Hepatology Commons^™

Granular Cell Tumor Of The Common Hepatic Duct As An Unusual Cause Of Jaundice In A Hepatitis C Patient: Looking Beyond The Tip Of The Iceberg!, Tripti R. Chopade, Mbbs, Colin L. Smith, Md, Warren R. Maley, Md, Ali A. Siddiqui, Md, David A. Sass, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare, benign mesenchymal tumors of Schwann cell origin. Since they were originally described by Abrikossoff in 1926,most GCTs have been described in the dermis, oral area, or subcutaneous tissue of the chest and arms. Only 5%-9% of reported cases have involved the gastrointestinal tract and fewer than 1% of cases have occurred in the biliary tract.Tumors involving the bile duct are difficult to distinguish radiographically from more common etiologies of biliary stricturing, and a tissue diagnosis is difficult to obtain endoscopically. Diagnosis and treatment is most often made via surgical resection.

Clinical Vignette: A Case Of Successful Surgical Decortication For Empyema With Trapped Lung, In A Patient With Decompensated Cirrhosis, Tripti R. Chopade, Md, She-Yan Wong, Md, David A. Sass, Md, Scott W. Cowan, Md, Jesse M. Civan, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

Hepatic hydrothorax (HH) is a difficult-to-control complication of cirrhosis. Chest tube (CT) drainage is an option for management of HH, but is associated with a high rate of secondary infection and other complications.

Treatment Of Duodenal Variceal Hemorrhage With Endoscopic Band Ligation, Tripti R. Chopade, Md, Jesse M. Civan, Md, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Md, Ali A. Siddiqui, Md, Ashish R. Gandhe, Md, Dina L. Halegoua-De Marzio, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

• Duodenal varices (DV) are a rare but potentially serious complication of portal hypertension and carry a high risk of massive gastrointestinal bleeding.

• This is a report of successful treatment of a massive DV hemorrhage with endoscopic band ligation.

Enteral Nutrition Support For A Sarcopenia In End-Stage Liver Disease, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio, Md, She-Yan Wong, Md, Flavius Guglielmo, Md, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

• Weight loss with muscle wasting, also known as sarcopenia, commonly occurs in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).
• A robust association between sarcopenia and mortality in cirrhotic and post-liver transplant patients has been reported.
• This is a report of a patient with severe sarcopenia and ESLD who was provided enteral nutrition using a Dobhoff tube (DHT) pre-liver transplant resulting in successful bridging to transplant.

Listing Practices For Morbidly Obese Patients At Liver Transplant Centers In The United States, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio, Md, She-Yan Wong, Md, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Md, Cataldo Doria, Md, Phd, David A. Sass, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

• Obesity affects more than one third of Americans.
• Morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m2) has been associated with multiple co-morbidities and perioperative complications.
• The effect of morbid obesity on liver transplant outcomes has yielded mixed results.

Efficacy And Safety Of Infliximab In Older Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients, Christina Cress Lindenmeyer, Md, Stephanie M. Moleski, Md, Maureen P. Whitsett, Med., Patricia L. Kozuch, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Background:

The limited data regarding treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with anti-tumor necrosis factor antibodies in older patients suggest equal efficacy but higher morbidity and mortality compared to younger patients. This retrospective case control study aims to clarify the efficacy and safety of infliximab (IFX) in older IBD patients.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Comparison Of A Novel Signal Transmission Capsule Endoscope To An Existing Capsule Endoscope., Eric H Choi, Klaus Mergener, Carol Semrad, Laurel Fisher, David R Cave, Milan Dodig, Carol Burke, Jonathan A Leighton, David Kastenberg, Peter Simpson, James Sul, Kanishka Bhattacharya, Roger Charles, Lauren Gerson, Luke Weber, Glenn Eisen, Warren Reidel, John J Vargo, Jamile Wakim-Fleming, Simon K Lo

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: MiroCam, a capsule endoscope, uses a novel transmission technology, electric-field propagation, which uses the human body as a conduction medium for data transmission.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of the MiroCam (MC) and PillCam (PC) to identify sources of obscure GI bleeding (OGIB).

DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter, comparative study.

SETTING: Six academic hospitals.

PATIENTS: A total of 105 patients with OGIB.

