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.

Emilio Siendones, Dalia Fouad, María José M. Díaz‐Guerra, Manuel de la Mata, Lisardo Boscá, Jordi Muntané – 24 November 2004 – Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) reduces cell death in experimental and clinical liver dysfunction. We have previously shown that PGE1 preadministration protects against NO‐dependent cell death induced by D‐galactosamine (D‐GalN) through a rapid increase of nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) activity, inducible NO synthase (NOS‐2) expression, and NO production.

Mónica Guevara, Gloria Fernández‐Esparrach, Pere Ginès – 24 November 2004

Paul J. Pockros, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Eugene R. Schiff, Mark S. Sulkowski, Zobair Younossi, Douglas T. Dieterich, Teresa L. Wright, Samir H. Mody, K. Linda Tang, Betty L. Goon, Peter J. Bowers, Gerhard Leitz, Nezam H. Afdhal, PROACTIVE Study Group – 24 November 2004 – Anemia and decreased health‐related quality of life (HRQL) are common in patients receiving combination therapy of interferon alfa (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Ole B. Suhr, Gösta Holmgren, Erik Lundgren – 19 November 2004 – Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy is the common form of hereditary generalized amyloidosis and is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the peripheral nerves and other organs. Liver transplantation (LTx) has been utilized as a therapy for familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy because the variant transthyretin (TTR) is predominantly synthesized by the liver, but this therapy has several problems. Thus, we need to develop a new treatment that prevents the production of the variant TTR in the liver.

Zakiyah Kadry, Davide Cintorino, Carlo Scotti Foglieni, John Fung – 19 November 2004

Hermann Janßen, Petra H.E. Janßen, Christoph E. Broelsch – 19 November 2004 – Celsior solution (CS), a new preservation solution in thoracic organ transplantation, was evaluated for its efficacy in cold preservation of human liver endothelial cells (HLEC) and was compared to University of Wisconsin solution (UW) and histidine‐tryptophan‐ketoglutarate solution (HTK, Custodiol). HLEC cultures were preserved at 4°C in CS, UW, and HTK, for 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours, with 6 hours of reperfusion.

Teh‐Ia Huo, Jaw‐Ching Wu, Han‐Chieh Lin, Fa‐Yauh Lee, Ming‐Chih Hou, Yi‐Hsiang Huang, Pui‐Ching Lee, Full‐Young Chang, Shou‐Dong Lee – 19 November 2004 – The model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) has been a prevailing system to prioritize cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation. An “exceptional” MELD score of 20 and 24 points is assigned for stage T1 and T2 patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), respectively. However, this strategy is based on scarce data and the optimal score for these patients remains uncertain.

Georges‐Philippe Pageaux, Yvon Calmus, Olivier Boillot, Christian Ducerf, Claire Vanlemmens, Karim Boudjema, Didier Samuel, and the French CHI‐F‐01 Study Group – 19 November 2004 – Some clinical studies in liver transplantation have recently reported safety advantages and similar acute rejection rates with early steroid withdrawal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an immunosuppressive regimen with steroid withdrawal at day 14. A multicenter, 1‐year, comparative, double blind, placebo‐controlled study was performed.

Edward Gane, Rachael Bergman, David Hutchinson – 19 November 2004 – Between 10 and 20% of adult liver transplants are performed for end‐stage alcoholic liver disease. Severe extrahepatic end‐organ damage from alcoholism (cardiomyopathy, pancreatitis, central nervous system injury, and neuropathy) is widely regarded as an absolute contraindication to liver transplantation, despite a lack of data on the effect of transplantation on these complications. We describe such a patient who presented with decompensated alcoholic liver disease and moderately severe peripheral neuropathy.