Systemic Inflammation Response Index and Systemic Immune Inflammation Index Are Associated with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis?

OBJECTIVES: The inflammatory response is critically important in acute pancreatitis (AP). Systemic immune-inflammation (SII) index and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), which are novel inflammatory markers, have been linked to determining outcomes in various diseases. The goal of the current study was to examine the relation of the SII index and SIRI with disease severity and acute kidney injury (AKI) in subjects with AP. METHODS: A total of 332 subjects with AP were analyzed retrospectively. SII index was calculated using the formula; platelet (P)×neutrophil (N)/lymphocyte (L), while SIRI was calculated as N × monocyte (M)/L count. Multivariate regression (MR) was done to determine the independent risk factors for AKI and severe AP (SAP). RESULTS: Statistical analyses showed that both median SII index and median SIRI increased gradually with higher AP severity (p < 0.001). Both SII index and SIRI were higher in subjects with AKI compared to controls (p < 0.001). Using MR analysis, the SII index was found to independently predict both SAP (OR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001-1.008, p = 0.018) and AKI (OR = 1.005, 95% CI: 1.003-1.008, p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed that the SII index could accurately differentiate SAP (AUC = 0.809, p < 0.001) and AKI (AUC = 0.820, p = 0.001) in patients with acute pancreatitis. ROC analysis also showed that SIRI could also accurately differentiate SAP (0.782, p < 0.001) and AKI (AUC = 0.776, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SIRI and the SII indexes can be used as potential biomarkers in predicting both disease severity and AKI development in subjects with AP.

Can neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio predict mortality in acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

BACKGROUND: Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is one of the common gastrointestinal problems and has a high mortality, especially in patients with poor hemodynamics. Therefore, treatment and follow-up should be managed dy-namically. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are fast workable, cheap, and easy to calculate he-matological parameters. We need easily accessible parameters as well as routine classifications such as Rockall score in the treatment and follow-up of NVUGIB patients, whose hemodynamics are unstable and progress with high mortality. In this study, we planned to evaluate NLR and PLR levels in patients with NVUGIB in the treatment follow-up with other scoring systems and their relationship with mortality in these patients. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-nine patients who were admitted to our clinic between January 2015 and January 2017 diag-nosed with NVUGIB, and who underwent necessary examinations and follow-ups, were included in the study. The patients' Glasgow Blacthford, Rockall Score, NLR, and PLR levels were calculated at the first admission. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-six of the patients were male (70.6%) and the mean age of all patients was 64.5±18.0 years. After follow-up and treatment, 28 (11.2%) patients died due to bleeding. High NLR and tachycardia at the time of admission and high patient age were found to be independent risk factors affecting the long of hospital stay. High Rockall score, high NLR at admission, and hy-potension at admission were shown to be independent risk factors affecting mortality. CONCLUSION: Besides the use of various scoring systems in patients with NVUGIB, we think that the use of simple hematological parameters may be appropriate and the use of these hematological parameters may be useful in the management of patients with unstable hemodynamics.

Hepatitis B Reactivation in Patients Treated with Direct-Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited research about HBV reactivation (HBVr) due to direct-acting antivirals (DAA) for HCV and most are limited by short duration of follow-up, small sample size, and absence of baseline HBV DNA. We aimed to determine the incidence and clinical course of HBVr in HBsAg and/or anti-HBcIgG positive patients treated with DAA for HCV. METHODS: Seven centers retrospectively analyzed their database on HCV patients treated with DAA between 2015 and 2019. Patients with HBV coinfection or resolved HBV infection were enrolled. Serum transaminases, HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA were followed every 4 weeks during DAA treatment and every 12 weeks 1 year after treatment. Entecavir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was started in case of HBVr. The development of HBVr, HBV flare, liver failure, and mortality were determined. RESULTS: 852 patients received DAA treatment for HCV. Among them, 35 (4.1%) had HBV coinfection and 246 (28.9%) had resolved HBV infection. 257 patients (53.3% male, mean age: 63 ± 9) constituted the study group (29 with coinfection and 228 with resolved infection). Three patients with coinfection were HBV DNA positive. HBVr developed in 10 (34.5%) HBsAg positive patients, either during (n = 3) or 12-48 weeks after finishing DAA treatment. HBV flare and acute liver failure developed in 1 patient (3.4%), each. Two patients with resolved infection developed HBVr (0.87%) and one (0.44%) had HBV flare. Overall, none of the patients died or underwent liver transplantation due to HBVr. CONCLUSION: Patients with HBV/HCV coinfection have a high risk of HBVr after DAA treatment and should receive antiviral prophylaxis. Patients with resolved infection have a low risk of HBVr and can be monitored by serial ALT measurements.

