Olav Dalgard, Kristian Bjøro, Kjell Block Hellum, Bjørn Myrvang, Ståle Ritland, Kjell Skaug, Nils Raknerud, Helge Bell – 24 November 2004 – The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of 14 weeks of treatment in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3 who achieve early virological response (EVR). In a noncontrolled multicenter trial, 122 treatment‐naive patients received 1.5 μg/kg pegylated interferon alfa‐2b subcutaneously once weekly and 800 to 1,400 mg/d ribavirin based on body weight.

Margarita Sala, Josep M. Llovet, Ramon Vilana, Lluís Bianchi, Manel Solé, Carmen Ayuso, Concepció Brú, Jordi Bruix, for the Barcelona Cly'nic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group – 24 November 2004 – Outcome predictors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are treated with percutaneous ablation are ill defined, and it is unknown if successful therapy is associated with improved survival. In our study, 282 cirrhotic patients with early nonsurgical HCC were treated with percutaneous ablation during a 15‐year period.

Simon Wain‐Hobson, Jean‐Pierre Vartanian – 24 November 2004

Amany Zekry, Keyur Patel, Andrew Muir, John G. McHutchison – 24 November 2004

Martti Färkkilä, Anna‐Liisa Karvonen, Heimo Nurmi, Hannu Nuutinen, Matti Taavitsainen, Pekka Pikkarainen, Päivi Kärkkäinen – 24 November 2004 – No effective medical therapy is currently available for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves liver enzymes, but its effect on liver histology is controversial. Metronidazole (MTZ) prevents PSC‐like liver damage in animal models and reduces intestinal permeability.

Vincent Di Martino, Pascal Lebray, Robert P. Myers, Emmanuelle Pannier, Valérie Paradis, Frédéric Charlotte, Joseph Moussalli, Dominique Thabut, Catherine Buffet, Thierry Poynard – 24 November 2004 – Female sex is a protective factor for the progression of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Experimental data suggest that estrogens may have an antifibrotic effect.

Jay H. Hoofnagle – 24 November 2004

Isao Sakaida, Shuji Terai, Naoki Yamamoto, Koji Aoyama, Tsuyoshi Ishikawa, Hiroshi Nishina, Kiwamu Okita – 24 November 2004 – We investigated the effect of bone marrow cell (BMC) transplantation on established liver fibrosis. BMCs of green fluorescent protein (GFP) mice were transplanted into 4‐week carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)–treated C57BL6 mice through the tail vein, and the mice were treated for 4 more weeks with CCl4 (total, 8 weeks).

Jeffrey D. Browning, Lidia S. Szczepaniak, Robert Dobbins, Pamela Nuremberg, Jay D. Horton, Jonathan C. Cohen, Scott M. Grundy, Helen H. Hobbs – 24 November 2004 – Despite the increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its pathogenesis and clinical significance remain poorly defined. In this study, we examined and compared the distribution of hepatic triglyceride content (HTGC) in 2,287 subjects from a multiethnic, population‐based sample (32.1% white, 48.3% black, and 17.5% Hispanic) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Christophe Duvoux, Catherine Radier, Françoise Roudot‐Thoraval, François Maille, Marie‐Christine Anglade, Jeanne Tran Van Nhieu, Isabelle Rosa, Sylvie Hospitel, Issam Abd‐Alsamad, Véronique Sitruk, Olivier Seror, Marianne Ziol, Hughes Blondon, Daniel Dhumeaux, Jean‐Philippe Richardet – 24 November 2004 – The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and prognostic value of major alterations of portal flow in patients with steroid‐treated alcoholic hepatitis. Fifty patients with severe, histologically proven alcoholic hepatitis were enrolled.