Impaired Liver Function Research Articles

Biochemical Analysis of Liver Function in Individuals Affected and Unaffected by Dental Fluorosis in Endemic Fluoride Rural Areas of YSR Kadapa District, AP, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Fluoride is known to affect the nervous system, kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal system, in addition to teeth and bones, when consumed in amounts exceeding 1 ppm per day over a prolonged period. YSR Kadapa district has been identified as one of the districts with endemic fluoride areas in Andhra Pradesh, India, by the Central Groundwater Board of India. Aim: To assess the toxic effects of fluoride on liver function in individuals affected and unaffected by dental fluorosis, who consume high levels of fluoride in water, in the endemic fluoride rural areas of YSR Kadapa district. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six villages of YSR Kadapa district, where the drinking water has elevated fluoride content. A total of 320 subjects were selected as study participants. The subjects were divided into two groups based on age and dental fluorosis: Group A, aged between 21 and 40 years, and Group B, aged between 41 and 60 years. Subjects of each group were further sub-grouped according to presence or absence of fluorosis. The selected subjects were screened for dental fluorosis, and Groups A and B were further divided into subgroups based on the presence or absence of dental fluorosis. Blood samples were collected from the participants to assess liver function using serum levels of liver function markers such as total bilirubin (direct and indirect), Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP). Water and urine samples were also tested for fluoride levels using a fluoride ion meter. Statistical significance was determined using the t-test. Results: The mean fluoride levels in the water samples from the study areas ranged from 1.55±0.30 mg/L to 4.10±0.20 mg/L, and the urinary fluoride levels in the urine samples ranged from 0.54±0.46 mg/L to 2.13±0.845 mg/L. Among the study subjects, 60.6% (194) were affected by dental fluorosis, with 58.66% (88) belonging to Group A and 62.35% (106) belonging to Group B. There was no statistically significant difference in liver function markers in the serum between subjects with dental fluorosis and those without dental fluorosis in both groups (p>0.05), and the levels were within the normal reference range. Conclusion: This study found no impaired or altered liver function in adults affected by dental fluorosis and adults unaffected by dental fluorosis who consumed water with high levels of fluoride in the YSR Kadapa district.

Renal impairment and abnormal liver function tests in pre-therapeutic phenotype-based DPD deficiency screening using uracilemia: a comprehensive population-based study in 1138 patients.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency screening is a pre-therapeutic standard to prevent severe fluoropyrimidine-related toxicity. Although several screening methods exist, the accuracy of their results remains debatable. In France, the uracilemia measurement is considered the standard in DPD deficiency screening. The objective of this study was to describe the hyperuracilemia (⩾16 ng/mL) rate and investigate the influence of hepatic and renal impairment in uracilemia measurements since the guidelines were implemented. Using a cohort of 1138 patients screened between 18 October 2018 and 18 October 2021, basic demographic characteristics, date of blood sampling, and potential biological confounders including liver function tests [aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and bilirubin] and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were collected. The second same-patient uracilemia analysis was also performed. Temporal change was graphically represented while potential confounders were stratified to show linearity when suspected. Hyperuracilemia was diagnosed in 12.7% (n = 150) samples with 6.7%, 5.4%, 0.5%, and 0.08% between 16 and 20 ng/mL, 20 and 50 ng/mL, 50 and 150 ng/mL, and >150 ng/mL, respectively. The median uracilemia concentration was 9.4 ng/mL (range: 1.2 and 172.3 ng/mL) and the monthly hyperuracilemia rate decreased steadily from >30% to around 9%. Older age, normalized AST, γGT, ALP results, bilirubin levels, and decreased eGFR were linearly associated with higher plasma uracil concentrations (all p < 0.001). In the adjusted multivariate linear model, AST, eGFR, and ALP remained associated with uracilemia (p < 0.05). When measured twice in 39 patients, the median uracilemia rate of change was -2.5%, which subsequently changed the diagnosis in nine patients (23.1%). Better respect of pre-analytical conditions may explain the steady decrease in monthly hyperuracilemia rates over the 3 years. Elevated AST, ALP levels, and reduced eGFR could induce a false increase in uracilemia and second uracilemia measurements modified the first DPD deficiency diagnosis in almost 25% of the patients.

