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.

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Related With Penicillium Species Following Deceased-Donor Liver Transplant

Early or late posttransplant opportunistic infections are among the leading complications after liver transplant. The source of early posttransplant opportunistic infections is usually the patient, the implantation of an infected graft, contamination during a surgical procedure, or invasive interventions performed at the intensive care unit. A 10-year-old male patient with Wilson disease (Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease Score of 42, Child-Pugh score of 12, total bilirubin 40 mg/dL, platelet count 55000/mL, hemoglobin level 6.3 g/dL, albumin level 1.7 g/dL, urinary copper level 4305 μ/24 h) was closely monitored in the pediatric intensive care unit of our liver transplantation center for care of a worsened general status. A deceased-donor liver transplant was performed using a right lobe liver graft (ex vivo split) obtained through the national organ sharing network. The patient developed rightward deviation of eyes and altered consciousness after the procedure and underwent cranial magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography examinations. The cranial magnetic resonance image, taken on the third postoperative day, revealed lesions consistent with embolic infarction, and the computed tomography scan, taken on the eighth day, showed intracerebral hemorrhage. Decompressive craniotomy, which included hematoma drainage and catheter placement, was performed. Culture and histopathologic examinations of the hematoma material revealed a Penicillium species of fungi. However, the patient died before a definitive diagnosis was made. The aim of this report is to raise awareness on early posttransplant opportunistic infections of the central nervous system presenting with intracranial hemorrhage following liver transplant.

Diagnosis and management of cow's milk protein allergy in Turkey: Region-specific recommendations by an expert-panel

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most common type of food-allergy in younger children. Prognosis is usually good, with most children developing tolerance before school age. Children may present with a wide spectrum of symptoms that range from mild to severe; skin reactions such as angioedema and urticaria and gastrointestinal symptoms are the most common presentations of CMPA. Approximately one-third of CMPA patients suffer from multiple food-allergies; severe conditions such as anaphylactic shock (9%), eosinophilic esophagitis (4.7%), and food-protein induced enterocolitis (1%) may also develop in some children. Timely and accurate diagnosis and management is essential for proper growth and development of children with CMPA. In this expert consensus report, we aimed to adapt current understandings in the CMPA field to the specific conditions in Turkey and health system to help physicians with their day-to-day decision making.

Determination of risk factors affecting mortality in patients with gastrointestinal perforation after pediatric liver transplantation

Gastrointestinal perforation (GIP) is one of the most serious complications occurring after liver transplantation (LT), especially in pediatric patients. This study aimed to determine the risk factors affecting mortality in pediatric patients with GIP after LT. GIP developed in 37 (10%) of 370 pediatric patients who underwent LT at our institute. Patients were divided into two groups: alive (n = 22) or dead (n = 15), and both groups were compared in terms of demographic and clinical parameters using univariate analysis. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in either demographic or clinical parameters, except for perforation site (P = 0.001) and median follow-up (P = 0.001). Stomas arose in 17 (45.9%) patients: 76% of patients with stomas and 45% of those without survived (P = 0.052). Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with stomas had a significantly higher overall survival (P = 0.029) and that patients with duodenal and colonic perforation had a significantly lower overall survival. Multivariate analysis showed that re-perforation was an independent risk factor for mortality (P = 0.035; OR: 17.674; 95% CI for OR: 1.233-253.32). Although there are many options for management of GIP, including primary repair, resection plus anastomosis, and resection plus end or loop ostomy, gastrointestinal diversion is still the best option.

Effect of Copper Staining in Wilson Disease: A Liver Explant Study

OBJECTIVES

Wilson disease is a rare genetic disease with clinical and histopathologic differential diagnostic challenges. In this study, we evaluated the histopathologic findings of explanted livers in Wilson disease, with special emphasis on copper histochemistry.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study group was recruited by reviewing archived histopathology reports and the liver transplant clinic patient records retrospectively for patients who had liver transplant for Wilson disease between January 2010 and June 2015, at Turgut Ozal Medical Center. Archival slides were reevaluated. When needed, relevant clinical and laboratory data were obtained from patient medical records.

RESULTS

During the selected period, there were 33 patients fitting the study criteria (22 male, 11 female, mean age of 22 ± 11 y). All patients had mild to moderate septal inflammation. We found that 29 patients (88%) showed glycogenated hepatocyte nuclei and 27 patients (79%) showed nuclear pleomorphism. Other histopathologic findings were cholestasis (48%) and macrovesicular steatosis (39%). There was no special finding in hilar regions except for 2 patients who had recanalized portal vein thrombosis. In terms of copper histochemistry, 2 copper stains, Timm silver sulfide and rhodanine, were performed in all cases, with orcein staining only done for 25 of the cases. Positivity rates for these copper stains were 85%, 82%, and 36%. Periodic acid-Schiff-diastase- and periodic acid-Schiff-positive granules were detected in 7 of 33 patients (21%). Iron deposition was seen in 12 patients (focal and/or minimal in 11, more than focal in 1). There was no dysplasia or malignancy in any of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

On routine hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides, detection of glycogenated hepatocyte nuclei and the finding of the nuclear pleomorphism should alert the pathologist for the possibility of Wilson disease, especially with cryptogenic liver disease. Timm stain is a more convenient histochemical stain in revealing copper deposition in liver.

