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.

A multicenter study of the clinical, laboratory characteristics, and potential prognostic factors in patients with amyloid A amyloidosis on hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

While light chain (AL) amyloidosis is more common in western countries, the most common type of amyloidosis is amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis in Eastern Mediterranean Region, including Turkey. Although worse prognosis has been attributed to the AL amyloidosis, AA amyloidosis can be related to higher mortality under renal replacement therapies. However, there are no sufficient data regarding etiology, clinical presentation, and prognostic factors of AA amyloidosis. The objective of our study is to evaluate the clinical, laboratory characteristics, and possible predictive factors related to mortality in patients with AA amyloidosis undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

This multicenter, cross-sectional study was a retrospective analysis of 2100 patients on HD. It was carried out in 14 selected HD centers throughout Turkey. Thirty-two patients with biopsy-proven AA amyloidosis and thirty-two control patients without AA amyloidosis undergoing HD were included between October 2018 and October 2019. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age and dialysis vintage. Causes of AA amyloidosis, treatment (colchicine and/or anti-interleukin 1 [IL] treatment), and the number of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks in the last year in case of FMF, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, biochemical values such as mean CRP, hemoglobin, serum albumin, phosphorus, calcium, PTH, ferritin, transferrin saturation, total cholesterol levels, EPO dose, erythropoietin-stimulating agents resistance index, interdialytic fluid intake, body mass indexes, heparin dosage, UF volume, and Kt/V data in the last year were collected by retrospective review of medical records.

FINDINGS

Prevalence of AA amyloidosis was found to be 1.87% in HD centers. In amyloidosis and control groups, 56% and 53% were male, mean age was 54 ± 11 and 53 ± 11 years, and mean dialysis vintage was 104 ± 94 and 107 ± 95 months, respectively. FMF was the most common cause of AA amyloidosis (59.5%). All FMF patients received colchicine and the mean colchicine dose was 0.70 ± 0.30 mg/day. 26.3% of FMF patients were unresponsive to colchicine and anti-IL-1 treatment was used in these patients. In AA amyloid and control groups, erythropoietin-stimulating agents resistance index were 7.88 ± 3.78 and 5.41 ± 3.06 IU/kg/week/g/dl, respectively (p = 0.008). Additionally, higher CRP values (18.78 ± 18.74 and 10.61 ± 10.47 mg/L, p = 0.037), lower phosphorus (4.68 ± 0.73 vs. 5.25 ± 1.04 mg/dl, p = 0.014), total cholesterol (135 ± 42 vs. 174 ± 39 mg/dl, p < 0.01), and serum albumin (3.67 ± 0.49 mg/dl, 4.03 ± 0.22, p < 0.01) were observed in patients with AA amyloidosis compared to the control group.

DISCUSSION

In this study, we found that long-term prognostic factors including higher inflammation, malnutritional parameters, and higher erythropoietin-stimulating agents resistance index were more frequent in AA amyloidosis patients under HD treatment.

Membranous Nephropathy with Lambda Light Chain Restriction: A Rare Form with Serum Negative and Tissue Positive PLA2R Ab

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Subepithelial polyclonal immunoglobulin deposits and &#x3e;70% M-type phospholipase A2 receptor antibody positivity are typical findings in idiopathic MN. A 58-year-old female patient was admitted with clinical presentation of nephrotic syndrome. Autoimmune diseases, infections, and malignancies were ruled out after clinical and laboratory evaluations. Diagnostic work-up revealed serum PLA2R antibody negativity and diffuse thickening of glomerular capillary wall on biopsy, while glomerular capillary wall IgG, C3, and Lambda monotypic light chain deposition and PLA2R1 positivity were detected by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical examination, respectively. Following prednisolone treatment, creatinine and proteinuria were markedly regressed. The MN cases with a light chain deposits are rare and experience regarding their treatment are insufficient.

Hyponatremia in the outpatient setting: clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome

PURPOSE

Hyponatremia is a common disorder and hyponatremia in the outpatient setting is not extensively studied. Our aim was to investigate the characteristics of hyponatremia in ambulatory patients.

METHODS

Seventy-six adult outpatients with hyponatremia were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographic features, presenting symptoms and signs, associating morbidities, medications, laboratory findings, mortalities, and length of hospital stay, were recorded.

