Prevalence of non A to E hepatitis in Mumbai, India / Prevalencia de la hepatitis no A /E en Mumbai, India

Introduction: Acute viral hepatitis is a common problem in India. World wide data shows that 5 to 20 percent of this is caused by non A-E hepatitis. There is no data in India regarding non A-E hepatitis. We carried out this study to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical features, risk factors and outcome of non A-E hepatitis. Material and methods: In this single centre study, we evaluated all patients admitted with features of acute viral hepatitis at our hospital between the period of February to July 2015. A detailed history about the epidemiology, risk factors and clinical features was done. Patients were evaluated with bilirubin, transaminases and prothrombin time. Each patient was investigated for IgM HAV, IgM HEV, HBsAg and Antibody against hepatitis C. Patients turning out negative were investigated for presence of autoimmune hepatitis or Wilson's disease. All viral markers were repeated a week later to confirm non A-E status. Results: A total 265 patients were included of which 41 (15.4%) patients were non A-E hepatitis. They had higher age (28.55 vs 34.99, p<0.05) but similar gender and sub urban location. Median SEC classification was A2 in hepatitis A/E group as compared to A3 in non A-E group. The duration of symptoms and clinical features between the two groups were similar with Anorexia, Malasie, Nausea/vomiting being most common. The risk factors between the two groups were similar. The bilirubin and transaminases were non significantly lower than hepatitis A/E patients while albumin levels were significantly lower. The outcomes of both groups were similar with no mortality or fulminant hepatitis. Conclusion: Non A-E hepatitis patients tends to be older, lower SEC class and had lower albumin levels as compared to hepatitis A/E

Introdución: La hepatitis viral aguda es un problema común en la India. Los datos mundiales indican que el 5 al 20% es causada por hepatitis no A-E. No hay datos en la India sobre hepatitis no A-E. Objetivo: Se realiza este estudio para evaluar la epidemiología, clínica, factores de riesgo y pronóstico de la hepatitis no A-E. Material y métodos: En este estudio de un solo centro evaluamos a todos los pacientes que se admitieron con clínica de hepatitis viral aguda en nuestro hospital en el periodo de febrero a julio del 2015. Se realizó una historia detallada para evaluar la epidemiología, características clínicas. Se les tomó bilirrubinas, transaminasas y tiempo de protrombina. A cada paciente se le realizó HAV IgM, HEV IgM, HbsAg y anticuerpo anti hepatitis C. Los que fueron negativos se les estudió para hepatitis autoinmune y enfermedad de Wilson. Todos los marcadores virales se repitieron a la semana para confirmar hepatitis no A-E. Resultados: Se incluyeron 256 pacientes, 41 de ellos (15,4%) fueron hepatitis no A-E. Tuvieron más edad (28,55 vs 34,99, p<0,05), pero el mismo género y ubicación urbana. La clasificación media SEC fue A2 en el grupo hepatitis A/E, comparada con 3 en el grupo de no A-E. La duración de los síntomas y el desarrollo clínico fue similar en ambos grupos, siendo la anorexia el malestar general, las náuseas y los vómitos los más frecuentes. El factor de riesgo fue similar, al igual que las transaminasas, mientras que la albúmina fue significativamente menor. El resultado fue similar sin caso alguno de hepatitis fulminante. Conclusión: Los pacientes con hepatitis no A-E tienden a ser mayores, de clase SEC más baja y con valores de albumina más bajos que los pacientes con hepatitis A-E

Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Child with Budd-Chiari Syndrome.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is an uncommon complication described in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome. Case characteristics: A 12-year-old boy with Budd-Chiari syndrome, who was earlier treated with Transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt (TIPS), presented with acute onset hemoperitoneum and hypotension. Outcome: It was diagnosed to be a case of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma. Message: Successful TIPS may not prevent the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, and children with Budd Chiari syndrome should be monitored for the same.

Major hemobilia – experience from a specialist unit in a developing country.