Are Pattern Recognition Receptors Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the important causes of mortality due to malignancy. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are very important in liver pathophysiology in terms of their roles in the innate immune system, such as the regulation of inflammation, wound healing, stimulation of adaptive immune responses, promotion of epithelial regeneration, and carcinogenesis. In this study, we planned to examine the role of TLR1 (rs4833095, rs5743551) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD2) (rs2066844, rs2066845, rs2066847) polymorphisms in the development of HCC and their effects on the clinical presentation of HCC patients. METHODS: Our study was designed prospectively. Cirrhotic and HCC patients who were followed up in our clinic between January 2015 and September 2018 were included in the study. Sex, age, cirrhosis etiology, Child-Pugh class, and MELD scores were recorded. TLR1 and NOD2 polymorphisms were studied by the PCR method. RESULTS: HCC developed in 88 (31.4%) of the 280 patients who were followed up, either during the recruitment phase of our study or during the follow-up. The mean follow-up time of our patient group was 17.04 ± 11.72 months, and the mean follow-up time of HCC patients was 12.09 ± 10.26 months. TLR1 (rs5743551) polymorphism was associated with HCC development (P = .003). TLR1 (rs5743551) and NOD2 (rs2066844) polymorphisms were associated with the development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in the HCC patient group (P = .013 and P = .021, respectively). CONCLUSION: We think that increased bacterial translocation in cirrhotic patients may contribute to HCC development by causing chronic inflammation, especially in patients with TLR 1 (rs5743551) polymorphism.

Evaluation of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels, and their relations with disease type and activity in inflammatory bowel diseases

Background/aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mainly encompass two entities called ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), both of which are chronic, progressive and, inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Various indicators and non-invasive markers have been sought and used in IBD patients to help assessing disease activity and treatment effectiveness although none of them are proven to yield definite results in full correlation with the clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological examinations. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels with disease type and activity and to assess their potential use in establishing diagnosis and activity status of IBD, namely UC and CD. Materials and methods: A total of 111 IBD patients with determined active and inactive disease periods and 70 matched controls were recruited. Serum NGAL levels of the patients and the control group were measured using commercially available ELISA kits. ADMA and SMDA levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Results: The IBD group had significantly higher serum levels of NGAL (p = 0.001), ADMA (p = 0.0001), and SDMA (p = 0.0001) in comparison to the control group. Likewise, serum NGAL, ADMA, and SDMA levels were significantly higher in the active IBD group compared to the inactive IBD group (p = 0.0001). Active UC and active CD patients similarly had significantly higher levels of serum NGAL, ADMA, and SDMA than the respective levels in inactive UK and inactive CD patients (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Serum NGAL, ADMA and SMDA levels are increased in patients with IBD, and serum NGAL, ADMA and SMDA concentrations are significantly higher in active IBD patients than inactive IBD patients. Our results suggest these biomarkers may serve in estimating IBD activity and severity.

