Hepatology Commons^™

High Burden Of Elevated Fib-4 In Metabolically At-Risk Primary Care Patients: Simple Predictors To Guide Hepatic Fibrosis Triage, Ridwan Ademola Lawal, Fatimah Bello, Rashmee Patil, Juliana Yang

Research Symposium

Background: Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), including metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Current guidelines recommend fibrosis-based risk stratification using noninvasive tools such as the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index in patients with metabolic risk factors, followed by secondary assessment (e.g., transient elastography or enhanced liver fibrosis(ELF) testing) for those with elevated scores. However, data on the real-world prevalence of elevated FIB-4 in U.S. primary care populations, particularly in safety-net settings, and the downstream implications for fibrosis evaluation remain limited. We aimed to quantify the burden of elevated FIB-4 in a primary care setting …

Hes V20 Surpasses Galad For Hcc Detection: A Review Of Multi-Dimensional Biomarker Scores And Studies, Fouad Jaber, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This was a narrative review of select studies published through September of 2024. We review the shift toward multi-dimensional scores such as HCC early detection screening (HES), GALAD, ASAP, and mt-HBT represents a significant advancement in biomarker research for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. Unlike single biomarker approaches, these scores integrate various clinical and biochemical factors to enhance predictive accuracy by reflecting different complementary aspects of disease progression and HCC oncogenesis. Proper testing and validation of biomarker scores in phase 3 biomarker studies is essential before wide use can be recommended. We also review the comparative performance of biomarker scores in …

Ybx1-Mediated Activation Of Srebp2 Drives Sorafenib Resistance Via Cholesterol Biosynthesis In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Veerababu Nagati, Dennis Kwabiah, Yamile Abuchard, Ana Ayala Pazzi, Shaibir Hussain, Salique H. Shaham, Manish Tripathi

Research Colloquium

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive, largely chemo-resistant cancer with a poor prognosis and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Currently, there is no effective systemic chemotherapy for HCC. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor commonly used as the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. However, acquired drug resistance significantly limits its clinical effectiveness. The Y-box binding protein (YBX1) is an oncogenic RNA-binding protein found to be upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and tissues.

Methods: HCC model SK Hep1, YBX1 overexpression, and knockdown cells were prepared by transient transfection with puromycin selection, and stable cell lines were established through …

Orp2 Regulates Free Cholesterol Accumulation In Hepatocytes During Mash, Jin Wu, Yudi Zhao, Liwen Qiu, Qiaoli Chen, Xiaowei Wang, Jingwen Gu, Yan Liang, Yingjie Zhang, Hong-Yu Wang, Yang Liu, Xiaoqin Wu, Shuai Chen, Feng-Jung Chen, Mingming Gao, Hongyuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cholesterol crystals in hepatocytes are known to strongly associate with human metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. However, it remains unclear which molecular pathway(s) regulates free cholesterol accumulation and the formation of cholesterol crystals in hepatocytes. In cultured cell lines, oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 2 (ORP2) functions to deliver cholesterol to the plasma membrane from endosomal compartments.

Methods: Here, we generated liver-specific ORP2 knockout (ORP2-LKO) mice and characterized their metabolic phenotypes on chow and high-fat diet.

Results: The ORP2-LKO mice developed much more severe hepatic steatosis than floxed control mice after high-fat diet feeding. They also demonstrated more severe liver inflammation and damage. …

1d Thermoembolization Model Using Ct Imaging Data For Porcine Liver, Rohan Amare, Danielle Stolley, Steve Parrish, Megan Jacobsen, Rick R Layman, Chimamanda Santos, Beatrice Riviere, Natalie Fowlkes, David Fuentes, Erik Cressman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Innovative therapies such as thermoembolization are expected to play an important role in improving care for patients with diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma. Thermoembolization is a minimally invasive strategy that combines thermal ablation and embolization in a single procedure. This approach exploits an exothermic chemical reaction that occurs when an acid chloride is delivered via an endovascular route. However, comprehension of the complexities of the biophysics of thermoembolization is challenging. Mathematical models can aid in understanding such complex processes and assisting clinicians in making informed decisions. In this study, we used a Hagen-Poiseuille 1D blood flow model to predict the …

Association Of Estimated Plasma Volume Status With Invasive Hemodynamics And All-Cause Mortality In Patients With Liver Cirrhosis, Esteban Kosak Lopez, Phuuwadith Wattanachayakul, Jose Manuel Martinez Manzano, Andrew Geller, Simone Jarrett, John Malin, Raul Leguizamon, Tara John, Rasha Khan, Ian Mclaren, Alexander Prendergast, Kevin Lo, Zurab Azmaiparashvili

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) correlates with intravascular congestion and prognosis in patients with heart failure. The ePVS relationship with invasive hemodynamic profiling and clinical outcomes in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) remains unclear.

METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort study included LC patients who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) between 2018 and 2023. Estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) was calculated using the Strauss-derived Duarte formula, with patients classified into high (> 5.5%) and low-ePVS (≤ 5.5%) groups. Cox-multivariable analysis was used to determine if ePVS was associated with all-cause mortality within 1 year post-RHC among transplant-free patients.

RESULTS: Of …

Multicomponent Parenteral Lipid Emulsions Do Not Prevent Liver Injury In Neonatal Pigs With Obstructive Cholestasis, Greg Guthrie, Caitlin Vonderohe, Valeria Meléndez Hebib, Barbara Stoll, Douglas Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Biliary atresia (BA) is a pediatric liver disease that often necessitates parenteral nutrition (PN) to support growth due to impaired liver function. While soy-based lipid emulsions (SLE) are commonly used in PN, they may contribute to cholestatic liver injury. In contrast, mixed lipid emulsions (MLE) show promise in preventing cholestasis in infants without BA, potentially by restoring bile flow. However, their effectiveness in patients of complete bile duct obstruction, as seen in BA, remains uncertain. To explore the potential benefits of MLE in BA, we utilized a neonatal pig model of bile duct ligation (BDL). Pigs underwent either BDL or …

A Cluster Randomized Trial Of A Multicomponent Clinical Care Pathway (Mccp) To Improve Masld Diagnosis And Management In Primary Care: Study Protocol, Kyler M Godwin, Larissa Grigoryan, Aaron P Thrift, Hao Duong, Fasiha Kanwal, Traber Giardina, Himabindu Kadiyala, Andrew Zimolzak, Kavish R Patidar, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder in the world. Most patients with MASLD are undiagnosed, untreated and unreferred. Treatment depends on diagnosis and accurate staging of fibrosis risk, and therefore screening at the primary care setting coupled with consistent, timely, evidence-based, widely accessible, and testable management processes is critical. Randomized controlled trials of methods for screening, diagnosis, severity stratification, and referral are lacking. We previously validated the MASLD clinical care pathway (MCCP), a multistep algorithmic process geared to support primary care settings in screening, diagnosis, risk stratification, and suggested referral and …

Valproate Use Is Associated With Higher Mortality And Hepatic Decompensationin Patients With Masld/ Mash: A Multinational Analysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Valproate is a widely used anti-seizure medication for treating epilepsy. However, it significantly impacts lipid metabolism by interfering with the beta-oxidation pathway of fatty acids in mitochondria. This disruption is expected to accelerate the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH) in patients on chronic valproate therapy. The aim of this study is to determine whether the chronic use of valproate increases the risk of liver-related and cardiovascular events

Sglt-2 Inhibitor Use Is Associated With Lower Mortality In Patients With Alcoholic Cirrhosis And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Multinational Analysis, Do Han Kim Md, Donghyun Ko, Jose A. Porres, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Cristina H. Makarian, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

In our study, we aimed to investigate whether SGLT2 inhibitors are associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, liver-related events, and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and T2DM.

Valproate Use Is Associated With Lower Hepatic And Cardiovascular Outcomes When Compared To Levetiracetam In Patients With Masld/Mash: A Multinationalanalysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Valproate and levetiracetam are commonly used to manage epilepsy. While valproate is well-documented to significantly affect lipid metabolism, less is known about the effects of levetiracetam. Given this, worse outcomes in MASLD/MASH are anticipated in patients treated with valproate.

The aim of our study is to compare hepatic and cardiovascular outcomes in MASLD/MASH patients treated with valproate versus levetiracetam.

Hepatic Manifestations Following Gene Therapy, Akash Roy, Shalini Bansal, Anand Kulkarni, K. Rajender Reddy

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Gene therapy involves the introduction of genetic materials, most commonly using viral vectors, to alter gene expression to ameliorate or cure disease symptoms with minimal adverse events. While interest in gene therapy has been on the increase, concerns have arisen about the potential for hepatotoxicity, which arises from diverse mechanisms. While viral vectors can produce dose-dependent hepatotoxicity secondary to integration, immune responses appear to be the primary driving mechanism. A mild increase in aminotransferases is the most common hepatic manifestation, occurring variably in 20%-80%, while there has been rare progress to acute liver failure. The occurrence of hepatotoxicity is unpredictable …

