Review
Biology
Seong Wan Son, Do Seon Song, U. Im Chang, Jin Mo Yang
Summary: Sarcopenia, characterized by decline in muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance, is common in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, specific diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia in patients with CLD have not yet been clearly defined. Consideration of fluid retention and body composition is important when assessing sarcopenia in these patients.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sonoe Yoshida, Goki Suda, Masatsugu Ohara, Qingjie Fu, Zijian Yang, Shunichi Hosoda, Megumi Kimura, Kubo Akinori, Yoshimasa Tokuchi, Ren Yamada, Takashi Kitagataya, Kazuharu Suzuki, Naoki Kawagishi, Masato Nakai, Takuya Sho, Mitsuteru Natsuizaka, Kenichi Morikawa, Koji Ogawa, Osamu Maehara, Shunsuke Ohnishi, Naoya Sakamoto
Summary: The study found that up to 24.8% of Japanese patients with chronic liver disease had overestimated renal function, which was related to indicators of sarcopenia. Liver cirrhosis and psoas muscle mass index were significantly associated with overestimated renal function, and patients with overestimated renal function showed a more frequent loss of skeletal muscle mass.
Article
Pediatrics
Silvio Veraldi, Andrea Pietrobattista, Giovanna Soglia, Lidia Monti, Tommaso Alterio, Antonella Mosca, Daniela Liccardo, Maria Sole Basso, Claudia Della Corte, Luca Russo, Manila Candusso, Fabrizio Chiusolo, Francesca Tortora, Marco Spada, Giuseppe Maggiore
Summary: Sarcopenia, characterized by reduced muscle mass, is a clinical condition that primarily affects adults but has also been recognized in pediatric literature. This study aims to assess the prevalence and impact of sarcopenia in children with chronic liver disease (CLD) who are candidates for liver transplantation (LT). The results show that sarcopenia is associated with respiratory complications, the need for inotropes, and longer hospitalization among pediatric CLD patients.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Silvia Espina, Diego Casas-Deza, Vanesa Bernal-Monterde, Maria Jose Domper-Arnal, Sandra Garcia-Mateo, Alberto Lue
Summary: Liver diseases can lead to malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty. These complications have a significant impact on clinical outcomes and quality of life. Assessing and maintaining nutritional status is essential for the management of liver disease, and special considerations are needed in some specific cases.
Review
Biology
Yun Kim
Summary: Sarcopenia in patients with chronic liver diseases is a common condition with complicated and multifactorial pathogenesis. The main therapeutic options focus on nutritional and behavioral interventions.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alexis Goffaux, Alicia Delorme, Geraldine Dahlqvist, Nicolas Lanthier
Summary: Liver transplantation is currently the only curative treatment for patients with end stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma. There is a need to improve waiting list mortality, post-transplant morbidity and mortality, and the selection of patients. Concepts such as sarcopenia, malnutrition, frailty, and myosteatosis have emerged as important factors in predicting mortality in the waiting list and after transplantation. Muscle composition and quality are also linked to poorer outcomes. The challenge lies in defining effective tools to assess muscle quality, quantity, and function in this specific population and developing interventional strategies to improve these parameters and evaluate their impact on mortality.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
European Assoc Study Liver, Richard Moreau, Marta Tonon, Aleksander Krag, Paolo Angeli, Marina Berenguer, Annalisa Berzigotti, Javier Fernandez, Claire Francoz, Thierry Gustot, Rajiv Jalan, Maria Papp, Jonel Trebicka
Summary: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe form of acutely decompensated cirrhosis characterized by organ system failure(s) and high short-term mortality. Patients with ACLF may benefit from liver transplantation and should be promptly stabilized for transplantation by treating identified precipitants and providing intensive care support. These guidelines aim to help clinicians recognize ACLF, make triage decisions, manage acute precipitants, support organ systems, determine futility of intensive care, and identify potential indications for liver transplantation.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Canan Cimsit, Meltem Kursun, Ozlem Demircioglu, Feyza Dilber, Coskun Ozer Demirtas, Ilkay Ergenc
Summary: Radiologic evaluation of sarcopenic obesity and harmonizing body composition with MELD scoring is critical in the management of chronic liver disease patients. The rate of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity is higher in cirrhotic and hepatocellular carcinoma patients compared to chronic hepatitis B patients. Sarcopenic patients have higher MELD scores, while obese patients have higher Child-Pugh scores.
