Hepatitis B virus reactivation after treatment for hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection.

In coinfected HBV/HCV patients, HBV replication is usually suppressed by HCV over the time. No study to date has evaluated the HBV viremia in long-term follow-up after HCV treatment in hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection. This study aimed to assess the evolution of HBV viremia after HCV treatment in this special population. Ten hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection with dominant HCV infection (HBV lower than 2000 IU/mL) and significant fibrosis were treated with interferon-alpha 3 MU 3×/week for 12 months and could be followed for at least 36 months after HCV treatment. Six cases of HBV reactivation (60%) during follow-up were observed and 5/6 had been successfully treated for HCV. Patients with HBV reactivation received anti-HBV therapy. Our preliminary findings indicate that treatment of hepatitis C in HBV/HCV coinfected hemodialysis patients may favor HBV reactivation. Thus, continued monitoring of HBV viremia must be recommended and prompt anti-HBV therapy should be implemented.

Does hepatitis B virus coinfection have any impact on treatment outcome in hepatitis C patients on hemodialysis?

BACKGROUND: HBV/HCV coinfection is a common finding among hemodialysis patients. However, there is scarce information concerning the impact of HBV coinfection on the response to treatment of HCV-infected patients on hemodialysis. AIM: We aimed to compare the rate of sustained virologic response (SVR) to treatment with interferon-alfa (IFN) between hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection and those with HCV-monoinfection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: HCV-infected patients on hemodialysis treated with IFN were included. Patients coinfected by HBV/HCV were compared to HCV-monoinfected patients, regarding clinical and biochemical features and rates of SVR. RESULTS: One hundred and eleven patients were treated. HBV/HCV coinfection was observed in 18/111 patients (16%). Coinfected patients were younger (p = 002), had more time on dialysis (p = 0.05) and showed a tendency to present a higher prevalence of septal fibrosis (p = 0.06). The analysis by intention to treat showed SVR of 56% among coinfected patients and 18% in HCV-monoinfected patients (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, end-stage renal disease patients with HBV/HCV coinfection exhibit higher rate of SVR to HCV treatment than HCV-monoinfected patients. It is possible that factors related to the host immune response and viral interaction could explain the better response observed among coinfected patients.

Hepatite aguda: como avaliar? / Acute hepatitis: how to evaluate?

Hepatite aguda define lesão hepática com inflamação do fígado com padrão histológico bem definido. Esses pacientes apresentam sintomas inespecíficos, como mal-estar, náuseas, vômitos e anorexia, com ou sem icterícia. Na maioria dos pacientes com elevação predominante de transaminases uma história clínica cuidadosa e um pequeno número de exames laboratoriais podem identificar a etiologia e definir tratamento específico subsequente, incluindo especialmente a investigação de hepatites virais, hepatotoxicidade induzida por drogas, hepatite autoimune e hepatite aguda alcoólica.

The acute hepatitis defines liver injury with inflammation of the liver histological pattern well defined. Such patients present with nonspecific symptoms such as malaise, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia, with or without jaundice. In most patients with the amino-transferase-predominant picture, careful history and examination and a small number of laboratory tests can identify the etiology and define subsequent management including in particular the investigation of viral hepatitis, drug-induced hepatoxicity, autoimmune hepatitis and acute alcoholic liver disease.

Living donor right liver lobe transplantation with or without inclusion of the middle hepatic vein: analysis of complications.

BACKGROUND: For living-related liver transplantation, harvesting a right hepatic graft that includes the middle hepatic vein (MHV) has been recommended to improve venous drainage of the graft. However, it may result in congestion of the donor's remaining segment IV, increasing the potential risk to the donor. This study aimed to compare safety levels for liver donors during procedures with or without removal of the MHV. METHODS: A total of 68 living donor liver transplantations were performed from March 2001 to May 2007. In 39 procedures, the MHV was not included in the graft (group A), and in 29 the MHV was included in the graft (group B). The analyzed data included surgical time, use of blood derivatives, length of hospital stay, laboratory analyses, weight of the graft, and clinical complications. RESULTS: No differences were observed regarding the need for blood derivatives or laboratory parameters. The frequency of postoperative complications was similar in the two groups, with 10 cases (25.6%) in group A and 7 cases (24.1%) in group B (P=0.887). No deaths were seen. The rate of observed complications was 25% among living donors, most of them being managed without surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of the MHV does not add morbidity in living donors in selected cases.

