El MELD y el sodio sérico son factores pronósticos en la cirrosis, pero no queda claro su papel en la evaluación del pronóstico en lista de espera para trasplante hepático y en tras el mismo. El objetivo de la presente tesis doctoral es evaluar la utlidad del MELD y el sodio sérico en la valoración pronóstica del paicente cirrótico antes y después del trasplante hepático. En el primer estudio se incluyeron 308 pacientes en lista de espera para trasplante hepático durante un periodo de 5 años encontrando que el MELD y el sodio sérico fueron los únicos factores independientes de supervivencia a los 3 y 12 meses de la inclusión en lista de espera, pero la adición del sodio al MELD no mejoró su capacidad para predecir el pronóstico. En el segundo estudio se incluyeron 241 pacientes trasplantados durante un periodo de 3 años con el objetivo de evaluar el papel de la hiponatremia al momento del trasplante sobre el pronóstico post-trasplante hepático. En este estudio se encontró que los pacientes con hiponatremia al trasplante presentaron un mayor número de complicaciones neurológicas, infecciones e insuficiencia renal durante el primer mes post-trasplante hepático. Además la supervivencia a los 3 meses postrasplante fue significativamente más baja en los pacientes con hiponatremia. De los resultados de la presente tesis doctoral se puede concluir lo siguente: 1) En pacientes con cirrosis la presencia de hiponatremia se asocia con mayor número de complicaciones tras el trasplante hepático. 2) La presencia de hiponatremia pre-trasplante hepático se asocia con una menor supervivencia a los 3 meses post-trasplante hepático. 3) El MELD y el sodio son predictores independiente de supervivencia en lista de espera para trasplante hepático. 4) La adición del sodio sérico al MELD no mejoró su capacidad en la predicción de la supervivencia en lista de espera.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-195).

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was identified as an entity by the Swedish professor Jan Waldenström in the 1950s. It was then denoted lupoid hepatitis, characterized by liver inflammation and most often affecting young women. During the years the diagnosis has become more defined (as the non A non B hepatitis has been identified as Hepatitis C) and now can be safely separated from other diseases with liver inflammation. Studies of epidemiological data and long term prognosis have been scarce in the literature. Within a collaboration between the university hospitals in Sweden, we collected what we believe is the largest cohort in the world of patients with AIH. Data from the medical records of 473 individuals was, after AIH-score calculations where the diagnosis was confirmed, collected in a data base, in which most of the analysis was done. Data from the Swedish national registers of cancer, death cause, and birth register was searched for these patients as well as controls. The aim of the thesis was to explore epidemiological and clinical outcome of AIH.The onset of AIH may be at any age, but the incidence seems to increase after 50 years of age; 75% are females, the overall incidence (0.85/ 100,000 inhabitants and year) and prevalence (11/100,000 inhabitants) are figures that are within the range of another but smaller Scandinavian study. Approximately 30 % had cirrhosis already at diagnosis and 87% displayed at some time positive auto-antibodies indicating AIH (Smooth muscle ab and or antinuclear ab).  Indications of future risk for liver transplantation or death is an advanced AIH at diagnosis with liver cirrhosis, decompensated liver disease, elevated PK INR as well as age. Acute hepatitis-like onset seems to carry a lower risk for later liver transplantation or death. Current Swedish national therapy traditions with immune suppression seem to be well tolerated. Five and ten years overall life expectancy does not differ from controls. Thirty-five women gave birth to 63 children, for 3 after liver transplantation of the mother. Thirteen of the women had liver cirrhosis. Current pharmacological treatment seems to be safe both for the patient and the foetus. Thirty percent of the patients experienced flair after delivery. It has been supposed that there is an overrisk for hepatocellular cancer (HCC) associated with AIH. Our figures are the first in the world to be presented that confirms a twenty-three fold overrisk (95% Confidence Interval 7.5-54.3) for hepatobiliar cancer. We found as well an overrisk of non-Hodgkin lymphomas of 13.09 (95% CI 4.2-30.6).Conclusion:  Our epidemiological results confirm that AIH is a fairly uncommon disease, and that many already at time of diagnosis have an advanced disease with liver cirrhosis. There is a clear overrisk for HCC and lymphoma. For those women with AIH who become pregnant the prognosis for the child as well as for the mother is good, even for those women who already have compensated cirrhosis. There is a risk for relapse after delivery. The overall survival for AIH patients with current therapy is good.