Association of Liver and Renal Function Impairment with Major Cardiac Events in Heart Failure Patients

Aim: We aimed to show whether liver and renal function tests impairment have an effect on cardiovascular major adverse events (MACE) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). MateriaL and Method: 514 Patients with Ejection Fraction (EF) 40% were screened retrospectively. Biochemical and hemogram parameters of the patients at the first admission were recorded. GFRs were calculated with the MDRD formula. Patients were classified into four groups based on whether they had just a kidney injury, only a liver damage, both a kidney and liver injury, or neither a kidney and liver injury. Exitus, stroke, and hospitalization were taken as major cardiovascular adverse events, and whether they had a major cardiovascular adverse event within one year was recorded. Results: There was no difference between the groups in terms of exitus. When the groups were compared, a difference was found between the groups in terms of stroke, hospitalization, and MACE rates (p=0.001; p= 0.017; p=0.004, respectively). Stroke rate (13.8%) in the only kidney injury group; hospitalization (24%) and MACE (38%) in the liver + kidney injury group were found. As a result of binary logistic regression analysis, it was found that creatinine and EF predicted hospitalization for CHF, stroke, and MACE. Conclusion: In heart failure patients, the rate of stroke was higher in the group with only kidney injury, and the rates of hospitalization and MACE were higher in the group with both liver and kidney injury. It was found that creatinine and EF predicted hospitalization, stroke, and MACE from CHF.

Exploring Adverse Events of Remdesivir in Covid-19 Patients: A Comprehensive Global Analysis

Background: The emergence of COVID-19, stemming from SARS-CoV-2, has triggered a global pandemic, urging rapid therapeutic interventions. Remdesivir, a nucleotide analog prodrug, garnered attention for its potential against COVID-19 due to in vitro efficacy against coronaviruses. This study reviews Remdesivir’s adverse effects in COVID-19 patients. Methodology: While Remdesivir shows promise, recent studies raise efficacy concerns. Adverse drug event (ADE) documentation is vital due to limited pre-pandemic ADE data. WHO VigiBase® analysis (2015-2020) and COVID-19 ADE studies were undertaken, focusing on age, severity, region, and organ impact. 1086 ADEs emerged from 439 case reports by July 19, 2020, in VigiBase®, reducing to 1004 after duplicates were removed. ADEs primarily related to COVID-19 patients (92.5%), notably from the Americas (67.7%). Mainly in males above 45, ADEs were serious (82.5%). Key ADEs encompassed elevated hepatic enzymes (32.1%), renal damage (14.4%), increased creatinine levels (11.2%), and respiratory failure (6.4%). Conclusion: Liver and kidney function deterioration emerged as frequent ADEs, underscoring the need for vigilance during Remdesivir treatment. These findings align with regulatory documents. In sum, COVID-19 has prompted swift therapeutic responses, with Remdesivir being explored as a potential treatment. This study sheds light on associated ADEs, highlighting the importance of monitoring and informed decision-making

FEATURES OF CHANGES IN INTEGRATIVE INDICATORS OF ENDOGENOUS INTOXICATION, REACTIVITY, INFLAMMATION ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS AND CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE

