TASL Practice Guidance on the Clinical Assessment and Management of Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multisystem disease and is significantly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. NAFLD has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease in Western countries, and the proportion of NAFLD-related cirrhosis among patients on liver transplantation waiting lists has increased. In light of the accumulated data about NAFLD, and to provide a common approach with multi-disciplines dealing with the subject, it has become necessary to create new guidance for diagnosing and treating NAFLD. This guidance was prepared following an interdisciplinary study under the leadership of the Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL), Fatty Liver Special Interest Group. This new TASL Guidance is a practical application guide on NAFLD and was prepared to standardize the clinical approach to diagnosing and treating NAFLD patients. This guidance reflects many advances in the field of NAFLD. The proposals in this guidance are meant to aid decision-making in clinical practice. The guidance is primarily intended for gastroenterology, endocrinology, metabolism diseases, cardiology, internal medicine, pediatric specialists, and family medicine specialists.

The Effect of Adherence to Mediterranean Diet on Disease Activity in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mediterranean diet, owing to its infla mmati on-mo dulat ory effects, is considered a beneficial dietary regimen for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Despite promising results in the literature, studies on this subject are still limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and examine its impact on disease activity and quality of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 83 patients were included in the study. Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale was used to evaluate adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Crohn's Disease Activity Index was used to evaluate disease activity in Crohn's disease. Disease activity was determined by using the Mayo Clinic score for ulcerative colitis. Quality of Life Scale Short Form-36 was used to evaluate the quality of life of patients. RESULTS: When the median Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale score was 7 (1-12), only 18 patients (21.7%) showed strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Disease activity scores of patients with ulcerative colitis having low adherence to the Mediterranean diet were found to be higher (P < .05). In addition, some quality of life parameters were relatively higher in patients with ulcerative colitis who showed strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet (P < .05). For Crohn's disease, no significant difference was found in disease activity and quality of life with respect to adherence to the Mediterranean diet (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Stronger adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients with ulcerative colitis can help improve quality of life and modulate disease activity. However, further prospective studies are needed to investigate the potential use of the Mediterranean diet in inflammatory bowel disease management.

Role of serum hyaluronic acid in predicting necroinflammatory activity of the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background and Aim: Hyaluronic acid (HA), a fundamental component of the extracellular matrix, is associated with chronic liver diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate quantitative HA measurement as a noninvasive marker for steatosis and fibrosis staging in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with biopsy evidence. Materials and Methods: In this study, 52 NAFLD patients with biopsy evidence and who met the inclusion criteria were included. Hepatic enzyme levels, HA levels, and other laboratory findings were examined. In addition, the degree of steatosis was determined via computed tomography (CT). Results: According to the degree of steatosis, HA levels were 29.17±22.66, 39.85±60.28, and 32.05±19.40, respectively, and no significant difference was found between the groups (p=0.584). In addition, HA levels were not found to be significant according to the degrees of steatohepatitis (p=0.860). However, a statistically significant relationship was found between steatosis levels detected by CT and biopsy (p<0.01). Conclusion: Serum HA level, other biochemical parameters, and steatosis severity measurement via CT did not appear to have any diagnostic value for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In this context, novel markers that may be useful for NAFLD diagnosis and severity assessment in risky individuals should be investigated.

Macro- and micronutrients in metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease: association between advanced fibrosis and high dietary intake of cholesterol/saturated fatty acids.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There is still no approved pharmacotherapy for metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Although dietary and lifestyle modifications for weight loss remain the mainstay for disease management, the association between macro- and micronutrients and fibrosis stage in patients with MAFLD remains unclear. This study was undertaken to address this issue. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from patients in whom MAFLD was diagnosed with vibration controlled transient elastography. Steatosis was defined by a controlled attenuation parameter ≥238 dB/m, whereas a liver stiffness measurement ≥11 kPa was considered to indicate advanced fibrosis. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 106 patients with MAFLD (mean age 49 ± 10 years, 52 men and 54 women). Among the different micro- and macronutrients tested, only the dietary intake of cholesterol and saturated fatty acid (SFA) was independently associated with the presence of advanced fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that cholesterol/SFA-restricted dietary regimens - as exemplified by the traditional Mediterranean diet - may reduce the risk of advanced fibrosis in patients with MAFLD.