Η ηπατική καρκινογένεση είναι μια πολυσταδιακή διαδικασία που οδηγεί προοδευτικά στον κακοήθη μετασχηματισμό του ηπατικού κυττάρου, μέσω ποικίλων μοριακών μηχανισμών. Πρόσφατα αναδεικνύεται ολοένα και σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό, η τεράστια σημασία που έχει για την ανάπτυξη και εξέλιξη του καρκίνου το μικροπεριβάλλον του όγκου, η αλληλεπίδραση δηλαδή των καρκινικών κυττάρων με την εξωκυττάρια ουσία. Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει η αλληλεπίδραση των καρκινικών κυττάρων με την εξωκυττάρια ουσία μέσω των ιντεγκρινών, η οποία φαίνεται ότι εμπλέκεται σε όλα τα στάδια καρκινογένεσης. Σημαντικό μόριο στην προαναφερθείσα διαδικασία αποτελεί η ILK (Integrin-Linked Kinase), μία κινάση σερίνης-θρεονίνης που παρεμβάλλεται στα σηματοδοτικά μονοπάτια που ξεκινούν από ιντεγκρίνες, αυξητικούς παράγοντες και συμμετέχει στη ρύθμιση κομβικών για το καρκινικό κύτταρο λειτουργιών όπως έλεγχο του κυτταρικού κύκλου, απώλεια των δομών συνοχής του κυττάρου, αναστολή της απόπτωσης και ενεργοποίηση της αγγειογένεσης. Διαπιστώθηκε πως το σηματοδοτικό μονοπάτι ILK/p-Akt διαδραματίζει κομβικό ρόλο τόσο στη βιολογία της κίρρωσης όσο και του ηπατοκυτταρικού καρκίνου και πιθανόν αποτελεί μοριακό σύνδεσμο μεταξύ των δύο καταστάσεων, επιβεβαιώνοντας τη διατυπωμένη θεωρία περί άξονα χρόνιας φλεγμονής-ίνωσης (κίρρωσης)-καρκίνου. Επίσης στην παθογένεια της κίρρωσης και του καρκίνου ήπατος, φαίνεται πως ρόλο έχει το φαινόμενο της επιθηλιακής προς μεσεγχυματική μετατροπή (EMT-epithelial to mesenchymal transition). Αυτό αποδεικνύεται από την απώλεια έκφρασης της E-καντχερίνης και τη μεταφορά της β-κατενίνης στον πυρήνα που οδηγούν σε απώλεια των κυτταρικών συνδέσεων από τη μεμβράνη καθώς και από την υπερέκφραση των μορίων ILK και p-Akt. Τέλος η υπερέκφραση survivin και κυκλίνης-D1 στην κίρρωση και στο ηπακυτταρικό καρκίνωμα καταδεικνύουν τη σημασία της αντιαποπτωτικής δραστηριότητας και του αυξημένου κυτταρικού πολλαπλασιασμού στις συγκεκριμένες νοσολογικές οντότητες. / The hepatic carcinogenesis is a many phased process that leads progressively to the malignant transformation of hepatic cell via various molecular mechanisms. Recently, the enormous importance of the tumor microenvironment for the growth and development of cancer, i.e. the interaction between cancer cells and the extacellular matrix, has been proven. Particular interest is presented in the interaction of tumor cells with the extracellular matrix via integrins, which appears to be involved in all the stages of carcinogenesis. An important molecule in the aforementioned process is the ILK (Integrin-Linked Kinase), a serine-threonine kinase that is implicated in the signal transduction pathways that begin from integrines, growth factors and participate in the regulation of nodal for the tumor cell functions, such as control of cell cycle, loss of cell adhesion structures, suppresion of apoptosis and activation of angiogenesis. It has been realized that the signal transduction pathway ILK /p-Akt plays a nodal role so much in the biology of cirrhosis as well as in hepatocellular cancer and probably constitutes a molecular connection between the two conditions, confirming the formulated theory of axis of chronic inflamation-chirrosis-cancer. Also in the pathogenicity of cirrhosis and liver cancer, it appears that the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon plays a role. This is proven by the loss of expression of E-cadherin and the transport of b-catenin in the nucleus that leads to loss of cellular connections from the membrane as well as from the overexpression of molecules ILK and p-Akt. Finally, the overexpression of survivin and cyclin-D1 in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma show the importance of antiapoptotic activity and increased cellular proliferation in the particular disease entities.

