Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and liver transplantation

Robert P. Myers, Samuel S. Lee – 13 February 2012 – Myocardial contractility in cirrhosis is impaired, particularly under stressful situations, in a phenomenon termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. Impairment of the cardiac β‐adrenergic receptor and its signaling function appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Additional mechanisms that may have a role include alterations in the physicochemical properties of the cardiomyocyte plasma membrane and abnormalities in circulating humoral factors, such as nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and catecholamines.

Review and management of drug interactions with boceprevir and telaprevir

Jennifer J. Kiser, James R. Burton, Peter L. Anderson, Gregory T. Everson – 13 February 2012 – Boceprevir (BOC) and telaprevir (TPV), when added to pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, increase the rates of sustained virologic response in treatment‐naïve persons to approximately 70%. Though these agents represent an important advance in the treatment of chronic HCV, they present new treatment challenges to the hepatology community.

Severe necroinflammatory reaction caused by natural killer cell‐mediated Fas/Fas ligand interaction and dendritic cells in human hepatocyte chimeric mouse

Akihito Okazaki, Nobuhiko Hiraga, Michio Imamura, C. Nelson Hayes, Masataka Tsuge, Shoichi Takahashi, Hiroshi Aikata, Hiromi Abe, Daiki Miki, Hidenori Ochi, Chise Tateno, Katsutoshi Yoshizato, Hideki Ohdan, Kazuaki Chayama – 13 February 2012 – The necroinflammatory reaction plays a central role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) elimination. Cluster of differentiation (CD)8‐positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are thought to be a main player in the elimination of infected cells, and a recent report suggests that natural killer (NK) cells also play an important role.

Mathematical modeling of liver injury and dysfunction after acetaminophen overdose: Early discrimination between survival and death

Christopher H. Remien, Frederick R. Adler, Lindsey Waddoups, Terry D. Box, Norman L. Sussman – 13 February 2012 – Acetaminophen (APAP) is the leading cause of acute liver injury in the developed world. Timely administration of N‐acetylcysteine (N‐Ac) prevents the progression of serious liver injury and disease, whereas failure to administer N‐Ac within a critical time frame allows disease progression and in the most severe cases may result in liver failure or death. In this situation, liver transplantation may be the only life‐saving measure.

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