Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología A.C. Clinical guideline on hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a worldwide public health problem. In Mexico, at least three million adults are estimated to have acquired hepatitis B (total hepatitis B core antibody [anti-HBc]-positive), and of those, 300,000 active carriers (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]-positive) could require treatment. Because HBV is preventable through vaccination, its universal application should be emphasized. HBV infection is a major risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Semi-annual liver ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein testing favor early detection of that cancer and should be carried out in all patients with chronic HBV infection, regardless of the presence of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. Currently, nucleoside/nucleotide analogues that have a high barrier to resistance are the first-line therapies.

Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología A.C. Clinical guideline on hepatitis B. / Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología A.C. Guía Clínica de Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a worldwide public health problem. In Mexico, at least three million adults are estimated to have acquired hepatitis B (total hepatitis B core antibody [anti-HBc]-positive), and of those, 300,000 active carriers (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]-positive) could require treatment. Because HBV is preventable through vaccination, its universal application should be emphasized. HBV infection is a major risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Semi-annual liver ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein testing favor early detection of that cancer and should be carried out in all patients with chronic HBV infection, regardless of the presence of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. Currently, nucleoside/nucleotide analogues that have a high barrier to resistance are the first-line therapies.

Consenso Mexicano para el Tratamiento de la Hepatitis C / The Mexican consensus on the treatment of Hepatitis C

El objetivo del Consenso Mexicano para el Tratamiento de la Hepatitis C fue el de desarrollar un documento como guía en la práctica clínica con aplicabilidad en México. Se tomó en cuenta la opinión de expertos en el tema con especialidad en: gastroenterología, infectología y hepatología. Se realizó una revisión de la bibliografía en MEDLINE, EMBASE y CENTRAL mediante palabras claves referentes al tratamiento de la hepatitis C. Posteriormente se evaluó la calidad de la evidencia mediante el sistema GRADE y se redactaron enunciados, los cuales fueron sometidos a voto mediante un sistema modificado Delphi, y posteriormente se realizó revisión y corrección de los enunciados por un panel de 34 votantes. Finalmente se clasificó el nivel de acuerdo para cada oración. Esta guía busca dar recomendaciones con énfasis en los nuevos antivirales de acción directa y de esta manera facilitar su uso en la práctica clínica. Cada caso debe ser individualizado según sus comorbilidades y el manejo de estos pacientes siempre debe ser multidisciplinario.

The aim of the Mexican Consensus on the Treatment of Hepatitis C was to develop clinical practice guidelines applicable to Mexico. The expert opinion of specialists in the following areas was taken into account: gastroenterology, infectious diseases, and hepatology. A search of the medical literature was carried out on the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases through keywords related to hepatitis C treatment. The quality of evidence was subsequently evaluated using the GRADE system and the consensus statements were formulated. The statements were then voted upon, using the modified Delphi system, and reviewed and corrected by a panel of 34 voting participants. Finally, the level of agreement was classified for each statement. The present guidelines provide recommendations with an emphasis on the new direct-acting antivirals, to facilitate their use in clinical practice. Each case must be individualized according to the comorbidities involved and patient management must always be multidisciplinary.

The Mexican consensus on the treatment of hepatitis C. / Consenso Mexicano para el Tratamiento de la Hepatitis C.

The aim of the Mexican Consensus on the Treatment of HepatitisC was to develop clinical practice guidelines applicable to Mexico. The expert opinion of specialists in the following areas was taken into account: gastroenterology, infectious diseases, and hepatology. A search of the medical literature was carried out on the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases through keywords related to hepatitisC treatment. The quality of evidence was subsequently evaluated using the GRADE system and the consensus statements were formulated. The statements were then voted upon, using the modified Delphi system, and reviewed and corrected by a panel of 34 voting participants. Finally, the level of agreement was classified for each statement. The present guidelines provide recommendations with an emphasis on the new direct-acting antivirals, to facilitate their use in clinical practice. Each case must be individualized according to the comorbidities involved and patient management must always be multidisciplinary.