ACADEMIC RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Hiroki Nishikawa, Makoto Shiraki, Akira Hiramatsu, Nagisa Hara, Kyoji Moriya, Keisuke Hino, Kazuhiko Koike
Summary: Sarcopenia is prevalent in patients with chronic liver diseases and can be a poor prognostic factor. Female gender, alcoholic liver disease, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, Child-Pugh classes, and muscle weakness are significant adverse predictors of mortality. Handgrip strength below the cut-off values of 27.8 kg for men and 18.8 kg for women is independently associated with increased mortality risk in patients with chronic liver diseases.
HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Puneeta Tandon, Alberto Zanetto, Salvatore Piano, Julie K. Heimbach, Srinivasan Dasarathy
Summary: Frailty is a decline in functional reserve across multiple physiological systems, with key components being sarcopenia and physical frailty. These conditions are common in liver transplant candidates and have been shown to adversely impact clinical outcomes. The liver frailty index and cross-sectional image analysis of muscle area are used to assess physical frailty and sarcopenia, respectively. Nutritional interventions and physical activity are important management strategies, but there is a need for more large-scale trials. It is also recognized that a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to address the various components of frailty in transplant candidates.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Hisamitsu Miyaaki, Atsuhi Hiraoka, Masafumi Haraguchi, Haruki Uojima, Hideto Kawaratani, Akira Hiramatsu, Tatsunori Hanai, Yoichi Hiasa, Hitoshi Yoshiji, Kiwamu Okita, Kazuhiko Nakao, Kazuhiko Koike
Summary: Sleep disorder is common in patients with chronic liver disease and may be associated with liver-related complications such as muscle cramps, covert HE, and sarcopenia. Patients with sleep disorders had lower levels of serum albumin, hemoglobin, and prothrombin time activity. Muscle cramps, covert HE, and dynapenia were found to be associated with sleep disorders in patients with CLD.
HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Riccardo Casciola, Laura Leoni, Biagio Cuffari, Maddalena Pecchini, Renata Menozzi, Antonio Colecchia, Federico Ravaioli
Summary: Creatine supplementation has been extensively studied and proven to be beneficial for athletes as well as in some human disease conditions. Its potential efficacy in chronic liver disease is indirectly supported by animal models and its effects on sarcopenia and fatigue.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Tatsunori Hanai, Atsushi Hiraoka, Makoto Shiraki, Ryosuke Sugimoto, Nobuhito Taniki, Akira Hiramatsu, Nobuhiro Nakamoto, Motoh Iwasa, Kazuaki Chayama, Masahito Shimizu
Summary: The study found that the SARC-F score system is effective in identifying sarcopenia in patients with chronic liver disease, with a score of 1 showing higher discriminative ability.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kenji Yamaoka, Kenichiro Kodama, Tomokazu Kawaoka, Masanari Kosaka, Yusuke Johira, Yuki Shirane, Ryoichi Miura, Shigeki Yano, Serami Murakami, Kei Amioka, Kensuke Naruto, Yuwa Ando, Yumi Kosaka, Shinsuke Uchikawa, Takuro Uchida, Hatsue Fujino, Takashi Nakahara, Eisuke Murakami, Wataru Okamoto, Masami Yamauchi, Daiki Miki, Michio Imamura, Shoichi Takahashi, Akiko Nagao, Kazuaki Chayama, Hiroshi Aikata
Summary: The study found that assessing body composition before and after lenvatinib treatment using BIA can be useful in predicting prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Cristina Simoes e Silva, Eduardo A. A. Oliveira, Wai W. W. Cheung, Robert R. H. Mak
Summary: Redox signaling alterations contribute to CKD-associated cachexia. This review summarizes studies on the redox pathophysiology in CKD-associated cachexia and muscle wasting, and discusses potential therapeutic approaches using antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules to restore redox homeostasis. Antioxidant molecules have been studied in experimental models and patients with CKD, and oxidative stress is increased in CKD due to factors such as uremic toxins, inflammation, and metabolic and hormone alterations. Rehabilitation and anti-inflammatory molecules have shown beneficial effects for CKD-associated cachexia, and experimental studies have shown the importance of oxidative stress through the use of antioxidant therapies. Further studies are needed for potential therapies involving antioxidant therapy.
