Recomendaciones para manejo de pacientes con enfermedad hepática crónica y trasplantados hepáticos durante pandemia por COVID-19 / Recommendations for the management of patients with chronic liver disease and liver transplanted recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic

The SARS-CoV-2 virus and the associated disease COVID-19 has quickly become a pandemic. People with underlying chronic diseases or in an immunosupressed state are at risk of having a worse outcome. Cirrhotic patients and liver transplant recipients are considered to be in this higher risk group due to their immunosuppressed state. The aim of this article is to present recommendations based on expert opinion regarding the management of patients with compensated and decompensated liver pathologies who take medication for their immunosuppressed state in medical check-ups and basic treatment management both of patients with and without the COVID-19 disease.

El virus SARS-CoV-2 asociado a la enfermedad COVID-19, se han instalado a nivel de pandemia mundial. Las personas portadoras de enfermedades crónicas o estados de inmunosupresión se encuentran en riesgo de desarrollar un curso más grave. Se considera que los pacientes con cirrosis hepática, patología autoinmune o trasplante hepático se encontrarían dentro de este grupo de mayor riesgo por su estado de inmunosupresión. Presentamos recomendaciones de manejo basadas en opinión de experto, en pacientes con patología hepática compensada y descompensada e inmunosuprimidos farmacológicos, en relación a controles médicos y manejo de terapia de base tanto en pacientes sin COVID-19 como en pacientes infectados.

Enfermedad hepática por alcohol / Alcoholic liver disease

Excessive alcohol consumption is an important cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. We have to bealert to chronic alcohol usage or abuse. Simple tests (AUDIT, CAGE) can be applied quickly on outpatientcare. We highlight advances in understanding the immune and molecular mechanisms; there is disruptionof the intestinal barrier with bacterial translocation, as well as endotoxins which activate the liver’s innateimmunity, causing apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation and fibrosis. Alcoholic hepatitis is most common inpatients between 40 and 60 years of age, preferably male with jaundice, fever, ascites, hepatomegaly. Thediagnosis is confirmed with a history of alcoholic consumption, mild to moderate AST and ALT values,a AST/ALT ratio > 2, hyperbilirrubinemia and prolonged prothrombin time. There are scores to evaluatethe severity and the need of corticoid therapy, such as modified Maddrey discriminating function andMELD score. Lille score assesses the response to treatment in the seventh day. The risks and benefits ofliver biopsy should be evaluated individually. The cornerstone of treatment remains alcohol abstinence.Nutritional management must be carefully monitored. Proteins requirements are standardized based onweight. The use of corticoids with 40 mg of prednisolone each day is the most widely accepted therapy,indicated on patients with MMDF higher than 32 or MELD score higher than 21. If Lille score is higherthan 0.45 at the seven day under corticoid therapy, treatment must be interrupted. The use of pentoxifyllinewould only be effective for prevention of hepatorenal syndrome...

El consumo excesivo de alcohol es una causa importante de morbimortalidad prevenible. Debemos estaratentos en detectar a pacientes con dependencia o abuso crónico de alcohol. Test sencillos (AUDIT, CAGE)pueden aplicarse rápidamente en consulta ambulatoria. Destacamos avances en el conocimiento moleculare inmunológico, existe disrupción de la barrera intestinal con translocación bacteriana y endotoxinas conactivación del sistema inmune innato del hígado, produciendo apoptosis celular, necrosis e inflamación yfibrosis. La hepatitis alcohólica se presenta principalmente en pacientes entre 40 y 60 años, preferentementeen varones con ictericia, fiebre, ascitis, hepatomegalia. El diagnóstico se confirma con antecedentes deingesta alcohólica, GOT y GPT elevadas en forma leve o moderada, relación GOT/GPT mayor de 2, hiperbilirrubinemiay tiempo de protrombina prolongado. Existen scores para evaluar la gravedad y necesidad demanejo con corticoides como función discriminante de Maddrey modificada y MELD. El puntaje de Lilleevalúa respuesta del tratamiento al séptimo día. El riesgo/beneficio de la biopsia hepática se evalúa caso acaso. La piedra angular del tratamiento sigue siendo la abstinencia. Manejo nutricional debe ser riguroso.Requerimientos proteicos están estandarizados por peso. La terapia con corticoides (prednisolona 40 mg/día) es la más ampliamente aceptada, con indicación en pacientes con FDMm mayor a 32 o MELD mayora 21. Si el puntaje de Lille es mayor de 0,45 a los 7 días con corticoides, deben suspenderse. Pentoxifilinasólo tendría efecto en prevenir el desarrollo de síndrome hepatorrenal (SHR). Hay nuevas terapias enevaluación, como el uso de G-CSF...

