scholarly journals Application of mNGS in the Etiological Diagnosis of Thoracic and Abdominal Infection in Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease

Author(s):  
Hongmei Chen ◽  
Ye Zhang ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Lei Shi ◽  
Yingli He ◽  
...  

BackgroundDespite the obvious advantages of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in etiological diagnosis of various infectious diseases, there are few reports on etiological diagnosis of suspected thoracic and abdominal infections in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).MethodsSeventy-three ESLD patients were enrolled from January 2019 to May 2021 due to suspected complicated thoracic and abdominal infections with poor response to empirical anti-infective treatment. Pleural effusion and ascites samples of these patients were collected for mNGS detection and conventional pathogen culture. The application value of mNGS in etiological diagnosis of thoracic and abdominal infections in ESLD patients was finally evaluated.ResultsA total of 96 pathogens were detected using mNGS method, including 47 bacteria, 32 viruses, 14 fungi, 2 Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 1 parasite. The positive rate of mNGS reached 42.5%, which was significantly higher than that of conventional culture method (21.9%) (p = 0.008). Considering neutrophil counts, the overall positive rate of bacteria detection of both methods in Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils (PMN) ≥250/mm3 group was 64.3% and in PMN <250/mm3 group was 23.7%. Compared with the final clinical diagnosis, the agreement rate of mNGS in patients with positive bacteria detection and with suspected positive bacteria detection was 78.6% (11/14) and 44.4% (8/18), respectively. In addition, the agreement rate of mNGS was 66.7% (4/6, respectively) in patients with positive and suspected fungal detection. Interestingly, of the 11 patients with fungal detection, 5 had alcoholic liver disease, accounting for 45.5% of all patients with alcoholic liver disease. We also detected 32 strains of viruses using mNGS, mainly cytomegalovirus (62.5%).ConclusionsThe mNGS method is a useful supplement to conventional culture methods, which performs a higher positive rate, higher sensitivity, and broader pathogen spectrum, especially for rare pathogens and those difficult to culture. For ESLD patients, mNGS has great prospects in early etiological diagnosis of thoracic and abdominal infections. In addition, the cutoff values for the diagnosis of bacterial infection (PMN ≥250/mm3) in the thoracic and abdominal cavities may need to be redefined.

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liana Gheorghe ◽  
Ioan Sporea ◽  
Speranţa Iacob ◽  
Roxana Şirli ◽  
Anca Trifan ◽  
...  

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania, the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments became available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country.Methodology: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines. A list of items requiring attention has been created. These items were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus.Recommendations: We present here the first of the two parts of our Society’s recommendations for chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement was reached regarding the diagnostic tools, the assessment of severity and the up-dated therapy schedules.Conclusions: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other guidelines but are applied to the real-life conditions in this country.Abbreviations: DAAs: Direct-acting antivirals; DDIs: Drug-drug interactions; ESLD: End-stage liver disease; ESRD: End-stage renal disease; eGFR: Estimated glomerular filtration rate; EASL: European Association for the Study of the Liver; EMA: European Medicines Agency; FDA: US Food and Drug Administration; FDC: Fixed-dose combination; GT: Genotype; GRADE: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; LT: Liver transplantation; LLD: Lower limit of detection; MELD score: Mayo-Clinic End-Stage Liver Disease score; ANMDM: National Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices; PPIs: Proton pump inhibitors; PWID: People who inject drugs; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; RDT: Rapid diagnostic test; RAS: Resistance-associated substitution; SRGH: Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; SAE: serious adverse events; SPC: Summary of Product Characteristics; SVR: Sustained virologic response.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liana Gheorghe ◽  
Ioan Sporea ◽  
Speranța Iacob ◽  
Roxana Șirli ◽  
Anca Trifan ◽  
...  

