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Stasi C, Brillanti S. Liver Stiffness Evaluation in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients with Cirrhosis before and after Direct-Acting Antivirals. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1418. [PMID: 39065186 PMCID: PMC11279336 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
After the introduction of direct-acting antivirals, parallel significant clinical progress has been achieved in the assessment of liver fibrosis progression/regression before treatment and during the follow-up of the cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The evolution of chronic hepatitis C into liver cirrhosis is correlated with an extensive accumulation of the extracellular matrix, leading to the formation of large amounts of fibrotic tissues that, initially, are concentrated in periportal areas and, in the later stages, surround the nodules of regenerating hepatocytes. The progressive increase in the fibrotic matrix contributes to vascular disturbances (favoring the development of portal hypertension) and to microenvironmental changes. The four clinical stages of liver cirrhosis are predictors for different clinical scenarios. The wide-ranging functions of the liver require different methods for their assessment. The non-invasive evaluation using transient elastography is useful in determining the longitudinal modifications of fibrosis during and after treatment with direct-acting antivirals. The liver stiffness evaluation, known to have a wide range of values in cirrhotic patients, can offer different prognostic implications after sustained virological response. This review discusses the different time points of liver stiffness evaluation that appear to show a more well-defined propensity to identify adequate monitoring schedules for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Stasi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Thorhauge KH, Semmler G, Johansen S, Lindvig KP, Kjærgaard M, Hansen JK, Torp N, Hansen CD, Andersen P, Hofer BS, Gu W, Israelsen M, Mandorfer M, Reiberger T, Trebicka J, Thiele M, Krag A. Using liver stiffness to predict and monitor the risk of decompensation and mortality in patients with alcohol-related liver disease. J Hepatol 2024; 81:23-32. [PMID: 38428644 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is recommended for disease prognostication and monitoring. We evaluated if LSM, using transient elastography, and LSM changes predict decompensation and mortality in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). METHODS We performed an observational cohort study of compensated patients at risk of ALD from Denmark and Austria. We evaluated the risk of decompensation and all-cause mortality, stratified for compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD: baseline LSM ≥10 kPa) and LSM changes after a median of 2 years. In patients with cACLD, we defined LSM changes as (A) LSM increase ≥20% ("cACLD increasers") and (B) follow-up LSM <10 kPa or <20 kPa with LSM decrease ≥20% ("cACLD decreasers"). In patients without cACLD, we defined follow-up LSM ≥10 kPa as an LSM increase ("No cACLD increasers"). The remaining patients were considered LSM stable. RESULTS We followed 536 patients for 3,008 patient-years-median age 57 years (IQR 49-63), baseline LSM 8.1 kPa (IQR 4.9-21.7)-371 patients (69%) had follow-up LSM after a median of 25 months (IQR 17-38), 41 subsequently decompensated and 55 died. Of 125 with cACLD at baseline, 14% were "cACLD increasers" and 43% "cACLD decreasers", while 13% of patients without cACLD were "No cACLD increasers" (n = 33/246). Baseline LSM, follow-up LSM and LSM changes accurately predicted decompensation (C-index: baseline LSM 0.85; follow-up LSM 0.89; LSM changes 0.85) and mortality (C-index: baseline LSM 0.74; follow-up LSM 0.74; LSM changes 0.70). When compared to "cACLD decreasers", "cACLD increasers" had significantly lower decompensation-free survival and higher risks of decompensation (subdistribution hazard ratio 4.39, p = 0.004) and mortality (hazard ratio 3.22, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION LSM by transient elastography predicts decompensation and all-cause mortality in patients with compensated ALD both at diagnosis and when used for monitoring. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Patients at risk of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) are at significant risk of progressive disease and adverse outcomes. Monitoring is essential for optimal disease surveillance and patient guidance, but non-invasive monitoring tools are lacking. In this study we demonstrate that liver stiffness measurement (LSM), using transient elastography, and LSM changes after a median of 2 years, can predict decompensation and all-cause mortality in patients at risk of ALD with and without compensated advanced chronic liver disease. These findings are in line with results from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis C and primary sclerosing cholangitis, and support the clinical utility of LSM, using transient elastography, for disease prognostication and monitoring in chronic liver diseases including ALD, as recommended by the Baveno VII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Holtz Thorhauge
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Georg Semmler
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23 A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stine Johansen
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Katrine Prier Lindvig
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Kjærgaard
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Johanne Kragh Hansen
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj Torp
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Camilla Dalby Hansen
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Peter Andersen
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Benedikt Silvester Hofer
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23 A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wenyi Gu
- Department of Internal Medicine B, Münster University Hospital, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Mads Israelsen
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mattias Mandorfer
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23 A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Reiberger
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23 A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonel Trebicka
- Department of Internal Medicine B, Münster University Hospital, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Maja Thiele
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Aleksander Krag