Can Hematological Inflammatory Parameters Predict Mortality in Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Inflammatory and hematological parameters such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) provided useful information especially in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of malignancies. In this study, we planned to demonstrate the efficacy of NLR and PLR levels in the evaluation of the prognosis of patients with HCC in our clinic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was planned as a prospective observational cohort study. The study included 105 patients with HCC on the base of cirrhosis. Our study group was classified according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Okuda staging system, and Milan criteria at the time of admission. RESULTS: The mean age of all cases was 60.6 ± 12.4 years, and 77 (73.3%) of the patients were male. The mean life expectancy of all patients was 7.7 ± 4.3 months. During 1-year follow-up, 61 (58.1%) HCC patients died. The mean survival of the patients who died was 4.6 ± 3.0 months. In our study, patients with NLR > 2.7, patients with PLR > 100.29, BCLC advanced stage, and Okuda advanced stage, and patients who did not meet the Milan criteria had shorter survival duration. NLR > 2.7, BCLC advanced stage, and Child C were determined as independent risk factors affecting mortality. CONCLUSION: There was a strong correlation between NLR-PLR levels and mortality. PLR and NLR levels can be used in conjunction with other staging systems to regulate, monitor, and predict the survival of HCC patients.

May Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) Level Predict Mortality in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)?

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks fifth among the common cancers worldwide. Hepatocarcinogenesis is a multiple-phases process, which involves changes in cellular genomes including high cell proliferation.In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship of NGAL level at the time of diagnosis with mortality in patients diagnosed with HCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 35 patients who developed HCC on the ground of HBV(+) and 30 healthy subjects were included in the study. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Okuda staging system, and Milan criteria were used for staging of the patients with HCC. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 59.54 ± 11.57 years. Seventeen (48.6%) HCC patients died during 1-year follow-up. Survival of the patients who met the Milan criteria was longer (log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test, χ2 = 5.353, p = 0.021). Kaplan-Meier curve was drawn for NGAL cut-off value, mortality was found to be higher in patients with a NGAL level higher than 217.50 (log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test, χ2 = 15.540, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that high levels of NGAL at the time of diagnosis were associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients.

The role of right ventricular volumes and inferior vena cava diameters in the evaluation of volume status before colonoscopy

Background/aim: Ultrasonographic measurements of inferior vena cava (IVC) diameters and right ventricle (RV) volumes are important tools for the evaluation of intravascular volume. The current study investigates the association of IVC diameters and RV volumes before colonoscopy in prediction of postanesthesia hypotension. Materials and methods: Seventy patients scheduled for colonoscopy were included in the study. Preoperatively, expirium (dIVC max) and inspirium (dIVC min) IVC diameters were measured using M-mode ultrasonography and the collapsibility index (IVC-CI) was calculated. Ventricular volumes and areas were also measured using transthoracic echocardiography. Postanesthesia hypotension was defined as mean arterial blood pressure of <60 mmHg or a decrease of >30% in the mean arterial pressure after sedation. Results: Minimum and maximum IVC diameters were significantly lower (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) and IVC-CI was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients who developed hypotension. Similarly, right ventricular end-diastolic area (RV-EDA), right ventricular end-systolic area (RV-ESA), right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RV-EDV), right ventricular end-systolic volume (RVESV), and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LV-ESV) values were significantly lower in patients with hypotension (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that dIVC min and RV-ESA were independent predictors of hypotension. Conclusion: IVC diameters and RV-ESA, RV-EDA, RV-ESV, and RV-EDV are good indicators of preoperative volume status and can be used to predict the patients at risk of developing hypotension.

Dynamic thiol-disulfide homeostasis is disturbed in hepatitis B virus-related chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis

Background/aim: Thiol-disulfide homeostasis is an important antioxidant defense mechanism. This study was conducted to investigate dynamic thiol-disulfide homeostasis in patients with hepatitis B virus-related chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. Materials and methods: Seventy-one treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 50 patients with hepatitis B virusassociated liver cirrhosis, and 45 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum total and native thiol concentrations and serum disulfide concentrations were measured using an automated method. Results: Mean serum total thiol concentrations in the control, CHB, and cirrhosis groups were 481.64 ± 37.87 µmol/L, 438.50 ± 71.35 µmol/L, and 358.07 ± 80.47 µmol/L, respectively (P < 0.001), and mean serum native thiol concentrations in the control, CHB, and cirrhosis groups were 452.92 ± 36.43 µmol/L, 400.16 ± 65.92 µmol/L, and 328.15 ± 74.91 µmol/L, respectively (P < 0.001). Mean serum disulfide concentrations in the control, CHB, and cirrhosis groups were 14.38 ± 3.38 µmol/L, 19.19 ± 6.16 µmol/L, and 14.98 ± 5.53 µmol/L, respectively (P < 0.001). There was a progressive decrease in both mean serum native and total thiol concentrations parallel to the liver fibrosis stage. Conclusion: : Thiol-disulfide homeostasis is disturbed in patients with hepatitis B virus-related chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.

