Usefulness of PIVKA-II for monitoring after liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The high morbidity and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has encouraged the search for new biomarkers to be used alongside alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) and imaging tests. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical contribution of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) for HCC monitoring after liver transplantation (LT) and compare it with AFP, a routinely used tumour marker. A total of 46 HCC patients (Milan criteria) were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP were measured before and after transplantation. Clinical features were determined for all the patients that were included. Significant correlations were found between PIVKA-II expression levels and some clinicopathological features, such as tumour size and number of pre-transplant transarterial chemoembolizations (TACEs). Serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP decreased significantly after LT and increased in patients with tumour recurrence. Serum PIVKA-II levels may play an important role in predicting disease severity. Furthermore, monitoring PIVKA-II levels in HCC transplant recipients reflects the tumor early recurrence after transplantation and could be used, complementing AFP and imaging tests, as a novel biomarker of this pathology.

Interval cytoredutive surgery and HIPEC in advanced ovarian cancer with small-bowel disease: results and reflections

Introduction: Small-bowel involvement in patients with ovarian cancer has been strongly correlated with the possibility of cytoreduction and thus with survival. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of small-bowel involvement in patients undergoing optimal-complete interval cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC).Methods: We included a series of patients diagnosed with stage IIIC-IVA (pleural effusion) high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer and in whom CRS + HIPEC was indicated after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NACT). The study period extended from January 2008 to January 2020, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months from the inclusion of the last patient. A multivariate analysis using Cox regression allowed us to identify the variables that were independently related to disease-free survival.Results: A total of 144 patients were selected, 13 (9%) of whom were excluded from the analysis, because their disease was considered unresectable. The study included a series of 131 patients with a median age of 62 years (34-79 years) and a median Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) calculated during surgery of 9 (1-35). The median PCI of bowel areas 9-12 (SB-PCI) was 3 (1-10). Performance of a CC-1 cytoreduction (HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.02-3.64, p = 0.042) and SB-PCI greater than 3 (HR: 2.25, 95%CI: 1.13-4.48, p = 0.21) were independent factors associated with shorter disease-free survival.Conclusion: Small-bowel involvement, even in patients with a macroscopically complete resection, showed a correlation with worse prognostic outcomes and could be considered as a variable in the postoperative management of these patients. (AU)

Interval cytoredutive surgery and HIPEC in advanced ovarian cancer with small-bowel disease: results and reflections.

INTRODUCTION: Small-bowel involvement in patients with ovarian cancer has been strongly correlated with the possibility of cytoreduction and thus with survival. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of small-bowel involvement in patients undergoing optimal-complete interval cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC). METHODS: We included a series of patients diagnosed with stage IIIC-IVA (pleural effusion) high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer and in whom CRS + HIPEC was indicated after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NACT). The study period extended from January 2008 to January 2020, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months from the inclusion of the last patient. A multivariate analysis using Cox regression allowed us to identify the variables that were independently related to disease-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 144 patients were selected, 13 (9%) of whom were excluded from the analysis, because their disease was considered unresectable. The study included a series of 131 patients with a median age of 62 years (34-79 years) and a median Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) calculated during surgery of 9 (1-35). The median PCI of bowel areas 9-12 (SB-PCI) was 3 (1-10). Performance of a CC-1 cytoreduction (HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.02-3.64, p = 0.042) and SB-PCI greater than 3 (HR: 2.25, 95%CI: 1.13-4.48, p = 0.21) were independent factors associated with shorter disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Small-bowel involvement, even in patients with a macroscopically complete resection, showed a correlation with worse prognostic outcomes and could be considered as a variable in the postoperative management of these patients.

Resilience Related to Quality of Life Perceived in Elderly Patients With Orthotopic Liver Transplant for More Than 10 Years.

INTRODUCTION: Resilience is the ability to recover or adequately face adverse situations. It acts as a protective factor against negative events and/or complex stages of life, such as a chronic and complex disease requiring liver transplant. Age can also have an effect on a patient's ability to deal with liver transplant, resilience here being a predictor of well-being. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the level of resilience and its relationship with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients over 60 years of age who underwent an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) more than 10 years ago. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study at the Hospital Clínico Virgen Arrixaca. INSTRUMENT: 1. To analyze resilience we used the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 17) which measures 3 dimensions (tenacity/self-efficacy, personal control, and social competence). 2. To evaluate HRQoL, we used the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire which covers 8 dimensions and produces 2 summary scores. Variables included age, sex, and post-OLT survival. Non-parametric statistical analysis was performed (P < .05). RESULTS: We analyzed 47 patients, 68% men (n = 32). The average age was 70.85 ± 0.98 years and average post-OLT survival was 15.79 ± 0.78 years. In terms of resilience, men had higher scores in tenacity/self-efficacy (90.82 ± 2.71 vs 84.79 ± 3.49; P = .029) and personal control (82.5 ± 3.79 vs 69.33 ± 5.23; P = .023). The longer the post-OLT period, the less personal control (R = -0.298; P = .042). Regarding HRQoL, the dimension of personal control is positively related: physical function (R = 0.388; P = .007); general health (R = 0.429; P = .003); vitality (R = 0.560; P = .000); social function (R = 0.402; P = .005); mental health (R = 0.311; P = .034); and physical summary (R = 0.381; P = .008). Like social competence, it is related to mental health (R = 0.360; P = .013) and mental summary (R = 0.384; P = .008). CONCLUSION: These patients showed adequate levels of resilience. A greater resilience is related to greater general health, vitality, social functioning, and mental health.

Fallo hepático fulminante secundario a necrosis submasiva hepática en paciente tratado con Orlistat. Reporte de un caso / Fulminant liver failure secondary to submassive hepatic necrosis in a patient treated with Orlistat. A case report

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Fulminant liver failure secondary to submassive hepatic necrosis in a patient treated with Orlistat. A case report.

Orlistat is an intestinal lipase inhibitor drug that is recommended in obese patients along with a hypocaloric diet. Although the most frequent secondary effect is steatorrhea, fulminant liver failure has also been associated with this drug, which has required liver transplantation in 3 patients. We present the case of a 42-year-old obese male.