Managing alcoholic liver disease

New perspective on fecal microbiota transplantation in liver diseases

Chronic liver disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcohol-related liver disease is one of the most common diseases worldwide. The gut-liver axis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver disease. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, dysbiosis, leaky bowel, bacterial translocation, and imbalanced metabolites are related to the progression of chronic liver disease. Recently, novel therapeutic approaches for microbiota modulation such as personalized diet, probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, engineered microbiotas, phage therapy, stomach operation, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) have been proposed with numerous promising results in the effectiveness and clinical application. Although the evidence is still lacking, FMT, a type of fecal bacteriotherapy, has been known as a candidate for the treatment of liver disease. This review article focuses on the most recent advances in our understanding of FMT in chronic liver disease such as non-alcoholic and alcohol-related liver disease.

Incidence and management patterns of alcohol-related liver disease in Korea: a nationwide standard cohort study

The recent incidence and management patterns of alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) are not well defined in Korea. We sought to evaluate the epidemiology of ARLD with regard to disease severity and alcohol cessation management after diagnosis. We performed an observational cohort study of standardized Common Data Model data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment-National Patient Samples database between 2012 and 2016. The incidence and demographic properties of ARLD were extracted and divided into non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). ALC was compared with non-alcoholic cirrhosis by severity at diagnosis. The management patterns were captured by the initiation of pharmaco- and behavioral therapy for alcohol cessation. We analyzed data from 72,556 ALD to 7295 ALC patients. The ALD incidence was stable from 990 to 1025 per 100,000 people. In ALD, the proportion of patients who were ≥ 65 years old, the proportion of female patients, and the comorbidity index increased significantly during the study period (all P values < 0.001). ALC accounted for > 20% of all cirrhosis, with decompensation occurring twice as often as in non-alcoholic cirrhosis. The initiation of alcoholism management was stationary in ARLD, remaining at < 10% for both pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy, regardless of severity or the site of diagnosis. The incidence of ARLD did not decrease during the study period. Moreover, an increasing trend in the proportion of people vulnerable to drinking was observed. Unfortunately, management for the cessation of alcohol use remains very low. The best way to manage ARLD should be evaluated in further study.

Liver transplantation for alcoholic hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is associated with a high short-term mortality. Currently, most transplant centers require minimum six months of abstinence from alcohol use before considering liver transplant for patients with end stage liver disease. Some recent data are emerging on the benefits and safety of early liver transplantation for patients with severe AH, a population who cannot meet the minimum six months sobriety. This article reviews the current status, benefits, challenges, barriers, and future prospects on early liver transplantation in patients with severe, acute AH.

Are Probiotics Effective in Targeting Alcoholic Liver Diseases?

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) encompasses a broad spectrum of disorders including steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Despite intensive research in the last two decades, there is currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy for treating ALD. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of the gut-liver axis and gut microbiome on the pathogenesis of ALD. Alcohol may induce intestinal dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability, which in turn result in increased levels of pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and translocation of microbial products from the gut to the liver (bacterial translocation). LPS is an inflammatory signal that activates toll-like receptor 4 on Kupffer cells, contributing to the inflammation observed in ALD. Recently, probiotics have been shown to be effective in reducing or preventing the progression of ALD. A potential mechanism is that the probiotics transforms the composition of intestinal microbiota, which leads to reductions in alcohol-induced dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation, endotoxemia, and consequently, the development of ALD. While transformation of intestinal microbiota by probiotics appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of intestinal barrier dysfunction, there is a scarcity of research that studies probiotics in the context of ALD. In this review, we discuss the potential therapeutic applications of probiotics in the treatment of ALD.

Growing burden of alcoholic liver disease in China: A review

Explosive economic growth and increasing social openness in China over the last 30 years have significantly boosted alcohol consumption, and consequently, the incidence of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in China has increased. Because the epidemiologic and clinical features of ALD in the Chinese population may differ from those of the Caucasian population, this review describes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, genetic polymorphisms, diagnosis, and treatment of ALD in the Chinese population. This updated knowledge of ALD in China provides information needed for a global understanding of ALD and may help in the development of useful strategies for reducing the global ALD burden.

Development of colorectal cancer predicts increased risk of subsequent hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with alcoholic liver disease: case-control and cohort study

Alcohol increases the risk of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal neoplasia. In this hospital-based case-control and retrospective cohort study, we sought to determine whether development of colorectal neoplasia increases the risk of HCC in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In the phase I case-control analysis, the association between history of colorectal cancer (CRC) and HCC development was assessed in patients with ALD by logistic regression modeling (n = 1,659). In the phase II retrospective cohort analysis, the relative risk of HCC development was compared in ALD patients with respect to the history of CRC by a Cox model (n = 1,184). The history of CRC was significantly associated with HCC in the case-control analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.06-3.15; P < 0.05). ALD patients with CRC had higher risk of developing HCC compared to those without CRC (adjusted hazards ratio [HR], 5.48; 95% CI, 1.63-18.36; P = 0.006) in the cohort analysis. Presence of CRC, liver cirrhosis, elevated baseline alpha-fetoprotein level, and low platelet counts were independent predictors of HCC development in ALD patients. Patients with history of CRC had an increased risk of HCC in both cirrhotic (HR, 3.76; 95% CI, 1.05-13.34, P = 0.041) and non-cirrhotic (HR, 23.46; 95% CI, 2.81-195.83, P = 0.004) ALD patients. In conclusion, ALD patients with CRC are at increased risk of developing HCC.