Conjunctival Impression Cytology and Dry Eye in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare signs of dry eye between ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: Fifteen patients with UC (group 1) and 15 healthy subjects (group 2) were enrolled in this study. Tear volume measurement, Schirmer-I test with no anesthetic, tear break-up time, and conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: Patients with UC showed lower tear volumes when compared with healthy subjects (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in distribution of CIC grades between groups 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Tear break-up time and Schirmer-I measurements were significantly lower in group 1 compared with group 2 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that UC is associated with demonstrable disturbances in tear function and conjunctival cytology.

Successful endoscopic treatment of an unusual foreign body in the stomach: A package of heroin.

Drug addiction is an important medical and social problem. "Body packing" is frequently used for concealed transportation of illegal drugs. The drug is packed in small plastic packages and swallowed or placed into body cavities, such as the rectum or the vagina. Another aspect is "body stuffing," in which the drug package is usually hastily swallowed in order to avoid arrest. Presently described is case of a body stuffer who ingested a package of heroin and was successfully treated with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a safe alternative therapeutic option in body stuffers in selected cases.

Serum ischemic modified albumin (IMA) concentration and IMA/albumin ratio in patients with hepatitis B-related chronic liver diseases.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Albumin is the most important protein synthesized by the liver. Posttranscriptional changes occur in the molecular structure of albumin due to various factors and isoforms arise. Ischemic modified albumin (IMA) is one such isoform. This study was conducted to evaluate serum IMA concentrations in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic liver diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 74 treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients, 25 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and 49 healthy controls. Serum IMA concentration was measured spectrophotometrically using the albumin cobalt binding test. RESULTS: The mean IMA concentrations in the chronic hepatitis B group and healthy controls were 0.33 ± 0.11 ABSU and 0.27 ± 0.70 ABSU, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Mean IMA/albumin ratios (IMAR) in the chronic hepatitis B and control groups were 0.08 ± 0.04 and 0.06 ± 0.17, respectively, and the difference was also statistically significant (P < 0.001). Higher serum IMA concentrations and IMAR were detected in patients with advanced fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Serum IMA concentration and IMAR are increased in patients with HBV-related chronic liver diseases and IMA and IMAR are associated with the degree of liver fibrosis. IMA and IMAR may have potential use as noninvasive markers of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Serum soluble TWEAK levels are decreased in treatment naive noncirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients.

The mechanisms underlying hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are complex and several cytokines are involved. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily which also acts as a cytokine. This study was conducted to evaluate serum soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) levels in noncirrhotic CHB patients.Fifty-two treatment naive CHB patients and 30 healthy controls were included in the study and serum sTWEAK concentrations were measured using commercially available ELISA kits.Mean serum sTWEAK concentration was significantly lower in CHB group than healthy controls (189.6 ±â€Š63.3 pg/mL in CHB group and 297.6 ±â€Š61.5 pg/mL in control group, P < 0.001). According to the degree of necroinflammation in liver biopsies mean sTWEAK concentrations were found to be 168.14 ±â€Š51.51, 206.96 ±â€Š58.51, and 223.62 ±â€Š78.88 pg/mL in patients with mild, moderate, and severe inflammation, respectively, and the difference between groups was statistically significant (P = 0.022). sTWEAK concentration was also found to be significantly higher in patients with advanced fibrosis in liver biopsy samples (169.59 ±â€Š52.02 and 211.17 ±â€Š68.22 pg/mL in patients with mild and advanced fibrosis, respectively, P = 0.016). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained in CHB group to differentiate patients with advanced fibrosis from patients with mild fibrosis. Area under curve (AUC) was 0.676 (95% Cl; 0.526-0.825) for sTWEAK and for the specified cut-off value of 213.67 pg/mL sensitivity and specificity were 60% and 81.4%, respectively. ROC curve for sTWEAK to differentiate patients with severe inflammation revealed an AUC of 0.664 (95% Cl; 0.450-0.878). A cut-off value of 243.27 pg/mL yielded 54.5% sensitivity and 82.9% specificity.Serum sTWEAK concentration is decreased in treatment naive CHB patients. Further studies with simultaneous determination of circulating sTWEAK concentrations and TWEAK and factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) expressions in the liver biopsy samples would clarify the exact association of TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in the pathogenesis of CHB.