H παρούσα μελέτη είχε σαν στόχο την μελέτη και τον προσδιορισμό των αιμοδυναμικών αλλαγών που συμβαίνουν στο ηπατικό παρέγχυμα με τη βοήθεια της απλής (Gray Scale Ultrasonography, GSU) και της έγχρωμης Doppler υπερηχοτομογραφίας (Color Doppler, CDU), στην διάρκεια της χρόνιας ηπατικής νόσου. Ο απώτερος σκοπός ήταν ο διαχωρισμός της χρόνιας νόσου του ήπατος από την αρχόμενη καλά αντιρροπούμενη κίρρωση σε ομάδα ασθενών με ένα καλά τεκμηριωμένο ιστολογικό profil. Για τον λόγο αυτό, έγινε προσπάθεια να απομονωθούν εκείνες οι GSU και CDU παράμετροι που με μεγάλη ακρίβεια διαχώριζαν τους ασθενείς με τη χρόνια ηπατίτιδα από αυτούς που έπασχαν από καλά αντιρροπούμενη κίρρωση αρχικού σταδίου (CIR). / To assess the value of gray scale (GS) and colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) in differentiating the progression of chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and compensated liver cirrhosis (CIR).

La cirrosis biliar primaria es una enfermedad hepática que se manifiesta por un patrón clínico, bioquímico e histológico de colestasis crónica. Su curso puede complicarse con el desarrollo de una patología metabólica ósea cuyo tipo, frecuencia y mecanismos patogenéticos no están bien establecidos. Esta tesis se ha realizado con el fin de analizar la prevalencia y tipo de enfermedad metabólica ósea que se asocia a la cirrosis biliar primaria (CBP) e investigar los factores que influyen en su desarrollo. 1) PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS Se han estudiado 20 pacientes con CBP (18M, 2 V) con una edad media de 48.6 +/- 10.6 años. A todos ellos se ha practicado: estudio del grado de colestasis biológica y de la función hepatocelular, además de determinaciones bioquímicas y hormonales (25-hidroxivitamina D; 1,25 dihidroxivitamina D y parathormona N-terminal) del metabolismo mineral. En 16 pacientes se determinó la capacidad de absorción intestinal de calcio. A todos los pacientes se practicaron radiografías de la columna vertebral y biopsia ósea, por vía transilíaca, tras doble "marcaje" con tetraciclinas, para análisis histomorfométrico en especimen óseo no decalcificado. El estudio histomorfométrico se realizó mediante el método semiautomático y se analizaron parámetros estáticos y dinámicos. 2) RESULTADOS Siete pacientes tenían una osteoporosis al presentar una reducción del volumen trabecular. Tres de ellos tenían asociado un trastorno moderado de la mineralización ósea que no cumplía criterios de osteomalacia. Quince pacientes (5 con osteoporosis) tenían una disminución del grado de formación ósea y en 19 casos la reabsorción ósea era normal o estaba disminuida. Los pacientes con osteoporosis tenían una duración de la CBP más prolongada (5.4 +/- 2.8) que los pacientes sin osteoporosis (2.0 +/- 2.1 a p= 0.07). Además, la osteoporosis fue significativamente más frecuente en las mujeres postmenopáusicas, ya que 6 de los 7 pacientes con osteoporosis (86%) pero sólo 3 de los 11 sin osteoporosis (27%) eran mujeres postmenopaúsicas (p= 0.02). Por otro lado, los pacientes con osteoporosis tenían con mayor frecuencia una malabsorción intestinal de calcio (80%) que los pacientes sin osteoporosis (18%) (p= 0.03). Aunque la severidad de la colestasis no se relacionó con la presencia de osteoporosis, sí se halló una relación lineal inversa entre la absorción intestinal de calcio y la concentración plasmática de sales biliares (r= -0.55, p < 0.05) y el nivel sérico de la fosfatasa alcalina (r= -0.5, p < 0.05). Cuatro pacientes, dos de ellos con trastornos de la mineralización ósea, tenían niveles séricos bajos de 25-hidroxivitamina D. Sin embargo, los niveles séricos del metabolitos 1,25-dihidroxivitamina D fueron normales en todos los casos. 3) CONCLUSIONES Los resultados de este estudio indican que: 1.- La osteoporosis es la enfermedad metabólica ósea que comúnmente se asocia a la cirrosis biliar primaria. Su prevalencia fue del 35% en nuestra serie analizada. 2.