[Results and outcomes of band ligation among 95 cases with esophageal varices in Taleghani Hospital between 2002 and 2007]

Endoscopic Variceal Ligation [EVL] is considered the selective method of therapy for patients who suffer from esophageal varices. In this article we evaluated the results and outcomes of patients who underwent EVL with multiband ligators due to their esophageal varices. We studied 95 cases of esophageal varices who underwent EVL at Taleghani Hospital between 2002 and 2007. EVL was applied because of active bleeding, primary or secondary prophylaxis for esophageal varice of grade 2 or above. The process was repeated every 3-4 weeks until the varices were occluded or become to grade 1 varices or small thrombosed ones. Their demographaic data were gathered and analyzed as well as all the 1 informations about their recent procedure. Our studied subjects had the mean age of 51.53 +/- 15.31 [ranged from 15 to 81]. The average number of sessions for performing EVL were 1.81 +/- 1.07 [ranged between 1 and 8 times]. The mostprevalent cause for applying EVL was active bleeding. Complications were significantly more in patients whom were candidated for EVL by reason of active bleeding, compared to those who underwent EVL for either primary or secondary prophylactic reasons [P=0.02]. Among cases who had developed any complications, the numbers of ligation sessions were significantly more than other patients [2.58 +/- 1.25 vs 1.40 +/- 0.66, P<0.001]. There was no case of death due to this mode of therapy. EVL as a selective mode of therapy for treatment of esophageal varices possesses a few cosequential complications and its application, therfore, is reasonable

[Liver steatosis and chronic hepatitis-B infection: viral and host risk factors]

Liver steatosis and chronic hepatitis B infection are the most common causes of chronic liver diseases in Iran. There have been a limited number of studies throughout the world, evaluating the association of hepatitis B infection and steatosis. We studied the association between some of viral and host factors and the presence of steatosis among patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. In this analytical cross-sectional study, 71 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were preliminarily assessed by liver biopsy. The patients were divided into two groups based on either presence or absence of steatosis in liver tissue. These two groups were compared in terms of different host and viral factors along with their stage of fibrosis. Of 71 patients, 30 [42.3%] had significant steatosis [in >5% of hepatocytes, according to Brunt classification]. Sex and gender were not significantly different in 2 groups. The mean BMI, serum levels of FBS, cholesterol, TG, GGT, were significantly higher in steatosis group compared to those of non-steatosis one [P<0.05]. In contrast, the mean levels of AST, ALT, ALK-P were not significantly different in these groups. The frequency of HBeAg positivity and the mean level of viral load of two groups had no significant difference. There was also no significant difference in the mean stages of fibrosis between two groups. It seems that certain metabolic hosts factors such as BMI, FBS, cholesterol, TG, GGT are associated with steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection while such an association was not found with the evaluated viral factors. We suggest further investigations to evaluate the role of other factors [such as HBV genotype] in the future