Hidatidosis mesentérica y hepática en la costa caribe colombiana. Reporte de caso / Mesenteric and hepatic hydatid disease on the Colombian Caribbean coast. Case report

Introducción. La hidatidosis o equinococosis es una zoonosis parasitaria que se adquiere al ingerir huevos de cestodos del género Echinococcus. El diagnóstico clínico raramente se hace en sitios no endémicos. La mayoría de los pacientes se encuentran asintomáticos y los hallazgos incidentales en los estudios de imágenes o en procedimientos quirúrgicos permiten la sospecha diagnóstica. Caso clínico. Paciente masculino de 70 años, residente en área rural del municipio de Puerto Libertador, departamento de Córdoba, Colombia, quien consultó por masa abdominal en epigastrio y mesogastrio, parcialmente móvil e indolora. Resultados. En cirugía se identificaron lesiones quísticas mesentérica y hepática. Después de la cirugía y mediante estudios de inmunohistoquímica, se confirmó el diagnóstico de quiste hidatídico. El paciente tuvo una evolución satisfactoria. Conclusión. La hidatidosis quística mesentérica y hepática sintomática es una enfermedad rara en sitios no endémicos, donde la cirugía constituye un pilar fundamental en el diagnóstico y tratamiento, sumado al manejo médico farmacológico.

Introduction. Hydatidosis or echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonosis that is acquired by ingesting eggs of cestodes of the genus Echinococcus. Clinical diagnosis is rarely made in non-endemic sites. Most patients are asymptomatic and incidental findings on imaging studies or surgical procedures allow for diagnostic suspicion. Clinical case. A 70-year-old male patient, resident in a rural area of the municipality of Puerto Libertador, department of Córdoba, Colombia, who consulted for an abdominal mass in the epigastrium and mesogastrium, partially mobile and painless. Results. In surgery, mesenteric and hepatic cystic lesions were identified. After surgery and through immunohistochemistry studies, the diagnosis of hydatid cyst was confirmed. The patient had a satisfactory evolution. Conclusion. Symptomatic mesenteric and hepatic cystic hydatidosis is a rare disease in non-endemic sites, where surgery constitutes a fundamental pillar in the diagnosis and treatment in addition to pharmacological medical management.

Manifestaciones dermatológicas de la cirrosis hepática: revisión de la literatura / Dermatological manifestations of liver cirrhosis: review of the literature

La piel y sus anexos tienen amplia relación con todos los órganos y sistemas. Los cambios presentes en estos pueden ser el primer hallazgo en un paciente con enfermedad hepática, encontrándose hasta en el 20 % de los casos, por lo que las manifestaciones extrahepáticas adquieren importancia, y aunque muchas de estas no son específicas, algunos marcadores dermatológicos pueden ayudar al diagnóstico de la enfermedad y se pueden correlacionar con su severidad. El desarrollo de las lesiones cutáneas en los pacientes con cirrosis hepática se genera principalmente por hipertensión portal y exceso de estrógenos circulantes, por lo tanto, su tratamiento se basa en el manejo de la patología hepática subyacente. En el presente artículo se hace una revisión de la literatura y se describe un amplio espectro de manifestaciones dermatológicas asociadas a cirrosis hepática, con sus características y etiopatogénesis, siendo las más frecuentes la ictericia, el prurito, los nevus en araña, el eritema palmar, las venas en cabeza de Medusa, y los cambios de uñas y del vello, entre otras.

The skin and its annexes have a broad relationship with all organs and systems. Changes present in these can be the initial finding in a patient with liver disease, occurring in up to 20% of cases, therefore the extrahepatic manifestations become important, and although many of these are not specific, some dermatological markers can help in the diagnosis of the disease and may correlate with its severity. The development of cutaneous lesions in patients with liver cirrhosis is mainly generated by portal hypertension and excess of circulating estrogens, therefore their treatment is based on managing the underlying liver pathology. This article reviews the literature and describes a wide range of dermatological manifestations associated with liver cirrhosis, with their characteristics and etiopathogenesis, being the most frequent jaundice, pruritus, spider nevus, palmar erythema, caput Medusae veins, nail and hair changes, among others.

Histological findings and NAFLD/NASH Status in liver biopsies of patients subjected to bariatric surgery

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatic fibrosis in biopsies of people with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery and examine the possible association of different variables with a diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH. Materials and methods: Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data from 574 individuals with obesity of both genders seen by the same physician between 2003 and 2009 who had a liver biopsy during bariatric surgery were examined. Results: Of the 437 patients included, 39.8% had some degree of liver fibrosis, 95% had a histologic diagnosis of NAFLD, and the risk factors were age ≥ 28 years and Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA) ≥ 2.5 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively). In the NAFLD group, NASH was present in 26% of patients and the associated factors were aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase index (AST/ALT) > 1, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) < 40 mg/dL, total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 200 mg/dL, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) > 38 U/L and triglycerides (TG) levels > 150 mg/dL. The independent risk factors were low HDL-c, elevated AST/ALT and high TG. Conclusion: The variables associated with a diagnosis of NAFLD were HOMA ≥ 2.5 and age ≥ 28 years. NASH was associated with low HDL-c, high TG and AST/ALT ≤ 1.