- Los pacientes con cirrosis biliar primaria de nuestro medio no desarrollan una osteomalacia, aunque no es infrecuente que presenten un trastorno moderado de la mineralización ósea. Un 15% de los pacientes desarrollaron este trastorno. 3.- La osteoporosis asociada a la cirrosis biliar primaria es de bajo "turnover" óseo y su base fisiopatológica es un déficit de la formación ósea. El 71% de los pacientes con osteoporosis tenían un déficit de la formación ósea, alteración que también presentaba el 83% de los pacientes sin osteoporosis. Ello permite sugerir que un elevado porcentaje de pacientes con cirrosis biliar primaria y masa ósea normal están en alto riesgo de desarrollar una osteoporosis. 4,- Los factores de riesgo implicados en el desarrollo de osteoporosis en la cirrosis biliar primaria son: duración de la hepatopatía, estado postmenopáusico y malabsorción intestinal de calcio. 5,- El desarrollo de un trastorno moderado de la mineralización ósea es más frecuente en los pacientes con déficit de 2S-hidroxivitamina D. Sin embargo, el "status" deficitario de vitamina D no es exclusivo de los pacientes con trastorno de la mineralización ósea.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2009. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Orientador: Fernando Gomes Romeiro / Banca: Giovanni Faria Silva / Banca: Ana Cláudia de Oliveira / Resumo: Pacientes com cirrose hepática são comumente acometidos por deficiências nutricionais e perda de massa óssea, por mecanismos como baixa ingestão de nutrientes e falta de atividade física. O objetivo deste estudo foi aferir a prevalência de doença óssea na cirrose e avaliar se alterações nutricionais e hepáticas estariam correlacionadas à perda de massa óssea (osteopenia ou osteoporose) em pacientes ambulatoriais atendidos na Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (FMB) - UNESP. Avaliações nutricionais e da massa óssea foram feitas por meio de antropometria, medidas de força muscular (pelo handgrip), absorciometria de raios X de dupla energia (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry - DXA) e exames bioquímicos. A amostra foi de 129 indivíduos (77 homens e 52 mulheres), classificados em Child A (69%), Child B (24,8%) e Child C (6,2%). A média do escore Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) foi de 10,60 ± 3,99. A prevalência de osteoporose foi de 31,01% e a de osteopenia foi de 32,56%. Os resultados foram avaliados pelo modelo de regressão linear de Backward, mostrando que baixos valores de força muscular pelo handgrip, níveis elevados de paratormônio (PTH) e baixo índice de massa corporal (IMC) foram preditores de baixo t-escore da coluna, enquanto a idade e o IMC foram fatores preditores de baixo t-escore de quadril. A gravidade da doença hepática não influenciou a presença da doença óssea. Como a cirrose acomete mais os ossos da coluna, sugerimos que exames de PTH, handgrip e o IMC sejam utilizados rotineiramente na avaliação de portadores de cirrose, e se esses exames estiverem alterados a densidade óssea seja medida com mais frequência, mesmo na cirrose compensada / Abstract: Cirrhotic patients are often compromised by nutritional deficiencies and loss of bone density through mechanisms as low ingestion of nutrients and lack of physical activity. The aim of this study was evaluate the prevalence of bone alterations and investigate if nutritional and hepatic tests would be related to the bone loss (osteoporosis or osteopenia) in cirrhotic outpatients from the Botucatu medical school (FMB-UNESP). Nutritional, hepatic and bone assessments were performed through anthropometric measurement, handgrip strength, dualenergy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA) exam and laboratory tests. The study sample was composed by 129 subjects (77 men and 52 women), who were divided according to the Child-Pugh classification as follows: Child-Pugh A (69%), Child- Pugh B (24.8%) and Child-Pugh C (6.2%). The mean of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 10.6 ± 3.99. The rates of osteoporosis and osteopenia were 31.01% and 32.56%, respectively. The