Local care and treatment of liver disease (LOCATE) - A cluster-randomized feasibility study to discover, assess and manage early liver disease in primary care

BACKGROUND

Chronic liver disease is an escalating problem both in the United Kingdom and worldwide. In the UK mortality rates have risen sharply over the previous 50 years predominantly due to alcohol, however the increasing prevalence of non-alcohol related fatty liver disease both in the UK and elsewhere is also of concern. Liver disease develops silently hence early detection of fibrosis is essential to prevent progression. Primary care presents an opportunity to identify at risk populations, however assessment largely comprises of indirect markers of fibrosis which have little prognostic value. We hypothesised that setting up nurse-led primary care based liver clinics using additional non-invasive testing would increase the number of new diagnoses of liver disease compared to usual care.

METHODS

This was a prospective, cluster randomised feasibility trial based in urban primary care in Southampton, United Kingdom. 10 GP practices were randomised to either intervention (liver health nurse) or control (care as usual). Pre recruitment audits were carried out in each practice to ascertain baseline prevalence of liver disease. Participants were subsequently recruited in intervention practices from July 2014-March 2016 via one of 3 pathways: GP referral, nurse led case finding based on risk factors or random AUDIT questionnaire mailouts. Liver assessment included the Southampton Traffic Light test (serum fibrosis markers HA and P3NP) and transient elastography (FibroScan). Cases were ascribed as 'no fibrosis', 'liver warning', 'progressive fibrosis' or 'probable cirrhosis'. Post recruitment audits were repeated and incident liver diagnoses captured from July 2014-September 2016. Each new diagnosis was reviewed in a virtual clinic by a consultant hepatologist.

FINDINGS

910 participants were seen in the nurse led clinic-44 (4.8%) probable cirrhosis, 141 (15.5%) progressive fibrosis, 220 (24.2%) liver warning and 505 (55.5%) no evidence of liver fibrosis. 450 (49.5%) cases were due to NAFLD with 356 (39.1%) from alcohol. In the 405 with a liver disease diagnosis, 136 (33.6%) were referred by GP, 218 (53.8%) from nurse led case finding and 51 (12.6%) from the AUDIT mailout. 544 incident cases were identified in the intervention arm compared to 221 in the control arm in the period July 2014-September 2016 (adjusted odds ratio 2.4, 95% CI 2.1 to 2.8).

CONCLUSIONS

The incorporation of a liver health nurse into GP practices was simple to arrange and yielded a much higher number of new diagnoses of liver disease compared to usual care. Nearly half of all participants recruited had a degree of liver disease. Nurse led case finding and GP referrals were most effective compared to AUDIT questionnaire mailouts in an urban population in identifying unknown disease. Utilising study and previous data allowed quick and effective virtual review by a hepatologist. Identifying those who are at risk of liver disease from harmful alcohol use remains a challenge and needs to be addressed in future work.

CX3CR1 differentiates F4/80low monocytes into pro-inflammatory F4/80high macrophages in the liver

The expression of chemokine receptor CX₃CR1 is related to migration and signaling in cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. The precise roles of CX₃CR1 in the liver have been investigated but not clearly elucidated. Here, we investigated the roles of CX₃CR1 in hepatic macrophages and liver injury. Hepatic and splenic CX₃CR1^lowF4/80^low monocytes and CX₃CR1^lowCD16⁻ monocytes were differentiated into CX₃CR1^highF4/80^high or CX₃CR1^highCD16⁺ macrophages by co-culture with endothelial cells. Moreover, CX₃CL1 deficiency in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) attenuated the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), whereas recombinant CX₃CL1 treatment reversed this expression in co-cultured monocytes. Upon treatment with clodronate liposome, hepatic F4/80^high macrophages were successfully depleted at day 2 and recovered similarly in CX₃CR1^+/GFP and CX₃CR1^GFP/GFP mice at week 4, suggesting a CX₃CR1-independent replacement. However, F4/80^high macrophages of CX₃CR1^+/GFP showed a stronger pro-inflammatory phenotype than CX₃CR1^GFP/GFP mice. In clodronate-treated chimeric CX₃CR1^+/GFP and CX₃CR1^GFP/GFP mice, CX₃CR1⁺F4/80^high macrophages showed higher expression of IL-1β and TNF-α than CX₃CR1⁻F4/80^high macrophages. In alcoholic liver injury, despite the similar frequency of hepatic F4/80^high macrophages, CX₃CR1^GFP/GFP mice showed reduced liver injury, hepatic fat accumulation, and inflammatory responses than CX₃CR1^+/GFP mice. Thus, CX₃CR1 could be a novel therapeutic target for pro-inflammatory macrophage-mediated liver injury.