Impact of pre-operative weight loss on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease histopathology and insulin resistance in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery: a propensity matched cross-sectional comparison

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The effect of weight loss (WL) on histopathological aspects of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may provide further insights into the dynamics of hepatic recovery after WL. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of pre-operative WL on insulin resistance- and NAFLD-related histology in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery (BS) with or without pre-operative WL. DESIGN AND SETTING: A matched cross-sectional study was conducted at a public university hospital and a private clinic in Campinas, Brazil. METHODS: An analytical, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted using prospectively collected databases of individuals who underwent BS and liver biopsy at either a public tertiary university hospital (with pre-operative WL) or a private clinic (without pre-operative WL). Random electronic matching by gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) was performed and two paired groups of 24 individuals each were selected. RESULTS: Of the 48 participants, 75% were female. The mean age was 37.4 ± 9.6. The mean BMI was 38.9 ± 2.6 kg/m2. Fibrosis was the most common histopathological abnormality (91.7%). Glucose was significantly lower in the WL group (92 ± 19.1 versus 111.8 ± 35.4 mg/dL; P = 0.02). Significantly lower frequencies of macrovesicular steatosis (58.3% versus 95.8%; P = 0.004), microvesicular steatosis (12.5% versus 87.5%; P < 0.001), and portal inflammation (50% versus 87.5%; P = 0.011) were observed in the WL group. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative WL was significantly associated with lower frequencies of macro- and mi- crovesicular steatosis, portal inflammation, and lower glycemia, indicating an association between the recent trajectory of body weight and histological aspects of NAFLD.

Tabla de la normalidad de las pruebas psicométricas para el diagnóstico de encefalopatía hepática subclínica en la población Dominicana / Score of normality psychometric tests for the diagnosis of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in the Dominican Population

Introducción: La encefalopatía hepática mínima (EHM), es una enfermedad definida por la existencia de varias alteraciones neurofisiológicas, indetectables a la exploración neurológica y el examen clínico. Dentro de las estrategias diagnosticas para la EHM se contemplan las pruebas psicométricas (PHE), pero para su aplicación es indispensable la estandarización previamente en la población de estudio. Objetivo: El estudio se propuso determinar la tabla de la normalidad de las PHE para diagnosticar la encefalopatía hepática subclínica en una muestra de la población dominicana. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, prospectivo y transversal en un hospital de referencia nacional. Se analizaron 134 personas clasificados por grupos de edades (18-70 años de edad) y años de escolaridad. Se diseñó una tabla de 5x5. Se estudió la influencia de la edad, sexo, uso de espejuelo y de los años de escolarización en el rendimiento de cada uno de las PHE, para lo cual se utilizaron las siguientes pruebas estadísticas: análisis de varianza (ANOVA), prueba t de Student y regresión lineal. Resultado: La escolaridad y la edad fueron variables determinantes en el desempeño de las 5 pruebas psicométricas. Pero, la correlación univariable de la edad con el desempeño de la prueba TMS no hubo diferencias intra e inter grupos estadísticamente significativas (p>0.171). Conclusión: se confecciono la fórmula de predicción de resultados de los test psicométricos. Ninguno sobrepasó el punto de corte de la puntuación que oscila entre los -4 y los +2 puntos.

Introduction: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a disease defined by the existence of several neurophysiological alterations, undetectable by neurological examination and clinical examination. Among the diagnostic strategies for EHM, psychometric tests (PHE) are contemplated, but for their application, prior standardization in the study population is essential. Objective: The study will need to determine the normality table of PHE to detect subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in a sample of the Dominican population. Method: A descriptive, prospective and cross-sectional study was carried out in a national reference hospital. 134 people classified by age groups (18-70 years of age) and years of schooling were analyzed. A 5x5 board is recommended. The influence of age, sex, use of glasses and years of schooling on the performance of each one of the PHEs was studied, for which the following statistical tests were used: analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student's t test and linear regression. Result: Schooling and age were determining variables in the performance of the 5 psychometric tests. But, the univariate coincidence of age with the performance of the TMS test, there were no statistically significant intra and inter group differences (p>0.171). Conclusion: the formula for predicting the results of the psychometric tests was made. None exceeded the cut-off point of the score that oscillates between -4 and +2 points.

