HBsAg(+) population in Romania is characterized by a high prevalence of HBeAg(-) HBV infection as well as HDV co-infection. A cohort phenomenon for HDV prevalence is also observed similar to that of HCV/HBV monoinfections.

Background & Aims: To evaluate the predictive factors for recurrence of the disease and overall survival(OS) after achieving complete response (CR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated withtransarterial chemoembolization (TACE).Methods: From January 2013 to December 2017, 168 treatment-naïve patients diagnosed with HCCunderwent TACE as a first-line therapy and the gathered data was retrospectively reviewed. We determined the predictive factors for complete response (CR), for recurrence after CR and for survival using the Cox proportional hazard model.Results: Median follow-up was 27.4 months (range 4-65 months). The mean patient age was 62.2±7.9 years. Eighty-three patients had an α-fetoprotein (AFP) level > 20ng/mL. The median maximal diameter of the tumors was 3.5 cm. Sixty-three patients (37.5%) achieved CR after TACE, and recurrence after CR was detected in 37 patients (58.7%). In multivariate analysis, tumor size (≤4.5 cm) and a single tumor were found to be predictive factors for CR, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.352 (p=0.022) and 3.964 (p<0.0001), respectively. After achieving CR the median time to recurrence was 12 months (range 6-24 months). Elevated serum AFP > 25 ng/mL and multiple tumors were demonstrated to have a significant relationship with recurrence after CR, with HRs of 1.650 (p=0.05) and 3.932 (p=0.038), respectively. Increased initial serum AFP > 22 ng/mL, tumorsize > 4.5 cm, outside Milan criteria, not receiving a liver transplant and presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) were correlated with poor survival.Conclusions: In patients treated with TACE as an initial therapy, tumor size (≤4.5 cm) and single tumor were predictive factors for CR. Multiple nodules and an elevated serum AFP > 25 ng/mL were predictive factors for recurrence after CR. Outside Milan criteria tumors, elevated AFP levels and the presence of PVT were significantly correlated with decreased survival.

Background & Aims: Anemia is the most frequent systemic complication in inflammatory bowel diseases. It affects the quality of life and can interact with working capacity. Our objectives were to identify the prevalence of anemia, its main causes and its management in patients with inflammatory bowel disease from Romania.Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective study from March 2013 to August 2014. We enrolled 291 patients from three referral centers: 115 (39.52%) with Crohn's disease (CD) and 176 (60.48%) with ulcerative colitis (UC). We defined anemia according to the WHO criteria.Results: Median age of the patients was 41 years and the median time period since diagnosis was 3 years (0.75-7). The median activity index for UC (UCAI) was 4 and the median CD activity index (CDAI) was 96. More patients with CD were on antiTNFα therapy (p < 0.01), corticosteroids (p =0.18) or azathioprine (p=0.05) and required surgery for their underlying disease at study enrollment (p < 0.01). Anemia was present in 31.27% of the patients, more often in those with CD (35.65%) than with UC (28.41%) (not statistically significant); 53.26% of the patients had iron deficiency while 4.12% had folic acid and 8.59% vitamin B12 deficiency; 9.62% of the patients had received anti-anemic therapy at inclusion in the study or in the last three months prior to study enrollment.Conclusions: About one in three Romanian patients with inflammatory bowel disease has anemia, which is frequently associated with iron deficiency. About 30% of the patients with anemia are under therapy and the most frequent route for iron supplementation is the oral one. This might contribute to the high prevalence of iron deficiency and the low level of compliance.

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