Evaluation of liver transplant candidates with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is anticipated to become the leading indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the United States in the near future. LT is indicated in patients with NASH-related cirrhosis who have medically refractory hepatic decompensation, synthetic dysfunction, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) meeting certain criteria. The objective of LT evaluation is to determine which patient will derive the most benefit from LT with the least risk, thus maximizing the societal benefits of a limited resource. LT evaluation is a multidisciplinary undertaking involving several specialists, assessment tools, and diagnostic testing. Although the steps involved in LT evaluation are relatively similar across different liver diseases, patients with NASH-related cirrhosis have unique demographic and clinical features that affect transplant outcomes and influence their LT evaluation. LT candidates with NASH should be assessed for metabolic syndrome and obesity, malnutrition and sarcopenia, frailty, and cardiovascular disease. Interventions that treat cardiometabolic co-morbidities and improve patients' nutrition and functionality should be considered in order to improve patient outcomes in the waitlist and after LT.

Coronavirus disease 2019 and the liver.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The objective of this review is to examine the epidemiology and pathogenesis of liver injury in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the impact of COVID-19 on patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and liver transplant recipients. RECENT FINDINGS: Abnormal liver chemistries occur in up to 60% of COVID-19 patients and are typically mild. COVID-19- associated liver injury may be because of direct viral cytopathic effect, immune-mediated damage, hypoxia, drug-induced liver injury (DILI), or exacerbation of CLD. COVID-19 patients with CLD and who are liver transplant recipients are at risk for severe disease and mortality. COVID-19 precipitated hepatic decompensation in 20-46% of cirrhotic patients. Alcohol consumption and cases of acute alcohol- associated hepatitis increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors are well tolerated to use during COVID-19 but immunomodulators have been associated with mortality. Less than 50% of transplant recipients produce adequate antibody titers after COVID-19 vaccination. SUMMARY: COVID-19 patients with CLD should be monitored for liver injury and hepatic decompensation. Patients with CLD and liver transplant recipients should be considered for targeted COVID-19 pharmacotherapeutics and advised vaccination against COVID-19, including a third booster dose. CLD treatments and immunosuppression in liver transplant recipients could generally continue without interruption during COVID-19 infection, with the possible exception of immunomodulators.

Pharmacologic Treatment Strategies for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common form of liver disease, associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the aggressive subtype of NAFLD, can cause progressive fibrosis leading to cirrhosis. With the obesity epidemic, there is an increased health care burden from NASH, one of the most common causes of liver transplantation in the United States. There currently are no Food and Drug Administration-approved medical therapies for NASH. There exists a need for therapeutics to correct the drivers of NASH and to reverse or halt fibrosis progression. This article reviews pharmacologic therapeutics being developed to treat NASH.

Attitudes of Liver and Palliative Care Clinicians toward Specialist Palliative Care Consultation for Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease.

Objective: Delays in specialized palliative care (PC) consultation in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients may be explained by clinician attitudes toward PC. Our aim is to assess the attitudes of hepatology and liver transplant (HLT) and PC clinicians toward PC consultation and consultant roles in ESLD patient care. Methods: Clinician members of HLT and PC professional societies were surveyed. Using a five-point Likert scale, they rated their comfort level toward various PC consultant roles and their agreement with triggers for and reasons to defer PC consultation. Change in attitudes toward PC consultation resulting from liver transplant (LT) eligibility was evaluated. Results: A total of 311 HLT (6.2%) and 379 PC (8.1%) clinicians completed the survey. The vast majority of HLT clinicians (>80%) were comfortable if PC consultants palliate symptoms, provide support, or facilitate advance care planning in LT-ineligible patients. LT eligibility reduced HLT clinician comfort toward all PC consultant roles, except supportive care. A vast majority of PC clinicians (>90%) were comfortable assuming all PC roles, except pain management without opioids (43-51%). About 80% of HLT clinicians agree with PC consultation in LT-ineligible patients with decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), compared to 20-30% if LT ineligible. Common justifications for deferring PC consultation included mild disease, LT eligibility, unavailability of PC specialists, and lack of addressable palliative issues. Conclusions: Barriers to specialized PC consultation in ESLD include HLT clinician discomfort with PC consultant roles, patients' LT eligibility, perception that PC is end-of-life care, unclear triggers for PC consultation, and concern about opioid-based pain palliation.

Chronotype, social jet lag, sleep debt and food timing in inflammatory bowel disease.

The preference of the sleep/wake cycle can be grouped into categories or chronotypes. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been linked to poor sleep quality which correlates with disease severity. Social jet lag (SJL) is the difference between sleep timing on work and free days and is a marker for circadian misalignment which has been linked to increased inflammation. We investigated whether chronotype, SJL, sleep debt (SD), and food timing were associated with an IBD specific complications and a lower quality of life. Overall, 191 subjects (115 IBD subjects and 76 healthy controls (HC)) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ), Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and a structured Food Timing Questionnaire. Later chronotype (by MEQ) was associated with a worse SIBDQ (r = -0.209; P < 0.05). SJL was increased in IBD at 1.32 h ± 1.03 vs. 1.05 h ± 0.97 in HC, P < 0.05, when adjusted for age. SJL (>2 h) was present in 40% of severe/complicated Crohn's patients (fistulizing or structuring Crohn's or history of Crohn's related surgery) compared to only 16% of uncomplicated Crohn's patients (P < 0.05). Sleep debt was increased in IBD subjects compared to HC at 21.90 m ± 25.37 vs. 11.49 m ± 13.58, P < 0.05. IBD subjects with inconsistent breakfast or dinner times had lower SIBDQ scores (4.78 ± 1.28 vs. 5.49 ± 1.02, P < 0.05; 4.95 ± 0.31 vs. 5.42 ± 0.32, P < 0.05 respectively). In summary, later chronotype, and markers of circadian misalignment (social jet lag, sleep debt, and inconsistent meal timing) were associated with IBD disease specific complications and/or lower quality of life.