Platelet count is not a predictor of the presence or development of gastroesophageal varices in cirrhosis

Amir A. Qamar, Norman D. Grace, Roberto J. Groszmann, Guadalupe Garcia‐Tsao, Jaime Bosch, Andrew K. Burroughs, Rie Maurer, Ramon Planas, Angels Escorsell, Juan Carlos Garcia‐Pagan, David Patch, Daniel S. Matloff, Robert Makuch, Portal Hypertension Collaborative Group – 27 December 2007 – Current guidelines recommend esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with cirrhosis to screen for gastroesophageal varices (GEV). Thrombocytopenia has been proposed as a noninvasive test to predict the presence of GEV.

Preserving renal function in liver transplant recipients with rabbit anti‐thymocyte globulin and delayed initiation of calcineurin inhibitors

Iman Bajjoka, Lama Hsaiky, Kimberly Brown, Marwan Abouljoud – 27 December 2007 – Early renal dysfunction following liver transplantation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. To evaluate the impact of delayed initiation of calcineurin inhibitor on renal function, we conducted a retrospective study comparing 118 liver transplant recipients who received rabbit anti‐thymocyte globulin and delayed initiation of calcineurin inhibitor with 80 liver transplant recipients who received no antibody and early initiation of calcineurin inhibitor (control group).

Tacrolimus and cyclosporin doses and blood levels in hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease patients after liver transplantation

Ye H. Oo, Tracey Dudley, Peter Nightingale, Geoffrey Haydon, David Mutimer – 27 December 2007 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐induced cirrhosis is the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT). However, graft reinfection is nearly universal. The choice of immunosuppression, including the calcineurin inhibitor (CNI), may have some effect on severity of recurrence and graft survival. In addition, HCV recurrence may have some impact on metabolism of immunosuppressive drugs.

Magnetic resonance imaging of hepatic fibrosis: Emerging clinical applications

Jayant A. Talwalkar, Meng Yin, Jeff L. Fidler, Schuyler O. Sanderson, Patrick S. Kamath, Richard L. Ehman – 27 December 2007 – Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis remains a major public health problem worldwide. While the majority of complications from chronic liver disease result from progressive hepatic fibrosis, the available diagnostic tests used in clinical practice are not sensitive or specific enough to detect occult liver injury at early or intermediate stages.

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