Excellent posttransplant survival for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in the United States

Anita Afzali, Kristin Berry, George N. Ioannou – 19 September 2011 – Because of the ongoing epidemics of obesity and diabetes, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may become a leading indication for liver transplantation. There are concerns about the posttransplant survival of patients with NASH because of associated cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. We aimed to determine recent trends in the proportion of patients undergoing transplantation for NASH‐related cirrhosis in the United States and to estimate their posttransplant survival.

CD59 incorporation protects hepatitis C virus against complement‐mediated destruction

Tohti Amet, Marwan Ghabril, Naga Chalasani, Daniel Byrd, Ningjie Hu, Ayslinn Grantham, Ziqing Liu, Xuebin Qin, Johnny J. He, Qigui Yu – 19 September 2011 – Several enveloped viruses including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV‐1), Ebola virus, vaccinia virus, and influenza virus have been found to incorporate host regulators of complement activation (RCA) into their viral envelopes and, as a result, escape antibody‐dependent complement‐mediated lysis (ADCML).

Patient decision making about organ quality in liver transplantation

Michael L. Volk, Rachel S. Tocco, Shawn J. Pelletier, Brian J. Zikmund‐Fisher, Anna S. F. Lok – 19 September 2011 – It is challenging to discuss the use of high‐risk organs with patients, in part because of the lack of information about how patients view this topic. This study was designed to determine how patients think about organ quality and to test formats for risk communication. Semistructured interviews of 10 patients on the waiting list revealed limited understanding about the spectrum of organ quality and a reluctance to consider anything but the best organs.

Activation of autophagy protects against acetaminophen‐induced hepatotoxicity

Hong‐Min Ni, Abigail Bockus, Nikki Boggess, Hartmut Jaeschke, Wen‐Xing Ding – 19 September 2011 – Autophagy can selectively remove damaged organelles, including mitochondria, and, in turn, protect against mitochondria‐damage–induced cell death. Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose can cause liver injury in animals and humans by inducing mitochondria damage and subsequent necrosis in hepatocytes. Although many detrimental mechanisms have been reported to be responsible for APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity, it is not known whether APAP can modulate autophagy to regulate hepatotoxicity in hepatocytes.

Benefit of initial resection of hepatocellular carcinoma followed by transplantation in case of recurrence: An intention‐to‐treat analysis

David Fuks, Safi Dokmak, Valérie Paradis, Momar Diouf, François Durand, Jacques Belghiti – 19 September 2011 – Liver resection (LR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the first‐line treatment in transplantable patients followed by “salvage transplantation” (ST) in case of recurrence is an attractive concept. The aim was to identify patients who gain benefit from this approach in an intention‐to‐treat study.

A biliary HCO3− umbrella constitutes a protective mechanism against bile acid‐induced injury in human cholangiocytes

Simon Hohenester, Lucas Maillette de Buy Wenniger, Coen C. Paulusma, Sandra J. van Vliet, Douglas M. Jefferson, Ronald P. Oude Elferink, Ulrich Beuers – 19 September 2011 – Human cholangiocytes are continuously exposed to millimolar levels of hydrophobic bile salt monomers. We recently hypothesized that an apical biliary HCO umbrella might prevent the protonation of biliary glycine‐conjugated bile salts and uncontrolled cell entry of the corresponding bile acids, and that defects in this biliary HCO umbrella might predispose to chronic cholangiopathies.

Left lobe adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation: Should portal inflow modulation be added?

Yoichi Ishizaki, Seiji Kawasaki, Hiroyuki Sugo, Jiro Yoshimoto, Noriko Fujiwara, Hiroshi Imamura – 19 September 2011 – Recently, the successful application of portal inflow modulation has led to renewed interest in the use of left lobe grafts in adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, data on the hepatic hemodynamics supporting portal inflow modulation are limited, and the optimal portal circulation for a liver graft is still unclear. We analyzed 42 consecutive adult‐to‐adult left lobe LDLT cases without splenectomy or a portocaval shunt.

Predictors of the feasibility of primary endoscopic management of biliary strictures after adult living donor liver transplantation

Yun Young Lee, Geum‐Youn Gwak, Kwang Hyuck Lee, Jong Kyun Lee, Kyu Taek Lee, Choon Hyuck David Kwon, Jae‐Won Joh, Suk‐Koo Lee – 6 September 2011 – Biliary strictures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality for liver transplant recipients. The endoscopic management of biliary strictures is not well established after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in comparison with deceased donor liver transplantation.

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