Neoplasia quística mucinosa hepática, reporte de un caso y análisis de la patología / Hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasm, case report and pathology analysis / Neoplasia cística mucinosa hepática, relatório de um caso e análise da patologia

Desde los primeros reportes en la bibliografía, la nomenclatura de las lesiones quísticas hepatobiliares se ha ido modificando, habiéndose descripto dos tipos de lesiones: las serosas y las mucinosas. En 2010 la Organización Mundial de la Salud estableció una nueva clasificación donde los términos cistoadenomas y cistoadenocarcinomas hepatobiliares son reemplazados por entidades más específicas como la neoplasia mucinosa quística y los tumores quísticos intraductales (neoplasia papilar intraductal, neoplasma tubulopapilar intraductal y neoplasma oncocitico papilar). En cuanto a la neoplasia mucinosa quística, la presencia de estroma ovárico le confiere características distintivas en lo patológico y biológico, siendo esto un requisito en la clasificación de la OMS. Esta característica lo diferencia de los hamartomas biliares, los quistes congénitos y la enfermedad de Caroli. Dichas neoplasias son infrecuentes, con una incidencia menor al 5% de las lesiones quísticas hepáticas y ocurren casi exclusivamente en mujeres, frecuentemente perimenopáusicas. Su potencial de malignización ha sido descrito, siendo éste la indicación de tratamiento quirúrgico resectivo. Presentamos el caso clínico de una paciente portadora de una neoplasia quística mucinosa hepática, catalogada como cistoadenoma hepático según la antigua clasificación.

Since the early reports in the literature, the nomenclature of hepatobiliary cystic lesions has been modified, with two types of lesions being described: serous and mucinous. In 2010, the World Health Organization established a new classification in which the terms hepatobiliary cystadenomas and cystadenocarcinomas were replaced by more specific entities such as mucinous cystic neoplasms and intraductal cystic tumors (intraductal papillary neoplasm, intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm, and intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm). Regarding mucinous cystic neoplasms, the presence of ovarian stroma confers distinctive pathological and biological characteristics, which is a requirement in the WHO classification. This characteristic differentiates it from biliary hamartomas, congenital cysts, and Caroli's disease. Such neoplasms are rare, with an incidence of less than 5% of hepatic cystic lesions, and occur almost exclusively in women, often perimenopausal. Their potential for malignancy has been described, and this is the indication for surgical resection treatment. We present a clinical case of a patient with a mucinous cystic hepatic neoplasm, classified as a hepatic cystadenoma according to the old classification.

Desde os primeiros relatos na literatura, a nomenclatura das lesões císticas hepatobiliares tem sido modificada, sendo descritos dois tipos de lesões,asserosas e as mucinosas. Em 2010, a Organização Mundial da Saúdeestabeleceuuma nova classificação, naqual os termos cistoadenomas e cistoadenocarcinomas hepatobiliares foramsubstituídos por entidades mais específicas, como a neoplasia mucinosa cística e os tumores císticos intraductais (neoplasia papilar intraductal, neoplasma tubulopapilar intraductal e neoplasma oncocítico papilar). Em relação à neoplasia mucinosa cística, a presença de estroma ovarianoconfere características distintas do ponto de vista patológico e biológico, sendoesseum requisito naclassificação da OMS. Essa característica a diferencia dos hamartomas biliares, cistoscongênitos e doença de Caroli. Essas neoplasias são raras, comumaincidência menor que 5% das lesões císticas hepáticas, e ocorremquase exclusivamente em mulheres, frequentementeperimenopáusicas. Seu potencial de malignizaçãotem sido descrito, sendoesta a indicação para tratamentocirúrgicoressectivo. Apresentamos o caso clínico de uma paciente portadora de uma neoplasia cística mucinosa hepática, classificada como cistoadenoma hepático de acordocom a antigaclassificação.

Research advances in traditional Chinese medicine regulation of programmed cell death in intervening against hepatic fibrosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatic fibrosis （HF） is a pathological process of abnormal repair of liver tissue structure caused by chronic liver injury， and its pathogenesis has not been fully clarified. Related studies have shown that programmed cell death may be associated with the onset of HF， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a significant effect in regulating programmed cell death to intervene against HF. This article reviews the main mechanism of the influence of programmed cell death on HF and discusses the possible mechanism of TCM regulation of programmed cell death in improving HF， which provides new ideas for TCM prevention and treatment of HF.

Abnormal liver biochemical parameters in pregnancy during the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in abnormal liver biochemical parameters in pregnant patients during the epidemic or non-epidemic period of coronavirus disease 2019 （COVID-19）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 539 pregnant women who were discharged from Department of Obstetrics， Peking University First Hospital， from October 2017 to March 2022 and had at least one abnormal liver biochemical parameter among alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase （GGT）， total bilirubin （TBil）， and total bile acid. The patients in the epidemic period of COVID-19 and those in the non-epidemic period of COVID-19 were compared in terms of etiology， coagulation parameters， aminotransferases， bile acid， and renal function. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsAmong the patients discharged from Department of Obstetrics during the non-epidemic period of COVID-19， 262 had abnormal liver biochemical parameters， accounting for 1.46%， while 277 patients had abnormal liver biochemical parameters during the epidemic period of COVID-19， accounting for 1.73% among the patients discharged from Department of Obstetrics during the same period of time， and there was a significant difference between these two groups （χ2=3.947， P=0.047）. The etiological analysis of the patients with abnormal liver biochemical parameters during the two periods showed that there was no difference in the proportion of patients with four pregnancy-specific liver diseases （hyperemesis gravidarum， preeclampsia and eclampsia， intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy， and acute fatty liver of pregnancy）. As for the patients with abnormal liver biochemical parameters in pregnancy， there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with normal creatinine and stimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） between the epidemic period and the non-epidemic period （86.78% vs 87.90%， χ2=0.141， P=0.708）. The patients with ALT≥5×upper limit of normal accounted for 7.94% in the epidemic period of COVID-19 and 9.54% in the non-epidemic period （χ2=0.433， P=0.511）， and the patients with severe cholestasis accounted for 7.75% in the epidemic period of COVID-19 and 9.27% in the non-epidemic period （χ2=0.392， P=0.531）. The proportion of patients with obstetric bleeding during the epidemic period of COVID-19 was significantly lower than that during the non-epidemic period （14.61% vs 24.19%， χ2=489.334， P<0.001）. ConclusionThere is no difference in the proportion of patients with pregnancy-specific liver diseases among the patients with abnormal liver biochemical parameters in pregnancy between the epidemic period and the non-epidemic period of COVID-19， and there is no change in the proportion of patients with normal creatinine and eGFR among these patients in the epidemic period of COVID-19.