Sustainability of diet-based moderate calorie restriction among obese patients with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

Background and Aim: The long-term sustainability of weight loss continues to be a subject of investigation. This study was designed to examine the effects of weight loss and the long-term sustainability of lifestyle modifications among obese patients with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients who were prescribed a hypocaloric diet (~500 calories reduction for each patient), and who were followed up for 12 weeks in 4 face-to-face interviews were enrolled in the study. The patients were contacted at the 36th month, and their current weight was recorded. Results: The mean weight at baseline of 87±13 kg decreased to 79±11 kg after 12 weeks of intervention (p<0.001). The mean weight at the 36th month did not significantly differ from that measured at the baseline (p=0.563). The mean controlled attenuation parameter decreased from 320±13 dB/m to 273±37 dB/m (p<0.001), while the median liver stiffness measurement decreased from 8.7 kPa (3.6-45.7 kPa) to 5.7 kPa (2.2-29.9 kPa) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Strict follow-up through nutritional consultation can help achieve weight loss in obese patients with MAFLD. However, for long-term results, the collaboration of nutritionists and gastroenterologists is essential to prevent weight regain.

The comparison of resting metabolic rate between biopsy-proven non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver patients.

Background and Aim: Resting metabolic (RMR) rate was shown to be associated with chronic inflammatory conditions. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether RMR differs significantly in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) without evidence of inflammation. Material and Methods: Forty-two biopsy-proven NASH were compared with 37 NAFLD patients, who had normal serum transaminases and no evidence of fibrosis based on transient elastography examination. In the interviews, patients' levels of physical activity and dietary habits were recorded, and bioimpedance analysis was performed. The RMRs were calculated using an indirect calorimeter. Results: RMR did not significantly differ between patients with NASH and NAFLD without steatohepatitis in both genders (p=0.695 in males, p=0.256 in females). However, only in female patients RMR rate per body weight was significantly higher in patients with NASH (22.3 [17.2-26.6] cal/kg to 20.2 [12.2-26.1] cal/kg, p=0.020). Conclusion: In conclusion, RMR was not significantly associated with steatohepatitis in patients with NAFLD. Considering the minimizing the effects of body weight, RMR rate per body weight may be used over RMR in the evaluation of the inflammatory status of the NAFLD.

Effect of the mucolytic erdosteine on the success rate of PPI-based first-line triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Because Helicobacter pylori creates a well-sheltered microenvironment within the gastric mucus layer, it has been speculated that the disruption of this space by a mucolytic agent may enhance the eradication rate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of erdosteine, a strong mucolytic agent, on the effectiveness of PPI-based, first-line triple therapy in the eradication of H. pylori. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Initially, 196 patients were enrolled to the study. Of these, 79 H. pylori-positive patients were randomized to the erdosteine group (triple therapy consisting of pantoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin plus erdosteine; n = 40) or the placebo group (triple therapy plus placebo; n = 39) for 14 days. Endoscopic biopsies and (13)C-urea breath tests were performed at entry and at 4-6 weeks after the completion of the treatment. Additionally, rapid urease tests were performed at entry. RESULTS: The eradication of H. pylori was achieved in 30 (75%) of the 40 patients in the erdosteine group and in 20 (51.3%) of the 39 patients in the placebo group, according to the ITT analysis (p = 0.028). When the PP analysis was performed as well, H. pylori eradication was achieved in 30 (78.9%) of the 38 patients in the erdosteine group and in 20 (52.6%) of the 38 patients in the placebo group (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Erdosteine is an efficient adjuvant therapy that could be used in conjunction with first-line triple therapy in the treatment of H. pylori.

Administration of olive oil followed by a low volume of polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution improves patient satisfaction with right-side colonic cleansing over administration of the conventional volume of polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution for colonoscopy preparation.