[Primary biliary cirrhosis: clinical features and survival of a Mexican population]. / Cirrosis biliar primaria: características clínicas y supervivencia en la población Mexicana.

BACKGROUND: PBC progresses to cirrhosis and results in death due to liver failure or bleeding portal hypertension. Data of the clinical characteristics and survival of PBC patients allows the assessment of therapeutical alternatives as well as the establishment of inclusion criteria for liver transplantation. AIMS: One hundred and twenty patients with histological diagnosis of PBC, admitted from 1972 to 1992, were selected with the purpose of studying the clinical and biochemical characteristics and survival. METHODS: Patients who underwent liver transplant or those who had an incomplete follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: Therefore only 80 patients were included: these were seventy five women and five men, with mean age 46 +/- 11 years (X +/- SD) to whom demographic data, biochemical analysis, liver function (Child-Pugh) and liver damage (Ludwig) were recorded at the time of histological diagnosis, which was considered zero for calculating the survival (Kaplan Meier). The most common symptoms at diagnosis were pruritus in 63 patients, jaundice in 48, asthenia and adynamia in 55 patients. Eight cases were asymptomatic. According to Child-Pugh's classification, patients were grouped as follows: forty in stage A, 29 in B, and three in C; and according to liver damage (Ludwig), 8 in grade I, 28 in grade II, 22 in grade III and 14 in grade IV. The most frequent clinical associations were Sjögren's syndrome, in 30% of patients, although one case was associated to progressive muscular dystrophy and another one to multiple myeloma and hypothyroidism; in 58.7% of the cases, antimitochondrial antibodies were negative. One year survival was 75%, five years 44%, and seven years 13%. CONCLUSIONS: The most important characteristics of the studied patients were elevated percentage of negative antimitochondrial antibodies and short survival. it is important to impel the development of liver transplantation as the only mean to improve survival.

A modified spectrophotometric assay for porphobilinogen deaminase: its application in the detection of both carriers and patients with acute intermittent porphyria.

A spectrophotometric method for porphobilinogen deaminase assay in erythrocytes is described. This test is determinant for the definite diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria. In the method described, delta-aminolevulinic acid is used as substrate. Mercaptoethanol and zinc ions are introduced to maintain delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in optimal conditions and to guarantee the in vitro production of porphobilinogen. An incubation temperature of 45 degrees C leads to the production of uroporphyrins, which are measured spectrophotometrically at 405 nm, giving reproducible results. The assay can be performed easily in any clinical laboratory and is valuable for detecting both patients and carriers of acute intermittent porphyria.

[Nutrition of patients with liver diseases. (lst of 2 parts)]. / Nutrición en pacientes con enfermedades hepáticas. (Primera de dos partes).

Diet may be modified and can alter the hepatic function or contributes to maintain it on excellent state. The objective of this paper was to review the recently advances on the clinical aspects of nutrition in chronic liver diseases and the underlying rationale for specific nutritional therapies focusing in the works in Mexico. Original papers in english and spanish informed on Medline until 1994 were included. We also review the national literature about nutrition aspects on liver diseases.

[The clinical applications of serum tumor markers in gastroenterology]. / Aplicaciones clínicas de los marcadores tumorales séricos en gastroenterología.

Serum tumors markers tests have five potential uses; the value of a given tests depends on its sensitivity and specificity. As a rule tumor markers have no use as screening tests except for alpha-fetoprotein in hepatocarcinoma which value has been established, for monitoring treatment and for detecting relapse. On the other hand the highest value for carcino-embryonic antigen tests lies on the early detection of colonic cancer relapse. Ca 19-9 assay has a high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and a high predictive value in unresectable disease. Low serum Testosterone/dihydrotestosterone ratio is useful in diagnosis pancreatic carcinoma. There is no useful marker for diagnosis of gastric cancer.