- Fibrosis, Fatty Liver and Steatohepatitis Research Center Odense (FLASH), Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Esposto G, Santini P, Galasso L, Mignini I, Ainora ME, Gasbarrini A, Zocco MA. Shear-wave elastography to predict hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatitis C virus eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:1450-1460. [PMID: 38596502 PMCID: PMC11000078 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i10.1450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) are highly effective treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with a significant rate of sustained virologic response (SVR). The achievement of SVR is crucial to prevent additional liver damage and slow down fibrosis progression. The assessment of fibrosis degree can be performed with transient elastography, magnetic resonance elastography or shear-wave elastography (SWE). Liver elastography could function as a predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in CHC patients treated with DAAs. AIM To explore the predictive value of SWE for HCC development after complete clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). METHODS A comprehensive literature search of clinical studies was performed to identify the ability of SWE to predict HCC occurrence after HCV clearance. In accordance with the study protocol, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the evidence was planned. RESULTS At baseline and after 12 wk of follow-up, a trend was shown towards greater liver stiffness (LS) in those who go on to develop HCC compared to those who do not [baseline LS standardized mean difference (SMD): 1.15, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 020-2.50; LS SMD after 12 wk: 0.83, 95%CI: 0.33-1.98]. The absence of a statistically significant difference between the mean LS in those who developed HCC or not may be related to the inability to correct for confounding factors and the absence of raw source data. There was a statistically significant LS SMD at 24 wk of follow-up between patients who developed HCC vs not (0.64; 95%CI: 0.04-1.24). CONCLUSION SWE could be a promising tool for prediction of HCC occurrence in patients treated with DAAs. Further studies with larger cohorts and standardized timing of elastographic evaluation are needed to confirm these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Esposto
- CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Catholic University of Rome, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Paolo Santini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Linda Galasso
- CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Catholic University of Rome, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Irene Mignini
- CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Catholic University of Rome, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Ainora
- CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Catholic University of Rome, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Maria Assunta Zocco
- CEMAD Digestive Disease Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Catholic University of Rome, Rome 00168, Italy
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Almutawakel S, Halleck F, Dürr M, Grittner U, Schrezenmeier E, Budde K, Althoff CE, Hamm B, Sack I, Fischer T, Marticorena Garcia SR. Shear Wave Elastography for Assessing Liver Stiffness in HCV-Infected Kidney Transplant Recipients after Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment: A Comparative Study with Magnetic Resonance Elastography. J Clin Med 2023; 12:7547. [PMID: 38137615 PMCID: PMC10743898 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12247547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to hepatic fibrosis. The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has substantially improved sustained virological response (SVR) rates. In this context, kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are of particular interest due to their higher HCV infection rates and uncertain renal excretion and bioavailability of DAAs. We investigated liver stiffness after DAA treatment in 15 HCV-infected KTRs using ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in comparison with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). KTRs were treated with DAAs (daclatasvir and sofosbuvir) for three months and underwent SWE at baseline, end of therapy (EOT), and 3 (EOT+3) and 12 months (EOT+12) after EOT. Fourteen patients achieved SVR12. Shear wave speed (SWS)-as a surrogate parameter for tissue stiffness-was substantially lower at all three post-therapeutic timepoints compared with baseline (EOT: -0.42 m/s, p < 0.01; CI = -0.75--0.09, EOT+3: -0.43 m/s, p < 0.01; CI = -0.75--0.11, and EOT+12: -0.52 m/s, p < 0.001; CI = -0.84--0.19), suggesting liver regeneration after viral eradication and end of inflammation. Baseline SWS correlated positively with histopathological fibrosis scores (r = 0.48; CI = -0.11-0.85). Longitudinal results correlated moderately with APRI (r = 0.41; CI = 0.12-0.64) but not with FIB-4 scores (r = 0.12; CI = -0.19-0.41). Although higher on average, SWE-derived measurements correlated strongly with MRE (r = 0.64). In conclusion, SWE is suitable for non-invasive therapy monitoring in KTRs with HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Almutawakel
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Fabian Halleck
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Dürr
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Schrezenmeier
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Klemens Budde
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian E. Althoff
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Bernd Hamm
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Ingolf Sack
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Thomas Fischer
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Stephan R. Marticorena Garcia
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
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Lazar A, Sporea I, Lungeanu D, Mare R, Lupusoru R, Popescu A, Danila M, Deleanu A, Dan I, Lascau A, Popa A, Sirli R. The Prevalence of Liver Fibrosis Stages on More than 23,000 Liver Stiffness Measurements by Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography: A Single Center Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2803. [PMID: 37685341 PMCID: PMC10486787 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13172803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was the first non-invasive method used for assessing liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Over the years, many studies have evaluated its performance. It is now used globally, and, in some countries, it represents the primary step in evaluating liver fibrosis. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of VCTE and highlight the prevalence of liver fibrosis stages assessed by VCTE in a large cohort of patients at a single study center. We also aimed to observe the trends in liver stiffness (LS) values over the years according to each type of hepatopathy. A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 13 years (2007-2019) and included patients who presented to our clinic for LS measurements (LSMs), either with known liver diseases or with suspected liver pathology who were undergoing fibrosis screening. The database contained a total of 23,420 measurements. Valid LSMs were obtained in 90.91% (21,291/23,420) of the cases, while 2129 (9.09%) of the measurements were either failed or unreliable. In untreated patients with chronic viral hepatitis, LS values tended to increase during the years, while in patients undergoing antiviral therapy LS values significantly decreased. Our comprehensive study, one of the largest of its kind spanning 13 years, emphasizes the reliability and significance of VCTE in real-world clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alin Lazar
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Ioan Sporea
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Diana Lungeanu
- Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Ruxandra Mare
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Raluca Lupusoru
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
- Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Alina Popescu
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Mirela Danila
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Alexandra Deleanu
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Isabel Dan
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Andrada Lascau
- Discipline of Accounting and Information System, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, West University of Timișoara, 300115 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Alexandru Popa
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Roxana Sirli
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
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