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania, the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments have become available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country.Methodology: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines. A list of items requiring attention was created and these were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus.Recommendations: We present here the second part of the Society’s recommendations for chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement between experts was reached regarding the therapy of the special categories of patients infected with HCV, complications and monitoring of the therapy, follow-up of the patients who reached sustained virologic response and re-treatment of the patients with therapy failure.Conclusions: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other guidelines but are applied to real-life conditions in Romania. Abbreviations: CKD: Chronic kidney disease; DAAs: Direct-acting antivirals; DDIs: Drug-drug interactions; ESDL: End-stage liver disease; FCH: Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis; GT: Genotype; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; LT: Liver transplantation; MELD score: Mayo-Clinic End-Stage Liver Disease score; PDC: Premature discontinuation; PWID: Persons who inject drugs; RASs: Resistance associated substitutions; RBV: Ribavirin; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; SAE: Serious adverse events; SRGH: Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; SVR: Sustained virologic response.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odilson Marcos Silvestre ◽  
Fernando Bacal ◽  
Danusa de Souza Ramos ◽  
Jose L. Andrade ◽  
Meive Furtado ◽  
...  

Gut ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. gutjnl-2021-324879
Author(s):  
Luca Saverio Belli ◽  
Christophe Duvoux ◽  
Paolo Angelo Cortesi ◽  
Rita Facchetti ◽  
Speranta Iacob ◽  
...  

ObjectiveExplore the impact of COVID-19 on patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT) and on their post-LT course.DesignData from consecutive adult LT candidates with COVID-19 were collected across Europe in a dedicated registry and were analysed.ResultsFrom 21 February to 20 November 2020, 136 adult cases with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 33 centres in 11 European countries were collected, with 113 having COVID-19. Thirty-seven (37/113, 32.7%) patients died after a median of 18 (10–30) days, with respiratory failure being the major cause (33/37, 89.2%). The 60-day mortality risk did not significantly change between first (35.3%, 95% CI 23.9% to 50.0%) and second (26.0%, 95% CI 16.2% to 40.2%) waves. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed Laboratory Model for End-stage Liver Disease (Lab-MELD) score of ≥15 (Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score 15–19, HR 5.46, 95% CI 1.81 to 16.50; MELD score≥20, HR 5.24, 95% CI 1.77 to 15.55) and dyspnoea on presentation (HR 3.89, 95% CI 2.02 to 7.51) being the two negative independent factors for mortality. Twenty-six patients underwent an LT after a median time of 78.5 (IQR 44–102) days, and 25 (96%) were alive after a median follow-up of 118 days (IQR 31–170).ConclusionsIncreased mortality in LT candidates with COVID-19 (32.7%), reaching 45% in those with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) and Lab-MELD score of ≥15, was observed, with no significant difference between first and second waves of the pandemic. Respiratory failure was the major cause of death. The dismal prognosis of patients with DC supports the adoption of strict preventative measures and the urgent testing of vaccination efficacy in this population. Prior SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infection did not affect early post-transplant survival (96%).


Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelrahman Mohamed Baz ◽  
Rana Magdy Mohamed ◽  
Khaled Helmy El-kaffas

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is a multi-etiological entity that alters the hepatic functions and vascularity by varying grades. Hereby, a cross-sectional study enrolling 100 cirrhotic patients (51 males and 49 females), who were diagnosed clinically and assessed by model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, then correlated to the hepatic Doppler parameters and ultrasound (US) findings of hepatic decompensation like ascites and splenomegaly. Results By Doppler and US, splenomegaly was evident in 49% of patients, while ascites was present in 44% of them. Increased hepatic artery velocity (HAV) was found in70% of cases, while 59% showed reduced portal vein velocity (PVV). There was a statistically significant correlation between HAV and MELD score (ρ = 0.000), but no significant correlation with either hepatic artery resistivity index (HARI) (ρ = 0.675) or PVV (ρ =0.266). Moreover, HAV had been correlated to splenomegaly (ρ = 0.000), whereas HARI (ρ = 0.137) and PVV (ρ = 0.241) did not significantly correlate. Also, ascites had correlated significantly to MELD score and HAV (ρ = 0.000), but neither HARI (ρ = 0.607) nor PVV (ρ = 0.143) was significantly correlated. Our results showed that HAV > 145 cm/s could confidently predict a high MELD score with 62.50% and 97.62 % sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion Doppler parameters of hepatic vessels (specifically HAV) in addition to the US findings of hepatic decompensation proved to be a non-invasive and cost-effective imaging tool for severity assessment in cirrhotic patients (scored by MELD); they could be used as additional prognostic parameters for improving the available treatment options and outcomes.


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