Epidemiology of alcoholic liver disease in Korea

Alcohol consumption has increased over the past 40 years in Korea concomitantly with the country’s rapid socioeconomic development. As a result, alcohol-related deaths and mortality continue to increase in Korea. This review will summarize the recent epidemiology of alcoholic liver disease in Korea.

Role of liver transplantation in severe alcoholic hepatitis

Severe alcoholic hepatitis has very high short term mortality and corticosteroids have been the mainstay of treatment for decades. Patients with Lille score >0.45 are considered non-responders to steroids and have poor outcome. Recently Orthotopic Liver Transplantation (OLT) is being increasingly used as rescue treatment for these patients, without waiting for 6 months of abstinence. Liver transplant is the only rescue treatment which can potentially provide long term benefit for patients who are steroid non-responders. However, with scarcity of organs being a concern, all patients of severe alcoholic hepatitis cannot be chosen for transplantation in an arbitrary way. There is a need for development of predictive tools and objective protocols to select patients who can justify the use of precious liver grafts. With a stringent criteria for selection of patients receiving the graft, liver transplantation in severe alcoholic hepatitis can become a viable rescue therapeutic option conferring significant survival advantage of both short- and long-term basis. The optimal criteria for selection will also prevent misuse of the liver donor pool as well as to prevent mortality in salvageable patients. Further research needs to be done to identify subset of patients which are at low risk of recidivism and also cannot be managed with pharmacotherapy alone. We reviewed the current knowledge on role of OLT in patient with acute severe alcoholic hepatitis in the present review.

Bilateral optic neuropathy related to severe anemia in a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis: a case report and review of the literature

Anemia appears frequently in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) but has never been linked to bilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). A 65-year-old woman with a medical history of alcoholic cirrhosis was admitted for bilateral NAION. On admission, she was found to have a low arterial pressure and severe normocytic anemia (48 g/L). The anemia was related to chronic bleeding due to antral gastritis along with other factors associated with ALD. The applied treatment consisted of urgent transfusion followed by high doses of proton-pump inhibitors, iron and vitamin supplementation, and support in lifestyle measures. Her hemoglobin levels remained stable after 2 years but the patient still suffered from visual loss. This case highlights the link between anemia and bilateral NAION in ALD patients. The optic nerve head is prone to infarction in this context due to the vascularization characteristics of ALD. Hemoglobin levels should be monitored in ALD patients to avoid the severe complication of NAION.

Korean Patients Undergoing Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease Have Non-Inferior Survival Outcomes than for Hepatitis B Virus: a Real-World Experience without Minimum Abstinence before Transplantation

Few studies have compared outcomes in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in Asian countries in which living donor LT (LDLT) is dominant, where HBV is endemic and where there are no strict regulations on pre-transplant abstinence for ALD. This study compared post-LT outcomes of deceased donor LT (DDLT) in patients with ALD and HBV. Data from 220 patients who underwent primary DDLT at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2010 to December 2014, including 107 with HBV and 38 with ALD, were retrospectively analyzed. Seventy-four patients (69.2%) in the HBV group and 30 (78.9%) in the ALD group had United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status 2A (P = 0.250). There were no significant differences in their 1-year (90.7% vs. 92.1%) and 3-year (82.1% vs. 82.3%) overall survival rates (P = 1.000). Multivariate analysis showed that high serum gamma glutamyltransferase concentration (≥ 70 IU/L) was independently prognostic of 1-year post-LT overall survival. Survival outcomes following DDLT were similar in Korean patients with ALD and HBV, even in the absence of strict pre-transplant abstinence from alcohol as a selection criterion.

Treatment of Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis With Corticosteroid, Pentoxifylline, or Dual Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Although both corticosteroids and pentoxifylline are currently recommended drugs for the treatment of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis, their effectiveness in reducing mortality remains unclear. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic and adverse effects of corticosteroids, pentoxifylline, and combination by using Cochrane methodology and therefore determine optimal treatment for severe alcoholic hepatitis.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from their inauguration until October 2015. Combinations of the following keywords and controlled vocabularies were searched: alcoholic hepatitis, corticosteroid, and pentoxifylline.

RESULTS

A total of 2639 patients from 25 studies were included. The treatment groups did not differ significantly in terms of overall mortality. Analysis of 1-month mortality revealed corticosteroid monotherapy reduced mortality compared with placebo (OR=0.58; 95% CI, 0.34-0.98; P=0.04), but pentoxifylline monotherapy did not. The mortality with dual therapy was similar to corticosteroid monotherapy (OR=0.91; 95% CI, 0.62-1.34; P=0.63). However, dual therapy decreased the incidences of hepatorenal syndrome or acute kidney injury (OR=0.47; 95% CI, 0.26-0.86; P=0.01) and the infection risk (OR=0.63; 95% CI, 0.41-0.97; P=0.04) significantly more than corticosteroid monotherapy did. None of the treatments conferred any medium-term or long-term survival benefits in the present study.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual therapy was not inferior to corticosteroid monotherapy and could reduce the incidence of hepatorenal syndrome or acute kidney injury and risk of infection. Therefore, dual therapy might be considered in treatment of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.