Search results for " liver diseases"

Dual proteotoxic stress accelerates liver injury via activation of p62‐Nrf2

2021

Protein accumulation is the hallmark of various neuronal, muscular, and other human disorders. It is also often seen in the liver as a major protein-secretory organ. For example, aggregation of mutated alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT), referred to as PiZ, is a characteristic feature of AAT deficiency, whereas retention of hepatitis B surface protein (HBs) is found in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. We investigated the interaction of both proteotoxic stresses in humans and mice. Animals overexpressing both PiZ and HBs (HBs-PiZ mice) had greater liver injury, steatosis, and fibrosis. Later they exhibited higher hepatocellular carcinoma load and a more aggressive tumor subtype. Although PiZ and H…

MBOAT7 rs641738 variant and hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic individuals

2017

AbstractNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents an emerging cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in non-cirrhotic individuals. The rs641738 C > T MBOAT7/TMC4 variant predisposes to progressive NAFLD, but the impact on hepatic carcinogenesis is unknown. In Italian NAFLD patients, the rs641738 T allele was associated with NAFLD-HCC (OR 1.65, 1.08–2.55; n = 765), particularly in those without advanced fibrosis (p < 0.001). The risk T allele was linked to 3’-UTR variation in MBOAT7 and to reduced MBOAT7 expression in patients without severe fibrosis. The number of PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and MBOAT7 risk variants was associated with NAFLD-HCC independently of clinical fa…

Incidence and risk factors for liver enzyme elevation among naive HIV-1-infected patients receiving ART in the ICONA cohort

2019

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the incidence and risk factors for liver enzyme elevations (LEE) in patients initiating first-line ART in the ICONA prospective observational cohort, between June 2009 and December 2017.Patients and methodsIn total, 6575 ART-naive patients were selected, initiating two NRTIs with the third drug being a boosted PI (n=2436; 37.0%), an NNRTI (n=2384; 36.3%) or an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) (n=1755; 26.7%). HBV surface antigen and HCV RNA were detected in 3.9% and 5.8% of the study population. Inverse probability weighted Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the HRs, according to first-line regimen, for LEE, defined as ALT or AST increases…

Management of liver disease in Italy after one year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a web-based survey

2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)pandemic has severely limited the clinical activity of most hospitals around the world. A previous survey of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF) has demonstrated a negative impact of the first pandemic wave on all inpatient and outpatient hepatologyactivities. Like other countries, Italy has subsequently experienced a second and third wave, which occurred in November 2020 and in March 2021 respectively. During the second and third wave many hospitals had already developed emergency management plans and improved knowledge on the management of mild-moderate COVID19 disease was available. However, it is unknown w…

Distribution of liver disease in a cohort of immigrants in Sicily: analysis of day-hospital admissions in a migration medicine unit.

2014

The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of liver disease and its aetiology in a cohort of immigrants. We retrospectively examined the hospital discharge charts of all the immigrant patients presenting at our day hospital from July 2009 to June 2013, and after evaluating the anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data on these charts we identified subjects with liver disease and its various aetiologies. The total sample population consisted of 1218 patients, of whom 112 (9.2%) had a diagnosis of liver disease. More than two-thirds of the latter (67.8%) came from Africa, while 15.2% were from Asia and 17.0% from Eastern Europe. In most patients the disease was related to HBV (4…

Hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia: contrast-enhanced ultrasound findings with emphasis on lesion size, depth and liver echogenicity

2010

To correlate contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) findings of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) with lesion size, depth and liver echogenicity and to compare CEUS with baseline US. Two radiologists evaluated baseline US and CEUS examinations of 92 FNHs (mean size: 3.1 +/- 1.7 cm) in 71 patients (59 women and 12 men) to detect the "spoke-wheel" sign, central scar and feeding vessel. The FNHs were grouped and analysed by dimension, depth and liver echogenicity. At least one sign could be detected at CEUS in 27 out of 36 (75%) FNHs larger than 3 cm and in 17 out of 56 (30%) FNH measuring 3 cm or less (p 0.05) as well as between CEUS or baseline US/CD with regard to lesion size, depth or l…

Gender differences in chronic liver diseases in two cohorts of 2001 and 2014 in Italy

2017

Background: Gender differences in chronic liver disease (CLD) have been partially investigated. To extend the present knowledge, we evaluated 12,263 patients with CLD enrolled in two national surveys (9997 in 2001 and 2557 in 2014). Methods: The two surveys prospectively recruited patients aged ≥ 18 referring to Italian liver units throughout the country using a similar clinical approach and analytical methods. Results: The overall male to female ratio (M/F) was 1.4 (7138/5124). Compared with females, males were significantly more likely to be younger (52.9 vs. 58.7 yrs.), with HBV infection alone (13.2% vs. 9.2%) and with alcoholic liver disease alone (11.4% vs. 6.9%), but less likely t…

Artificial neural networks and liver diseases: An economic and pre-imaging diagnosis

2013

Liver involvement in patients with COVID-19 infection: A comprehensive overview of diagnostic imaging features

2023

During the first wave of the pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been considered mainly as a pulmonary infection. However, different clinical and radiological manifestations were observed over time, including involvement of abdominal organs. Nowadays, the liver is considered one of the main affected abdominal organs. Hepatic involvement may be caused by either a direct damage by the virus or an indirect damage related to COVID-19 induced thrombosis or to the use of different drugs. After clinical assessment, radiology plays a key role in the evaluation of liver involvement. Ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be use…

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the management of patients with liver diseases: A national survey by the Italian association for the study of the…

2020

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on national and regional health systems. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the quality of care for patients with liver disease is still unknown. Aims The Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF) conducted a survey to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on hepatology units activities in Italy. Methods A prospective web-based survey was proposed to all AISF active members. The survey was available online from April 8 2020, to May 3 2020, (lockdown phase in Italy). Results 194 AISF members answered the questionnaire, most of whom were specialists in Gastroenterology (41%) or Internal Medicine (28%), and worked in Northern Italy (51…