scholarly journals Increased canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) and 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6′-methylresorufin) ester (DGGR) lipase in dogs with evidence of portal hypertension and normal pancreatic histology: a pilot study

2021 ◽  
pp. 104063872110039
Author(s):  
Gonçalo Serrano ◽  
Dominique Paepe ◽  
Tim Williams ◽  
Penny Watson

The clinical presentations of both liver disease and pancreatitis are nonspecific and overlapping, which may cause difficulty in diagnosis. In our retrospective pilot study, we assessed whether dogs with evidence of portal hypertension and absence of pancreatitis on pancreatic histology have increases in canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) and 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6′-methylresorufin) ester (DGGR) lipase. We included dogs that had been presented between 2008 and 2019 if they had normal pancreatic histology, histologically confirmed hepatopathy, and if canine pancreas-specific lipase (Spec cPL; Idexx) or DGGR lipase had been measured. Only dogs with portal hypertension were included. Six dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Four of 6 and 2 of 6 dogs had Spec cPL and DGGR lipase exceeding the upper reference limit, respectively. From the 4 dogs with increased Spec cPL, 2 had concentrations of 200–400 µg/L and 2 had concentrations ≥ 400 µg/L. Our results suggest that canine portal hypertension might lead to increased Spec cPL and DGGR lipase values in the absence of pancreatitis on histology. Until more evidence in a larger number of dogs with portal hypertension is available, both tests should be interpreted cautiously in the presence of portal hypertension.

1954 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 781-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheldon S. Waldstein ◽  
Bruce T. Forsyth ◽  
Edward J. Jahnke

2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (8) ◽  
pp. 326-327 ◽  

Introduction: The umbilical vein can become recanalised due to portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis but the condition is rarely clinically significant. Although bleeding from this enlarged vein is a known complication, the finding of thrombophlebitis has not been previously described. Case report: We report the case of a 62-year-old male with a history of liver cirrhosis due to alcoholic liver disease presenting to hospital with epigastric pain. A CT scan of the patient’s abdomen revealed a thrombus with surrounding inflammatory changes in a recanalised umbilical vein. The patient was managed conservatively and was discharged home the following day. Conclusion: Thrombophlebitis of a recanalised umbilical vein is a rare cause of abdominal pain in patients with liver cirrhosis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh P. Arasaradnam ◽  
Michael McFarlane ◽  
Emma Daulton ◽  
Erik Westenbrink ◽  
Nicola O’Connell ◽  
...  

Background & Aims: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the commonest cause of chronic liver disease in the western world. Current diagnostic methods including Fibroscan have limitations, thus there is a need for more robust non-invasive screening methods. The gut microbiome is altered in several gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders resulting in altered, unique gut fermentation patterns, detectable by analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, breath and faeces. We performed a proof of principle pilot study to determine if progressive fatty liver disease produced an altered urinary VOC pattern; specifically NAFLD and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).Methods: 34 patients were recruited: 8 NASH cirrhotics (NASH-C); 7 non-cirrhotic NASH; 4 NAFLD and 15 controls. Urine was collected and stored frozen. For assay, the samples were defrosted and aliquoted into vials, which were heated to 40±0.1°C and the headspace analyzed by FAIMS (Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectroscopy). A previously used data processing pipeline employing a Random Forrest classification algorithm and using a 10 fold cross validation method was applied.Results: Urinary VOC results demonstrated sensitivity of 0.58 (0.33 - 0.88), but specificity of 0.93 (0.68 - 1.00) and an Area Under Curve (AUC) 0.73 (0.55 -0.90) to distinguish between liver disease and controls. However, NASH/NASH-C was separated from the NAFLD/controls with a sensitivity of 0.73 (0.45 - 0.92), specificity of 0.79 (0.54 - 0.94) and AUC of 0.79 (0.64 - 0.95), respectively.Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that urinary VOCs detection may offer the potential for early non-invasive characterisation of liver disease using 'smell prints' to distinguish between NASH and NAFLD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 08 (11) ◽  
pp. E1623-E1632
Author(s):  
Carlos Robles-Medranda ◽  
Roberto Oleas ◽  
Miguel Puga-Tejada ◽  
Manuel Valero ◽  
Raquel Del Valle ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and study aims Assessment of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-elastography of the liver and spleen may identify patients with portal hypertension secondary to chronic liver disease. We aimed to evaluate use of EUS-elastography of the liver and spleen in identification of portal hypertension in patients with chronic liver disease. Patients and methods This was a single-center, diagnostic cohort study. Consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension underwent EUS-elastography of the liver and spleen. Patients without a history of liver disease were enrolled as controls. The primary outcome was diagnostic yield of liver and spleen stiffness measurement via EUS-elastography in prediction of portal hypertension secondary to chronic liver cirrhosis. Cutoff values were defined through Youden’s index. Overall accuracy was calculated for parameters with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve ≥ 80 %. Results Among the 61 patients included, 32 had cirrhosis of the liver. Liver and spleen stiffness was measured by the strain ratio and strain histogram, with sensitivity/(1 − specificity) AUROC values ≥ 80 %. For identification of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, the liver strain ratio (SR) had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 84.3 %, 82.8 %, 84.4 %, and 82.8 %, respectively; the liver strain histogram (SH) had values of 87.5 %, 69.0 %, 75.7 %, and 83.3 %, respectively. EUS elastography of the spleen via the SR reached a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 87.5 %, 69.0 %, 75.7 %, and 83.3 %, respectively, whereas the values of SH were 56.3 %, 89.7 %, 85.7 %, and 65.0 %, respectively. Conclusion Endoscopic ultrasonographic elastography of the liver and spleen is useful for diagnosis of portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Massimo Padalino ◽  
Liliana Chemello ◽  
Luisa Cavalletto ◽  
Annalisa Angelini ◽  
Marny Fedrigo