Role and mechanism of action of phytoestrogen biochanin A in improving liver fibrosis in ovariectomized mice / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of phytoestrogen biochanin A （BCA） on liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in female mice with bilateral oophorectomy （ovariectomized） and its mechanism. MethodsA total of 50 ovariectomized Kunming mice were selected and given intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 to establish a model of liver fibrosis， and then according to body weight， they were randomly divided into model group， positive control group， and low-， middle-， and high-dose BCA groups， with 10 mice in each group. In addition， 10 female mice in the same litter were given resection of a small amount of adipose tissue near both ovaries to establish the sham-operation group. The mice in the positive control group were given estradiol 2 mg/kg by gavage， and those in the low-， middle-， and high-dose BCA groups were given BCA by gavage at a dose of 25， 50， and 100 mg/kg， respectively， once a day for 7 consecutive weeks； the mice in the sham-operation group and the model group were given an equal volume of 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution by gavage. The mice were anesthetized and sacrificed after administration to collect samples. Liver index and uterus index were measured； HE staining and Masson staining were used to observe liver histopathological changes； the biochemical analysis was used to measure the activity of aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT）； ELISA was used to measure the levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in liver tissue， and Western blot was used to measure the relative protein expression levels of collagen Ⅰ， transforming growth factor-beta 1 （TGF-β1）， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， estrogen receptor beta （ERβ）， and p-NF-κBp65/NF-κBp65 in liver tissue. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups； a one-way analysis of various was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups and further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group had a significant increase in liver index and a significant reduction in uterus index， as well as significant increases in the activities of serum AST and ALT， the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in liver tissue， and the protein expression levels of collagen Ⅰ， TGF-β1， α-SMA， and p-NF-κBp65/NF-κBp65 in liver tissue （all P<0.05）， with no significant change in the expression of ERβ in liver tissue （P>0.05）， and the model group showed significant fibrosis lesions in the liver， such as hepatocyte edema， steatosis， and necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration and hyperplasia， deposition， and staggered distribution of collagen fibers. Compared with the model group， the low-， middle-， and high-dose BCA groups had significant reductions in liver index， the activities of serum AST and ALT， the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α， and the protein expression levels of collagen Ⅰ， TGF-β1， α-SMA， and p-NF-κBp65/NF-κBp65 in liver tissue （all P<0.05）， with no significant change in uterine index （P>0.05）， as well as a significant increase in the protein expression level of ERβ in liver tissue （P<0.05） and varying degrees of improvement in liver fibrosis lesions. ConclusionBCA can effectively improve CCL4-induced liver fibrosis in ovariectomized female mice， possibly by upregulating ERβ to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway and then alleviating inflammatory response.

Changes in the total volume and contour density of oval cells in hepatic lobules of rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis： A stereological study / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo quantitatively investigate the changes in the total volume and contour density of hepatic oval cells （HOC） in hepatic lobules of rats with carbon tetrachloride （CCl4）-induced hepatic fibrosis. MethodsA total of 11 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group with 5 rats and hepatic fibrosis group with 6 rats， and CCl4 and olive oil suspension were injected subcutaneously twice a week， 3 mL/kg each time. After five weeks of hepatic fibrosis modeling， five liver tissue blocks with a size of about 1 mm3 were randomly selected from the liver of each rat to prepare one Epon812 epoxy resin-embedded ultrathin section， and the stereological method and transmission electron microscopy were used for the quantitative analysis of the total volume and contour density of HOC in the hepatic lobules of rats. In addition， four liver tissue blocks with a thickness of 2 mm were randomly selected from the remaining liver of each rat to prepare two paraffin-embedded Masson staining sections， and the degree of liver fibrosis in each rat was qualitatively evaluated according to the Metavir staging criteria for liver fibrosis. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsThe quantitative stereological analysis showed that the total volume of HOC in hepatic lobules was 15.40±7.63 mm3 in the control group and 146.80±114.00 mm3 in the liver fibrosis group， and compared with the control group， the total volume of HOC in hepatic lobules of rats in the liver fibrosis group was significantly increased by 8.53 times （t=-2.551， P=0.031）； the contour density of HOC in hepatic lobules was 56.20±40.40 in the control group and 566.50±317.00 in the liver fibrosis group， and compared with the control group， the contour density of HOC in hepatic lobules of rats in the liver fibrosis group was significantly increased by 9.08 times （t=-3.539， P=0.006）. Qualitative observation showed that liver fibrosis stage of rats reached stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ according to the Metavir scoring criteria， and massive proliferation of HOC was observed around the proliferation site of hepatic stellate cells in the perisinusoidal space of rats. ConclusionCCl4 induces significant proliferation of HOC in hepatic lobules of rats with liver fibrosis.