INTERVENTION: Patients ingested both the MC and PC capsules sequentially in a randomized fashion.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Concordance of rates in identifying a source of OGIB, operational times, and rates of complete small-bowel examination.

RESULTS: Data analysis resulted in …

A Multicenter, Prospective Study Of A New Fully Covered Expandable Metal Biliary Stent For The Palliative Treatment Of Malignant Bile Duct Obstruction., Bret T Petersen, Michel Kahaleh, Richard A Kozarek, David E. Loren, Kapil Gupta, Thomas E. Kowalski, Martin Freeman, Yang K Chen, Malcolm S Branch, Steven Edmundowicz, Michael Gluck, Kenneth Binmoeller, Todd H Baron, Raj J Shah, Timothy Kinney, William Ross, Paul Jowell, David Carr-Locke

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Background and Study Aims. Endoscopic placement of self-expanding metal stents (SEMSs) is indicated for palliation of inoperable malignant biliary obstruction. A fully covered biliary SEMS (WallFlex Biliary RX Boston Scientific, Natick, USA) was assessed for palliation of extrahepatic malignant biliary obstruction. Patients and Methods. 58 patients were included in this prospective, multicenter series conducted under an FDA-approved IDE. Main outcome measurements included (1) absence of stent occlusion within six months or until death, whichever occurred first and (2) technical success, need for reintervention, bilirubin levels, stent patency, time to stent occlusion, and adverse events. Results. Technical success was achieved in …

Limited Sampling Estimates Of Epigallocatechin Gallate Exposures In Cirrhotic And Noncirrhotic Patients With Hepatitis C After Single Oral Doses Of Green Tea Extract., Dina Halegoua-De Marzio, Walter K. Kraft, Constantine Daskalakis, Xie Ying, Roy L Hawke, Victor J. Navarro

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and antifibrotic properties that may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of cirrhosis induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, cirrhosis might affect EGCG disposition and augment its reported dose-dependent hepatotoxic potential.

OBJECTIVE: The safety, tolerability, and disposition of a single oral dose of EGCG in cirrhotic patients with HCV were examined in an exploratory fashion.

METHODS: Eleven patients with hepatitis C and detectable viremia were enrolled. Four had Child-Pugh (CP) class A cirrhosis, 4 had Child-Pugh class B cirrhosis, and 3 were noncirrhotic. After a single oral dose of green tea extract 400 …

The Association Between Acrochorda (Skin Tags), Metabolic Syndrome, And Adenomatous Polyps, Brendan O'Hare, Md, Anastasia Shnitser, Md, Jason Korenblit, Md, Mba, Ali Siddiqui, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND

Acrochorda (skin tags) are benign skin tumors that form primarily at skin creases, generally on the neck, armpit, and groin areas. There have been a small number of published studies in 1980s in patients who were found to have increased number of skin tags and colonic polyps, with a direct correlation described between the two. In addition, metabolic syndrome has been linked to adenomatous polyps, but a link between skin tags and metabolic syndrome has not been established.

Development Of A Competency-Based Transplant Hepatology Fellowship, Steven K. Herrine, Andrew P. Keaveny, Ayman Abdel-Latif Koteish, Richard K. Sterling, John R. Lake

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Presented at 63rd annual meeting AASLD, The Liver Meeting, Boston MA, November 9-13, 2012.

Purpose: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) next accreditation system (NAS) provides incentive for medical educators to understand and implement competency-based medical education (CBME) training and assessment in their programs. Noting decreasing enrollees for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Transplant Hepatology (TH) exam, workforce concerns in TH, and questionnaire data from Gastroenterology (GI) fellows and Program Directors (PDs), we developed an ABIM-approved one-year competency-based TH pilot program.

Sleep Disturbances And Hypnotic Medication Use In Relation To Risk Of Barrett’S Esophagus And Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Anastasia Shnitser, Md, Abhik Roy, Md, Sidney Cohen, Md, Anthony J. Dimarino, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) has increased more rapidly than any other cancer (with the exception of malignant melanoma) in the United States over the past 30 years. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the strongest risk factor for the development of Barrett’s esophagus, which in turn leads to the rise of most EA’s. In a large portion of persons with sleep disorders, perhaps as high as 30%, GERD is a major causal or contributing factor. It has been proposed that the use of hypnotics for the treatment of sleep disorders may exacerbate the damaging effects of refluxate on …

Predictive Value Of Alpha-Fetoprotein In The Long-Term Risk Of Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Patients With Hepatitis B Virus Infection--Results From A Clinic-Based Longitudinal Cohort., Hie-Won Hann, Xiaoying Fu, Ronald E. Myers, Richard Hann, Shaogui Wan, Su Hee Kim, Natalie Au, Jinliang Xing, Hushan Yang

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Although serum level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has long been used to complement imaging tests in the screening and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whether it can be used as a predictive marker of long-term risk for developing HCC in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) has not been extensively evaluated and thus remains controversial.