The aim: to study the peculiarities of changes in integrative indicators of endogenous intoxication, reactivity and activity of inflammation in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C, and with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and methods. 19 patients with chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV) with chronic renal failure and patients with chronic kidney disease (KD) were examined. Comparison group included 40 healthy blood donors. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory examination was performed. Indicators of endogenous intoxication, nonspecific reactivity and inflammatory activity were calculated and analyzed using statistical criteria (M±m, Student's test and Mann–Whitney test). Results: an increase in the integrative indicators of endogenous intoxication in patients with the combined pathology of chronic KD and chronic viral hepatitis (VH) is a consequence of the activation of tissue disintegration, cytolysis of hepatocytes and a significant impairment of liver function. A change in the indices of non-specific inflammation indicate expressed activity of the inflammatory process and immunological disorder of reactivity. These changes also suggest decompensated endotoxicosis, as a possible consequence of a chronic infectious process and decompensated endogenous intoxication. Indicators of leukocyte intoxication index (LII), leukocyte shift index (ISL), hematological intoxication index (HII), intoxication index severity (IIS), immunoreactivity index (IR), neutrophil-monocyte ratio (NMR) are increased in all patients with chronic KD, which may be related to the actual cause of development – glomerulonephritis, chronic pyelonephritis, concomitant pathology. More pronounced deviations were found in men of both groups than in women, which may be related to greater adherence to diet, water load between hemodialysis procedures in the latter. Conclusions. Patients receiving invasive manipulations, including hemodialysis, belong to the risk group and are more susceptible, taking into account immunodeficiency, to infection with hepatitis viruses than the general population. CVH is one of the most common types of lesions in them. The obtained changes, namely, a more pronounced increase in the integrative indicators of endogenous intoxication, in patients with the combined pathology of CKD and CVH indicate the activation of the processes of tissue decay, cytolysis of hepatocytes and significant liver function impairment. At the same time, a change in indices of non-specific inflammation indicates a pronounced activity of the inflammatory process and an immunological disorder of reactivity. A clear systemic reaction to inflammatory processes in the body of patients is determined, the probable development of decompensated endogenous intoxication, which is possible consequence of a chronic infectious process. A simultaneous increase in ISL and a decrease in ILG was established, which is associated with the development of endogenous intoxication and a violation of immunological reactivity due to autointoxication of the body. A decrease in Ilymph indicates an active adaptive reaction of white blood cells and a cell-type immunodeficiency, in particular, a decrease in non-specific anti-infective protection. Indicators of LII, ISL, HII, IIS, IR, NMR are increased in all patients with CKD, which may be related to the actual cause of development – glomerulonephritis, chronic pyelonephritis, etc. The difference of integrative indicators between men and women was established, more pronounced deviations from normal were found in men of both groups than in women, which may be associated with greater adherence to diet, water load between hemodialysis procedures in the latter.

Revealing the role of nitroxyl during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury with a NIR-II luminescent nanoprobe.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) can severely impair liver function and has a potential relationship with reactive nitrogen species. Nitroxyl (HNO) has been discovered to be involved in some biological functions and pharmacological activities. However, till now, there has been no knowledge of the role of HNO in the HIRI process, mainly because accurately tracking its fluctuation at the molecular level in vivo is extremely difficult. Herein, we developed a responsive ratiometric near-infrared-II (NIR-II) nanoprobe with rare earth ions-doped nanoparticles (RENPs) as the luminophore and a molecular trigger that can specifically react with HNO to regulate the NIR-II emission of RENPs. With this nanoprobe, we revealed the relationship between HNO and the HIRI process and demonstrated that HNO may be a product of stress reactions during HIRI. This work not only creates a useful tool for visually tracking HNO in vivo but also provides first-hand information about its role in HIRI.

POTENCIAIS DOADORES DE ÓRGÃOS EM MORTE ENCEFÁLICA: CARACTERIZAÇÃO E IDENTIFICAÇÃO DE DIAGNÓSTICOS DE ENFERMAGEM

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the nursing diagnoses of potential organ donors in brain death according to the NANDA-I Taxonomy. Method: Observational, cross-sectional study conducted in a public hospital in the interior of Ceará, Brazil. Data collection was realized in October and November 2021 in 23 medical records of potential organ donors. Descriptive statistics analyzed data. Results: Twenty-two diagnoses were identified in five of the 13 domains of the NANDA-I taxonomy. The following were prevalent: risk of unstable blood glucose; risk of impaired liver function; impaired gas exchange; impaired bed mobility; ineffective breathing pattern; risk of infection; risk of pressure injury; risk of aspiration; risk of decreased cardiac output; risk of falls, impaired urinary elimination; risk of electrolyte imbalance and risk of unstable blood pressure. Conclusion: The identification of diagnoses may favor the improvement of practice and the application of the nursing process in the care of potential organ donors.

Higher Risk of Chronic Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1: An Iranian Cross-sectional Study.