Research advances in hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome （HSOS）， also known as hepatic veno-occlusive disease， is hepatic vascular disease of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction and hepatic venular occlusion and fibrosis due to various causes. This article systematically elaborates on the research advances in HSOS from the aspects of understanding and naming， etiology and pathogenesis， clinical manifestation， diagnosis and differential diagnosis， prevention， and treatment. HSOS can occur in patients receiving bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell transplantation， radiotherapy/chemotherapy， and medication containing pyrrolidine alkaloids， and the common clinical manifestations of HSOS include abdominal distension， distending pain in the liver area， ascites， jaundice， and hepatomegaly. The diagnostic criteria for HSOS vary with etiology， and it needs to be differentiated from other diseases such as drug-induced liver diseases and hepatic venous outflow tract obstruction. Defibrotide and low-molecular-weight heparin have a therapeutic effect on HSOS associated with hematopoietic stem cells and pyrrolidine alkaloids， respectively， and there are currently no effective drugs for HSOS caused by oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

Experimental study of Lentinan antagonizes against hepatic lipid deposition induced by sodium arsenite in mice / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To investigate the ameliorative effect of Lentinan (LNT) on sodium arsenite (SA)-induced hepatic lipid deposition in mice. Methods C57BL/6 mice were used as the experimental subjects, which were divided into control group, SA-exposed group, LNT + SA-exposed group and LNT control group. Blood and liver tissue samples were collected at the end of the experiment, and serum glutathione transaminase (ALT) and glutathione aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A part of liver tissues was stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) or oil red O to observe the characteristics of liver pathological damage and lipid deposition, and another part of liver tissues was used to detect triglyceride (TG) and Adiponectin (APN) levels by ELISA. Results Compared with control group or LNT control group, SA-exposed group showed the increased levels of AST and ALT, showing the characteristics of liver histopathological damage and lipid deposition, and the APN level decreased while the TG level increased (P<0.05). Compared with SA-exposed group, the levels of AST and ALT decreased in LNT + SA-exposed group, showing the reduced degree of liver tissue damage and lipid deposition, and APN level upregulated while TG level downregulated (P<0.05). Conclusion Chronic SA exposure induces liver function damage, APN downregulation and lipid deposition in C57BL/6 mice, while LNT intervention leads to the significantly improvement of hepatic damage and lipid deposition, which may be related to the elevated APN level in liver.

Efficacy of Tiaogan Huaxian Pills in Prevention and Treatment of Hepatic Fibrosis in Hepatitis B and Its Effect on Diffusion-weighted Imaging / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of Tiaogan Huaxian pills combined with entecavir on hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B with liver Qi stagnation， spleen deficiency， and blood stasis syndrome and its effect on diffusion-weighted imaging （DWI）. MethodClinical data of 117 patients with liver disease who visited the Department of Hepatology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to different treatment plans， they were divided into a control group （59 cases） and a treatment group （58 cases）. Both groups of patients received entecavir-based etiology treatment， and the treatment group added Tiaogan Huaxian pills on the basis of basic treatment. Both groups were treated for 24 weeks. Before and after treatment， the two groups were compared in terms of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， advanced surgical technologies （AST）， total bilirubin （TBil）， hepatitis B virus （HBV）-DNA conversion rate， liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， four items of liver fibrosis （hyaluronidase， type Ⅲ pro-collagen， type Ⅳ collagen， and laminin）， the fibrosis index based on four factors （FIB-4）， the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index （APRI）， the apparent diffusion coefficient （ADC） value in magnetic resonance imaging （MRI）， and traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores， so as to analyze the efficacy of the two groups. ResultBefore treatment， there was no significant difference in ALT， AST， TBil， LSM， four items of liver fibrosis， FIB-4， APRI， HBV-DNA conversion rate， ADC value， and traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores between the two groups. After treatment， both groups of patients showed significant reductions in ALT， AST， TBil， LSM， hyaluronidase， type Ⅲ pro-collagen， type Ⅳ collagen， laminin， FIB-4， and APRI （P<0.05） and a significant increase in ADC value （P<0.05） and HBV-DNA conversion rate （P<0.01）. The traditional Chinese medicine symptom score of the treatment group decreased significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group after treatment， the effective rate of clinical traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment group was 91.38% （53/58）， which was significantly higher than that of the control group （54.23%， 32/59） （Z=-4.325， P<0.01）. In the treatment group， ALT， AST， TBil， LSM， hyaluronidase， type Ⅲ pro-collagen， type Ⅳ collagen， laminin， FIB-4， APRI， and traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores all decreased significantly （P<0.05）， and the increase in ADC values was more significant （P<0.05）， while the difference in HBV-DNA conversion rate was not statistically significant. There were no serious adverse reactions or events in either group. ConclusionTiaogan Huaxian pills combined with entecavir have significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B， which can reduce liver inflammation activity， delay hepatic fibrosis progression， and reduce traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores. It is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Manganese Associated with Non-Wilsonian Hepatolenticular Degeneration as a Rare Cause of Encephalopathy: Case Report