RESULTS

Mean age was 74.7 ± 12.7 years, and 52 (68.4 %) were female whereas 24 (31.6 %) were male. Mean sodium concentration was 123.6 ± 6.6 mEq/L. Leading cause was thiazide diuretic use (n = 37, 48.7 %) and approximately half of the patients (n = 40, 52.6 %) had a multifactorial etiology. Severe hyponatremia (sodium < 125 mEq/L) was identified in 37 (48.7 %). Thiazide diuretic use, vomiting, and apathy were independent predictors of severe hyponatremia. Eight (10.5 %) patients had a mortal course. A relatively younger age, male gender, presenting sign of lethargy, associating morbidities of malignancy, chronic liver disease, and hypoalbuminemia were risk factors for mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyponatremia is prevalent among elderly, especially in women and with thiazide diuretics. Apart from the trend toward sodium depletion observed in healthy elderly which occurs due to changes in the tubular handling of sodium, a multifactorial etiology including thiazides seems to predict the occurrence and the severity of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia may be a significant cause of mortality in seniors. A relatively younger age, male gender, association of cirrhosis, malignancy, and hypoalbuminemia predict mortality. In elderly outpatients, identification of the risk factors for hyponatremia and close monitoring are imperative to reduce the related mortality and morbidity.

Increased risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism

INTRODUCTION

Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is currently an effective, reliable and widely employed diagnostic test for pulmonary thromboembolism (PT). PT harbors intrinsic clinical and biochemical abnormalities which may be associated with an increased risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI).

OBJECTIVES

To assess the incidence and risk factors of CIAKI among patients with PT diagnosed with CTPA.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-two consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with PT using CTPA between February 2006 and December 2010 were evaluated retrospectively. In addition to the classical risk factors of CIAKI, arterial blood gases, CTPA and transthoracic echocardiography findings of the patients were also recorded.

RESULTS

The incidence of CIAKI was 13.1%. There were statistically important differences with respect to age, the presence of congestive heart failure (CHF), the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs (ACEI-ARB), the arterial blood pH (ABpH) and the length of hospitalization between the two groups of patients who developed (n:16) and did not develop (n:106) CIAKI. In the logistic regression analysis, age and ABpH were preserved in the final equation.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of CIAKI among PT patients is significantly higher than the expected average. Older age, the presence of CHF, the use of ACEI-ARB, and additionally, low ABpH are important risk factors of CIAKI in patients with PT. Hypoxemia and low bicarbonate levels intrinsic to PT may contribute to the increased risk of CIAKI in this patient population and their correction may carry a prophylactic potential.

Circulating endothelial cells in preeclampsia

Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Increased number of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) have previously been reported after various diseases associated endothelial injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CECs in patients with preeclampsia and to demonstrate any association between CECs and homocysteine, which is another marker of vascular injury. The study included 20 preeclamptic, 15 hypertensive women, 15 healthy pregnant and 15 healthy non-pregnant women. All subjects had normal renal function. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum homocysteine levels were measured. To isolate CECs, peripheral blood was first incubated with anti-CD-146 antibody and subsequently conjugated to immunomagnetic beads. Cells were stained with acridine and counted. Preeclamptic patients had elevated numbers of CECs (13.2+/-5.2 cells/ml) compared with hypertensive patients (6.9+/-0.8 cells/ml), healthy pregnants (5.2+/-1.4 cells/ml), and non-pregnant controls (4.0+/-1.8 cells/ml), (P<0.0001). Serum homocysteine level in preeclamptic patients (9.5+/-2.8 micromol/l) was significantly higher compared with healthy pregnants (6.0+/-0.6 micromol/l), was not different from hypertensive patients (11.5+/-2.3 micromol/l, P>0.05), but it was lesser compared with non-pregnant controls (12.2+/-3.3 micromol/l, P<0.0001). Also, significant correlation between CECs and systolic blood pressure (P<0.0001, r=0.63), diastolic blood pressure (P<0.0001, r=0.64) and serum homocysteine (P<0.01, r=0.55) levels were found in preeclamptic patients. CECs as a marker of endothelial injury were significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia than in hypertensive patients, healthy pregnants and normal controls. Further studies are needed for the prognostic and potential importance of CECs in preeclampsia.

