Enfermedades hepáticas y embarazo / Liver diseases and pregnancy

Resumen La prevalencia de las enfermedades hepáticas en el embarazo no es despreciable, ya que estas se presentan en 3%-5% de todas las gestaciones. Entre las múltiples causas se encuentran cambios fisiológicos del embarazo; enfermedad hepática preexistente, siendo las más comunes las enfermedades colestásicas (colangitis biliar primaria y colangitis esclerosante primaria), hepatitis autoinmune, enfermedad de Wilson, hepatitis virales crónicas, cirrosis establecida de cualquier etiología y paciente con historia de trasplante hepático; enfermedad hepática adquirida durante el embarazo, siendo las principales las hepatitis virales, la toxicidad inducida por medicamentos y la hepatolitiasis; hepatopatía relacionada con el embarazo, en la cual se encuentran 5 entidades principales: hiperémesis gravídica, colestasis intrahepática del embarazo, preeclampsia, síndrome HELLP e hígado graso del embarazo. La severidad de estas entidades tiene una amplia gama de presentaciones, desde la paciente que es completamente asintomática, hasta la falla hepática aguda e incluso la muerte. La gravedad del cuadro se asocia con una morbilidad y mortalidad significativas tanto para la madre como para el feto, lo cual hace que una evaluación rápida, diagnóstico certero y manejo apropiado por un equipo multidisciplinario (incluida obstetricia de alto riesgo, hepatología, gastroenterología y radiología intervencionista), en un servicio que tenga la posibilidad de ofrecer trasplante hepático, sean fundamentales para obtener buenos desenlaces.

Abstract Liver diseases develop in 3% to 5% of all gestations. Among the causes are: 1. Physiological changes of pregnancy. 2. Pre-existing liver diseases and conditions. The most common are cholestatic diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Others include autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson's disease, chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis of any etiology and histories of liver transplantation. 3. Liver disease acquired during pregnancy, especially viral hepatitis, drug-induced toxicity and hepatolithiasis. 4. Pregnancy-related liver diseases including hyperemesis gravidarum, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and fatty liver of pregnancy. Severity ranges from absence of symptoms to acute liver failure and even death. Severe cases have significant morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. These cases require rapid evaluation, accurate diagnosis and appropriate management by a multidisciplinary team including high-risk obstetrics, hepatology, gastroenterology and interventional radiology. Availability of liver transplantation is also important for obtaining good outcomes.

Niveles de glucemia intraoperatoria y su relación con la morbimortalidad a corto y largo plazo en pacientes con trasplante de hígado en un hospital de alta complejidad / Levels of intraoperative glycemia and their relations to short and long term morbidity and mortality in liver transplant patients at a highly complex hospital

Resumen Objetivo: se realizó un estudio en pacientes sometidos a trasplante de hígado (TH) con el objetivo de determinar los valores de glucemia en cada una de las fases de la cirugía del TH y su relación con la morbimortalidad postoperatoria. Materiales y métodos: se identificaron los trasplantes hepáticos entre 2013 y 2015 en los registros institucionales. La información se tomó de la nota operatoria, registros de laboratorio y evoluciones de historia clínica. Se buscaron diferencias en la glucemia en las 3 fases del trasplante entre diabéticos y no diabéticos, la presencia de infección y rechazo. Resultados: en total, se estudiaron 73 pacientes trasplantados, 54,8% (n = 40) de sexo masculino, con una mediana en la edad de 59 años (rango intercuartílico [RIQ] = 52-53). El 32,9% (n = 24) tenía antecedente de diabetes mellitus (DM). Se encontraron diferencias en la glucemia inicial y final (127 mg/dL frente a 212 mg/dL) en diabéticos (p = 0,001), así como en los no diabéticos (glucemia inicial: 105 mg/dL frente a la final: 190 mg/dL) (p <0,000). La proporción de rechazo fue mayor en diabéticos (14,3%, n = 7). No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la presencia de infecciones entre diabéticos y no diabéticos. Se confirmó el diagnóstico de diabetes postrasplante en el 15,1%. Conclusiones: un adecuado control glucémico en los diferentes períodos del transoperatorio en el TH logra igualar la tasa de complicaciones a nivel infeccioso en pacientes diabéticos y no diabéticos; el rechazo continúa siendo más frecuente en pacientes diabéticos. Es necesaria una búsqueda activa de la diabetes postrasplante en cada uno de nuestros pacientes.