La historia de los científicos invoclucrados en el descubrimiento del Helicobacter pylori, en especial del pionero Giulio Bizzozero / The history of the cientists onvolved in the discovery of the Helicobacter pylory with special reference to the pionner Giulio Bizzozero

El Helicobacter pylori es un microorganismo que ha tenido una asociación íntima con la humanidad desde hace muchas generaciones. Con alta prevalencia universal, juega un rol crucial en la patogénesis de varias patologías gastroduodenales. Fue introducido a la comunidad científica en 1983; por los trabajos de Robin Warren y Barry Marshall. Sin embargo, cien años antes, fue el patólogo italiano Giulio Bizzozero, el que describió por primera vez la presencia del Helicobacter en el estómago de mamíferos (perros). En la presente revisión, se realizó una investigación sobre las diferentes etapas en el descubrimiento del H. pyloriy se presenta una biografía del pionero Giulio Bizzozero.

Helicobacter pylori is a microrganism closely associated to mankid, with a high prevalence an associated to several gastroduodenal disorders. It was introduced in the cientific community in 1983 by Robin Warren and Barry Marshall, however hundred years before in was described by the italian pathologist Giulio Bizzozero in dog stomach. In the present review we have analyzed the different steps in the discovery of H. pylori and a biography of the pionner Giulio Bizzozero is presented.

Tumores neuroendocrinos gástricos: presentación clínica, endoscópica y alternativas de tratamiento / Clinical and endoscopic presentation of gastric neuroendocrine tumors

Background: Gastric neuroendocrine tumors correspond to less than 1 percent of all gastric tumors. These tumors can be of three types. Seventy five percent are type I and are associated to chronic atrophic gastritis type A (CAG- A). Half of them are associated with pernicious anemia. Type II tumors are associated with Zollinger Ellison syndrome and type I multiple endocrine neoplasia. Type III are sporadic tumors. Aim: To report the clinical, endoscopical features and response to the treatment of gastric neuroendocrine tumors. Patients and methods: A retrospective study of eleven patients (seven male, aged 38 to 72 years old) with a pathological diagnosis of gastric neuroendocrine tumor. Their clinical presentation, associated diseases, treatment and follow up were reviewed. Results: Epigastric pain was present in eight patients, weight loss in three, epigastric pain and weight loss in one and post prandial abdominal pain in two. At endoscopy, multiple polyps in the fundus were observed in six, verrucose gastritis in one, polyps in the antrum in one, two subcardial polyps in 1, a fundus ulcer in one and a Bormann III type lesion in one. Chronic atrophic gastritis was diagnosed in seven patients and pernicious anemia in five. Serum gastrin levels were determined in 4 patients and were high in all. Four subjects were treated with endoscopic polipectomy only. A partial or total gastrectomy was done in seven patients. No complications or mortality occurred during the follow up. Conclusions: Abdominal pain is a common presentation of patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasia. Polyps predominantly in the fundus are the most common endoscopic finding. Surgical treatment or endoscopical polypectomy, depending of the extension of the disease, yield satisfactory results