Acute renal infarction in a heavy smoker

Renal infarction is a rare cause of acute abdominal and flank pain. Whether it occurs due to thrombosis or embolism, the occlusion of the renal arteries always results in renal infarction. Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for arterial thrombosis. Both vasoconstrictor and pro-thrombotic effects of smoking lead to arterial thrombosis. Herein, we report a case of acute renal infarction in a heavy smoker. The definite diagnosis was made by contrast-enhanced abdominal computerized tomography and renal arteriography.

Renal tubular acidosis after kidney transplantation--incidence, risk factors and clinical implications

BACKGROUND

Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a non-anion gap metabolic acidosis and is generally mild and asymptomatic in kidney recipients. Although calcineurin inhibitors, suboptimal allograft function, donor age and acute rejection have been associated with RTA, no detailed study has been conducted to investigate the prevalence and clinical implications of RTA in long-term kidney recipients.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 109 patients (74 males, 35 females) for the study [patients with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <30 ml/min/1.73 m(2), unstable allograft function, diarrhoea, and respiratory disease were excluded]. Thirty-six patients (33%) were found to have RTA on the basis of plasma bicarbonate, arterial pH, urine and serum anion gap measurements.

RESULTS

Deceased donor transplantation [P = 0.034, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-13.27], female gender (P = 0.017, 95% CI: 1.23-8.50), and lower GFR (55.8 +/- 19.4 in RTA and 66.1 +/- 15.9 ml/min/1.73 m(2) in non-RTA, P = 0.002, 95% CI: 1.10-13.27) were independent risk factors for RTA. Also, C-reactive protein was found to be higher in the RTA group (2.7 +/- 1.5 vs 2.0 +/- 1.5 mg/dl, P = 0.03), while no difference was noticed in body mass index or serum albumin. Analysis of the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with RTA and without RTA, respectively, revealed no difference in frequency of osteoporosis (33% vs 31%) or osteopenia (33% vs 47%).

CONCLUSION

Although long-term kidney recipients have a relatively high prevalence of RTA, it is usually mild and subclinical. Further studies are needed to clarify long-term effects of RTA in kidney recipients.

Pulmonary and peritoneal tuberculosis in a CAPD patient

Patients with chronic renal failure have an increased incidence of tuberculosis due to decreased cellular immunity. More than half of the tuberculosis infection in these patients presented with extrapulmonary involvement. Tuberculous peritonitis is an important problem in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Simultaneous pulmonary and peritoneal tuberculosis is a very rare condition. We describe a 39-year-old man with culture negative CAPD peritonitis. In spite of conventional antimicrobial therapy the patient had persistent fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Approximately after one month from starting treatment, both sputum specimen and peritoneal fluid were positive for mycobacterium. Quadruple therapy for tuberculosis has been started. The response to treatment was promptly. He is still on treatment for six months and receiving CAPD. Tuberculous peritonitis should always be considered when patients on CAPD develop culture negative peritonitis treated with conventional antibiotics without improvement. In addition, the existence of extraperitoneal tuberculosis, especially pulmonary disease must be investigated.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection is more common among renal allograft recipients compared with the general population due to immunosuppression. The epidemiological risk in a country is an important determinant of transplant TB after transplantation. We retrospectively analyzed 283 renal transplant recipients who underwent renal transplantation between 1990 and 2004. We evaluated the incidence, patient and disease characteristics, prognosis, and outcome of TB infection. Tuberculosis developed in 10 (seven men and three women of mean age of 41+/-9 years) among 283 patients (3.1%). All patients were culture-positive for M tuberculosis. Although pulmonary TB was the most common presentation in the general population, 50% of patients in the study group developed extrapulmonary TB. The mean elapsed time from renal transplantation was 38 months. Three patients (1%) developed TB in the first year after transplantation. All patients were treated with a quartet of anti-TB therapy. One patient developed isoniazid-related reversible hepatotoxicity. No acute allograft rejection occurred during the anti-TB therapy. Two patients (20%) with pulmonary TB died due to dissemination of the disease. In conclusion, extrapulmonary presentations of TB are more common among renal transplant recipients with the increased risk of mortality.

Tamoxifen in the Treatment of Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Fibrosis

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF) is a histologically benign, nonspecific inflammatory process of the fibroadipose tissue in the retroperitoneum with an unknown etiology. It may be complicated due to encasement and obstruction of the retroperitoneal structures. Tamoxifen has been known to be an effective agent in regression of desmoid tumors which include similar mesenchymal elements to those seen in RF. Herein, we reported a case of RF presented with ureteral obstruction and acute renal failure. The patient was successfully treated with tamoxifen.