Liver Tet1 Promotes Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Hongze Chen, Muhammad Azhar Nisar, Joud Mulla, Xinjian Li, Kevin Cao, Shaolei Lu, Katsuya Nagaoka, Shang Wu, Peng Sheng Ting, Tung Sung Tseng, Hui Yi Lin, Xiao Ming Yin, Wenke Feng, Zhijin Wu, Zhixiang Cheng, William Mueller, Amalia Bay, Layla Schechner, Xuewei Bai, Chiung Kuei Huang

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Global hepatic DNA methylation change has been linked to human patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). DNA demethylation is regulated by the TET family proteins, whose enzymatic activities require 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) and iron that both are elevated in human MASLD patients. We aimed to investigate liver TET1 in MASLD progression. Depleting TET1 using two different strategies substantially alleviated MASLD progression. Knockout (KO) of TET1 slightly improved diet induced obesity and glucose homeostasis. Intriguingly, hepatic cholesterols, triglycerides, and CD36 were significantly decreased upon TET1 depletion. Consistently, liver specific TET1 KO led to improvement of MASLD progression. Mechanistically, TET1 promoted …

Characterization Of Hepatic Pathology During Azoxymethane-Induced Acute Liver Failure, Shadikchhya Maya Bhattarai, Ashwin Jhawer, Gabriel Frampton, Eleonora Troyanovskaya, Sharon Demorrow, Matthew Mcmillin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a loss of liver function due to a severe hepatic insult. Studies utilizing the azoxymethane (AOM) mouse model of ALF, which also generates hepatic encephalopathy, have primarily focused on development of neurological deficits. However, the molecular processes that generate liver damage have not been fully characterized. Therefore, a more comprehensive characterization of the hepatic consequences of AOM toxicity is needed to better understand this disease model.

Aim: To identify molecular pathology contributing to hepatic injury during the progression of AOM-induced ALF.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were injected with AOM to produce ALF and hepatic encephalopathy. …

Factors Driving Adolescent Tuberculosis Incidence By Age And Sex In 30 High-Tuberculosis Burden Countries: A Mathematical Modelling Study, Silvia S Chiang, Megan B Murray, Alexander W Kay, Peter J Dodd

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: During adolescence, tuberculosis incidence rises, with a greater increase in males compared with females. Tuberculosis notifications and estimates infrequently disaggregate adolescent age groups. Moreover, the factors that drive the increases in overall incidence and the male-to-female (MF) ratio remain unclear.

METHODS: We constructed a mechanistic model to estimate cumulative Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease incidence in the WHO’s 30 high-tuberculosis burden countries (HBCs), which represent 86%–90% of global tuberculosis incidence. We derived infection risk from tuberculosis prevalence and assortative social mixing based on sex and age (10–14 years vs 15–19 years old). We adjusted age subgroup-specific risks of …

Phase 3 Validation Of Paam For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Stratification In Cirrhosis, Naoto Fujiwara, Camden Lopez, Tracey L Marsh, Indu Raman, Cesia A Marquez, Subhojit Paul, Sumit K Mishra, Naoto Kubota, Courtney Katz, Hiroaki Kanzaki, Michael Gonzalez, Lisa Quirk, Sneha Deodhar, Pratibha Selvakumar, Prithvi Raj, Neehar D Parikh, Lewis R Roberts, Myron E Schwartz, Mindie H Nguyen, Alex S Befeler, Stephanie Page-Lester, Sudhir Srivastava, Ziding Feng, K Rajender Reddy, Saira Khaderi, Sumeet K Asrani, Fasiha Kanwal, Hashem B El-Serag, Jorge A Marrero, Amit G Singal, Yujin Hoshida

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk stratification is an urgent unmet need for cost-effective HCC screening and early detection in patients with cirrhosis to improve poor HCC prognosis.

Methods: Molecular (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein) and clinical (aMAP [age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets] score) variable-based scores were integrated into PAaM (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein plus age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets), which was subsequently validated in 2 phase 3 biomarker validation studies: the statewide Texas HCC Consortium and nationwide HCC Early Detection Strategy prospective cohorts, following the prospective specimen collection, retrospective blinded evaluation design. The …