results were assessed by backward linear regression model, showing that low handgrip strength, high parathyroid hormone (PTH) and low body mass index (BMI) were predictors of low t-score values in the lumbar spine. Additionally, only age was a predictor of low t-score values in the femoral neck. The model did not select the liver disease severity as a significant predictor of bone disease. As the liver cirrhosis is more aggressive in the lumbar spine, we suggest that handgrip strength, BMI and PTH should be tested in all cirrhotic patients to select the ones with higher risk of bone disease, in order to perform specific bone exams more often when these tests are altered, even in compensated cirrhosis / Mestre

Orientador: Fernando Gomes Romeiro / Resumo: A osteoporose é uma complicação frequente da cirrose hepática (CH) que pode levar a fraturas, comprometendo a qualidade e a expectativa de vida. Bisfosfonatos são frequentemente utilizados para reduzir o risco de fraturas por osteoporose, mas podem provocar danos à mucosa gastrointestinal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a segurança do risedronato em pacientes com CH e varizes de esôfago (VE). De 354 pacientes com CH, 164 foram considerados elegíveis e alocados de acordo com a densidade mineral óssea após densitometria. No grupo intervenção, 52 indivíduos com osteoporose receberam tratamento com risedronato oral (35 mg / semana), suplementação de cálcio e vitamina D. No grupo controle, 51 indivíduos com osteopenia receberam apenas suplementação de cálcio e vitamina D. Todos foram submetidos a endoscopias de vigilância durante 1 ano e à densitometria ao final do estudo. A média etária e a proporção de mulheres foi maior no grupo intervenção. O MELD (Model of End-Stage Liver Disease) no grupo intervenção e controle foi 9,6 (5,9-15,5) e 10,3 (6,5-19), respectivamente (p= 0,047). O grupo controle teve mais casos de doença hepática alcoólica (p< 0,001). Em ambos os grupo a maioria dos indivíduos tinha classificação Child-Pugh A e VE de baixo risco de sangramento. Não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto aos achados endoscópicos observados durante a intervenção. Não houve hemorragia digestiva alta no grupo intervenção, mas em 2 casos do grupo controle. O grupo intervenção foi... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Osteoporosis is a common complication of liver cirrhosis that can lead to fractures, compromising quality of life and survival rate. Bisphosphonates are often used to reduce the risk of fractures caused by osteoporosis, but can lead to digestive mucosal damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of risedronate for patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Of the 354 cirrhotic patients invited to participate, 164 were considered eligible and allocated according to the bone mineral density after densitometry. In the intervention group, 52 individuals with osteoporosis received oral risedronate 35 mg weekly plus calcium and vitamin D supplementation. In the control group, 51 individuals with osteopenia received only calcium and vitamin D supplementation. All the subjects underwent surveillance endoscopies within 1 year and another bone densitometry at the end of the trial. The mean age and the proportion of women were higher in the intervention group. The Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores in the intervention and control group were 9.6 (5.9-15.5) and 10.3 (6.5-19), respectively (p= 0.047). The control group had more subjects with alcoholic liver disease (p< 0.001). In both groups the majority of the individuals had Child-Pugh A classification and low-risk bleeding esophageal varices. There was no difference between the groups regarding esdoscopic findings during the intervention. There was no upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the intervention gro... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Orientador: Fernando Gomes Romero / Coorientador: Carlos Antonio Caramori / Banca: Anderson Marliere Navarro / Banca: Sergio Alberto Rupp Paiva / Resumo: Entre as complicações da cirrose, a encefalopatia hepática (EH) tem alta prevalência e interfere diretamente na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. O estado nutricional possui extrema importância para o prognóstico da doença, estando independentemente ligado a morbi-mortalidade. Por conta disso, a avaliação nutricional é fundamental para que seja realizado o diagnóstico nutricional precoce e assim se inicie o tratamento dietoterápico. No entanto, a avaliação do estado nutricional desses pacientes é um desafio, porque muitas das ferramentas utilizadas na população saudável podem ter seus resultados afetados pela retenção hídrica e pela depleção muscular, bastante comuns em cirróticos. A dietoterapia indicada para esses pacientes deve ser hipercalórica e hiperproteica, porém, a ingestão de proteínas é historicamente um ponto controverso do tratamento dietético. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar o estado nutricional através de diferentes métodos, a ingestão alimentar com ênfase na ingestão proteica e também a qualidade de vida de pacientes cirróticos com EH e observar a relação desses fatores entre si. O estudo foi transversal e incluiu 60 indivíduos com cirrose e EH submetidos à avaliação do consumo alimentar por recordatório de 24 horas, da qualidade de vida pelo questionário SF-36 e do estado nutricional através da bioimpedância elétrica (BIA), do exame de absorciometria por raios X de dupla energia (DEXA), da avaliação antropométrica e da força de preensão palmar (FAM). A média de idade foi 56,1 ± 12,9 anos e 61,7% dos indivíduos tinha EH clinicamente manifesta (os demais tinham a forma subclínica). Na avaliação do estado nutricional, o índice de massa corporal (IMC) detectou prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em 56,7% dos indivíduos e os exames de BIA e DEXA mostraram médias elevadas de porcentagem de massa gorda (29,8 ± 8,0 % e 30,1 ± 7,0 %, respectivamente). Ao mesmo tempo, outros... / Abstract: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) has high prevalence among cirrhosis complications and has a big impact on quality of life of patients. Additionally, the nutritional status of these patients is important and independently linked to morbidity and mortality. For this reason, nutritional evaluation is essential to provide early nutrition diagnosis, allowing the start of the dietary treatment. However, the assessment of nutritional status of these patients is a challenge because many of the tools applied to the healthy population can be altered by water retention and muscle depletion, quite common in cirrhotic. These patients should receive high-calorie and high-protein diet, but the protein intake is historically a controversial point in the dietary treatment of cirrhotic individuals. The aims of this study were to evaluate the nutritional status of cirrhotic subjects with HE by different methods, investigate their food and protein intake and their quality of life, observing the relations of these factors to each other. This was a cross-sectional study that included 60 patients, whose dietary intake was assessed through 24-hour recall, quality of life evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire and the nutritional status by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), anthropometric assessment and handgrip strength (HGS). The mean age was 56.1 ± 12.9 years, and 61.7% of subjects had overt HE (the remaining patients had the subclinical form). The body mass index (BMI) detected a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (56,7%), whilst BIA and DEXA pointed a high percentage of body fat (29.8 ± 8.0 ± 7.0% and 30.1%, respectively). Other measures such as handgrip strength and thickness of the adductor pollicis muscle (APM) showed higher rates of undernourished subjects: 81.7% and 73.3%. Through the appendicular muscle mass index (AMMI), 16.7% of the sample was classified as sarcopenic and 7.4% with sarcopenic ... / Mestre