METHODS: We retrospectively conducted a clinic-based longitudinal cohort study including 617 Korean American patients with HBV who had been followed for up to 22 years (median follow-up time, 6.2 years) to evaluate the association between baseline serum AFP level and the long-term risk of HCC. …

Rhoa/Rock Pathway Is The Major Molecular Determinant Of Basal Tone In Intact Human Internal Anal Sphincter, Satish Rattan, Jagmohan Singh

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Poster presented at: Digestive Disease Week (DDW) International meeting in San Diego, California.

Background and Aims

Knowledge of molecular control mechanisms underlying the basal tone in the intact human IAS is critical for the pathophysiology and rational therapy for debilitating rectoanal motility disorders.

Effect Of Pooled Human Intravenous Globulin (Ivig) On The Reversal Of Cholinergic Inhibition Of Smooth Muscle By Immunoglobulins (Iggs) From Patients With Scleroderma (Ssc), Jagmohan Singh, Vaibhav Mehendiratta, Sergio A. Jimenez, Sidney Cohen, Anthony J. Dimarino, Satish Rattan

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Poster presented at: Digestive Disease Week (DDW) International meeting in San Diego, California.

Backgrounds and Aims:

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common internal organ system affected in SSc. We and others have shown before that the SSc immunoglobulins (IgGs) cause selective blockade of muscarinic type-3 cholinergic (M3-R) in the GI tract. Presently, there is no effective treatment for SSc although numerous cytotoxic and immunomodulatory agents have been employed with limited success and are marred with serious side effects. Present studies investigated the reversibility of SScIgGs-caused M3-R blockade by the pooled Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG).

Development Of Myogenic Ias Reconstructs From Human Internal Anal Sphincter (Ias) Smooth Muscle Cells (Smcs) With Functional And Molecular Properties Similar To Intact Human Ias, Jagmohan Singh, Satish Rattan

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Poster presented at: Digestive Disease Week (DDW) International meeting in San Diego, California.

Background and Aims:

Rectoanal incontinence is associated with defective Internal Anal Sphincter (IAS). Current therapies are not satisfactory, raising a potential for the replacement of the dysfunctional IAS with the reconstructs. Present studies were performed to develop human IAS smooth muscle reconstructs with functional and molecular attributes similar to the intact human IAS Smooth muscle (SM).

The Use Of Infliximab In Older Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients, Stephanie M. Moleski, Christina C. Lindenmeyer, Patricia L. Kozuch

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Limited data suggest anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibodies have equal efficacy but higher morbidity and mortality in older compared to younger inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients(1).

Relative Telomere Length: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker For The Risk Of Non-Cirrhotic Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection., Xiaoying Fu, Shaogui Wan, Hie-Won Hann, Md, Ronald E Myers, Phd, Richard S Hann, Jennifer Au, Bicui Chen, Jinliang Xing, Hushan Yang

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Telomere length has emerged as a promising risk predictor of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the majority of studies in this area measured telomere length in hepatocytes and one in lymphocytes with conflicting results. Moreover, no studies have been reported on using circulating DNA telomere length as a non-invasive HCC biomarker.

METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study to determine the relative telomere length (RTL) in serum DNA from 140 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC cases and 280 frequency-matched cancer-free HBV controls.

RESULTS: Cases had a significantly longer RTL (median, 0.31; range, 0.02-2.31) than controls …

Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration For The Treatment Of Gastric Varices., Alia S Dadabhai, Jonathan M Fenkel, Daniel B Brown, Loren Laine

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Clinical Perspectives in Hepatology aims to engage two experts with opinions supporting differing perspectives on the management of a case. Typically, the case represents an area of debate or evolving practice in clinical hepatology.

