Ronald L. Koretz, Harold O. Conn – 1 July 1987 – The effect of peritoneovenous shunting on body composition has been studied in 7 cirrhotic patients undergoing a successful shunt and 3 patients in whom the shunt was unsuccessful. In the 7 patients with functioning shunts, their weight had decreased by a mean of 9 kg (p < 0.001) by 6 wk after initial diuresis, natriuresis, and kaliuresis, and was associated with a decrease in total body potassium (TBK) but not total body nitrogen (TBN).

I. M. Murray‐Lyon – 1 July 1987 – The accidental finding of raised levels of serum aminotransferase levels may lead to extensive investigations of the liver in apparently healthy people. To identify diagnostic groups and their need for investigations, we have evaluated the results of all investigative procedures carried out in 149 asymptomatic patients with persistently raised serum levels of aminotransferases. Fatty liver was found in 64%. These patients often had a high body weight. A high alcohol intake and diabetes mellitus were also noted.

Jill E. Maddison, Peter R. Dodd, Murray Morrison, Graham A. R. Johnston, Geoffrey C. Farrell – 1 July 1987 – Plasma γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)‐like activity, plasma GABA and the brain GABA‐benzodiazepine receptor complex were studied in rats with chronic hepatic encephalopathy. Portal vein ligation (after prior subcutaneous transposition of the spleen) results in complete portal bypass of splanchnic blood. In addition, significant hepatocellular damage was superimposed on this model of portosystemic shunting by ligation of the common bile duct.

Stephan Schäfer, Ottwin Zerbe, Axel M. Gressner – 1 July 1987 – Fat‐storing cells (perisinusoidal stellate cells) were isolated by enzymatic digestion of rat liver and purified by a single‐step Nycodenz ® gradient to yield 11.4·106 cells per liver, with a purity of 74% and a viability of 76%. Monolayer cultures of fat‐storing cells incorporated both [35S]sulfate and [3H]glucosamine into glycosaminoglycans; the rate of incorporation increased with culture time (3‐fold between the third and eighth days in culture). About 80% of newly formed glycosaminoglycans were secreted into the medium.

Massimo Colombo, Silvia Oldani, Maria F. Donato, Mauro Borzio, Raffaele Santese, Luigi Roffi, Paolo Viganó, Antonietta Cargnel – 1 July 1987 – We studied the risk of posttransfusion hepatitis in recipients of blood collected from volunteer donors who tested negative for HBsAg and had serum ALT levels less than 1.5 times the upper limit of the normal range. Between October, 1983 and September, 1984, 676 consecutive patients who needed blood or plasma transfusions during or after elective surgery, who had no history of liver disease and had never received blood previously, were studied.

Hans Popper, David A. Shafritz, Jay H. Hoofnagle – 1 July 1987

Milog Sovak – 1 July 1987 – The “congestion index” is used to mean the ratio between the cross‐sectional area (cm2) and the blood flow velocity (cm/sec) of the portal vein, as determined by a duplex Doppler system. The indices as determined in normal subjects and patients with liver disease were as follows: normal subjects (n = 85), 0.070 ± 0.029 cm × sec; acute hepatitis (n = 11), 0.071 ± 0.014 cm × sec; chronic active hepatitis (n = 42), 0.119 ± 0.084 cm × sec; cirrhosis (n = 72), 0.171 ± 0.075 cm × sec; and idiopathic portal hypertension (n = 11), 0.180 ± 0.107 cm × sec.

Antoine Hadengue, Samuel S. Lee, Richard Moreau, Alain Braillon, Didier Lebrec – 1 July 1987 – We studied the acute effects of ketanserin, a serotonin S2 antagonist, on systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics in 11 patients with cirrhosis. Mean arterial pressure decreased moderately but significantly after ketanserin. This effect was maximal at 5 min and correlated to the severity of cirrhosis. Cardiac index and systemic vascular resistance were not significantly changed.

Myron J. Tong, Richard E. Sampliner, Sugantha Govindarajan, Ruth L. Co – 1 July 1987 – Eleven patients of Chinese origin experienced spontaneous reactivation of chronic active hepatitis B. Eight HBsAg‐positive patients were followed for an average of 15 months prior to, while three others presented during reactivation. Fatigue, hepatomegaly and jaundice were frequent findings. Elevation of both serum ALT (average = 1,212 units per liter) and hepatitis B virus DNA levels were noted in all patients, and reactivation lasted an average of 4.4 months.

J. A. McDonald, L. Caruso, P. Karayiannis, L. J. Scully, J. R. W. Harris, G. E. Forster, H. C. Thomas – 1 July 1987 – In a randomized controlled trial, 41 chronic hepatitis B virus carriers were allocated, by opening numbered computerized randomization envelopes, to receive recombinant interferon‐α2A at three different doses: 2.5; 5.0, and 10.0 mU per m2. Thirty‐two patients received treatment (6 for 3 months, 26 for 6 months), and 9 patients were controls (received no treatment). Ninety‐three per cent of our patients were homosexual, and 41% had anti‐HTLV‐III in their serum