Abstract Objective: This study was of patients who underwent liver transplantation has the objective of determining glycemia values ​​in each phase of liver transplant surgery and their relationships with post-operative morbidity and mortality. Materials and Methods: Liver transplant patients were identified in institutional records from 2013 to 2015. The information was taken from operative notes, laboratory records and clinical histories. We searched for differences in blood glucose levels during the three phases of transplantation and compared the incidences of infections and rejections for diabetics and non-diabetics. Results: A total of 73 transplant patients were studied: 54.8% (n = 40) were male, the median age was 59 years (RIQ = 52-53), and 32.9% (n = 24) had histories of Diabetes Mellitus. Differences were found between initial and final serum glucose levels of diabetics (127 mg/dl vs. 212 mg/dl, p = 0.001) as well as in non-diabetics (105 mg/dl vs. 190 mg/dl, p < 0.000). The proportion of rejection was highest among diabetics (14.3%, n = 7). No significant differences were found in the proportions of diabetic and non-diabetic patients who developed infections. Diagnosis of post-transplant diabetes was confirmed in 15.1% of the sample. Conclusions: Adequate monitoring of blood glucose levels during all trans-operative periods of liver transplantation can equalize the rate of infectious complications in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Rejection continues to be more frequent among diabetic patients. An active search for post-transplant diabetes is necessary for every patient.

Imported human brucellosis in Belgium: Bio and molecular typing of bacterial isolates, 1996-2015.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to characterize by classical biotyping and Multi-Locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) all Brucella spp. derived from human cases in Belgium from 1996 to 2015. Final goals were to determine the species and biovar, to trace-back on genetic grounds the origin of each strain when patient history and risk factors were missing, and to survey for particular trends at the national level. METHODS: A total of 37 Brucella strains, isolated from 37 patients in Belgium, were analyzed by both classical biotyping and MLVA, and the genetic patterns compared to those of human strains isolated worldwide. RESULTS: Classical biotyping revealed that isolates were mainly Brucella melitensis. Most of them belonged to biovar 3, the most abundant biovar in the Mediterranean region. MLVA confirmed that Brucella melitensis is too diverse in VNTRs to be able to make clusters associated to each biovar, but it allowed retrieving precious epidemiological information. The analysis highlighted the imported nature of the strains from all over the world with a dominant part from the Mediterranean countries. Findings of the MLVA11 testing were in line with the travel history of patients coming from Italy, Turkey, Lebanon and Peru. The analysis was particularly useful because it suggested the geographical origin of the infection for 12/16 patients for whom no case history was available. CONCLUSION: Classical biotyping and MLVA analysis are not exclusive but remain complementary tools for Brucella melitensis strain surveillance. MLVA11 is sufficient for Brucella-free countries such as Belgium to trace the geographical origin of infection, but complete MLVA16 is needed to search for links with endemic areas.

Manifestaciones extrahepáticas de la infección por el virus de la Hepatitis B / Extrahepatic Manifestations of Hepatitis B

La hepatitis crónica, la cirrosis hepática y el carcinoma hepatocelular son las manifestaciones clásicas de la infección crónica por hepatitis B, pero hasta el 20% de los pacientes se presentan con manifestaciones extrahepáticas de la infección. Las principales afecciones extrahepáticas son la poliarteritis nodosa y la enfermedad glomerular; sin embargo, los pacientes pueden consultar con manifestaciones cutáneas, reumatológicas, hematológicas y neurológicas. En este artículo presentamos el caso de una mujer con hepatitis B crónica, quien debutó con una exacerbación/flare acompañada de vasculitis leucocitoclástica y artritis. Los clínicos debemos estar atentos a la presentación extrahepática de la hepatitis B, ya que esta puede asociarse con complicaciones severas y además requerir tratamiento antiviral independiente de la indicación de tratamiento por su enfermedad hepática.

Chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are the classic manifestations of chronic hepatitis B infections, but up to 20% of patients present extrahepatic manifestations of the infection. The most common extrahepatic presentations are polyarteritis nodosa and glomerular disease, but patients can also develop cutaneous, rheumatological, hematological and neurological manifestations. In this article we present the case of a woman with chronic hepatitis B whose initial manifestation was a flare-up accompanied by leukocytoclastic vasculitis and arthritis. Clinicians should be aware of extrahepatic presentations of hepatitis B because they can be associated with severe complications and may also require separate antiviral treatment independent of that indicated for liver disease