BACKGROUND: Proper bowel cleansing before colonoscopy is essential for satisfactory evaluation of the colon. The required consumption of a large volume of salty-tasting liquid, 4 L of polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS), is the primary limitation to achieving this goal. OBJECTIVE: To achieve better patient satisfaction with efficient bowel cleansing, we compared the effects of the conventional volume (4 L) of PEG-ELS with those of a low volume (2 L) in combination with pretreatment using different laxatives, such as magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia) and olive oil. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled study. SETTING: A single research hospital. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing elective colonoscopy. INTERVENTIONS: A total of 120 patients were randomized to 1 of 3 different preparation regimens: 39 patients were prepared with a conventional volume (4 L) of PEG-ELS (Preparation [Prep] 1), and the remaining patients were prepared with a lower volume (2 L) of PEG-ELS and pretreatment with a laxative, either 15 g of magnesium hydroxide (40 patients, Prep 2) or 60 mL of olive oil (41 patients, Prep 3) 3 hours before PEG-ELS administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the efficacy of colonic cleansing on the left and right sides. Secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction and side effects. RESULTS: The olive oil regimen (Prep 3) resulted in significantly more adequate bowel cleansing of the right colon than administration of the conventional volume of PEG-ELS (Prep 1) and the magnesium hydroxide (Prep 2) regimen (97.6% vs 74.5% and 72.5%, respectively, P = .007). However, this difference was not observed in the left colon (91.5%, 85.5%, and 91.8% for Preps 1, 2, and 3, respectively, P = .776). When asked, 38 patients (95%) taking Prep 2, 35 patients (85.3%) taking Prep 3, and only 11 patients (28.2%) taking Prep 1 preferred the same preparation regimen if they required a future colonoscopy (P =.006), based on ease of use and taste. The side effects were comparable in each group. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study include the relatively small sample size, the single-center study design, and the use of a nonvalidated symptom scoring system. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with olive oil before administration of a low volume of PEG-ELS enhances both patient satisfaction and the quality of right-side colonic cleansing over the administration of the conventional volume of PEG-ELS for colonoscopy preparation. Although the magnesium hydroxide regimen (Prep 2) was the preferred regimen in this study, its colonic cleansing effectiveness was not as great as those of the other regimens. Based on our results, the olive oil regimen is recommended, especially for patients who are not able to consume large volumes of liquids, such as the elderly, and those who are suspected of having subtle right-side colonic lesions.

Diagnostic value of serum prolidase enzyme activity to predict the liver histological lesions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a surrogate marker to distinguish steatohepatitis from simple steatosis.

Determination of the liver histological lesions with noninvasive tests is an important part of the diagnostic work-up of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to determine the predictive value of noninvasive biochemical markers, serum prolidase enzyme activity (SPEA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and AST/ALT ratio for the liver histological lesions. Fifty-four liver biopsy-proven patients with NAFLD and 37 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. The diagnostic accuracies of biochemical markers were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and multiple linear regression analysis to predict the degree of fatty infiltration, lobular inflammation, NAFLD activity score, and stage of fibrosis. The SPEA of patients with steatohepatitis is significantly increased compared with the patients with simple steatosis and controls (1,338 [1,138-1,624] U/l; 974 [768-1,160] U/l; 972 [862-1,122] U/l, shown as median [25th-75th interquartile range], respectively, P < 0.0001). SPEA was positively correlated with the grade of liver fatty infiltration, lobular inflammation and NAFLD activity score, and stage of fibrosis, (r = 0.377, P < 0.005; r = 0.443, P < 0.001; r = 0.457, P < 0.001; r = 0.321, P < 0.018, respectively). SPEA was the best predictor for distinguishing steatohepatitis from simple steatosis according to the ROC analysis (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.85). Multivariate analysis revealed that the most useful single test for predicting lobular inflammation, NAFLD activity score, and fibrosis was SPEA, and for predicting the fatty infiltration, it was ALT (P < 0.00001, P < 0.001, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, respectively). This study demonstrated that SPEA can accurately predict the degree and stage of all histological lesions in NAFLD. It could be helpful for distinguishing steatohepatitis from simple steatosis and reducing the need for liver biopsy in the majority of patients with NAFLD.