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Tai-Chung Tseng, Tetsuya Hosaka, Jia-Horng Kao
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Grishma Hirode, Bettina E. Hansen, Chien-Hung Chen, Tung-Hung Su, Grace Wong, Wai-Kay Seto, Stijn Van Hees, Margarita Papatheodoridi, Sylvia M. Brakenhoff, Sabela Lens, Hannah S. J. Choi, Rong-Nan Chien, Jordan J. Feld, Xavier Forns, Milan J. Sonneveld, George V. Papatheodoridis, Thomas Vanwolleghem, Man-Fung Yuen, Henry L. Y. Chan, Jia-Horng Kao, Yao-Chun Hsu, Markus Cornberg, Wen-Juei Jeng, Harry L. A. Janssen
Summary: Despite improvements in the management of chronic hepatitis B, the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma remains. The rate of hepatic decompensation is low after discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog therapy, but higher in patients with cirrhosis and those who were HBeAg positive at the start of therapy.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Chian-Tzu Huang, Yu-Long Chu, Tung-Hung Su, Shang-Chin Huang, Tai-Chung Tseng, Shih-Jer Hsu, Sih-Han Liao, Chun-Ming Hong, Chen-Hua Liu, Hung-Chih Yang, Chun-Jen Liu, Pei-Jer Chen, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: This study aimed to identify candidates for surgical resection (SR) in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) -A/B HCC beyond the Milan criteria with survival benefit. The study found that patients with tumor burden beyond the up-to-7 criteria but within 3 tumors had better overall survival (OS) with SR compared to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), suggesting that SR should be considered in resectable patients.
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Jia-Horng Kao
JOURNAL OF THE FORMOSAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Chen-Hua Liu, Yu-Jen Fang, Chun-Jen Liu, Tung-Hung Su, Shang-Chin Huang, Tai-Chung Tseng, Jo-Hsuan Wu, Pei-Jer Chen, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: Retrospective study showed that the splenic arterial pulsatility index (SAPI) was closely associated with the severity of hepatic fibrosis in hemodialysis patients with chronic HCV infection. The diagnostic accuracy of SAPI was comparable to the fibrosis index based on four parameters (FIB-4) and superior to the aspartate transaminase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI). The positive predictive value (PPV) for >= F1 was 79.5%, and the negative predictive values (NPVs) for >= F2, >= F3, and F4 were 79.8%, 92.6%, and 96.9%, respectively, when the maximal Youden indices were used.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chen-Hua Liu, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with varying incidence rates globally, is most common in individuals who have received unsafe medical procedures, used injection drugs, and lived with human immunodeficiency virus. Diagnosing acute HCV infection is challenging in immunocompromised, reinfected, and superinfected patients due to difficulties in detecting anti-HCV antibody seroconversion and HCV ribonucleic acid. Clinical trials have recently shown the treatment benefits of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Early initiation of DAAs is recommended for acute HCV infection before spontaneous viral clearance, and shorter treatment durations can be effective. Standard DAA regimens have similar efficacy in treating HCV-reinfected patients and DAA-naive ones. For specific cases, such as HCV-viremic liver and non-liver solid organ transplant recipients, different treatment durations and courses of DAAs are suggested. Prophylactic HCV vaccines are currently unavailable, so prevention measures, harm reduction, safe sex, and vigilant surveillance after viral clearance are crucial for reducing HCV transmission. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2023;29:623-642)
CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chih-Lin Lin, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is responsible for more than 50% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HBV hyperendemic areas. Hepatitis B viral load is the most important risk factor for HCC development. Antiviral therapy can reduce the risk of HCC occurrence and serum markers can predict the risk of HCC development.
CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Jia-Horng Kao
JOURNAL OF THE FORMOSAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Meng-Ju Lin, Tung-Hung Su, Chun-Jen Liu, Hung-Chih Yang, Chi-Ling Chen, Jyh-Ming Liou, Tai-Chung Tseng, Chen-Hua Liu, Chun-Ming Hong, Pei-Jer Chen, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: Distinct hepatitis relapse has been observed after discontinuing ETV or TDF therapy in CHB patients. Serum cytokines at the end of therapy can be used for outcome prediction. Age, HBsAg levels at EOT, and certain cytokine levels were found to be predictive of virological and clinical relapse.
