Transient Elastography in HIV Infected Patients with Liver Steatosis Identifies a High-Risk Group for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the role of TE in HIV-infected patients with NAFLD. METHODS: HIV-infected patients undergoing ART were enrolled between August 2016 and February 2017, following the inclusion criteria: ≥18 years with undetectable HIV viral load. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, alcohol intake ≥20g/day and co-infection with hepatitis B or C. Patients underwent an abdominal US to diagnose liver steatosis. Significant fibrosis (≥F2) was considered when APRI>1.0, FIB4>3 and liver stiffness ≥7.1kPa. Subjects with TE ≥7.1kPa were prescribed a liver biopsy and the NAFLD Scoring System ≥3 was considered as a diagnosis of NASH. The poisson regression model was used to identify factors associated with liver steatosis. RESULTS: 98 patients were included. The mean age of the subjects was 49±11 years and 53 (54.1%) were males. Liver steatosis was diagnosed in 31 patients (31.6%) and was independently associated with male sex (PR= 2.18) and higher BMI (PR=1.08). Among the 31 patients with NAFLD, 26 showed results for TE, APRI and FIB4. The prevalence of significant fibrosis assessed by TE, APRI and FIB4 was 26.9%, 6.4% and 3.2%, respectively. Seven patients (26.9%) had a TE result ≥7.1kPa, which was associated with higher triglyceride levels, FIB4 score and CAP values. Liver biopsy was perfomed on six of those with TE ≥7.1kPa and NASH was found in 5 (83.3%) and liver fibrosis without NASH in one. CONCLUSION: NAFLD prevalence in HIV-infected patients is higher than the general population. TE ≥7.1kPa was not able to diagnose significant fibrosis but accurately detect a subgroup of patients at a high risk for NASH among HIV monoinfected individuals with steatosis.

Hepatic steatosis among people living with HIV in Southern Brazil: prevalence and risk factors.

Chronic liver disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is frequently related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The objective is to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of hepatic steatosis among consecutive patients with stable HIV infection on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Also, the use of transient elastography (TE) as a mean to identify a subgroup at risk for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and/or liver fibrosis. HIV infected patients were enrolled between August2016 and February2017. Inclusion criteria: ≥18 years with undetectable HIV viral load. Exclusion criteria: pregnancy; alcohol intake ≥20 g/day and co-infection B or C viruses. Patients underwent ultrasound (US) to diagnose liver steatosis. Significant fibrosis (≥F2) was estimated if at least one of the following were present: APRI > 1.0, FIB4 > 3 and/or liver stiffness ≥7.1kPa. Subjects with TE ≥ 7.1kPa were proposed a liver biopsy and NAFLD Scoring System (NAS) ≥ 3 was considered as diagnosis of NASH. A total of 98 patients were included. Liver steatosis was diagnosed in 31 patients (31.6%) and was independently associated with male gender, BMI, ALT and total bilirubin levels. The prevalence of significant fibrosis assessed by TE, APRI and FIB4 was 26.9%, 6.4% and 3.2%, respectively. Seven patients had a TE result ≥7.1kPa. NASH was found in 5 (83.3%). Among HIV infected patients undergoing ART, almost one third have NAFLD. Neither TE, APRI or FIB4 were able to act as surrogates for significant liver fibrosis. Nevertheless, TE ≥ 7.1kPa was able to accurately select a subgroup of patients at risk for NASH.

Hypothermia is better than ischemic preconditioning for preventing early hepatic ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

BACKGROUND: Topical hypothermia (TH) and ischemic preconditioning (IPC) are used to decrease I/R injury. The efficacy of isolated or combined use of TH and IPC in the liver regarding inflammation and cytoprotection in early ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury needs to be evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Wistar rats underwent 70% liver ischemia for 90 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Livers of animals allocated in the sham, normothermic ischemia (NI), IPC, TH, and TH+IPC groups were collected for molecular analyses by ELISA and Western blot, aiming to compare proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant profiles. RESULTS: Compared with NI, TH presented decreased tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and IL-12 concentrations and increased IL-10 levels. TH animals displayed lower inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and higher endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expressions. NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase-1(NQO1) expression was also lower with TH. Isolated IPC and NI were similar regarding all these markers. TH+IPC was associated with decreased IL-12 concentration and reduced iNOS and NQO1 expressions, similarly to isolated TH. Expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein (Keap)-1 was increased and expression of nuclear and cytosolic nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was decreased with TH+IPC vs. NI. CONCLUSION: TH was the most effective method of protection against early I/R injury. Isolated IPC entailed triggering of second-line antioxidant defense enzymes. Combined TH+IPC seemed to confer no additional advantage over isolated TH in relation to the inflammatory process, but had the advantage of completely avoid second-line antioxidant defense enzymes.