Background: Heart dysfunction and liver disease often coexist because of systemic disorders. Any cause of right ventricular failure may precipitate hepatic congestion and fibrosis. Digital image technologies have been introduced to pathology diagnosis, allowing an objective quantitative assessment. The quantification of fibrous tissue in liver biopsy sections is extremely important in the classification, diagnosis and grading of chronic liver disease. Aim: To create a semi-automatic computerized protocol to quantify any amount of centrilobular fibrosis and sinusoidal dilatation in liver Masson’s Trichrome-stained specimen. Method: Once fibrosis had been established, liver samples were collected, histologically processed, stained with Masson’s trichrome, and whole-slide images were captured with an appropriated digital pathology slide scanner. After, a random selection of the regions of interest (ROI’s) was conducted. The data were subjected to software-assisted image analysis (ImageJ®). Results: The analysis of 250 ROI’s allowed to empirically obtain the best application settings to identify the centrilobular fibrosis (CF) and sinusoidal lumen (SL). After the establishment of the colour threshold application settings, an in-house Macro was recorded to set the measurements (fraction area and total area) and calculate the CF and SL ratios by an automatic batch processing. Conclusion: Was possible to create a more detailed method that identifies and quantifies the area occupied by fibrous tissue and sinusoidal lumen in Masson’s trichrome-stained livers specimens.

Background: Portal hypertension (PH) can be measured indirectly through a hepatic vein pressure gradient greater than 5 mmHg. Cirrhosis is the leading cause for PH and can present as complications ascites, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and esophagogastric varices, characterizing gastropathy. Aim: To evaluate the use of carvedilol as primary prophylaxis in the development of collateral circulation in rats submitted to the partial portal vein ligament (PPVL) model. Method: This is a combined qualitative and quantitative experimental study in which 32 Wistar rats were divided into four groups (8 animals in each): group I - cirrhosis + carvedilol (PPVL + C); group II - cirrhosis + vehicle (PPVL); group III - control + carvedilol (SO-sham-operated + C); group IV - control + vehicle (SO-sham-operated). After seven days of the surgical procedure (PPVL or sham), carvedilol (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (1 mL normal saline) were administered to the respective groups daily for seven days. Results: The histological analysis showed no hepatic alteration in any group and a decrease in edema and vasodilatation in the PPVL + C group. The laboratory evaluation of liver function did not show a statistically significant change between the groups. Conclusion: Carvedilol was shown to have a positive effect on gastric varices without significant adverse effects.

Background: The Helicobacter pylori infection (HP) is related to the development of gastric lesions and lymphoma; however, it is not known if there is a relation with gastroesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis. Aim: To evaluate HP's relationship with esophagitis in patients undergoing upper endoscopy. Methods: Observational, retrospective and cross-sectional study, being evaluated 9576 patients undergoing outpatient endoscopic examination during the period between January and December 2015. Were included patients with any esophageal alteration at the examination; greater than 18; of both genders; independent of the complaint or the reason for the examination, illness or drug use. Were excluded those with active bleeding during the examination and in use of anticoagulants. The variables gender, age, esophagitis and result of the urease test, were studied. For statistical analysis was used the Epi Info software 7.1.5.2. Results: Most of the samples consisted of women and the overall average age was 46.54±16.32 years. The presence of infection was balanced for gender: 1204 (12.56%) women and 952 (13.92%) men. Relating degree of esophagitis HP- and HP+ was observed that the type A was the most common (58.79%, n=1460); 604 (24.32%) had grade B; 334 (13.45%) grade C, and 85 (3.42%) grade D. In the relation between the grade of esophagitis with gender, esophagitis A was predominant in women and present in 929 (63.33%), followed by type B, 282 (46.68%), 136 C (40.71%) and D 30 (35.29%). In men 531 (36.36%) showed type A, 322 (53.31%) B, 198 (59.28%) C, and 55 (64.70%) D. Among the groups 40-50 and over 60 years there was a significant difference in whether have or not have HP+. Conclusion: There is no significant difference between HP infection and the different grades of esophagitis.

Heart dysfunction and liver disease often coexist. Among the types of cardiohepatic syndrome, Type 2 is characterized by the chronic impairment of cardiac function, leading to chronic liver injury, referred to as congestive hepatopathy (CH). In this study, we aimed to establish a rat model of CH secondary to right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) related to monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Three experimental groups were submitted to intraperitoneal MCT inoculation (60 mg/kg) and were under its effect for 15, 30 and 37 days. The animals were then sacrificed, obtaining cardiac and hepatic tissues for anatomopathological and morphometric analysis. At macroscopic examination, the livers in the MCT groups presented a nutmeg-like appearance. PAH produced marked RVH and dilatation in the MCT groups, characterized by a significant increase in right ventricular free wall thickness (RVFWT) and chamber area. At histological evaluation, centrilobular congestion was the earliest manifestation, with preservation of the hepatocytes. Centrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis was observed in the groups exposed to prolonged MCT. Sinusoidal dilatation was markedly increased in the MCT groups, quantified by the Sinusoidal Lumen Ratio (SLR). The Congestive Hepatic Fibrosis Score and the Centrilobular Fibrosis Ratio (CFR) were also significantly increased in the MCT30 group. Hepatic atrophy, steatosis, apoptotic bodies and, rarely, hydropic swelling were also observed. SLR correlated strongly with CFR and RVFWT, and CFR correlated moderately with RVFWT. Our rat model was able to cause CH, related to monocrotaline-induced PAH and RVH; it was feasible, reproducible, and safe.

Fundamento: O modelo de hipertensão arterial pulmonar induzida por monocrotalina (MCT) é um dos mais reproduzidos atualmente, apresentando como limitação a ausência de lesões plexiformes, manifestações típicas da doença grave em humanos. Objetivo: Avaliar a gravidade da arteriopatia pulmonar induzida por MCT por meio dos achados anatomopatológicos pulmonares e cardíacos, evolução clínica e sobrevida em 37 dias. Métodos: Foram utilizados 50 ratos machos Wistar divididos em quatro grupos, sendo um controle (n = 10). Os três grupos restantes foram submetidos à inoculação de MCT (60 mg/kg i.p.) e ficaram sob o seu efeito por 15 (n = 10), 30 (n = 10) e 37 dias (n = 20). Ao final de cada período, os animais foram sacrificados, obtendo-se tecidos pulmonar e cardíaco para análise anatomopatológica e morfométrica. Empregou-se o teste Kruskal-Wallis, considerando nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Nos pulmões dos animais MCT foram constatadas lesões referentes à arteriopatia pulmonar, incluindo muscularização das arteríolas, hipertrofia da camada média e lesões neointimais concêntricas. Lesões complexas foram observadas nos grupos MCT, descritas como plexiforme e do "tipo" plexiforme (plexiform-like). A hipertrofia do ventrículo direito foi constatada pelo aumento da espessura e diâmetro dos cardiomiócitos e pelo aumento significativo da espessura da parede do ventrículo direito (p<0,0000). Conclusão: O modelo foi capaz de gerar arteriopatia pulmonar moderada-grave associada à hipertrofia do ventrículo direito secundária, com sobrevida de 50% em 37 dias. De nosso conhecimento, este estudo foi o primeiro a constatar a presença de lesões vasculares complexas, semelhantes às observadas em pacientes com hipertensão arterial pulmonar grave, em modelo isolado de MCT.