The patient presented below gives us the opportunity to discuss balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) for treatment of gastric varices. Although described since the mid-1990s and accepted as effective therapy, particularly in Japan, BRTO is used sporadically in the United States and Europe. In fact, it is not mentioned in the U.S. (AASLD) or European (EASL/Baveno V) guidelines. Hopefully, increased awareness of and expertise in this …

Boerhaave's Syndrome As A First Presentation Of Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Whitney E. Jackson, Vaibhav Mehendiratta, Juan P. Palazzo, Anthony J. Dimarino, Sidney Cohen

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Purpose: Prior studies have reported esophageal rupture following endoscopy or bolus impaction in eosinophilic esophagitis. The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency and characteristics of spontaneous rupture (Boerhaave's Syndrome) associated with vomiting S-435 AGA Abstracts in eosinophilic esophagitis.

Methods: A retrospective search of inpatient and outpatient records was conducted for the diagnoses "Boerhaave's", "eosinophilic esophagitis", and "esophageal rupture" from January 2001 to January 2011 within the gastroenterology division at an urban tertiary care hospital. For each subject identified, medical records, endoscopy reports, biopsy reports and radiographic studies were reviewed. A faculty member of the Department of Pathology …

Self Expanding Metal Stents (Sems) For Management Of Peri-Pancreatic Fluid Collections (Pfc): A Single Center Experience, Whitney E. Jackson, Jason Korenblit, Vaibhav Mehendiratta, Jason Lewis, Ali A. Siddiqui, Thomas E. Kowalski, David E. Loren

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Background

Endoscopic management of peri-pancreatic fluid collections (PFC) with or without organizing necrosis has been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality compared to early surgical management. Plastic stents are often used for transmural drainage, although the use of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) has been reported. Theoretical benefits of SEMS include a large diameter for drainage and facilitation of endoscopic necrosectomy. We report a single-center experience to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SEMS for management of PFC.

Methods

A single-center retrospective review was performed of patients undergoing endoscopic management of PFC using SEMS from January through November 2011. Electronic database …

Patterns Of Acetaminophen Use At A Tertiary Care Center: Exposures Exceeding 4 Grams Daily, Jesse Civan, Victor Navarro, Jeffrey Riggio, Paul Adams, Steven Herrine, Simona Rossi

Jefferson Hospital Staff Papers and Presentations

Unintentional hepatotoxicity due to acetaminophen use at the recommended daily dose of up to four grams daily has increasingly been recognized as a significant problem. The phrase "therapeutic misadventure" has been coined in the literature, in reference to biochemical evidence of hepatocellular injury associated with acetaminophen use at recommended doses. Previous studies have documented a 25% to 40% incidence of two- to three-fold alanie aminotransferase (ALT) elevation, in healty volunteers administered one gram of acetaminophen every six hours.

The recognition of this problem is reflected in part by recent changes in FDA recommendations, including more stringent controls on the amount …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Common Serum Liver Enzymes As Prospective Predictors Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Hbv Patients., Hie-Won Hann, Shaogui Wan, Ronald E Myers, Richard S Hann, Jinliang Xing, Bicui Chen, Hushan Yang

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Serum liver enzymes are frequently tested in clinics to aid disease diagnosis. Large observational studies indicated that these enzymes might predict cancer risk and mortality. However, no prospective study has reported on their relationships with the risk of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We evaluated the predictive values of four routinely tested liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT]) in HCC risk in a prospectively enrolled clinical cohort of 588 Korean American HBV patients. For all four enzymes, the baseline level as well as the average and maximum levels during the …

The Effect On Colon Visualization During Colonoscopy Of The Addition Of Simethicone To Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Solution: A Randomized Single-Blind Study., Rebecca Matro, Keegan Tupchong, Constantine Daskalakis, Victoria Gordon, Leo Katz, David Kastenberg

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Colonic bubbles associated with polyethylene glycol-electrolyte solution (PEG-ELS) are common and obscure mucosal visualization. This study aimed to determine whether adding simethicone decreases the incidence of bubbles.