Aim: To describe the clinical picture, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient with encephalopathy as a manifestation of manganese-induced non-Wilsonian hepatolenticular degeneration (NWHD) in a high-complexity care center in a Latin American country. Case description: A 55-year-old male patient from the United States with a history of liver disease associated with alcohol consumption was admitted to the emergency department due to diarrhea, hematemesis, and psychomotor agitation. During his stay, his state of consciousness deteriorated, requiring orotracheal intubation. In his diagnostic study, cerebrospinal fluid tests were negative for infectious etiologies; the endoscopic examinations showed no marks of portal hypertension bleeding, while ammonium and tests for metabolic causes were normal. However, areas of hyperintensity in the basal ganglia were documented on brain MRI, with normal ceruloplasmin serum and urine copper levels, which ruled out Wilson's disease and determined the diagnosis of manganese-induced NWHD. Conclusion: NWHD is a rare cause of chronic encephalopathy with clinical manifestations of extrapyramidal symptoms secondary to basal ganglia dysfunction due to severe liver disease. Its diagnosis becomes a challenge, given that manganese deposits produce it, and no biomarkers can establish the level of exposure to this metal. Brain MRI is indispensable in reflecting these deposits in the basal ganglia.

Objetivo: Describir la presentación clínica, el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de un paciente con encefalopatía como manifestación de degeneración hepatolenticular no wilsoniana producida por manganeso, en un centro de alta complejidad de un país latinoamericano. Descripción del caso: Paciente masculino de 55 años, procedente de Estados Unidos, con antecedente de enfermedad hepática asociada con consumo de alcohol, quien ingresó al servicio de urgencias por un cuadro de diarrea, hematemesis y agitación psicomotora. Durante la estancia presentó deterioro en el estado de consciencia, por lo que requirió intubación orotraqueal. En su estudio diagnóstico, las pruebas de líquido cefalorraquídeo fueron negativas para etiologías infecciosas, en los estudios endoscópicos no tenía estigmas de sangrado portal hipertensivo y el amonio y los estudios para causas metabólicas fueron normales. Sin embargo, se documentaron áreas de hiperintensidad en los ganglios de la base en la resonancia magnética cerebral, con niveles de ceruloplasmina sérica y cobre urinario normales, lo que descartó enfermedad de Wilson y definió el diagnóstico de degeneración hepatolenticular no wilsoniana por depósitos de manganeso. Conclusión: La degeneración hepatolenticular no wilsoniana es una causa infrecuente de encefalopatía crónica con manifestaciones clínicas de extrapiramidalismo, secundaria a disfunción de los ganglios de la base por enfermedad hepática grave. Su diagnóstico se convierte en un reto, dado que se produce por depósitos de manganeso y no existen biomarcadores que puedan establecer el nivel de exposición a este metal. La resonancia magnética cerebral juega, por tanto, un papel indispensable al reflejar esos depósitos en los ganglios de la base.

An Unusual Anatomical Variation of Accessory Left Gastric Artery Arising from Left Hepatic Artery / Una Variación Anatómica Inusual de la Arteria Gástrica Izquierda Accesoria que se Origina de la Arteria Hepática Izquierda

SUMMARY: The stomach receives a rich blood supply from five sets of arteries, all of which originate from the celiac trunk. During the dissection of a female cadaver that had been fixed with formalin, an atypical branching pattern was observed. An accessory left gastric artery was found to originate from the left hepatic artery and send small branches to the esophagus, cardia, and fundus of the stomach. However, there was no anastomosis between the lower accessory left gastric artery and the left gastric artery. This is a rare variant of the gastric artery that has not been previously described in detail. It is important to recognize this variation for safe and effective interventional diagnosis and treatment techniques if dealing with the liver or gastric arteries.

El estómago recibe un rico suministro de sangre de cinco conjuntos de arterias, todas las cuales se originan en el tronco celíaco. Durante la disección de un cadáver femenino que había sido fijado con formalina, se observó un patrón de ramificación atípico. Se encontró una arteria gástrica izquierda accesoria que se originaba en la arteria hepática izquierda y enviaba pequeñas ramas al esófago, el cardias y el fondo del estómago. Sin embargo, no hubo anastomosis entre la arteria gástrica izquierda accesoria inferior y la arteria gástrica izquierda. Se trata de una variante rara de la arteria gástrica que no se ha descrito previamente en detalles. Es importante reconocer esta variación para la aplicación de técnicas de diagnóstico y tratamiento intervencionistas seguras y efectivas a nivel del hígado o las arterias gástricas.

