Hosny W. M. Seda, Robin D. Hughes, Christopher D. Gove, Roger Williams – 1 January 1984 – Among the toxins accumulating in the circulation of patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) are substances which inhibit leucocyte ouabain‐sensitive sodium transport. A similar inhibition of brain Na+,K+−ATPase could lead to both coma and cerebral edema found in these patients which are associated with high mortality. In this study, we have investigated the effect of sera from FHF on normal rat brain Na+,K+−ATPase activity in vitro.

Luigi E. Adinolfi, Riccardo Utili, Giovanni B. Gaeta, Charles O. Abernathy, Hyman J. Zimmerman – 1 January 1984 – Estradiol‐17β‐D‐glucuronide (E‐17G), a metabolite of natural estrogen, is a potent cholestatic agent in vivo. We, therefore, studied the mechanisms of E‐17G cholestasis using in vitro perfused rat liver system. Furthermore, since it has been postulated that sodium taurocholate (TC) may interfere with either uptake or biliary excretion of other steroid agents, we tested whether E‐17G cholestasis could be modified by TC administration.

Stefan Lindgren, Anna‐Brita Laurell, Sten Eriksson – 1 January 1984 – Total complement activity was normal in 18 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis using two hemolytic assays capable of distinguishing between defects in classical and alternative pathways. Activation of the classical pathway was demonstrated in all patients by formation of complexes between C1r, C1s, and C1 inactivator. Large amounts of free C1q, not in complex with C1r and C1s, were demonstrated in the majority of patient sera. Furthermore, C4 levels were within the normal range or slightly subnormal.

Ruud A. F. Krom, Chris H. Gips, Hendrik J. Houthoff, Douglas Newton, Dirk V. D. Waaij, José Beelen, Elizabeth B. Haagsma, Maarten J. H. Slooff – 1 January 1984 – From March, 1979 to March, 1983, 26 orthotopic liver transplantations and 1 retransplantation were performed in our center. Sixteen patients are alive, 5 beyond22 years and 1 longer than 4 years after transplantation. The actuarial 1– and 2–year survival is 60%. Factors contributing to this result are patient selection and biliary anastomosis.

Rudolf Pichlmayr, CH. Brölsch, K. Wonigeit, P. Neuhaus, S. Siegismund, F.–W. Schmidt, M. Burdelski – 1 January 1984

Kunio Okuda, Hiroshi Obata, Yukio Nakajima, Toshio Ohtsuki, Nobuo Okazaki, Kunihiko Ohnishi – 1 January 1984 – Prognosis of 600 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was analyzed in relation to treatment. They were divided into three stages based on four parameters of advanced disease: ascites, tumor greater than 50% of the two‐dimensional size of the liver, serum albumin below 3 gm per dl, and serum bilirubin above 3 mg per dl. Stage I had none of these signs; Stage II one or two signs, and Stage III three or all signs.

Dale C. Snover, Sally A. Weisdorf, Norma K. Ramsay, Philip Mcglave, John H. Kersey – 1 January 1984 – Ninety‐six liver biopsies [32 bone marrow transplant (BMT), 7 pre‐BMT, and 57 non‐BMT] are reviewed for histological evidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD), based on bile duct atypia and related inflammatory changes. In addition, the presence of cholestasis, piecemeal necrosis, and attachment of lymphocytes to vascular endothelium (endothelialitis) are evaluated.

Adolf Stiehl, Richard Raedsch, Gerda Rudolph, Siegfried Walker – 1 January 1984 – In five patients with radiolucent gallstones, the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (Urso) in doses of 250, 500, 750, 1,000, and 1,250 mg per day on biliary lipid and bile acid composition was studied. Biliary cholesterol decreased from 8.8 ± 0.8 mole% to 4.4 ± 0.2 mole% at 500 mg Urso per day (7.1 mg per kg) and to 4.2 ± 0.3 mole% at 750 mg Urso per day (10.7 mg per kg). Administration of 1,000 or 1,250 mg Urso per day produced no further decrease of biliary cholesterol.

Jean‐Claude Barbare, Raoul Poupon, Patrice Jaillon, Philippe Bories, Michele Aussanaire, François Darnis, Henri Michel, Georges Cheymol – 1 January 1984 – We studied the influence of posterior pituitary extract, vasopressin, and somatostatin on hepatic elimination function. Hepatic clearance and its two biological determinants, hepatic blood flow and metabolic activity (clearance Vmax/Km), were determined from hepatic indocyanine green elimination at steady‐state in cirrhotic patients.

Bruce F. Scharschmidt – 1 January 1984 – The results of liver transplantation in a total of 540 patients from four centers in the United States and Western Europe have been collated. Twenty‐five per cent of all transplants were performed for neoplastic disease. One– and 3–year survivals for this group were approximately 26 and 12% overall, and survival differed little for patients transplanted before and after January 1, 1980. Among the 44% of patients transplanted for endstage cirrhosis, 3–year survival was lowest for patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (20%).