0000000000548303
AUTHOR
M A Serra
Clinical evaluation of drug-induced hepatitis
Objective: to ascertain the epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, and evolution of drug-induced hepatitis over the last 22 years. Experimental design and subjects: an observational, retrospective study between 1982 and 1993, and prospective study between 1994 and 2003. All patients in our department diagnosed with having drug-induced hepatitis were studied analyzing epidemiological (age, sex, cases per year, hospitalization) and clinical features (previous liver disease, hepatic symptoms, laboratory results), and follow-up (complete recovery or chronicity). Results: a total of 61 patients were diagnosed as having drug-induced hepatitis, 26 men and 35 women (57%), mean age 52.4…
Clinical significance of abdominal lymphadenopathy in chronic liver disease
Abstract The possibility of assessing the relationship of ultrasound (US)-detected abdominal lymphadenopathy with etiology, biochemical findings, and histologic data in patients with chronic liver disease was evaluated. US examination of the upper abdomen was performed in 321 consecutive patients with various chronic liver disorders and 56 control patients. The prevalence of lymphadenopathy in chronic liver disease was 38%. This prevalence varied according to etiology of liver disease, from 50% in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) to less than 10% in alcoholicc cirrhosis and hepatitis B-virus (HBV)-related chronic liver disease. Patients with lymphadenopathy showed significantly higher serum …
Clinical value of increased serum creatinine concentration as predictor of short-term outcome in decompensated cirrhosis
The purpose of this study was to assess whether serum creatinine concentration alone or associated with other biological parameters was an independent predictor of short-term mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.A total of 212 consecutive episodes of decompensated cirrhosis in patients admitted to the hospital between January 1999 and December 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. Depending on a serum creatinine concentration equal to or greater than 1.5 mg/dL at the time of admission, patients were divided into decompensated cirrhosis with renal failure (101 episodes in 59 patients, aged 69.8 +/- 10 years) and without renal failure (111 episodes in 61 patients, aged 64.5 +/- 13…
Unchanged plasma levels of dimethylarginines and nitric oxide in chronic hepatitis C.
Previous studies have shown that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and nitric oxide (NO) play a prominent role in liver dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine whether plasma levels of ADMA, SDMA and NO are altered in patients with chronic hepatitis C.Plasma levels of ADMA, SDMA and NO (nitrite plus nitrate) were measured in 22 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 24 patients with sustained virologic response after treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin. Seven healthy volunteers served as controls.Plasma levels of ADMA, SDMA and NO were not significantly different between groups: chronic hepatitis C, ADMA 0.55+/-0.06, SDMA 0.22+/-0…