Safety of long‐term biologic therapy in rheumatologic patients with a previously resolved hepatitis B viral infection

Michele Barone, Antonella Notarnicola, Giuseppe Lopalco, Maria Teresa Viggiani, Francesco Sebastiani, Michele Covelli, Florenzo Iannone, Alfonso W. Avolio, Alfredo Di Leo, Luca Cantarini, Giovanni Lapadula – 22 January 2015 – European and Asian studies report conflicting data on the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in rheumatologic patients with a previously resolved HBV (prHBV) infection undergoing long‐term biologic therapies. In this patient category, the safety of different immunosuppressive biologic therapies, including rituximab, was assessed.

Metabolic and molecular responses to leucine‐enriched branched chain amino acid supplementation in the skeletal muscle of alcoholic cirrhosis

Cynthia Tsien, Gangarao Davuluri, Dharmvir Singh, Allawy Allawy, Gabriella A.M. Ten Have, Samjhana Thapaliya, John M. Schulze, David Barnes, Arthur J. McCullough, Marielle P.K.J. Engelen, Nicolaas E.P. Deutz, Srinivasan Dasarathy – 22 January 2015 – Skeletal muscle loss (sarcopenia) is a major clinical complication in alcoholic cirrhosis with no effective therapy. Skeletal muscle autophagic proteolysis and myostatin expression (inhibitor of protein synthesis) are increased in cirrhosis and believed to contribute to anabolic resistance.

Treatment of hepatitis C in liver transplant patients: Interferon out, direct antiviral combos in

Jennifer C. Price, Norah A. Terrault – 20 January 2015 – Although chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States, graft and patient survival rates are reduced because of HCV recurrence after transplant. Interferon‐based antiviral treatment administered either before or after transplant to prevent or treat HCV recurrence, respectively, is limited because of poor tolerability and low efficacy.

Liver alkaline phosphatase: A missing link between choleresis and biliary inflammation

Raoul Poupon – 20 January 2015 – Several lines of evidence show that serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) is not only a signpost of cholestasis but also a surrogate marker of the severity of primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. In the present opinion article, we review and discuss the putative role of liver AP in health and in cholestatic diseases.

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