Background and Aim: Hemobilia is a rare but potentially life threatening problem, which can be difficult to diagnose and treat. In the last few decades there has been a change in the etiologic spectrum and management of this problem in the West. The aim of this study was to analyze the etiology, clinical features, management and outcome of major hemobilia in a tertiary referral centre from western India. Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken on 22 patients (16 males, 6 females; mean age 39 years, range 13 to 74) who presented with major hemobilia over a 5-year period. Results: The etiology was iatrogenic in 13 patients (percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage 8, post laparoscopic cholecystectomy 3, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 1, and liver biopsy 1), liver trauma in 6 and liver tumors in 3 patients. Twenty patients presented with gastrointestinal bleeding (melena 20 patients, hemetemesis with melena 8 patients), 5 with jaundice and 8 had fever. Abdominal angiography was performed in 20 patients. Angiography revealed pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery or its branches in 14 patients, left hepatic artery in 2, an arterio-biliary fistula in 1, tumor blush in 1 and the source could not be located in 2 patients. Seventeen of the 22 patients were treated with radiological intervention, 3 required surgery (liver resection for tumors 2, laparotomy for venous collateral bleeding of portal cavernoma 1) and two were managed conservatively. Radiological intervention involved embolisation with coils and/or glue in 16, and chemoembolisation in 1 patient. Sixteen of 17 patients responded to embolisation. Overall there were two deaths. Conclusion: The spectrum of hemobilia seen in India is now similar to that in the developed world with iatrogenic causes being the commonest. Interventional radiology can treat a majority of patients reducing the need and morbidity associated with surgery.

Reversal of Severe Wilson Arthropathy by Liver Transplantation.

Wilson disease is associated with multisystem involvement. We describe a patient of Wilson disease with severe arthropathy, which completely reversed following liver transplantation. This is the first case report in literature describing the complete reversal of Wilson disease related arthropathy by liver transplantation.

Reversal of nail changes after liver transplantation in a child.

We report a 6-year-old girl who received a left-lobe live-related liver transplant for decompensated liver disease after a failed Kasai’s surgery for biliary atresia. Preoperatively, her nails were white, dystrophic, brittle with severe onycholysis, clubbing and watch-glass deformities. Nail scrapings were negative for fungus. Five months after transplantation, her nails had become near normal. There is only one such documented case in literature on reversal of nail changes in an adult.

Hematological problems and liver disease.

There has been significant progress in the understanding of the pathophysiologic basis of common haematological problems like cytopenias, coagulopathies and thrombophilic disorders in the background of liver disease. Diagnosis has improved with newer tests like detection of JAK2 mutation and better radiological imaging. Additionally, therapeutic options have expanded with availability of drugs like activated factor VII and eltrombopeg and improved expertise in procedures like TIPSS for treatment of the Budd-Chiari syndrome. Thus, there is increasing need for coordinated management of these problems by the hematologist and gastroenterologist. This article overviews the interface between hepatology and hematology and elaborates on some of the common problems encountered.

Reversal of severe hepato-pulmonary syndrome in congenital hepatic fibrosis after living-related liver transplantation.

We report a 5-year-old girl with congenital hepatic fibrosis who presented with clubbing and cyanosis. Partial pressure of oxygen was 40 mmHg with oxy-gen saturation of 70% on room air, which improved to 128 mmHg and 92% on inhalation of 100% oxygen. Macroaggregated albumin scan showed 58% shunting to the brain, suggestive of severe hepatopulmonary syndrome. Echocardiogram and pulmonary angiogram ruled out pulmonary hypertension. Four weeks after living-related liver transplantation, she had normal blood gases and reduction in shunting to 7% on macroaggregated albumin scan.

Chronic diarrhea--an unusual presentation of metastatic invasive lobular cancer of breast.

