In this pilot study we found some evidence that use of NCB-02 enema may tend to result in greater improvements in disease activity compared to placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate distal UC. The role of NCB-02 as a novel therapy for UC should be investigated further.

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The present study was conducted to assess the spectrum of cutaneous changes in chronic liver disease and to assess any correlation between the skin findings and the type of the liver disease.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 100 patients above 18 years of age suffering from chronic liver disease with cutaneous manifestations and attending the Gastroenterology and Dermatology and Venereology department of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, India during the period from June 2016 to May 2017 were included in the study.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Out of 100 cases, there were 84 males (84%) and 16 females (16%) with the male to female ratio of 5.25:1. Alcoholic liver disease comprised 62% of the patients in the study, other causes being cryptogenic liver disease (14%), chronic hepatitis infection (12%), Wilson’s disease (2%), autoimmune hepatitis (2%), hepatocellular carcinoma (2%), methotrexate induced liver disease (1%) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (1%). Most common skin finding was xerosis (62%). Other key findings included nail changes (60%), pigmentary changes (55%), hair changes (50%), jaundice (40%), cutaneous infections (31%), pruritus (27%).</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Patients with chronic liver disease can have a wide spectrum of cutaneous manifestations the most important being xerosis, nail changes, pigmentary changes, hair changes, jaundice, infections, pruritus and spider angioma. These changes can give a clue to the presence of the underlying liver disease and its severity. Hence, identifying these signs earlier can lead to prompt diagnosis and effective management of the underlying condition, thereby preventing its complications.</p>

With a relapse rate of 18.6% over a follow up of 9 months in patients with UC in clinical, endoscopic, and histological remission, independent predictors of relapse were history of NSAIDs use within 15 days of relapse and higher intake of vitamin A.

Background: Data regarding Acute on Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) patients from North East India is scarce and presentation to hospital is often late. We aim to study their clinical profile, aetiology of underlying chronic liver disease, precipitating factors, predictors of mortality and their short term outcome (3 months).Methods: Among 1000 consecutive patients of any form of acute decompensation, 245 patients diagnosed as ACLF were prospectively studied. Comparison was done between survivors versus non survivors of ACLF and between ACLF and Non ACLF patients.Results: Mean age of ACLF patients was 44.2±10.3 years and male:female ratio was 13.4:1. Common causes of underlying cirrhosis in ACLF was alcoholic liver disease, 210 (85.7%), Hepatitis B virus related cirrhosis, 20 (8.2%), Hepatitis C virus related cirrhosis, 6 (2.4%) and cryptogenic in 8 (3.3%). Precipitating causes were alcoholic hepatitis in 98 (46.6%) among alcoholic cirrhosis, acute flare of Hepatitis B infection in 12 patients (60%) among Hepatitis B related cirrhosis, recent use of drugs in 110 (44.8%), sepsis in 71 (28.9%), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in 36 (14.7%), urinary tract infection in 36 (14.7%), acute hepatitis A in 5 (2%) and acute hepatitis E in 3 (1.2%). hepatic encephalopathy, low sodium, high International Normalised Ratio (INR) were found to be significantly associated with high mortality. Increasing number of organ failures is associated with increasing risk of death.Conclusions: ACLF is characterized by rapid deterioration especially when multiorgan failure sets in due to certain precipitating factors in a previously diagnosed or undiagnosed chronic liver disease.

Short-term response to steroids is a strong predictor of long-term outcome at 1 and 3 years in active ulcerative colitis patients.