The presence of bilobar tumor should be considered as a new limit for transplantation beyond the Milan criteria? / A presença de tumor bilobar deve ser considerado novo limite para exclusão de transplante em pacientes que excedem os critérios de Milão?

BACKGROUND: An imprecise estimate of the tumor's aggressiveness of the hepatocellular carcinoma especially in transplanted patients beyond the Milan criteria has a poor outcome, although a more reliable criteria including microscopic vascular invasion is difficult to be established before transplantation. AIM: To examine a cohort of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver transplantation to evaluate the preoperative predicting factors for microscopic vascular invasion. METHODS: A series of 46 consecutive cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transplantation based on Milan criteria or similar criteria in a single center were enrolled between 1993 and 2007. The survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meyer's method and a multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate survival and factors related to microscopic vascular invasion. RESULTS: Multifocal tumors were present in 39 percent. Microvascular invasion, tumor relapses and hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the Milan criteria were identified in 33 percent, 13 percent and 33 percent, respectively. Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial patient survival rates were 64 percent, 59 percent and 45 percent respectively. Patients who exceeded the Milan criteria had a higher incidence of microscopic vascular invasion and bilobar tumor compared to those who met the Milan criteria (53 percent vs. 23 percent and 80 percent vs. 19 percent; p<0.05, respectively). After multivariate analysis, the variable identified as independent risk factor for microscopic vascular invasion was the presence of bilobar tumor (hazard ratio, 3.67; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.01 to 13.34; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a bilobar tumor is more frequent in hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the Milan criteria and it is an independent predictive factor of a high risk of microscopic vascular invasion. The presence of bilobar tumor in hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the Milan ...

RACIONAL: A recidiva tumoral após o transplante de fígado para o carcinoma hepatocelular tem grande impacto desfavorável na mortalidade e a presença de invasão microvascular desempenha papel importante na recidiva tumoral. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a sobrevida, o risco de recidiva tumoral pós-transplante e os fatores relacionados à invasão microvascular de uma série de transplantados por carcinoma hepatocelular. MÉTODOS: No período entre 1993 e 2007 foi estudada uma série consecutiva de 46 cirróticos com carcinoma hepatocelular submetidos à transplante de fígado baseado nos critérios de Milão a partir de 1996 ou critérios semelhantes no período anterior a esta data. Inicialmente todas as variáveis foram analisadas descritivamente, e as quantitativas através da observação dos valores mínimos e máximos, e do cálculo de médias e desvios-padrão e medianas. Para as variáveis qualitativas calcularam-se frequências absolutas e relativas. Realizou-se a regressão logística com ajuste pelo modelo de Cox para avaliar a sobrevida e os fatores relacionados à recidiva tumoral e invasão microvascular. RESULTADOS: A sobrevida da amostra foi de 64 por cento, 59 por cento e 45 por cento para 1, 3 e 5 anos, respectivamente. Em 13 por cento dos casos, a recidiva tumoral foi verificada. A análise multivariada identificou a chance de um paciente com nódulo bilobar sofrer invasão microvascular é 3,67 vezes maior em relação a um paciente com nódulo unilobar e a presença de um tumor unilobar representar um significativo efeito protetor em relação à invasão microvascular (p = 0,048). CONCLUSÕES: A identificação de um tumor bilobar no estadiamento tumoral é fator preditivo independente de maior risco de invasão microvascular e é necessário ainda confirmar se a presença de tumor bilobar deve ser adicionada aos critérios de Milão para melhor indicação de transplante de fígado em pacientes cirróticos com carcinoma hepatocelular.

Liver transplantation for subacute hepatocellular failure due to massive steatohepatitis after bariatric surgery.

New therapeutic options for obesity include restrictive bowel surgery and surgery that promotes malabsorption, such as the Fobi-Capella (gastric bypass) and Scopinaro (biliopancreatic diversion) techniques. Complications associated with these procedures, such as hepatocellular failure, have been observed with increasing frequency. Reported here are 3 patients who, 7 to 24 months after bariatric surgery, developed hepatocellular failure, for which liver transplantation was considered to be indicated. Liver transplantation was undertaken in 2 of the patients; the third patient died while waiting for this procedure. We discuss the possible causes of this uncommon and poorly understood complication of surgery for obesity. One possibility is that it might arise as a result of progression of steatohepatitis. An alternative concept is that this complication may be secondary to rapid, massive loss of body weight.