METHODS: Prospective, single-blind, randomized comparison of split dose PEG-ELS vs. PEG-ELS+simethicone (PEG-S) for outpatient colonoscopy. Bubble severity for colonic segments was assessed on withdrawal as A=no/minimal bubbles, B=moderate bubbles/interfere with detecting 5 mm polyp, C=severe bubbles/interfere with detecting 10 mm polyp. Primary end point was Grade B or C bubbles in any colon segment. Secondary end points were cleansing quality, incidence and severity of side effects, and polyp detection.

RESULTS: One hundred …

Tissue-Specific Regulation Of Mouse Microrna Genes In Endoderm-Derived Tissues., Yan Gao, Jonathan Schug, Lindsay B Mckenna, John Le Lay, Klaus H Kaestner, Linda E Greenbaum

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

MicroRNAs fine-tune the activity of hundreds of protein-coding genes. The identification of tissue-specific microRNAs and their promoters has been constrained by the limited sensitivity of prior microRNA quantification methods. Here, we determine the entire microRNAome of three endoderm-derived tissues, liver, jejunum and pancreas, using ultra-high throughput sequencing. Although many microRNA genes are expressed at comparable levels, 162 microRNAs exhibited striking tissue-specificity. After mapping the putative promoters for these microRNA genes using H3K4me3 histone occupancy, we analyzed the regulatory modules of 63 microRNAs differentially expressed between liver and jejunum or pancreas. We determined that the same transcriptional regulatory mechanisms govern tissue-specific …

Non-Contrast Mri May Predict Safety Of Gadolinium-Enhanced Mri In Patients With Cirrhosis, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Md, Colin L. Smith, Md, Leela Nayak, Md, Steven K. Herrine, Md, Donald G. Mitchell, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Background:

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a relative contraindication to receiving gadolinium-based contrast media secondary to risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF)

Patients with cirrhosis frequently undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for hepatocellular cancer screening and liver transplant evaluation.

Most centers require documented serum creatinine levels within 10-14 days of performing MRIs on patients with cirrhosis.

Ascites can be readily detected on MRI without contrast enhancement.

Objective:

To determine whether the presence of ascites on MRI can be used to recommend against a diagnosis of HRS without knowledge of a serum creatinine level.

Complete Resolution Of Gastric Amyloidosis After Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation., Dinu Cherian, Kristin Braun, Neal Flomenberg, Juan P. Palazzo, David Kastenberg

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

A 48-year-old female with multiple myeloma (MM) and amyloidosis presented with massive upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding one week after autologous stem cell transplantation (autologous-SCT). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) demonstrated necrotic, purple, pigmented, friable lesions throughout the stomach (Figure 1a), along with a bleeding ulcer in the cardia (Figure 1b, Video 1) which was successfully treated with epinephrine (1:10,000) injections. Biopsies demonstrated nodular amyloid deposition (Figures 2) which was Congo red positive. The patient had no further hematemesis and was discharged home 4 days later. Ten months after autologous-SCT, EGD revealed a normal stomach (Figure 3, Video 2) with …

Pegylated Interferon 2a And 2b In Combination With Ribavirin For The Treatment Of Chronic Hepatitis C In Hiv Infected Patients., Ravinder Dhillon, Simona Rossi, Steven K Herrine

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV is an increasingly recognized clinical dilemma, particularly since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Several studies of this population have demonstrated both more rapid progression of liver disease and poorer overall prognosis compared to HCV monoinfected patients. Consensus guidelines, based primarily on the results of 4 major randomized trials, recommend treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks in coinfected patients. However, this current standard of care is associated with lower response rates to therapy than those seen in monoinfected patients. Important predictors of response include HCV genotype, pretreatment HCV RNA …

Baseline Hbv Dna Level Is The Most Important Factor Associated With Virologic Breakthrough In Chronic Hepatitis B Treated With Lamivudine., Hee Bok Chae, Hie-Won Hann

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Aim: To identify the factors associated with virologic breakthrough and to select a subgroup of patients who respond well to lamivudine without developing virologic breakthrough (VBT).

Methods: Of 79 patients who had received lamivudine therapy for 9-57 mo, 34 were HBeAg-positive and 45 were HBeAg-negative, 24 developed virologic breakthrough and 55 did not. Clinical and virologic factors were compared between the two groups.

Results: The median duration of therapy was 25 (9-57) mo. Virologic breakthrough was defined as a > 1 log HBV DNA increase following initial suppression. When several factors, including gender, duration of infection, baseline HBV DNA, and baseline …