Occurrence of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infection may be common in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) patients and may lead to chronic infection as well as cirrhosis. We intended to determine the incidence of HEV infection among HIV-1 patients compared to individuals without HIV-1 infection. In our cross-sectional study, 87 HIV-1-positive patients were compared to 93 healthy individuals in Kerman, Iran. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from all the participants. Plasma samples were evaluated for HEV IgM and IgG using the ELISA kit. Then, reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) was used in RNA extractions from PBMCs to check for the presence of HEV RNA. Among the subjects examined in our study, 61 (70.1%) and 71 (77.4%) out of patients with HIV-1 infection and healthy individuals were male, respectively. The average ages of patients with HIV-1 and the control group were 40.2 years and 39.9 years, respectively. No discernible differences were found between the two groups based on IgM and IgG seropositivity against the HEV. However, HEV-RNA was found in 8% of patients with HIV-1 and 1.1% of HIV-1-negative individuals (P=0.03). There was also an association between the HEV genome and anti-HEV and anti-HCV antibodies in HIV-1-positive patients (P=0.02 and P=0.014, respectively). HEV infection may be more common in HIV-1 patients and may develop a chronic infection in immunocompromised individuals. Molecular-based HEV diagnostic tests, including RT-PCR assays, should be performed in HIV-1 patients with unknown impaired liver function tests.

Selection of Safe Donors for Living Donor Liver Transplant Using Extended Right Lobe Graft

Extended right lobectomy (ERL) for living donor liver transplant (LDLT) is selectively performed in many transplant centers and has shown excellent recipient outcomes as reported in previous studies. Yet, there is no universally accepted indication for ERL in respect to donor safety. Current study was designed to stratify risk factors of adverse donor outcome after ERL. A total of 79 living donors who underwent ERL for LDLT were included in analysis. Donors were classified as safety and hazard donor groups according to postoperative findings relevant to posthepatectomy liver failure classification by the International Study Group for Liver Surgery. On multivariable analysis, left lateral section volume <20% of total liver volume and nonpreservation of segment 4a venous drainage were the independent risk factors impairing postoperative outcomes. Despite the short-term impairment of liver function in hazard donor groups, all donors recovered and showed satisfactory remnant liver regeneration. However, these findings have implications in establishing selection criteria of donors eligible for ERL donation. In conclusion, LDLT using ERL graft can be safely performed provided so that left lateral section volume/total donor liver is ≥20% besides conventional donor selection criteria. Also, efforts to preserve segment 4a vein must be made in performing ERL graft procurement in LDLT donors.

Hepatic Resection vs Particle Therapy as an Initial Treatment for Single Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Bi-institutional Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited to hepatic resection (HR), radiofrequency ablation, and liver transplantation, but the value of particle therapy (PT) as an initial treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of HR and PT for single HCC. A total of 554 patients with single HCC without vascular invasion were enrolled from January 2000 to December 2015. Patients underwent either HR (n = 279) or PT (n = 275) as initial treatments. A one-to-one propensity score-matching analysis was performed to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival after dividing patients according to liver function as assessed by the modified albumin-bilirubin grade. The median OS (130 vs 85 months, p = 0.001) and progression-free survival (47 vs 30 months HR, p = 0.004) of HR were also significantly better than that of PT in the propensity score-matching cohort with modified albumin-bilirubin grade 1/2a (n = 145 per group). Meanwhile, in a propensity score-matching cohort with modified albumin-bilirubin grade 2b/3 (n = 53 per group), there were no significant differences in median OS and progression-free survival between HR and PT. HR may be preferable as an initial treatment for patients with single HCC without vascular invasion, especially those with preserved liver function. PT can be an acceptable alternative to HR for patients without surgical indication and/or impaired liver function.

Chaetomorpha linum polysaccharides alleviate NAFLD in mice by enhancing the PPARα/CPT-1/MCAD signaling

