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AIM:To address the diagnostic value of the regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC) among old age patients. METHODS: A total of 390 consecutive patients whoseHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) status was known and who received upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were retrospectively studied for the presence or absence of RAC as well as gastric mucosal atrophy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC to detect normal gastric mucosa were assessed and were compared among two different age groups of patients. RESULTS:The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of included patients (n = 390), was 62.9 ± 13 years. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC to detect normal gastric mucosa were 91.7%, 66.1%, 18.8%, 99% and 68.1% respectively. Although the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of RAC among patients < 60 years (n = 139) was 94.7%, 71.2%, 46.2%, 98.1%and 76.1%, respectively, it was 80%, 64.3%, 5.1%, 93% and 64.6%, respectively, among patients ≥ 60 years (n = 251). Younger Patients (< 60 years), have highly significant rates of RAC sensitivity, positive predictive value, and accuracy (P ≤ 0.001, ≤ 0.001 and ≤ 0.02, respectively). Older patients had highly significant rates of H. pylori infection and gastric mucosal atrophy (P ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSION:Although RAC is a valuable sign for real-time identification of normal gastric mucosa, its accuracy seems to be affected by the patient's age.

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Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high incidence and mortality worldwide. Local ablation using radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or microwave ablation (MWA) is potentially curative for early-stage HCC with outcomes comparable to surgical resection. We explored the influence of demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors on outcomes of HCC patients receiving ablation. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 221 HCC patients receiving local ablation at Mayo Clinic between January 2000 and October 2018, comprising 140 RFA and 81 MWA. Prognostic factors determining overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were identified using multivariate analysis. Results There was no clinically significant difference in OS or DFS between RFA and MWA. In multivariate analysis of OS, pre-ablation lymphocyte-monocyte ratio [Hazard ratio (HR) 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58–0.84, P = 0.0001], MELD score [HR 1.12, 95%CI 1.068–1.17, P <  0.0001], tumor number [HR 1.23, 95%CI 1.041–1.46, P = 0.015] and tumor size [HR 1.18, 95%CI 1.015–1.37, P = 0.031] were clinically-significant prognostic factors. Among HCC patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection, positive HCV PCR at HCC diagnosis was associated with 1.4-fold higher hazard of death, with 5-year survival of 32.8% vs 53.6% in HCV PCR-negative patients. Regarding DFS, pre-ablation lymphocyte-monocyte ratio [HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.66–0.9, P = 0.001], MELD score [HR 1.06, 95%CI 1.022–1.11, P = 0.002], Log2 AFP [HR 1.11, 95%CI 1.033–1.2, P = 0.005], tumor number [HR 1.29, 95%CI 1.078–1.53, P = 0.005] and tumor size [HR 1.25, 95%CI 1.043–1.51 P = 0.016] were independently prognostic. Conclusions Pre-ablation systemic inflammation represented by lymphocyte-monocyte ratio is significantly associated with OS and DFS in HCC patients treated with local ablation. HCV viremia is associated with poor OS. Tumor biology represented by tumor number and size are strongly prognostic for OS and DFS while AFP is significantly associated with DFS only.

AIM:The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum Hs-CRP and platelet indices (mean platelet volume and platelet distribution width) in cirrhotic patients with clinical suspicion of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Background: Selenium has been shown to protect against liver necrosis. Selenium deficiency has been involved in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and C related hepatocellular damage.Serum selenium concentration in cirrhotics was found tobe low, supportive selenium administration may be beneficial for them.Reduced selenium levels result in accumulation of lipid peroxides which accelerate the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aim: To study serum selenium level in patients with chronic liver diseases and its relation with severity of theliver diseases. Patients and Methods:This case-control study was conducted on 100 subjects. The cases were 80 adult patients including chronic hepatitis C and B, liver cirrhosis and HCC.The study also included 20 healthy age and sex-matched subjects served as a control group. Clinical, laboratory and radiological data and blood samples were collected from all participants. Serum selenium concentration was measured and statistical analysis was done.