The enduring shortfall of organ donors has inspired the widespread utilization of hepatic allografts from donors with hepatitis B core antibodies in spite of the potential risk of transmitting hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection to the recipient. Here we report a protocol of naive recipients receiving livers from hepatitis B core antibody-positive donors. From November, 1999 to March, 2002, 77 liver transplantations were performed in 73 patients at our institution, 7 of whom received livers from hepatitis B core antibody-positive donors. All recipients received 10,000 U/d of intravenous HBIg for 7 days and 100 mg /d of lamivudine until we could obtain the HBV-DNA from the donor samples (serum and liver tissue). If the results of the HBV-DNA from the donor samples were positive, the patient would continue with prophylaxis and if they were negative we would finish the combined prophylaxis. After transplantation, HBV serologic markers and HBV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in serum and lymphocytes were tested in the recipients on the seventh, fifteenth, thirtieth, and ninetieth days as well as every 3 months after transplantation. All seven donor organs were negative for HBV-DNA in serum and liver tissue. Thus, we stopped the combined prophylaxis in all recipients (range, 7 to 10 days). None of the 7 patients developed de novo HBV infection over the 3-year study period (range, 9 to 36 months). Our approach is reasonably safe, and it appears to be very effective in the prevention of de novo HBV infection after liver transplantation. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:916-920.) D e novo hepatitis B virus (HBV) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been reported in recipients negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)-positive donors. Several studies have reported a 16.6% to 95% increased incidence for HBV infection in these patients. 1-12 As a result, many centers do not use antiHBc-positive donors for recipients without previous HBV infection. 11 These results were derived mostly from studies performed in geographic regions with a low prevalence (3% to 5%) of anti-HBc-positive liver donors. However, in a recent study, anti-HBc positivity was found in 10% of the Spanish adults in the 26 to 65 age range and in 27% of donors older than 60. 2 For this reason, the prevalence of anti-HBc positivity in Spanish liver donors and, thus, the incidence of de novo HBV infection after liver transplantation would be greater in our area than in areas of lower prevalence.In an attempt to prevent transmission of HBV infection to recipients from donors positive for anti-HBc, polyclonal hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) has been administered to the recipients almost universally. Many centers use HBIg either continuously or for an indefinite amount of time, usually 2 or more years after OLT. 10 Recent studies have suggested that lamivudine, a nucleoside analog that inhibits HBV replication, can be used in addition to or as an alternative to HBIg in such cases. [13][14][15] However, thi...

The results of the study demonstrate for the first time increased leptin receptor expression in liver tissue and its relationship with overexpression of TGF-beta1 and the degree of hepatic fibrosis.

Background: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), low muscle mass has been associated with several clinical outcomes such as low exercise capacity, hospital admission, and mortality. The Sarcopenia Index (SI) is a novel way to estimate muscle mass based on the ratio of serum creatinine (produced exclusively by muscle)/cystatin C (produced by all nucleated body cells). Objectives: This study aims to assess the SI in stable COPD outpatients, as compared with a healthy control group, to quantify its relationship with several important clinical features in COPD, and to study its potential usefulness to predict COPD exacerbations and hospital admissions. Methods: The SI was calculated in 18 healthy control subjects and 65 stable COPD outpatients were included in the study. Patients were prospectively followed for 1 year after being enrolled in the study. Results: COPD patients had a lower SI than controls, that is lower muscle mass. Furthermore, patients with a modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score ≥2, patients with a COPD Assessment Test score ≥10, and patients with a high risk of exacerbation had lower levels of SI compared with patients without these characteristics. SI correlated with FEV1 (r = 0.491, p < 0.001), the 6-min walking test (r = 0.560, p = 0.001), and the Fat-Free Mass Index (r = 0.431, p = 0.017). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk analysis showed that a low SI is an independent predictor of hospital admission in COPD outpatients followed for 1 year (HR 5.16, p = 0.025). Conclusions: The ratio serum creatinine/serum cystatin C correlates with several COPD characteristics, and it can be used to predict COPD hospitalization.