BackgroundGreen algae contain many polysaccharides. However, there is no information on whether Chaetomorpha linum polysaccharides (CLP) can modulate lipid and glucose metabolism.Material and methodsCLP were extracted from chlorella and their components were characterized. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomized and provided with control chow as the control, or high fat diet (HFD) to induce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD mice were treated orally with water as the HFD group or with 50 or 150 mg/kg CLP daily for 10 weeks. The impact of CLP treatment on lipid and glucose metabolism and the PPARα signaling was examined by histology, Western blotting and biochemistry.ResultsCLP mainly contained arabinogalactan sulfate. Compared with the control, HFD feeding increased body weights, lipid droplet liver deposition and induced hyperlipidemia, liver functional impairment and glucose intolerance in mice. Treatment with CLP, particularly with a higher dose of CLP, limited the HFD-increased body weights and liver lipid droplet deposition, mitigated the HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and improved liver function and glucose tolerance in mice. Mechanistically, feeding with HFD dramatically decreased the expression of liver PPARα, CPT-1, and MCAD, but treatment with CLP enhanced their expression in a trend of dose-dependent in mice.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that CLP treatment alleviated the gain in body weights, NAFLD, and glucose intolerance in mice after HFD feeding by enhancing the PPARα/CPT-1/MCAD signaling.

Transarterial chemoembolization failure in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Incidence, manifestation and risk factors

BackgroundTo identify the incidence, manifestation and risk factors of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) failure defined as untreatable progression (UP) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on short-term observation. MethodsPatients from two hospitals with HCC treated with TACE were considered. According to the definition of UP, TACE failure was considered to be present in at least one of the following situations: situation I, failure to achieve objective response in the targeted tumor after at least two initial TACE treatments; situation II, failure to achieve objective response in local tumor progression or new intrahepatic tumor after another TACE session; situation III, presence of major progression; and situation IV, presence of impaired liver function or performance status that contraindicates TACE treatment. Patients were assessed for TACE failure on follow-up visits after two or three TACE sessions. Risk factors for TACE failure were evaluated with logistic regression analysis. ResultsA total of 206 patients were included. TACE failure occurred in 42 (42/206, 20.4%) patients, of whom 21, 1, 4, 0 and 16 patients manifested as situation I, II, III, IV alone, and combination of situation I with the others, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor without complete capsule (P < .001) and non-smooth margin (P = .004) were independent predictors of the presence of TACE failure. ConclusionsTACE failure was uncommon in patients with HCC, which manifested predominantly as failure of treatment response of the initial intrahepatic tumor. Non-smooth tumor margin and tumors without complete capsule were associated with the presence of TACE failure.

Two cases of MEGDHEL syndrome diagnosed with hyperammonemia

MEGDHEL [3-methylglutaconic aciduria (MEG), deafness (D), hepatopathy (H), encephalopathy (E), and Leigh-like disease (L)] syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the serine active site-containing protein 1 (SERAC1) gene. MEGDHEL syndrome is clinically characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, encephalopathy, hepatopathy, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, and Leigh-like lesions on cranial magnetic resonance imaging. During theneonatal period, it has been reported to present with hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, impaired liver functions, cholestasis, metabolic acidosis, and sepsis-like clinical findings. However, clinical findings in the neonatal period were reported as a result of the retrospective evaluation of patients diagnosed at an older age. Herein we reported two cases diagnosed as MEGDHEL syndrome during neonatal period in two different clinics with sepsis-like findings, impaired liver functions, and ammonia levels high enough torequire dialysis. One of the cases was born 37weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 2,060g and initially presented with respiratory distress and feeding difficulties. The othercase admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit hadfedproblems together with respiratory distress and circulatory failure within the first 24h after initiation of parenteral nutrition. MEGDHEL syndrome should be suspected in patients with sepsis-like clinical features and hyperammonemia.

3D-printed PLA/Gel hybrid in liver tissue engineering: Effects of architecture on biological functions.

The liver is one of the vital organs in the body, and the gold standard of treatment for liver function impairment is liver transplantation, which poses many challenges. The specific three-dimensional (3D) structure of liver, which significantly impacts the growth and function of its cells, has made biofabrication with the 3D printing of scaffolds suitable for this approach. In this study, to investigate the effect of scaffold geometry on the performance of HepG2 cells, poly-lactic acid (PLA) polymer was used as the input of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printing machine. Samples with simple square and bioinspired hexagonal cross-sectional designs were printed. One percentand 2% of gelatin coating were applied to the 3D printed PLA to improve the wettability and surface properties of the scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy pictures were used to analyze the structural properties of PLA-Gel hybrid scaffolds, energy dispersive spectroscopy to investigate the presence of gelatin, water contact angle measurement for wettability, and weight loss for degradation. In vitro tests were performed by culturing HepG2 cells on the scaffold to evaluate the cell adhesion, viability, cytotoxicity, and specific liver functions. Then, high-precision scaffolds were printed and the presence of gelatin was detected. Also, the effect of geometry on cell function was confirmed in viability, adhesion, and functional tests. The albumin and urea production of the Hexagonal PLA scaffold was about 1.22 ± 0.02-fold higher than the square design in 3 days. This study will hopefully advance our understanding of liver tissue engineering toward a promising perspective for liver regeneration.

