, we introduce how artificial intelligence has been used to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy thus far, and we discuss its further potential in analyzing speech and handwriting data, which are probably the most accessible data for evaluating the cognitive state of the patient.

Prognostic Factors in Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Retrospective Study of Joint Slovak and Croatian Cohort of 249 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To identify pretreatment laboratory parameters associated with treatment response and to describe the relationship between treatment response and liver decompensation in patients with primary biliary cholangitis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. METHODS: We defined treatment response as both ALP ≤ 1.67 × ULN and total bilirubin ≤ 2 × ULN. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to adjust for confounding effects of sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Pretreatment total bilirubin ((TB); OR = 0.3388, 95%CI = 0.1671-0.6077), ALT (OR = 0.5306, 95%CI = 0.3830-0.7080), AST (OR = 0.4065, 95%CI = 0.2690-0.5834), ALP (OR = 0.3440, 95%CI = 0.2356-0.4723), total cholesterol ((TC); OR = 0.7730, 95%CI = 0.6242-0.9271), APRI (OR = 0.3375, 95%CI = 0.1833-0.5774), as well as pretreatment albumin (OR = 1.1612, 95%CI = 1.0706-1.2688) and ALT/ALP (OR = 2.4596, 95%CI = 1.2095-5.5472) were associated with treatment response after six months of treatment. Pretreatment TB (OR = 0.2777, 95%CI = 0.1288-0.5228), ALT (OR = 0.5968, 95%CI = 0.4354-0.7963), AST (OR = 0.4161, 95%CI = 0.2736-0.6076), ALP (OR = 0.4676, 95%CI = 0.3487-0.6048), APRI (OR = 0.2838, 95%CI = 0.1433-0.5141), as well as pretreatment albumin (OR = 1.2359, 95%CI = 1.1257-1.3714) and platelet count (OR = 1.0056, 95%CI = 1.0011-1.0103) were associated with treatment response after 12 months of treatment. Treatment response after 6 months of UDCA therapy is significantly associated with treatment response after 12 months of UDCA therapy (OR = 25.2976, 95% CI = 10.5881-68.4917). Treatment responses after 6 and 12 months of UDCA therapy decrease the risk of an episode of liver decompensation in PBC patients (OR = 12.1156, 95%CI = 3.7192-54.4826 and OR = 21.6000, 95%CI = 6.6319-97.3840, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There are several pretreatment laboratory parameters associated with treatment response in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. Treatment response after six months is significantly associated with treatment response after 12 months of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy. Treatment responses after 6 and 12 months of UDCA decrease the risk of an episode of liver decompensation.

The Epidemiology of Primary Biliary Cholangitis in European Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune cholestatic liver disease with wide ranges of reported incidence and prevalence. Aim: To map the incidence and prevalence of PBC in European countries from 2000 through 2020. Methods: Following PRISMA recommendations, we searched the Medline and Scopus databases for studies with information on either the incidence or prevalence of PBC. After data extraction, we used a random-effects model to estimate both the pooled annual incidence rate and pooled point-prevalence rate and performed subgroup analyses to identify components contributing to between-study heterogeneity. Results: We performed a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 18 studies. The pooled point-prevalence rate was 22.27 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 17.98-27.01), and the pooled annual incidence rate was 1.87 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI: 1.46-2.34). In the subgroup analyses, we proved that a small part of the between-study heterogeneity is significantly associated with a history of being part of the Eastern Bloc.