JOURNAL OF THE FORMOSAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Yu-Ming Cheng, Tsung-Han Hsieh, Chia-Chi Wang, Jia-Horng Kao
Summary: The new name and diagnostic criteria of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were proposed in 2020. The impact of chronic HBV infection on clinical outcomes of MAFLD was investigated using a Taiwan bio-bank cohort. The study revealed that chronic HBV infection increases the overall risk of liver fibrosis, but protects from atherosclerosis in patients with MAFLD.
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ming-Lung Yu, Chi-Ming Tai, Lien-Juei Mou, Hsing-Tao Kuo, Chung-Feng Huang, Kuo-Chih Tseng, Chingchu Lo, Ming-Jong Bair, Sih-Ren Wang, Jee-Fu Huang, Ming-Lun Yeh, Chun-Ting Chen, Ming-Chang Tsai, Chien-Wei Huang, Pei-Lun Lee, Tzeng-Hue Yang, Yi-Hsiang Huang, Lee-Won Chong, Chien-Lin Chen, Chi-Chieh Yang, Chao-Hung Hung, Sheng-Shun Yang, Pin-Nan Cheng, Tsai-Yuan Hsieh, Jui-Ting Hu, Wen-Chih Wu, Chien-Yu Cheng, Guei-Ying Chen, Kwok-Hsiung Chou, Wei-Lun Tsai, Jian-Neng Gao, Chih-Lang Lin, Chia-Chi Wang, Ta-Ya Lin, Chih-Lin Lin, Wei-Wen Su, Tzong-Hsi Lee, Te-Sheng Chang, Chun-Jen Liu, Chia-Yen Dai, Chi-Yi Chen, Jia-Horng Kao, Han-Chieh Lin, Wan-Long Chuang, Cheng-Yuan Peng
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Sih-Han Liao, Shang-Chin Huang, Tung-Hung Su, Shih-Jer Hsu, Jia-Horng Kao
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Edo Dongelmans, Grishma Hirode, Bettina Hansen, Chien-Hung Chen, Tung-Hung Su, Wai-Kay Seto, Arno Furquim d'Almeida, Stijn Van Hees, Margarita Papatheodoridi, Sabela Lens, Grace Wong, Sylvia Brakenhoff, Rong-Nan Chien, Jordan J. Feld, Henry Ly Chan, Xavier Forns, George Papatheodoridis, Thomas Vanwolleghem, Man-Fung Yuen, Yao-Chun (Holden) Hsu, Jia-Horng Kao, Markus Cornberg, Milan Sonneveld, Rachel Wen-Juei Jeng, Harry L. A. Janssen
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Grishma Hirode, Bettina Hansen, Chien-Hung Chen, Tung-Hung Su, Grace Wong, Wai-Kay Seto, Arno Furquim d'Almeida, Margarita Papatheodoridi, Sylvia Brakenhoff, Sabela Lens, Hannah S. J. Choi, Stijn Van Hees, Rong-Nan Chien, Jordan J. Feld, Xavier Forns, Milan Sonneveld, George Papatheodoridis, Thomas Vanwolleghem, Man-Fung Yuen, Henry L. Y. Chan, Jia-Horng Kao, Yao-Chun (Holden) Hsu, Markus Cornberg, Rachel Wen-Juei Jeng, Harry L. A. Janssen
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chung-Feng Huang, Hsing-Tao Kuo, Te-Sheng Chang, Ching-Chu Lo, Chao-Hung Hung, Chien-Wei Huang, Lee-Won Chong, Pin-Nan Cheng, Ming-Lun Yeh, Cheng-Yuan Peng, Chien-Yu Cheng, Jee-Fu Huang, Ming-Jong Bair, Chih-Lang Lin, Chi-Chieh Yang, Sih-Ren Wang, Tsai-Yuan Hsieh, Tzong-Hsi Lee, Pei-Lun Lee, Wen-Chih Wu, Chih-Lin Lin, Wei-Wen Su, Shengshun Yang, Chia-Chi Wang, Jui-Ting Hu, Lien-Juei Mou, Chun-Ting Chen, Yi-Hsiang Huang, Chun-Chao Chang, Jia-Sheng Huang, Guei-Ying Chen, Jian-Neng Gao, Chi-Ming Tai, Chun-Jen Liu, Mei-Hsuan Lee, Pei-Chien Tsai, Chia-Yen Dai, Jia-Horng Kao, Han-Chieh Lin, Wan-Long Chuang, Chiyi Chen, Kuo-Chih Tseng, Ming-Lung Yu
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