Management of Cholelithiasis in Cirrhotic Patients.

Gallstone disease (GD) is a common disease worldwide and has a higher incidence in cirrhotic patients than in the general population. The main indications for cholecystectomy surgery in cirrhotic patients remain symptomatic cholelithiasis and its complications. Over the past two decades, numerous published reports have attested to the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in cirrhotic patients. Surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis represents an additional source of stress for an already impaired liver function and perioperative complications are remarkably high compared to non-cirrhotic patients, despite significant advances in surgical management. Therefore, preoperative risk stratification and adequate patient selection are mandatory to minimize postoperative complications. We have conducted a systematic review of the literature over the last 22 years for specific information on indications for surgery in cirrhotic patients and individual percentages of Child-Pugh grades undergoing treatment. There are very few reported cases of cholecystectomy and minimally invasive treatment, such as percutaneous transhepatic cholecystostomy (PTC), in patients with Child-Pugh grade C cirrhosis. With this work, we would like to pay attention to the treatment of cholelithiasis in cirrhotic patients who are still able to undergo cholecystectomy, thus also encouraging this type of intervention in cases of asymptomatic cholelithiasis in patients with Child-Pugh grades A and B.

Consumption of fish balls "tsumire" may help prevent liver function deterioration in aged rats.

Background: Possible health benefits of fish balls tsumire consumption on human health have been deduced based on the results of our earlier study investigating tsumire consumption by young (6-weeks-old) Sprague-Dawley rats. Aim: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of tsumire intake on aged rats by feeding them a diet containing 5% dried tsumire. Methods: Biomarker levels and organ weight of 80-weeks-old Sprague-Dawley rats that were fed with tsumire were examined for potential health benefits. Results: Following 84 days of administering tsumire-containing diet, we found a decrease in some liver function parameters, such as the levels of AST, ALT, ALP and LAP, in the tsumire-fed rats compared to control rats provided with normal diet. In particular, significantly reduced LDH levels were observed in the experimental group. Conclusions: The results can be extrapolated to possible beneficial effects of consumption of tsumire on human health.

Impact of differential occupational LPG exposure on cardiopulmonary indices, liver function, and oxidative stress in Northwestern city of Nigeria

Exposure to hydrocarbon products has been associated with numerous health risks and toxicities. Outdoor or indoor occupational exposure to highly volatile and lipid-soluble hydrocarbons has been linked to impairment of respiratory, cardiovascular, and liver functions. This study is aimed at determining the potential impact of occupational exposure to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in varying work environments. Respiratory symptoms, oxidative stress, cardio-pulmonary, and liver function parameters were assessed among LPG workers in the Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Study subjects were recruited from LPG filling stations and street LPG retail shops. Results of the study showed that the forced vital capacity (FVC) of LPG station workers was significantly lower (2.81 L/min; H = 22.473, p < 0.001) relative to the values recorded among LPG retail shop workers and the controls (3.54 L/min and 4.24 L/min respectively). A similar reduction was seen in the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and the forced expiratory flow in 25–75 % of forced vital capacity (FEF25–75) obtained from the filling station workers (H = 32.722, p < 0.001 & H = 15.655, p <0.001 respectively). Furthermore, exposure to non-combusted LPG increased systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and serum liver enzymes. Findings from this study revealed that despite the high amount of coarse particulate matter in LPG retail shops, the filling station workers are more susceptible to the impairment of lung function possibly due to the high quantity of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in the filling station environment.

