Cirrhosis, a Global and Challenging Disease Fortea, José Ignacio; Crespo, Javier; Puente, Ángela
Journal of clinical medicine,
11/2022, Volume:
11, Issue:
21
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Cirrhosis is the result of sustained liver damage leading to the diffusion of hepatic fibrosis, wherein the normal hepatic architecture is replaced by abnormally organized nodules separated by ...fibrous septa that connect the different vascular structures of the hepatic lobule ...
Portal vein thrombosis constitutes the most common thrombotic event in patients with cirrhosis, with increased rates in the setting of advanced liver disease. Despite being a well-known complication ...of cirrhosis, the contribution of portal vein thrombosis to hepatic decompensation and overall mortality is still a matter of debate. The incorporation of direct oral anticoagulants and new radiological techniques for portal vein recanalization have expanded our therapeutic arsenal. However, the lack of large prospective observational studies and randomized trials explain the heterogenous diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations of current guidelines. This article seeks to make a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of portal vein thrombosis in patients with cirrhosis.
The regression of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension (PH) and their influence on the natural history of compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis has not been studied previously. Our ...objective was to evaluate the influence of sustained virologic response (SVR) on the portal pressure gradient (HVPG) and non-invasive parameters of PH and prognostic factors of response.
Sixteen patients with compensated HCV genotype 1-related cirrhosis with PH (HVPG > 6 mmHg) without beta-blocker therapy were considered as candidates for PEGα2a + RBV + BOC (48 weeks; lead-in and accepted stopping rules). A hemodynamic study and Fibroscan® were performed at baseline, at eight weeks and, in the case of SVR, 24 weeks after treatment. In each hemodynamic study, serum samples were analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers associated with PH.
In eight cases, SVR was obtained; five patients relapsed, and treatment was stopped early for non-response to lead in (one case) and a decrease of < 3 log at week 8 (two patients). Compared to baseline, there was a significant decrease in HVPG and Fibroscan® at weeks 8 and 72 (10.31 ± 4.3 vs 9.4 ± 5.04 vs 6.1 ± 3.61 mmHg, p < 0.0001 and 21.3 ± 14.5 vs 16.2 ± 9.5 vs 6.4 ± 4.5 kPa, p < 0.0001, respectively). The average HVPG decrease in SVR was 40.8 ± 17.53%, achieving an HVPG < 6 mmHg in five patients (62.5%) and a Fibroscan® < 7.1 kPa in three patients (37.5%).
Complete hemodynamic response (HVPG < 6 mmHg) and fibrosis regression (Fibroscan® < 7.1 kPa) occur in more than half and one-third of patients achieving SVR, respectively, and must be another target in cirrhotic patients with SVR.
•Different enzyme concentrations assayed led to similar degree of hydrolysis values.•Heat treatment of the protein solutions at 75°C and over improved the hydrolysis process.•Bovine serum albumin ...hydrolysis, either native or heat treated, yielded peptides with potential bioactivity.•Heat treatment increased the number and the quantity of peptides released.
In contrast with other food proteins, such as β-lactoglobulin or caseins, intensely studied for bioactive peptide production, relatively little attention has been paid to serum albumin, the main blood protein, even though blood disposal is a severe problem for meat processors. In this study, serum albumin was hydrolysed with trypsin after several heat treatments and using different enzyme concentrations. The degree of hydrolysis reached and the peptide sequences released over time were evaluated. Large differences in enzyme-to-substrate ratios (1:50, 1:100 and 1:200) led to similar degree of hydrolysis values (31.92±1.43%, 31.08±3.09% and 26.21±0.71%), and did not alter the number of peptides released. However, thermal treatment enhanced significantly (p<0.05) both the degree of hydrolysis (up to 50.41±1.90%) and the number and amount of the majority of peptides obtained, all with potential bioactivity (28 peptides in the native hydrolysate, 39 in the thermally treated).
Current evidence suggests that gut dysbiosis drives obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR6 specifically recognize components of ...Gram-positive bacteria. Despite the potential implications of TLR2 in NAFLD pathogenesis, the role of TLR6 has not been addressed. Our aim is to study a potential role of TLR6 in obesity-related NAFLD. Forty morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery were prospectively studied. Cell surface expression of TLR2 and TLR6 was assessed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry. Freshly isolated monocytes were cultured with specific TLR2/TLR6 agonists and intracellular production of cytokines was determined by flow-cytometry. In liver biopsies, the expression of TLR2 and TLR6 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and cytokine gene expression using RT-qPCR. TLR6 expression in PBMCs from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients was significantly higher when compared to those from simple steatosis. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to TLR2/TLR6 stimulation was also significantly higher in patients with lobular inflammation. Hepatocyte expression of TLR6 but not that of TLR2 was increased in NAFLD patients compared to normal liver histology. Deregulated expression and activity of peripheral TLR6 in morbidly obese patients can mirror the liver inflammatory events that are well known drivers of obesity-related NASH pathogenesis. Moreover, TLR6 is also significantly overexpressed in the hepatocytes of NAFLD patients compared to their normal counterparts. Thus, deregulated TLR6 expression may potentiate TLR2-mediated liver inflammation in NAFLD pathogenesis, and also serve as a potential peripheral biomarker of obesity-related NASH.