Nutritional habits in functional dyspepsia and its subgroups: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Research data demonstrating nutritional habits of functional dyspepsia (FD) patients are very limited. This is the first study to evaluate nutritional habits in FD subgroups according to Rome III criteria. Our aim was to evaluate nutritional habits of FD patients and determine the food items that may provoke a dyspepsia symptom. METHODS: A total of 168 adults with FD and 135 healthy control subjects participated in the study. FD subjects were divided into epigastric pain syndrome (EP-FD), postprandial distress syndrome (PS-FD), mixed (MX-FD) subgroups according to Rome Criteria III. Subjects completed a questionnaire that included a short-form food frequency questionnaire. Furthermore, subjects were asked to list the food items that were causing a dyspepsia symptom. RESULTS: Functional dyspepsia subjects had a slightly higher BMI (26.1 ± 4.97 kg/m(2)) than control subjects (24.6 ± 4.08 kg/m(2)). The most common symptom triggering foods among all the FD groups were fried and fatty foods (27.1%), hot spices (26.4%), and carbonated drinks (21.8%). In FD subgroups, carbonated drinks were more likely to cause a symptom in PS-FD group (37.3%) than MX-FD (25.7%) and EP-FD (22.1%) groups. There was no difference in frequency of main meals and snacks among any of the groups. CONCLUSION: Fatty and spicy foods and carbonated drinks were the most common symptom triggering food items in FD group. In subgroups, carbonated drinks and legumes were more likely to cause a symptom in PS-FD. Removing these food items during the course of treatment might help alleviate the symptoms.

KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) criteria as a predictor of hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequent in cirrhotic patients and is associated with a poor prognosis. Recently, the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) organization recommended new criteria for the diagnosis and staging for AKI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of AKI according to KDIGO criteria in cirrhotic patients admitted to the hospital and to determine its association with hospital mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 277 cirrhotic patients admitted to the intensive care unit and gastroenterology service of a tertiary referral hospital from January 2008 to January 2012. AKI was diagnosed and classified according to the KDIGO criteria. RESULTS: The overall incidence of AKI in cirrhotic patients was 39%, and the overall hospital mortality was 15.5%. Patients without AKI had a hospital mortality rate of 2.4%, whereas the mortality rate for patients with AKI was 36.1%. The peak AKI stage detected during hospitalization was stage 1 for 58 patients (53.7%), stage 2 for 20 patients (18.5%), and stage 3 for 30 patients (27.7%). Mortality was found to be associated with the presence, stage, and progression of AKI. Multivariate analysis showed that AKI was an independent factor significantly associated with mortality (odds ratio: 9.1; 95% confidence interval: 2.89-29.1; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: KDIGO criteria can be used to evaluate AKI in cirrhotic patients. The prevalence of AKI in patients with cirrhosis is high, and AKI is associated with mortality. If early preventive measures are taken, it may be possible to prevent AKI progression and thus mortality.

Secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal treatment: Endoscopic sclerotherapy, band ligation and combined therapy--long-term results.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the long-term results of endoscopic sclerotherapy and endoscopic band ligation in secondary prophylaxis on variceal eradication and to evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic sclerotherapy and endoscopic band ligation combination in resistant cases. METHODS: The results of the patients who underwent endoscopic sclerotherapy (n=47 31M/16F, 49.9+/-16.1 years) and endoscopic band ligation (n=72 56M/16F, 46.6+/-14.1 years) were compared. The results of patients whose varices could not be eradicated who were treated with endoscopic band ligation and combined endoscopic sclerotherapy (combined group, n=62 49M/13F, 48.8+/-12.7 years) are also given. Patients were evaluated for portal hypertension etiology, Child score, fundal varices-portal hypertensive gastropathy presence according to first and last endoscopic findings, varices eradication, rebleeding, recurrence and complication rates. RESULTS: 181 patients were followed for 35.2+/- 25.6 (6-123) months. Varices eradication and recurrence rates were 93.6% and 44.7% for endoscopic sclerotherapy, and 90.3% and 47.2% for endoscopic band ligation (p>0.05). The number of sessions for eradication were 6.6+/-4.0 and 2.5+/-1.6 for endoscopic sclerotherapy and endoscopic band ligation groups, respectively (p<0.05). Rebleeding rates were 16.3% for endoscopic sclerotherapy and 6.1% for endoscopic band ligation (p>0.05). In the combined group, although the rebleeding rate was 34.4%, which was as expected significantly higher than that of endoscopic sclerotherapy and endoscopic band ligation, variceal eradication and the recurrence rates were 82.3% and 50.0%, similar to endoscopic sclerotherapy and endoscopic band ligation, and the number of sessions for eradication was 6.8+/-3.5. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic band ligation is the most suitable method for varices eradication, but there is a group of patients resistant to endoscopic band ligation. In this patient group, the addition of endoscopic sclerotherapy to endoscopic band ligation was a suitable and effective technique in order to achieve variceal eradication.

Serous microcystic adenoma of the pancreas: case report and review of the literature.

Cystic tumors of the pancreas are rare neoplasms. They are more frequently identified given the improvements in imaging techniques. Serous cystadenomas are the most common among cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. In this case report we present a patient who was incidentally found to have a cystic mass in the pancreas during an abdominal imaging done for unrelated reasons and was diagnosed as serous cystadenoma of the pancreas. She was asymptomatic on admission and was operated six years later because of the progressive growth of the tumor during that period. Distal pancreatectomy was performed. Histopathologic examination of the surgery specimen confirmed the diagnosis of serous microcystic adenoma. Despite their rarity, serous cystadenomas should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of the cystic lesions of the pancreas. Furthermore, the differentiation of serous cystadenoma from other cystic tumors as well as from non-neoplastic cysts is very important because of the great difference in their management.

Probable sulbactam/ampicillin-associated prolonged cholestasis.

OBJECTIVE: To present a single case of sulbactam/ampicillin-induced chronic cholestasis and a literature review of antibiotic-associated chronic cholestasis. CASE SUMMARY: A 74-year-old man with Hodgkin's disease in remission developed severe and prolonged cholestasis after treatment with sulbactam/ampicillin 750 mg twice daily for 7 days. All other etiologies, including Hodgkin's disease, were appropriately ruled out and the cholestasis was ascribed to sulbactam/ampicillin treatment. The patient improved gradually and became asymptomatic 7 months after the last dose of sulbactam/ampicillin. According to the Naranjo probability scale, sulbactam/ampicillin was the probable cause of the cholestasis. DISCUSSION: Ampicillin, a semisynthetic penicillin, has rarely been associated with hepatic injury when used alone. Hepatocellular and acute cholestatic injury due to ampicillin have been described. Cholestasis secondary to sulbactam/ampicillin use has not been previously reported. CONCLUSIONS: Sulbactam/ampicillin, one of the most widely used antibiotics, may cause chronic cholestatic hepatitis. Clinicians should be aware of this adverse affect and consider it during diagnostic workup of liver injury.