No abstract

More than half of the Roma residing in eastern Slovakia have been infected at one point in life with the hepatitis B virus, and 12.5% are HBsAg positive. Hepatitis C prevalence is very low, which is probably due to very low intravenous drug use.

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and simultaneous presence of MS was high among Roma. HBsAg-positive patients had lower levels of total and LDL cholesterol along with decreased apolipoprotein B100. The viral load of chronic hepatitis B patients with MS was higher than in patients without MS.

Background. Alcoholic liver disease is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and the hepatorenal syndrome is a serious complication. Risk factors for hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) in alcoholic liver cirrhosis are not entirely explored. Aim. To assess the risk factors for hepatorenal syndrome in alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Patients and Methods. Consecutive patients with alcoholic liver disease were followed for two months, development of renal failure, classified either as HRS or renal failure not fulfilling criteria of HRS, was the main outcome. Results. Of 171 patients, 14 (8.2%) developed HRS and 13 (7.6%), renal failure not fulfilling the HRS criteria. A significant difference was found between patients with and without HRS in serum sodium (131.1±3.8 vs. 135.7±5.2; P = 0.003), creatinine, (94.1±26.8 vs. 80.3±20.2; P < 0.001), albumin (23.5±4.9 vs. 29.9±5.8; P < 0.001), INR (1.76±0.45 vs. 1.44±0.41; P < 0.001), bilirubin (252.3±179.4 vs. 91.2±101.0; P < 0.001), MELD (23±6 vs 15±5; P < 0.001) and MELD-Na score (27±5 vs. 18±6; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusted for sex and age showed that sodium together with creatinine are the strongest HRS predictors, followed by bilirubin with respective odds´ ratios (95% CI) of 1.041 (1.012-1.072) for creatinine, 0.870 (0.766-0.988) for serum sodium and 1.005 (1.001-1.010) for serum bilirubin. Conclusion. Serum levels of sodium, creatinine and bilirubin are important predictors of the hepatorenal syndrome.

Patients with MS have more significantly elevated levels of GGT. There is a significant association of GGT with individual MS components, except HDL and inflammatory parameters (hs-CRP, ferritin).