. Expresión génica en pacientes obesos con enfermedad hepática por depósito de grasa. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2008; 100: 212-218. RESUMENLa fisiopatología de la enfermedad hepática por depósito de grasa sólo se conoce de forma parcial. En este trabajo hemos analizado la expresión génica intrahepática de citoquinas, quimioquinas, receptores celulares, factores de crecimiento, transductores de señales intracelulares y proteínas de comunicación extracelular en el tejido hepático de sujetos obesos con y sin esteatohepatitis no alcohólica, en un intento de determinar un perfil de expresión génica asociado a las formas severas de la esteatohepatitis no alcohólica (EHNA).Se analizó un grupo de 38 pacientes obesos con un IMC > 35, que fueron sometidos a cirugía bariátrica. La expresión génica intrahepática se determinó en el tejido hepático dividiendo a los pacientes en tres grupos: a) pacientes obesos sin datos histológicos sugestivos de EHNA (n = 12); b) pacientes con EHNA sin fibrosis (n = 13); y c) pacientes con EHNA y fibrosis (n = 13). Se consideró que existía una sobreexpresión génica cuando la diferencia en la expresión era, al menos, de dos veces con respecto al grupo control. Los resultados se confirmaron mediante PCR en tiempo real. Se detectó una expresión diferencial de 14 genes (10 sobreexpresados y 4 infraexpresados). Los genes sobreexpresados incluyeron prohibitina, TNF, TNF RI (p55), MCSF, R2-TRAIL, TGF-b1, CTGF, FGF, VEGF, BIGH3 y ObRb. La expresión de los genes insulin growth factor-1, insulin growth factor-2, interleuquina-2 y tyrosine-receptor fue menor que en el grupo control.En conclusión: 1. Los pacientes obesos con EHNA sin fibrosis muestran una sobreexpresión de genes proinflamatorios y proapoptóticos. En los pacientes con EHNA y fibrosis, se observa, además, una sobreexpresión de genes profibrogénicos, incluyendo el gen del receptor de la leptina.2. La expresión de prohibitiva en los pacientes con EHNA, tanto con fibrosis como sin fibrosis, fue superior que en los controles, lo que sugiere una disfunción mitocondrial en los pacientes con EHNA.Palabras clave: Esteatohepatitis no alcohólica. Enfermedad hepática por depósito de grasa. Obesidad mórbida. ABSTRACTAlthough the molecular basis for the pathophysiology of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is poorly understood, we evaluate the hepatic gene expression of cytokines, chemokines, cell receptors, growth factors, intracellular transducers and extracellular communication proteins in liver tissue of obese patients (with and without NASH), and we determine the specific intrahepatic gene expression profiles associated with histological severe NASH.Thirty-eight obese patients with BMI > 35 were analyzed, who underwent bariatric surgery. Biopsy specimen samples were snapfrozen in liquid nitrogen. Hepatic gene expression was determined in liver biopsy specimens from 3 groups: a) obese patients without NASH (n = 12); b) patients with NASH without fibrosis (n = 13); and c) patients with NASH and fibrosis (n = 13). Genes were considered to be expressed di...

BackgroundMOTS-c and Romo1 are mitochondrial peptides that are modulated by oxidative stress. No previous studies have explored circulating levels of MOTS-c in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).MethodsWe enrolled 142 patients with stable COPD and 47 smokers with normal lung function in an observational cross-sectional study. We assessed serum levels of both MOTS-c and Romo1 and associated these findings with clinical characteristics of COPD.ResultsCompared with smokers with normal lung function, patients with COPD had lower levels of MOTS-c (p = 0.02) and higher levels of Romo1 (p = 0.01). A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that above-median MOTS-c levels were positively associated with Romo1 levels (OR 1.075, 95% CI 1.005–1.150, p = 0.036), but no association was found with other COPD characteristics. Below-median levels of circulating MOTS-c were associated with oxygen desaturation (OR 3.25 95% CI 1.456–8.522, p = 0.005) and walking &lt;350 meters (OR 3.246 95% CI 1.229–8.577, p = 0.018) in six-minute walk test. Above-median levels of Romo1 were positively associated with current smoking (OR 2.756, 95% CI 1.133–6.704, p = 0.025) and negatively associated with baseline oxygen saturation (OR 0.776 95% CI 0.641–0.939, p = 0.009).ConclusionsReduced levels of circulating MOTS-c and increased levels of Romo1 were detected in patients diagnosed with COPD. Low levels of MOTS-c were associated with oxygen desaturation and poorer exercise capacity using 6 min walk test. Romo1 was associated with current smoking and baseline oxygen saturation.Trial registrationwww.clinicaltrials.gov; No.: NCT04449419; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov. Date of registration: June 26, 2020.