Around the world with the model for end‐stage liver disease

Richard B. Freeman – 30 December 2003 – Background: Indices for predicting survival are essential for assessing prognosis and assigning priority for liver transplantation in patients with liver cirrhosis. The model for end stage liver disease (MELD) has been proposed as a tool to predict mortality risk in cirrhotic patients. However, this model has not been validated beyond its original setting. Aim: To evaluate the short and medium term survival prognosis of a European series of cirrhotic patients by means of MELD compared with the Child‐Pugh score.

Cerebral glucose and oxygen metabolism in patients with fulminant hepatic failure

Gitte Irene Strauss, Kirsten Møller, Fin Stolze Larsen, Jens Kondrup, Gitte Moos Knudsen – 30 December 2003 – Hyperammonemia and hyperventilation are consistent findings in patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), which may interfere with cerebral glucose and oxygen metabolism. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether cerebral oxidative metabolism is preserved early in the course of FHF and whether hyperventilation has an influence on this. We included 16 patients with FHF, 5 patients with cirrhosis of the liver, and 8 healthy subjects.

Hemolytic anemia induced by ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Role of membrane oxidative damage

Lucia De Franceschi, Giovanna Fattovich, Franco Turrini, Kodjo Ayi, Carlo Brugnara, Franco Manzato, Franco Noventa, Anna Maria Stanzial, Pietro Solero, Roberto Corrocher – 30 December 2003 – The antiviral drug ribavirin (RBV) is widely used in combination with interferon (IFN) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A major side effect of RBV is a reversible hemolytic anemia. We have evaluated the in vitro effects of RBV on erythrocyte adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and on hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMS).

Deactivation of cultured human liver myofibroblasts by Trans‐resveratrol, a grapevine‐derived polyphenol

Sandrine Godichaud, Stéphanie Krisa, Baptiste Couronné, Liliane Dubuisson, Jean‐Michel Mérillon, Alexis Desmoulière, Jean Rosenbaum – 30 December 2003 – Liver myofibroblasts are major actors in the development of liver fibrosis and cancer progression. There is a large interest in drugs that might deactivate these cells. Many studies have shown that the grapevine‐derived polyphenol, trans‐resveratrol, and other stilbenes have therapeutic potential in some diseases. In this work, we have studied the effect of grapevine polyphenols on cultured human liver myofibroblasts.

Intragraft localization of activated nuclear factor κB in recurrent hepatitis C virus disease following liver transplantation

Anderson S. Gaweco, Russell H. Wiesner, Michael Porayko, Vinod K. Rustgi, Sherri Yong, Raza Hamdani, James Harig, Gregorio Chejfec, Kenneth D. McClatchey, David H. Van Thiel – 30 December 2003 – Nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) is activated during viral infection and is central to the regulation of host immune responses. The NF‐κB activation status and its morphological sources were assessed by immunohistochemistry in allograft biopsy specimens of orthotopic liver transplantation patients with recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Hepatocarcinogenesis in Female Mice With Mosaic Expression of Connexin32

Oliver Moennikes, Albrecht Buchmann, Klaus Willecke, Otto Traub, Michael Schwarz – 30 December 2003 – Mice deficient for connexin32 (Cx32), the major gap junction forming protein in liver, are highly susceptible to hepatocarcinogenesis. Because the Cx32 gene is located on the X‐chromosome, heterozygous females show mosaicism with respect to Cx32 expression; this enables their use in studying the effect of Cx32‐deficiency in a mixed Cx32‐plus/Cx32‐minus environment in vivo.

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