Age, serum creatinine, bilirubin, and sodium were associated with SBP-related in-hospital mortality. The incorporation of these variables into CP and MELD significantly improves their predictive ability. iMELD followed by CrCTP provided useful prognostic information for critically ill patients with SBP.

Background/AimsCellulitis is a common infection in patients with liver cirrhosis. We aimed to compare risk factors, microbial aspects, and outcomes of cellulitis in compensated and decompensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis.MethodsSix hundred twenty consecutive HCV-related cirrhotic patients were evaluated for cellulitis. Demographic and clinical data were evaluated, along with blood and skin cultures. Severity of cirrhosis was assessed using Child-Pugh score. In-hospital mortality was assessed.ResultsSeventy-seven (12.4%) cirrhotic patients had cellulitis (25 with compensated and 52 with decompensated disease). Smoking and venous insufficiency were risk factors of cellulitis in compensated cirrhosis. Leg edema, ascites, hyperbilrubinemia and hypoalbuminemia were risk factors in decompensated cirrhosis. Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus pyogenes) were the infective organisms in compensated patients, while gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were the predominant organisms in decompensated cirrhosis. Fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) were detected in 3 decompensated cases. In-hospital mortality in patients with cellulitis was 27.3%, approaching 100% in decompensated patients with gram-negative cellulitis. Prolonged hospitalization, higher model for end-stage liver disease (MELD)-Na score, septic shock, local complication, and recurrent cellulitis were predictors of mortality.ConclusionsCellulitis in compensated cirrhosis is different from that of decompensated patients regarding microorganisms, pathogenesis, and prognosis. Cellulitis has a poor prognosis, with mortality rates approaching 100% in decompensated patients with gram-negative cellulitis. Stratifying patients according to severity of cirrhosis is important to identify the proper empirical antibiotic and to decide the proper means of care.

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with psychiatric and cognitive dysfunctions. We aimed to investigate depression, anxiety, and cognitive function of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients before and after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Forty CHC patients (20 non-cirrhotic and 20 cirrhotic) who had undergone DAA treatment in our outpatient clinic and ten controls. We administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaires to measure the anxiety and depression symptoms and the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instruments (CASI) to measure the cognitive function at the beginning and 3 months after the end of the treatment. Results Sustained virological response (SVR) was achieved in all patients. Post-treatment anxiety and depression scores showed a significant improvement than pre-treatment ones in CHC patients. Regarding CASI, before and after the treatment, a statistical significance was found in short-term memory (P = 0.001), concentration (P = 0.033), abstract thinking and judgment (P = 0.024), total (P = 0.001) in non-cirrhotic, Also, an improvement was seen in long-term memory (P = 0.015), short-term memory (P < 0.001), concentration (P = 0.024) and total (P = 0.01) in cirrhotic. However, these changes were still impaired in post-treated cirrhotic compared to controls. Conclusions CHC patients' anxiety, depression, and cognitive function partially improved after DAA therapy. Besides, improving the status of CHC, reversibility of cognitive dysfunction in non-cirrhotic patients may indicate the importance of treatment in early stages of liver disease.

Objective Incidence of ulcerative colitis is globally increased. Enteric infections and their role in ulcerative colitis flares present a common health problem and a unique clinical challenge. We aimed to identify enteropathogens in flared ulcerative colitis patients and their antimicrobial susceptibilities and relation with the disease activity. Methods Stool samples were collected from 95 patients with ulcerative colitis (17 inactive cases and 78 active cases) according to the Mayo score assessment of ulcerative colitis severity. Enteropathogens were examined using an automated VITEK2 system and FilmArray gastrointestinal pathogen panel. Results Enteric infections were found in 81 patients (85.3%) with a significantly higher percentage in active ulcerative colitis (96.2% vs. 35.3%, P < 0.001). In 78 symptomatic patients, (78.7%) of bacteria as enteroaggregative and enteropathogenic E. coli, (11.5%) parasitic as Cryptosporidium and (7.7%) viral as Norovirus were the most detected microbial pathogens. Mixed, multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and opportunistic infections were reported in 70.7%, 52.9% and 46.7% respectively. Raoultella ornithinolytica was reported for the first time as an enteropathogen in ulcerative colitis flare. Multiple organisms, MDROs, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing and AmpC-resistant bacteria were significantly associated with disease severity. Conclusion Identifying enteropathogens especially opportunistic and MDR organisms as a cause of ulcerative colitis flare-ups is a matter of worry increasing their diagnostic and therapeutic burden. Periodic studies evaluating changes in microbial profiles and their antimicrobial susceptibilities are needed to achieve antibiotic stewardship and improve management.

Background/Purpose: Early assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) is a highly challenge for a physicians' practice to improve the management and decrease the mortality. We aimed to determine early prognostic factors for AP related in-hospital mortality. Methods: Upon hospital admission, predictors of AP related in-hospital mortality were prospectively assessed using regression analysis over 129 consecutive AP patients. Predictive abilities of these prognostic factors were compared using the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: AP related in-hospital mortality was 10.9%. Red cell distribution (RDW), serum creatinine, glucose and albumin were associated with AP mortality. RDW had the highest AUC followed by serum creatinine and albumin (AUC: 914, 95% CI: 0.797-0.975; 0.797, 95% CI: 0.695-0.878; 0.798, 95% CI: 0.677-0.865 respectively). The cutoff with the best ability to predict in-hospital mortality was 14.2 for RDW. By coupling RDW and serum creatinine, AUC was improved to 0.940, 95% CI: 0.839-0.986. Conclusion: RDW, serum creatinine, albumin, and glucose even with borderline level changes may predict AP related in-hospital mortality, where, RDW has the highest prognostic accuracy. Coupling RDW and serum creatinine model significantly improves their predictive accuracy that may aid in further improvement of the quality of care of AP patients.

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