Subclinical diastolic dysfunction in children with Wilson's disease assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography: a possible early predictor of cardiac involvement

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and cardiac rhythm problems for the early detection of myocardial dysfunction in children with Wilson's disease.

METHODS

We compared patients who had Wilson's disease (n = 22) witl Wilson's disease was based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests (serum ce cardiographic examination, as well as pulsed-wave Doppler, tissue Doppler ech Holter monitoring was also performed in all subjects.

RESULTS

All patients were asymptomatic on cardiological examination an tion, fractional shortening, wall thickness and left ventricular mass were similar disease had significantly lower mitral E velocity, mitral E/A ratio (P= 0.046, P= 0.0 as estimated by pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography. Wilson patients had lo pler echocardiography (P=0.006) compared to the controls. On 24-hour ECG cardiac arrhythmia.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed results that might be consistent with disease children which probably represents an early stage of cardiac involvem the patients.

Hartnup disease masked by kwashiorkor

This report describes an 11-month old girl with Hartnup disease presenting with kwashiorkor and acrodermatitis enteropathica-like skin lesions but free of other clinical findings. This case with kwashiorkor had acrodermatitis enteropathica-like desquamative skin eruption. Since zinc level was in the normal range, investigation for a metabolic disorder was considered, and Hartnup disease was diagnosed.

Xanthoma disseminatum with hepatic involvement in a child

Xanthoma disseminatum is a rare, usually self-healing dermatologic disease of unknown etiology. Involvement of other organs and tissues including bone marrow, bone, and brain may be seen rarely in children. However, to date, hepatic involvement has not been reported. We describe a child with xanthoma disseminatum who had hepatic involvement, and discuss his course and treatment with steroid and azathioprine.

Current therapeutic approaches in childhood chronic hepatitis B infection: a multicenter study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The aim of the present study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy of three different regimens in childhood chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection.

METHODS

A total of 182 children with CHB infection were prospectively allocated to three random groups. Sixty-two patients in the first group received high-dose interferon (IFN)-alpha 2b (10 MU/m2) thrice/weekly alone for 6 months. In the second (n = 60) and third groups (n = 60), IFN-alpha was used for 6 months (5 MU/m2) thrice/weekly in combination with lamivudine (LAM) (4 mg/kg, maximum 100 mg/day) for 12 months. Lamivudine was started simultaneously with IFN in the second group, while it was started 2 months prior to IFN injections in the third group.

RESULTS

The initial mean alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values for the first, second and third groups were 109 +/- 93 IU/L, 101 +/- 64 IU/L and 92 +/- 42 IU/L, respectively (P > 0.05). At the end of the therapy, ALT values decreased to 82 +/- 111 IU/L, 38 +/- 41 IU/L and 29 +/- 16 IU/L in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The mean ALT value of the first group was significantly different to the second and third groups (P = 0.046 and P = 0.002, respectively) at the end of the therapy and these differences were found to be sustained after 18 months. However, results in the second and third groups were similar (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in HBeAg clearance and anti-HBe seroconversion at the initial stage, 12 months and 18 months between the three groups (P > 0.05). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA clearance in the first group was different from the second and third groups, while the second and third groups had similar HBV DNA clearance ratios at 12 and 18 months. No significant difference was found in the complete response (normalization of ALT, clearance of HBV DNA and seroconversion of anti HBe) ratios of all groups (at 12 months: 28.8, 45.5, 35.8% and at 18 months 33.3, 49 and 34% in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the ALT normalization and HBV DNA clearance ratios of IFN plus LAM combination groups were better than the high-dose IFN-alpha monotherapy group, no significant difference was found in the complete response ratios of all three groups.

Inherited vitamin K deficiency: case report and review of literature

Vitamin K is the cofactor for the hepatic carboxylation of glutamic acid residues in a number of proteins including the procoagulants factors II, VII, IX, and X. The role of vitamin K in normal bone function is not fully understood. Inherited deficiency of vitamin K dependent coagulation factors is a rare bleeding disorder reported only in a few patients. Here we present an 18-month old child who presented with osteopeni due to inherited vitamin K deficiency. While the patient had high bone specific alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels and low osteocalcin and bone mineral density values, with the regular supplementation of vitamin K all the mentioned parameters returned to normal values.