Efficacy and safety of HIFU in combination with TACE in unresectable pediatric HB: A randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common liver tumor in children, and the main treatment for HB is currently surgery. Studies have shown that transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has significant efficacy, but there are relatively few studies on TACE combined with HIFU in China. To investigate the effect of using HIFU combined with TACE on patients' liver function impairment and immune function in pediatric HB patients and to analyze the effectiveness and safety. The clinical data of 110 unresectable pediatric HB patients treated in our hospital from December 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the subjects and divided into 2 groups. The comparison group was treated with TACE, and the combination group was treated with HIFU on the basis of the comparison group. The differences in immune function, survival, treatment side effects and clinical efficacy between the 2 groups were observed. In the combined group, the 1-year survival rate was 100%, the 3-year survival rate was 84.0%, the 5-year survival rate was 16.0%; while in comparison group, it was 82%, 16%, 0%, respectively. The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in the combined group were significantly higher than in the comparison group after treatment (P < .05). Granulocytopenia, mucositis, thrombocytopenia, and cardiac and renal toxicity were significantly lower in the combined group than in the comparison group, and the effective rate of the combined group was 98.00% which was significantly higher than that of the control group (76.00%) (P < .05). Comparative study of HB in children treated with HIFU combined with TACE is more effective, effectively improving the immune level of patients, significantly increasing the remission rate, which can improve the tumor necrosis and improve the survival quality of patients, and is a better choice for HB in children.

Lidocaine clearance as pharmacokinetic parameter of metabolic hepatic activity in patients with impaired liver.

The study aimed to estimate lidocaine (LID) pharmacokinetic parameter values in patients with impaired liver function, level of correlation between the pharmacokinetic parameters and Child-Pugh class and change in pharmacokinetic parameters after liver tumor resection compared to the preoperative value. Patients with impaired liver function were subject to the LID test 1 day prior to, 3 and 7 days after the intervention. LID was administered in single i.v. dose of 1 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected at 15, 30 and 90 minutes after drug administration. Non-compartmental analysis was applied for calculating the pharmacokinetic parameters. The study included 17 patients with the diagnosis of cirrhosis and 41 patients with liver tumor. In both groups of patients, the values of the coefficients of correlation show the best correlation between clearance (CL) and Child-Pugh score (-0.693, p<0.005) over other pharmacokinetic parameters. The results indicate worsening hepatic function on 3rd day after operation in comparison to the values of LID CL prior to operation (mean LID CL for patients with Child-Pugh class A are 25.91 L/h, 41.59 L/h, respectively; while for B class are 16.89 L/h, 22.65 L/h, respectively). On day 7th, the values of LID CL (mean value for patients with Child-Pugh class A and B are 40.98 L/h and 21.46 L/h, respectively) are increased in comparison to 3rd day after. LID pharmacokinetic parameters consequently changed according to the severity of liver impairment, assessed by Child-Pugh score. Values of LID CL and volume of distribution (Vd) coupled with standard biochemical parameters may be used for preoperative assessment of liver function and monitoring of its postoperative recovery.

Liver function characteristics of COVID-19 patients with obesity at Dr. Soetomo Hospital: case series

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with obesity are more susceptible to liver injury. There is currently no published overview regarding COVID-19 patients with liver injury in Indonesia. Our study reported 7 cases of obese COVID-19 patients with an increase of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), followed by 5 of them developing severe symptoms of COVID-19 in isolation room of Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya within June-December 2020. Case Presentation: A total of 7 COVID-19 patients, by the average age 46.2±15.5 years, were obese. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 36,3±3,4 kg/m2. Five of them experienced serious symptoms. There were 3 patients (patient no. 2, 4, 7) who had normal SGOT level, while the rest had an increased SGOT level for &lt;2x upper limit of normal (ULN) at admission. During treatment, SGOT level increased in 5 patients for 1-&lt;3x ULN and normal in the rest of them (patient no. 2, 4). Meanwhile, the normal SGPT levels were shown in 3 patients (patient no. 2, 4, 7) and increased in 4 others at admission for 1-&lt;4x ULN. All of them tended to have an increased SGPT level during treatment for 1-&lt;5x ULN. However, since the increase of SGOT and/or SGPT for &gt;3x ULN is defined as liver injury, it happened in 2 patients that occur since admission (patient no. 3) and during treatment (patient no. 5). Conclusion: Obesity may impede the recovery of COVID-19 and manifest in the deterioration of liver function.