Liver transplantation (LT) is a curative treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) unsuitable for surgical resection. However, tumor recurrence (TR) rates range from 8% to 20% despite ...strict selection criteria. The validation of new prognostic tools, such as pre-MORAL or RETREAT risks, is necessary to improve recurrence prediction. A retrospective study was conducted at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in Cantabria, Spain, between 2010 and 2019 to determine the rate of TR in LT patients and identify associated factors. Patients with liver-kidney transplantation, re-transplantation, HIV infection, survival less than 90 days, or incidental HCC were excluded. Data on demographic, liver disease-related, LT, and tumor-related variables, as well as follow-up records, including TR and death, were collected. TR was analyzed using the Log-Rank test, and a multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed. The study was approved by the IRB of Cantabria. TR occurred in 13.6% of LT patients (95% CI = 7.3–23.9), primarily as extrahepatic recurrence (67%) within the first 5 years (75%). Increased TR was significantly associated with higher Body Mass Index (BMI) (HR = 1.3 95% CI = 1.1–1.5), vascular micro-invasion (HR = 8.8 1.6–48.0), and medium (HR = 20.4 3.0–140.4) and high pre-MORAL risk (HR = 30.2 1.6–568.6). TR also showed a significant correlation with increased mortality. Conclusions: LT for HCC results in a 13.6% rate of tumor recurrence. Factors such as BMI, vascular micro-invasion, and medium/high pre-MORAL risk are strongly associated with TR following LT.
In patients with liver cirrhosis the contribution of inherited and acquired prothrombotic disorders in the development of non-malignant portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is inconclusive. The purpose of ...this retrospective study was to examine the prevalence of thrombophilia in this setting at our center from January 2012 to November 2019. Tests included gene mutational analysis for Factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, JAK2 (V617F), Calreticulin (CARL), in addition to activated protein C resistance, antithrombin III, protein C and S levels, and antiphospholipid antibodies. We included 77 patients, six of whom (7.8%) had a thrombophilic disorder: antiphospholipid syndrome in four patients, prothrombin gene mutation in one and factor V Leiden mutation in one. This latter patient had also been diagnosed with polycythemia vera years before PVT development. Complete thrombosis of the main portal vein and re-thrombosis after stopping anticoagulation were more frequent in patients with thrombophilia, but the rates of recanalization under anticoagulant therapy were similar among groups. No other difference was accounted between groups. The low prevalence of acquired and inherited thrombophilia found in patients with cirrhosis and PVT support testing for these disorders on an individual basis and avoiding universal screening to reduce costs and unwarranted testing.
Hepatitis C therapy in the era of the newer direct-acting antiviral agents has radically changed our treatment schemes by achieving very high rates of sustained virological response. However, ...treatment with direct antiviral agents fails in a subgroup of patients. This group of so-called difficult-to-treat individuals is the subject of this paper, which reviews the causes of virological failure, their clinical implications, and some final recommendations.
Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), defined as a hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) ≥10 mmHg, persists 24 weeks after sustained virological response (SVR) in up to 78% of patients ...with HCV-related cirrhosis treated with direct-acting antivirals. These patients remain at risk of decompensation. However, long-term paired clinical and hemodynamic data are not available for this population.
We conducted a prospective multicenter study in 226 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and CSPH who achieved SVR after antiviral therapy. Patients with CSPH 24 weeks after end of treatment (SVR24) were offered another hemodynamic assessment 96 weeks after end of treatment (SVR96).
All patients were clinically evaluated. Out of 176 patients with CSPH at SVR24, 117 (66%) underwent an HVPG measurement at SVR96. At SVR96, 55/117 (47%) patients had HVPG <10 mmHg and 53% had CSPH (65% if we assume persistence of CSPH in all 59 non-evaluated patients). The proportion of high-risk patients (HVPG ≥16 mmHg) diminished from 41% to 15%. Liver stiffness decreased markedly after SVR (median decrease 10.5 ± 13 kPa) but did not correlate with HVPG changes (30% of patients with liver stiffness measurement <13.6 kPa still had CSPH). Seventeen (7%) patients presented with de novo/additional clinical decompensation, which was independently associated with baseline HVPG ≥16 mmHg and history of ascites.
Patients achieving SVR experienced a progressive reduction in portal pressure during follow-up. However, CSPH may persist in up to 53–65% of patients at SVR96, indicating persistent risk of decompensation. History of ascites and high-risk HVPG values identified patients at higher risk of de novo or further clinical decompensation.
As a major complication of cirrhosis, clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Herein, we show that CSPH persists at 96 weeks in just over half of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, despite HCV elimination by direct-acting antivirals. Despite viral cure, patients with CSPH at the start of antiviral treatment remain at long-term risk of hepatic complications and should be managed accordingly.
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•HVPG ≥10 mmHg persists 2 years after therapy in 53–65% of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis despite HCV eradication.•Changes in liver stiffness do not correlate with changes in HVPG after a sustained virological response.•Baseline HVPG ≥16 mmHg and ascites identify patients with persistent CSPH and risk of decompensation.
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