External Validation of UDCA Response Score in Slovak and Croatian Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Background: Ursodeoxycholic acid response score (URS) is a prognostic model that estimates the baseline probability of treatment response after 12 months of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Aim: To independently evaluate the predictive performance of the URS model. Methods: We used a cohort of Slovak and Croatian treatment-naïve PBC patients to quantify the discrimination ability using the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). Furthermore, we evaluated the calibration using calibration belts. The primary outcome was treatment response after 12 months of UDCA therapy defined as values of alkaline phosphatase ≤1.67 × upper limit of normal. Results: One hundred and ninety-four patients were included. Median pretreatment age was 56 years (interquartile range 49-62). Treatment response was achieved in 79.38% of patients. AUROC of the URS was 0.81 (95% CI 0.73-0.88) and the calibration belt revealed that response rates were correctly estimated by predicted probabilities. Conclusion: Our results confirm that the URS can be used in treatment-naïve PBC patients for estimating the treatment response probability after 12 months of UDCA therapy.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical Patterns, Outcomes, and Prognostic Factors for Overall Survival-A Retrospective Analysis of a Slovak Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To compare NAFLD-related HCC and other etiology-related HCC and to describe predictive factors for survival in patients with NAFLD-related HCC independent of the BCLC staging system. METHODS: We performed a multicenter longitudinal retrospective observational study of patients diagnosed with HCC during the period from 2010 through 2016. RESULTS: 12.59% of patients had NAFLD-related HCC, and 21.91% had either NAFLD or cryptogenic etiology. NAFLD-related HCC patients were younger (p = 0.0007), with a higher proportion of women (p < 0.001) compared to other etiology-related HCC patients. The NAFLD group had a significantly lower proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis at the time of HCC diagnosis (p < 0.0001), and they were more frequently diagnosed with both diabetes and metabolic syndrome when compared to other etiology-related HCC (p < 0.0001). We did not find any difference in the overall survival or in the progression-free survival between NAFLD-related and other etiology-related HCC patients staged as BCLC B and BCLC C. NAFLD-related HCC patients with three or more liver lesions had a shorter overall survival when compared to patients with one or two liver lesions (p = 0.0097), while patients with baseline CRP values of ≥5 mg/L or with PLR ≥ 150 had worse overall survival (p = 0.012 and p = 0.0028, respectively). ALBI Grade 3 predicted worse overall survival compared to ALBI Grade 1 or 2 (p = 0.00021). In NAFLD-related HCC patients, PLR and ALBI remained significant predictors of overall survival even after adjusting for BCLC. CONCLUSION: NAFLD-related HCC patients have a similar prognosis when compared to other etiology-related HCC. In NAFLD-related HCC patients, ALBI and PLR are significant predictors of the overall survival independent of the BCLC staging system.

Epidemiology and clinical course of primary biliary cholangitis in Eastern Slovakia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine both the incidence and the prevalence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in Eastern Slovakia and to describe its clinical course and the response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). METHODS: We recorded data of patients with PBC, who were followed up in gastroenterology and hepatology centers in Eastern Slovakia during the period from June 30, 1999, through June 30, 2019. RESULTS: The annual incidence of PBC varied from 0.7 to 1.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants between 2014 and 2018. PBC prevalence steadily increased from initial 10.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2014 to 14.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in June 2019. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 56.3 ± 10.9 years. 95.7% of patients were females, and female/male gender ratio was 22.3:1. In June 2019, prevalence in the female population was 28 cases per 100,000 women. At the time of diagnosis, three-quarters of patients were symptomatic and 10% of patients had liver cirrhosis. The mean follow-up was 7.3 ± 5.2 years. Response to UDCA was observed in 72.1% of patients. Patients with higher baseline alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, liver cirrhosis at entry or at the end of follow-up and women younger than 45 years responded worse to UDCA. One-quarter of patients had liver cirrhosis at the end of follow-up. During follow-up, 1.6% of patients underwent liver transplantation and 5.5% of patients died. Five-year and 10-year liver-related mortalities were 2.7% and 4.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: PBC prevalence in Eastern Slovakia is increasing, and most of the patients respond to therapy with UDCA.

Which clinical and neuropsychological factors are responsible for cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy?

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the effect of demographic and clinical features of epilepsy, anxiety, depressed mood, sleep, and quality of life on the prediction of cognitive decline in patients with epilepsy. METHODS: Two hundred and six consecutive patients with epilepsy (age 41.8 ± 15.6 years, mean, SD) out of 279, were included in this cross-sectional study. We used simple linear regression to calculate the results. RESULTS: Objective cognitive status was predicted by anxiety and depression mood changes (Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), p = 0.03, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), p = 0.005), language subdomain of Quality of Life Inventory in Epilepsy-89 (QOLIE-89) (p = 0.003), and total QOLIE-89 (p = 0.001). No significance was shown in demographic and clinical features of epilepsy (gender, age at onset, epilepsy duration, type, etiology of epilepsy, and antiepileptic treatment), except frequency of generalized epileptic seizures (p = 0.03), which also served as an independent predictor of anxiety (BAI) and depression (BDI). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point at the role of mood changes in the cognitive status of patients with epilepsy, which should be used as an essential therapeutic target apart of seizure control.