The Impact of Thromboelastography on Decreasing Blood Product Usage in Liver Transplantation

At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was discovered in China, causing the coronavirus infection COVID-19. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses a major challenge to health systems around the world. There is still little information on how infection affects liver function and the significance of pre-existing liver disease as a risk factor for infection and severe COVID-19. In addition, some drugs used to treat the new coronavirus infection are hepatotoxic. In this article, we analyze data on the impact of COVID-19 on liver function, as well as on the course and outcome of COVID-19 in patients with liver disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma, or those on immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation.

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The Impact of Time Interval between Hepatic Resection and Liver Transplantation on Clinical Outcome in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13102398 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 2398

Author(s):

Matteo Serenari ◽

Enrico Prosperi ◽

Marc-Antoine Allard ◽

Michele Paterno ◽

Nicolas Golse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Liver Transplantation ◽

Hepatic Resection ◽

Primary Outcome ◽

Polynomial Regression ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Time Interval ◽

Comprehensive Complication Index ◽

Fractional Polynomial ◽

The Impact

Hepatic resection (HR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may require secondary liver transplantation (SLT). However, a previous HR is supposed to worsen post-SLT outcomes. Data of patients treated by SLT between 2000 and 2018 at two tertiary referral centers were analyzed. The primary outcome of the study was to analyze the impact of HR on post-LT complications. A Comprehensive Complication Index ≥ 29.6 was chosen as cutoff. The secondary outcome was HCC-related death by means of competing-risk regression analysis. In the study period, 140 patients were included. Patients were transplanted in a median of 23 months after HR (IQR 14–41). Among all the features analyzed regarding the prior HR, only time interval between HR and SLT (time HR-SLT) was an independent predictor of severe complications after LT (OR = 0.98, p < 0.001). According to fractional polynomial regression, the probability of severe complications increased up to 15 months after HR (43%), then slowly decreased over time (OR = 0.88, p < 0.001). There was no significant association between HCC-related death and time HR-SLT at the multivariable competing risks regression model (SHR, 1.06; 95% CI: 0.69–1.62, p = 0.796). This study showed that time HR-SLT was key in predicting complications after LT, without affecting HCC-related death.

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Target Therapies for NASH/NAFLD: From the Molecular Aspect to the Pharmacological and Surgical Alternatives

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11060499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 499

Author(s):

Michele Finotti ◽

Maurizio Romano ◽

Pasquale Auricchio ◽

Michele Scopelliti ◽

Marco Brizzolari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplantation ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Hepatic Disease ◽

Lifestyle Modifications ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Target Therapies ◽

Chronic Hepatic Disease ◽

The Impact ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represents an increasing cause of chronic hepatic disease in recent years. This condition usually arises in patients with multiple comorbidities, the so-called metabolic syndrome. The therapeutic options are multiple, ranging from lifestyle modifications, pharmacological options, to liver transplantation in selected cases. The choice of the most beneficial one and their interactions can be challenging. It is mandatory to stratify the patients according to the severity of their disease to tailor the available treatments. In our contribution, we review the most recent pharmacological target therapies, the role of bariatric surgery, and the impact of liver transplantation on the NAFLD outcome.

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