Intervención educativa sobre la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica en los pacientes expuestos a factores de riesgos

La esteatosis hepática no alcohólica es un padecimiento poco reconocido a pesar de ser la enfermedad del hígado más frecuente en el mundo. El documento actual deriva de un estudio cuasi experimental y tiene el objetivo exponer elementos de la estrategia de intervención educativa dirigida a potenciar el nivel de información sobre la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica en pacientes expuestos a factores de riesgo, pertenecientes al consultorio 2 del Policlínico de Combatientes del Ministerio del Interior durante el período 2020-2021. El universo estuvo constituido por 93 adultos y se extrajo una muestra de 60 pacientes. Se emplearon métodos de la investigación científica en el área de las ciencias médicas. Antes de la intervención existía pobre conocimiento sobre la definición, factores de riesgo, complicaciones y prevención de la enfermedad, lo que se logró revertir una vez aplicada la misma. Se concluyó que la aplicación de la intervención resultó ser efectiva.

The esteatosis hepatic non alcoholic is a not very grateful suffering in spite of being the illness of the most frequent liver in the world. The document current drift of a quasi experimental study and he/she has the objective to not expose elements of the strategy of educational intervention directed to potenciar the level of information on the hepatic esteatosis alcoholic in exposed patients to factors of risk, belonging to the clinic 2 of the Policlínico of Combatants of the Ministry of the Interior during the period 2020-2021. The universe was constituted by 93 adults and a sample of 60 patients was extracted. Methods of the scientific investigation were used in the area of the medical sciences. Before the intervention poor knowledge existed on the definition, factors of risk, complications and prevention of the illness, what was possible to revert once applied the same one. You concluded that the application of the intervention turned out to be effective.

Sífilis congénita e infarto hepático, una asociación no reportada. Descripción de un caso pediátrico / Congenital syphilis and hepatic infarction, a not previously reported association. A pediatric case report

La sífilis congénita es causada por la infección del feto con Treponema pallidum durante el embarazo. Los síntomas son variables. Si bien es común el daño endotelial, no suele estar presente en los casos congénitos. Reportamos el caso de un lactante de 42 días de vida hospitalizado por masa abdominal. Las imágenes confirmaban la presencia de una lesión en el lóbulo hepático izquierdo sin efecto de masa. Las biopsias mostraron cambios compatibles con infarto y hepatitis neonatal. Las serologías del paciente y de su madre confirmaron el diagnóstico de sífilis congénita, y recibió tratamiento con penicilina intravenosa. El hígado se encuentra protegido de los daños isquémicos gracias a su doble irrigación, pero la acumulación de noxas puede haber provocado dicha presentación inusual. Tres meses más tarde, el paciente se encontraba libre de síntomas y la resonancia de control mostró atrofia del lóbulo izquierdo, mientras el resto del parénquima no presentaba alteraciones.

Congenital syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum infection of the fetus during pregnancy. Symptoms are variable. While endothelial damage is common, it is not usually present in congenital cases. Here we report the case of a 42-day-old infant hospitalized due to an abdominal mass. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of an injury in the left lobe of the liver without mass effect. Biopsies showed changes compatible with infarction and neonatal hepatitis. The patient's and his mother's serologies confirmed the diagnosis of congenital syphilis, and he was treated with intravenous penicillin. The liver protected from ischemic injury by its double irrigation, but the accumulation of harmful agents may have caused this unusual presentation. Three months later, the patient was symptom-free, and the control MRI showed atrophy of the left lobe, while the rest of the parenchyma was unchanged.

Anti-inflammatory strategies for hepatic encephalopathy: preclinical studies / Estratégias anti-inflamatórias para encefalopatia hepática: estudos pré-clínicos

Abstract Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a potentially reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome. Often, HE causes cognitive and motor dysfunctions due to an acute or chronic insufficiency of the liver or a shunting between the hepatic portal vein and systemic vasculature. Liver damage induces peripheral changes, such as in the metabolism and peripheral inflammatory responses that trigger exacerbated neuroinflammation. In experimental models, anti-inflammatory strategies have demonstrated neuroprotective effects, leading to a reduction in HE-related cognitive and motor impairments. In this scenario, a growing body of evidence has shown that peripheral and central nervous system inflammation are promising preclinical targets. In this review, we performed an overview of FDA-approved drugs and natural compounds which are used in the treatment of other neurological and nonneurological diseases that have played a neuroprotective role in experimental HE, at least in part, through anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Despite the exciting results from animal models, the available data should be critically interpreted, highlighting the importance of translating the findings for clinical essays.