The Fontan operation is the current surgical procedure to treat single-ventricle congenital heart disease, by splitting the systemic and pulmonary circulations and thus permitting lifespan to adulthood for the majority of newborns. However, emerging data are showing that Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) is an increasing related cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with the Fontan circuit. We described the clinical, laboratory, and transient elastography (TE) findings in a case series of adults with the Fontan circuit, and also correlated data with post-mortem histological features, aimed to define the prognostic value of TE in the staging of FALD. All patients presented signs of a long-standing Fontan failure, characterized by reoperation need, systemic ventricle dysfunction, and FALD stigmata (liver and spleen enlargement, portal vein and inferior vena cava dilation, and abnormal liver function tests). Liver and spleen stiffness (LS and SS) values were indicative of significant liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and the presence of suggestive portal hypertension (LS mean 35.9; range 27.3–44.7 kPa; SS mean 42.1, range 32.2–54.5 kPa). Post-mortem evaluations confirmed a gross hepatic architecture distortion in all cases. All patients died from severe complications related to liver dysfunction and bleeding. TE correlated well with pathological findings and FALD severity. We propose this validated and harmless technique to monitor liver fibrosis extension and portal hypertension over time in Fontan patients, and to identify the optimal timing for surgical reoperations or orthotopic-heart transplantation (OHT), avoiding a higher risk of morbidity and mortality in cases with severe FALD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-104
Author(s):  
Avinash Aujayeb ◽  
Donna Wakefield

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue is well described. Fatigue in patients with a malignant pleural effusion (MPE) has not been directly studied. Methods: A prospective observational cohort pilot study ‘Do Interventions for Malignant Pleural Effusions (MPE) impact on patient reported fatigue levels (IMPE-F study)’ is planned to determine whether pleural interventions reduce fatigue in MPE. Fatigue will be assessed with a validated patient reported outcome measure, FACIT-F. Discussion: MPE-F has funding from Rocket Medical Plc, and is part of a Masters in Clinical Research at Newcastle University. Respondent fatigue will be addressed by the investigators going through the questionnaire with the participants. Inclusion criteria are all patients above 18 years of age with a presumed MPE undergoing a procedure and able to consent. The expected number of participants is 50. Trial registration: The IMPE-F study has Research Ethics Committee (REC) [20/YH/0224] and Health Research Authority (HRA) and Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW) approvals [IRAS project ID: 276451]. The study has been adopted on National Institute for Health Research portfolio [CPMS ID 46430].


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