Ask(1) and you shall receive: A new link between antioxidants and cell death signaling

Mark J. Czaja – 30 December 2003 – Hepatoprotection mediated by free radical scavenging molecules such as dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) arose the question as to whether this effect involved one or several anti‐apoptotic signals. Here, using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes and in vivo thioacetamide‐induced liver failure, we showed that Me2SO failed to prevent any cleavage of initiator caspase‐8 and ‐9 but constantly inhibited procaspase‐3 maturation and apoptosis execution, pointing to an efficient inhibition of cleaved initiator caspase activities.

Challenges of designing hepatic encephalopathy treatment trials

Madhusudhan R. Sanaka, Janus P. Ong, Kevin D. Mullen – 30 December 2003 – Background/Aims: The efficacy and safety of rifaximin in comparison with lactitol in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy was assessed in a prospective randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy, controlled trial. Methods: A total of 103 patients with grade I‐III acute hepatic encephalopathy were randomized to receive rifaximin (50 patients, 1200 mg/day) or lactitol (53 patients, 60 g/day) for 5‐10 days.

Resistance of HBV to adefovir dipivoxil: A case for combination antiviral therapy?

Costica Aloman, Jack R. Wands – 30 December 2003 – Background & Aims: Adefovir dipivoxil effectively inhibits both hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and disease activity in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Resistance to treatment was not observed in 2 recent large placebo‐controlled 48‐week studies with this drug. The aim of this study was to characterize adefovir resistance in a patient who developed clinical and virologic evidence of breakthrough during a 96‐week course of treatment. Methods: HBV DNA was PCR amplified and sequenced.

The NIDDK Liver Transplantation Database

Y L Wei, K M Detre, J E Everhart – 30 December 2003 – The NIDDK Liver Transplantation Database was established to prospectively investigate questions related to the experience of patients evaluated for and undergoing liver transplantation. This article presents the study design, methods, and quality of data collection, along with some of the overall results. Methods: An initial 4‐year planning phase was used to develop data collection instruments and quality control procedures regarding assessment for transplantation, liver donors, and the recipients' pre‐, peri‐ and postoperative course.

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