An investigation of Helicobacter pylori using culture, histopathological and serological examination methods and its antimicrobial sensitivities.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, the determination of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) by culture, histopathological and serological methods in cases of endoscopically diagnosed as duodenitis and duodenal ulcer (DU), a comparison of their relative advantages, and its antibiotic sensitivities were investigated. METHODS: Helicobacter pylori was investigated using 3 methods (culture, histopathological and serological examination) in 50 patients (25 diagnosed with duodenitis and 25 with DU) at the Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Istanbul Haydarpasa Numune Hospital, Turkey between December 2000 and February 2001. An investigation into its antibiotic sensitivities to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole and azithromycin by disc diffusion methods and to amoxicillin and clarithromycin by E-test were investigated. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori bacteria were observed in Gram stained preparates prepared from biopsy material in 34 out of 50 patients (68%), and were able to be produced in active culture in all these cases. Histopathological examination revealed the presence of H. pylori in 80% cases of DU and 60% cases of duodenitis; anti-CagA(IgG) was positively determined in 88% DU cases and in 60% duodenitis cases. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of diagnosis by histopathological and serological methods. The difference between the 2 groups produced in active culture in 84% cases of DU cases and 52% of duodenitis was statistically significant (p=0.0322). Using the E-test and disc diffusion methods, 8.8% of the strains that reproduced in culture were resistant to and 91.2% were sensitive to clarithromycin. All strains were determined to be sensitive to amoxicillin: 17.6% of the strains were determined to be resistant to metronidazole, 11.7% to azithromycin. CONCLUSION: It was observed that Gram staining is a rapid and reliable method of pre-diagnosis for H. pylori; that histopathological examination methods are of considerable importance in diagnosis; and that the investigation of the positivity of anti-CagA(IgG) will be a guide in the identification of virulent strains in particular. In addition, it was also concluded that since serological examination does not require invasive measures, this will pose an advantage. The culture method can be applied with the aim of diagnosis in cases identified as DU using endoscopy, and that in cases resistant to treatment it can be applied for the purpose of determining antimicrobial sensitivity. E-test and disc diffusion methods exhibited a rather good correlation, for which reason the disc diffusion method can be used in the determination of antimicrobial sensitivity in H. pylori strains.

A case of Budd-Chiari syndrome secondary to multiple thrombogenic conditions: a case report and review of literature.

This report describes a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by latent polycythemia vera and factor V Leiden mutation. This syndrome usually occurs due to thrombosis of hepatic veins or membranous obstruction of inferior vena cava. The most common reasons for thrombosis are manifest polycythemia vera and the other prothrombotic conditions. Recently, latent polycythemia vera and factor V Leiden mutation have been reported in increasing frequency. In this report, we aimed to emphasize that all prothrombotic conditions must be evaluated while investigating the etiology of Budd-Chiari syndrome, including latent polycythemia vera and factor V Leiden mutation, and appropriate antithrombotic and surgical therapies must be performed without delay.

Malposition of internal organs: a case of situs ambiguous anomaly in an adult.

Situs ambiguous anomaly is a rarely encountered condition in clinical practice that is characterized by the presence of multiple congenital anomalies relevant to intraabdominal organs and the cardiovascular system. While this syndrome is mostly diagnosed as a serious cyanotic cardiac disease in the first year of life, only 5% may survive beyond five years of life, and it can be a diagnostic challenge. In this report, we present an adult case of situs ambiguous anomaly which was diagnosed incidentally. The patient had centrally located liver, multiple splenules, interrupted inferior vena cava with azygos continuation, and bilateral bilobed lungs. Furthermore, she had a history of an atrial septal defect operation 20 years previously. These congenital anomalies were found to be compatible with situs ambiguous anomaly (its polysplenia variant). The interesting points of this patient are that she reached an advanced age without complaint in spite of congenital heart disease, and that the diagnosis was made incidentally during routine examination.