Resumo A encefalopatia hepática (EH) é uma síndrome neuropsiquiátrica potencialmente reversível. Muitas vezes a EH causa disfunções cognitivas e motoras devido à insuficiência do fígado ou por um desvio entre a veia porta hepática e a vasculatura sistêmica. O dano no fígado provoca alterações periféricas, como no metabolismo e nas respostas inflamatórias periféricas, que desencadeiam uma neuroinflamação exacerbada. Em modelos experimentais, estratégias anti-inflamatórias têm demonstrado efeitos neuroprotetores, levando a uma redução dos prejuízos cognitivos e motores relacionados à EH. Neste cenário, evidências crescentes têm mostrado a inflamação periférica e no sistema nervoso central como um promissor alvo pré-clínico. Nesta revisão, abordamos uma visão geral de drogas e compostos naturais aprovados pelo FDA para o uso no tratamento de outras doenças neurológicas e não neurológicas, que tiveram papel neuroprotetor na EH experimental, pelo menos em parte, através de mecanismos anti-inflamatórios. Apesar dos resultados empolgantes em modelos animais, os dados avaliados devem ser criticamente interpretados, destacando a importância da tradução dos achados para ensaios clínicos.

Rare Association of Budd-Chiari Syndrome with COVID-19: A Case Report

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a virus that can cause respiratory infections and pose a risk to patients' lives. While it primarily affects the airways, it can also lead to extrapulmonary clinical manifestations, such as hypercoagulable states, resulting in conditions like cerebrovascular disease, acute myocardial infarction, and, in rare cases, Budd-Chiari syndrome. Clinical case: This case involves a patient who was admitted to the emergency room with dyspnea on moderate exertion, progressive functional class deterioration, lower extremity edema, cough, fever, and weakness. The patient had a history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection one month prior. Abdominal CT scan revealed subacute Budd-Chiari syndrome involving the middle sub-hepatic vein, along with right ventricle thrombosis, and a positive test for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: Budd-Chiari syndrome has multiple causes, primarily associated with hypercoagulable states or the presence of neoplasms that disrupt liver function or obstruct hepatic venous drainage. However, the understanding of the relationship between COVID-19 hypercoagulability and Budd-Chiari syndrome is still limited. Further research is needed to explore the heterogeneity of its pathogenesis in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Introducción: el coronavirus del síndrome respiratorio agudo grave de tipo 2 (SARS-CoV-2) es un virus que puede causar infecciones respiratorias y poner en riesgo la vida de los pacientes. Aunque afecta principalmente las vías respiratorias, se pueden presentar manifestaciones clínicas extrapulmonares como estados de hipercoagulabilidad, lo que causa patologías como enfermedad cerebrovascular e infarto agudo de miocardio, y en casos menos frecuentes, síndrome de Budd-Chiari. Caso clínico: se presenta el caso de una paciente que ingresó al servicio de urgencias por disnea de medianos esfuerzos, deterioro progresivo de la clase funcional y edema en extremidades inferiores asociado con tos, fiebre y adinamia. Refirió el antecedente de infección por enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19) un mes antes y la tomografía de abdomen contrastada reveló síndrome de Budd-Chiari subagudo de la vena subhepática media asociada a trombosis del ventrículo derecho con prueba positiva para SARS-CoV-2. Conclusiones: El síndrome de Budd-Chiari es de origen multicausal, principalmente por estados de hipercoagulabilidad o presencia de neoplasias que ocasionan disrupción de la función del hígado o causan la ocupación de espacio sobre el drenaje venoso hepático; sin embargo, en el contexto de la pandemia de SARS CoV-2, aún se conoce muy poco la heterogeneidad de su patogénesis, como es la hipercoagulabilidad de la COVID-19 y el síndrome de Budd-Chiari, por lo que inferimos que están altamente relacionados.

A Case Report of Primary Hepatic Tuberculosis

This case report presents an incidental finding of primary tuberculosis in the liver of a 54-year-old female patient who had a history of multiple hospital admissions due to abdominal pain, jaundice, persistent fever, nausea with vomiting, weight loss, and asthenia. The evaluation involved considering differential diagnoses of cholangiocarcinoma, Caroli's disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic tuberculosis based on the patient's history, imaging studies, and laboratory tests. The aim of this report is to provide healthcare professionals with a new diagnostic perspective when encountering patients with this ambiguous presentation, even in regions with low epidemiological incidence. Hepatic tuberculosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with focal intrahepatic lesions or liver abscesses who have a history of recurrent hospitalizations and evidence on imaging studies.

Se trata de un hallazgo incidental de tuberculosis primaria en el hígado en una paciente femenina de 54 años con historia de múltiples ingresos por síntomas de dolor abdominal, ictericia, fiebre persistente, náuseas acompañadas de vómitos de contenido gástrico, pérdida de peso y astenia. A la evaluación se consideraron los diagnósticos diferenciales de colangiocarcinoma, enfermedad de Caroli, carcinoma hepatocelular y tuberculosis hepática, basados en anamnesis, estudios de imágenes y pruebas de gabinete. Este reporte de caso brinda una nueva perspectiva diagnóstica para el personal de salud que reciba pacientes con esta presentación ambigua, aun en el contexto de baja incidencia epidemiológica. La tuberculosis hepática debe ser considerada en el diagnóstico diferencial de pacientes con lesiones focales a nivel intrahepático o abscesos hepáticos con hospitalizaciones recurrentes y evidencia de imágenes.