We report a 56-year-old lady with chronic diarrhea and weight loss. She had undergone lumpectomy with axillary clearance (node positive) four years ago for invasive lobular carcinoma of breast. Investigations revealed involvement of almost the entire gut with skip areas. Biopsies from the stomach showed presence of signet-ring cells, suggestive of metastases from invasive lobular carcinoma of breast. Estrogen receptor immuno-staining was positive, confirming the diagnosis. She was treated initially with octreotide and later with chemotherapeutic agents, with transient relief in diarrhea. She succumbed eight months later.

HFE, hepcidin and ferroportin gene mutations are not present in Indian patients with primary haemochromatosis.

BACKGROUND: Primary haemochromatosis is characterized by iron overload in the body tissues. It is common in populations of northern European descent. In such populations, 85%-90% of patients with this disease have a C282Y mutation in the HFE gene. In India, the disease is uncommon and the genetic defects associated with it are unknown. We therefore looked for mutations in the HFE and other genes involved in iron metabolism in Indian patients with primary haemochromatosis. METHODS: Five patients (including a brother-sister pair) with primary haemochromatosis diagnosed on clinical, biochemical and histological findings were studied. Genomic DNA was analysed by sequencing for the presence of mutations in all the 6 exons of the HFE gene and for previously described mutations in genes encoding hepcidin antimicrobial peptide and ferroportin. RESULTS: No patient had the C282Y mutation. One had homozygous H63D mutation. No other mutation was found in any HFE exon. Two previously reported splice site mutations in the HFE gene (IVS3 + 1 G/T and IVS5+1 G/A) were not detected. Four of the 5 patients had an HFE splice site mutation (IVS2 + 4 T/C; homozygous 2, heterozygous 2); however, this change was as frequent in 29 healthy subjects (homozygous 9, heterozygous 7), and was present in only 1 of the sibling pair patients, indicating that this represented a polymorphism. No patient had any of the previously described mutations in the genes for hepcidin and ferroportin. CONCLUSION: Our patients with primary haemochromatosis lacked mutations in the HFE, hepcidin and ferroportin genes. Further genetic analysis may help identify novel mutations responsible for primary haemochromatosis in these patients.

Transjugular liver biopsy--experience in fifty patients.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the safety, adequacy, clinical impact and cost of transjugular liver biopsies performed at our institution. METHODS: Eighty-four biopsies performed in 50 consecutive patients with coagulopathy (INR >1.4; n=20), thrombocytopenia (platelet count <75,000/cmm; n=17), ascites (n=10), or coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia (n=3) from April 1999 to July 2002 were analyzed. Biopsy was performed under local anesthesia with fluoroscopic guidance, using the Quick Core biopsy needle. RESULTS: Ninety-two needle passes were made to obtain 84 samples. Biopsy was technically unsuccessful in two patients because of hepatic vein ostial block; however, the procedure established the diagnosis of blockage of hepatic vein ostia in these patients. Biopsy specimen was adequate for histological examination in 45 patients. The median number of biopsies performed with 18- and 19-gauge needles was 14 and 8, respectively. The biopsy provided diagnostic information in 23 of 50 (46%) patients, and helped in staging or providing prognostic information in 37 (74%) patients. There were no major complications. Minor complications included transient hepatic vein-to-portal vein fistula in 2, transient hepatic vein-biliary fistula in one, local hematoma in 5, and post-procedure fever in 5 patients. The approximate cost of the needle and accessories was Rs. 2000 per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Transjugular liver biopsy was safe, provided adequate tissue in 90% of patients, and helped frequently in diagnosis and in staging or prognostication of disease.

Capsule endoscopy diagnosis of ileal anglodysplasia.

A 59-year-old lady presented with iron-deficiency anemia secondary to occult gastrointestinal bleeding, which had needed multiple transfusions over five years. Standard investigations for gastrointestinal bleeding were normal. Capsule endoscopy, a new technique to visualize the small bowel, revealed angiodysplasia in the ileum. Bowel resection was performed. The patient continues to be well two months after the surgery without bleeding or drop in hemoglobin.