Tuberculosis In Adult Migrants In Europe: A Tbnet Consensus Statement, Heinke Kunst, Berit Lange, Olga Hovardovska, Annabelle Bockey, Dominik Zenner, Aase B Andersen, Sally Hargreaves, Manish Pareek, Jon S Friedland, Christian Wejse, Graham Bothamley, Lorenzo Guglielmetti, Dumitru Chesov, Simon Tiberi, Alberto Matteelli, Anna M Mandalakas, Jan Heyckendorf, Johannes Eimer, Akanksha Malhotra, Javier Zamora, Anca Vasiliu, Christoph Lange, Tbnet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Global migration has increased in recent decades owing to war, conflict, persecution and natural disasters, but also secondary to increased opportunities related to work or study. Migrants' risk of tuberculosis (TB) differs depending on migration, socioeconomic status, mode of travel and TB risk in transit, TB incidence and healthcare provision in country of origin. Despite advances in TB care for migrants and new treatment strategies, decisions for managing migrants at risk of TB often rely on expert opinions, rather than clinical evidence.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted, studies were mapped to different recommendation groups and included studies …

Loss Of Mucin 2 And Mhc Ii Molecules Causes Rare Resistance To Murine Rv Infection, Carolyn Bomidi, Faith M Sawyer, Noah Shroyer, Margaret Conner, Mary K Estes, Sarah E Blutt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Enteric pathogen rotavirus (RV) primarily infects mature enterocytes at the tips of the intestinal villi; however, the role of secretory Paneth and goblet cells in RV pathogenesis remains unappreciated. Atoh1 knockout mice (Atoh1cKO) were used to conditionally delete Paneth, goblet, and enteroendocrine cells in the epithelium to investigate the role of secretory cells in RV infection. Unexpectedly, the number of infected enterocytes and the amount of RV shedding in the stool were greatly decreased following secretory cell deletion. Resistance to RV infection persisted for 7 days after virus inoculation, and Atoh1 knockout mice co-housed with infected wild-type mice were uninfected, …

2′-Fucosyllactose Inhibits Human Norovirus Replication In Human Intestinal Enteroids, Ketki Patil, B Vijayalakshmi Ayyar, Nicole M Hayes, Frederick H Neill, Lars Bode, Mary K Estes, Robert L Atmar, Sasirekha Ramani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Currently, there are no targeted antivirals for the treatment of HuNoV infection. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) on the intestinal epithelium are cellular attachment factors for HuNoVs; molecules that block the binding of HuNoVs to HBGAs thus have the potential to be developed as antivirals. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are glycans in human milk with structures analogous to HBGAs. HMOs have been shown to act as decoy receptors to prevent the attachment of multiple enteric pathogens to host cells. Previous X-ray crystallography studies have demonstrated the binding of HMO 2′-fucosyllactose …

Navigating Epstein-Barr Virus (Ebv) And Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (Ptld) In Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Current Knowledge And Strategies For Treatment And Surveillance, Erin Y Chen, Natasha Dilwali, Krupa R Mysore, Sara Hassan, Sara Kathryn Smith, Wikrom Karnsakul

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is strongly associated with the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in pediatric liver transplant recipients. PTLD is one of the most common malignancies following liver transplantation and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Factors such as EBV-serostatus mismatch and prolonged or high levels of immunosuppression impact a patient's risk of developing PTLD. While pre-transplant EBV serological screening and post-transplant monitoring of EBV-DNA levels are strongly recommended, universal guidelines for its prevention and management are lacking. Due to a lack of robust prospective studies, current clinical practices vary widely. The treatment of PTLD typically involves reducing …

Dairy Consumption And The Colonic Mucosa-Associated Gut Microbiota In Humans-A Preliminary Investigation, Ellie Chen, Nadim J Ajami, Donna L White, Yanhong Liu, Shawn Gurwara, Kristi Hoffman, David Y Graham, Hashem B El-Serag, Joseph F Petrosino, Li Jiao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Dairy consumption has been associated with various health outcomes that may be mediated by changes in gut microbiota.

Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the association between the colonic mucosa-associated gut microbiota and the self-reported intake of total dairy, milk, cheese, and yogurt. A total of 97 colonic mucosal biopsies collected from 34 polyp-free individuals were analyzed. Dairy consumption in the past year was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The 16S rRNA gene V4 region was amplified and sequenced. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) classification was performed using the UPARSE and SILVA databases. OTU diversity and relative abundance were compared …

Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure (Aclf): The ‘Kyoto Consensus’-Steps From Asia, Ashok Choudhury, Anand V Kulkarni, Vinod Arora, A S Soin, Abdul Kadir Dokmeci, Abhijeet Chowdhury, Abraham Koshy, Ajay Duseja, Ajay Kumar, Ajay Kumar Mishra, Ajay Kumar Patwa, Ajit Sood, Akash Roy, Akash Shukla, Albert Chan, Aleksander Krag, Amar Mukund, Ameet Mandot, Amit Goel, Amna Subhan Butt, Amrish Sahney, Ananta Shrestha, Andrés Cárdenas, Angelo Di Giorgio, Anil Arora, Anil Chandra Anand, Anil Dhawan, Ankur Jindal, Anoop Saraya, Anshu Srivastava, Anupam Kumar, Apichat Kaewdech, Apurva Pande, Archana Rastogi, Arun Valsan, Ashish Goel, Ashish Kumar, Ashwani K Singal, Atsushi Tanaka, Audrey Coilly, Ayaskanta Singh, Babu Lal Meena, Barath Jagadisan, Barjesh Chander Sharma, Bikrant Bihari Lal, C E Eapen, Cesar Yaghi, Chandan Kumar Kedarisetty, Chang Wook Kim, Charles Panackel, Chen Yu, Chetan R Kalal, Chhagan Bihari, Chien Hao Huang, Chitranshu Vasishtha, Christian Jansen, Christian Strassburg, Chun Yen Lin, Constantine J Karvellas, Cosmas Rinaldi Adithya Lesmana, Cyriac Abby Philips, Debbie Shawcross, Dharmesh Kapoor, Dhiraj Agrawal, Diana Alcantara Payawal, Dibya Lochan Praharaj, Dinesh Jothimani, Do Seon Song, Dong Joon Kim, Dong-Sik Kim, Duan Zhongping, Fazal Karim, Francois Durand, Gamal E Shiha, Gennaro D'Amico, George K Lau, Girish Kumar Pati, Graciela Elia Castro Narro, Guan-Huei Lee, Gupse Adali, Guru Prasad Dhakal, Gyongyi Szabo, H C Lin, Hai Li, Hari Kumar Nair, Harshad Devarbhavi, Harshvardhan Tevethia, Hasmik Ghazinian, Hemamala Ilango, Hong Ling Yu, Irsan Hasan, J Fernandez, Jacob George, Jaideep Behari, James Fung, Jasmohan Bajaj, Jaya Benjamin, Jennifer C Lai, Jidong Jia, Jin Hua Hu, Jin Jun Chen, Jin Lin Hou, Jin Mo Yang, Johannes Chang, Jonel Trebicka, Jörg C Kalf, Jose D Sollano, Joy Varghese, Juan Pablo Arab, Jun Li, K Rajender Reddy, Kaiser Raja, Kalpana Panda, Kamal Kajal, Karan Kumar, Kaushal Madan, Kemal Fariz Kalista, Kessarin Thanapirom, Khin Maung Win, Ki Tae Suk, Krishnadas Devadas, Laurentius A Lesmana, Lubna Kamani, Madhumita Premkumar, Madunil A Niriella, Mamun Al Mahtab, Man Fung Yuen, Manal Hel Sayed, Manasa Alla, Manav Wadhawan, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Manoj Sahu, Manya Prasad, Mark Dhinesh Muthiah, Martin Schulz, Meenu Bajpai, Mettu Srinivas Reddy, Michael Praktiknjo, Ming Lung Yu, Mithra Prasad, Mithun Sharma, Mohamed Elbasiony, Mohammed Eslam, Mohd Golam Azam, Mohd Rela, Moreshwar S Desai, Mukul Vij, Nadim Mahmud, Narendra Singh Choudhary, Navin Kumar Marannan, Necati Ormeci, Neeraj Saraf, Nipun Verma, Nobuaki Nakayama, Norifumi Kawada, Oidov Baatarkhuu, Omesh Goyal, Osamu Yokosuka, P N Rao, Paolo Angeli, Pathik Parikh, Patrick S Kamath, Paul J Thuluvath, Philipp Lingohr, Piyush Ranjan, Prashant Bhangui, Pravin Rathi, Puja Sakhuja, Puneet Puri, Qin Ning, R K Dhiman, Rahul Kumar, Rajan Vijayaraghavan, Rajeev Khanna, Rakhi Maiwall, Ravi Mohanka, Richard Moreau, Rino Alvani Gani, Rohit Loomba, Rohit Mehtani, Ruveena Bhavani Rajaram, S S Hamid, Sachin Palnitkar, Sadhna Lal, Sagnik Biswas, Sakkarin Chirapongsathorn, Samagra Agarwal, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Sanjiv Saigal, Santhosh E Kumar, Sargsyan Violeta, Satender Pal Singh, Satoshi Mochida, Saurabh Mukewar, Seema Alam, Seng Gee Lim, Shahinul Alam, Shalimar, Shantan Venishetty, Shikha S Sundaram, Shiran Shetty, Shobna Bhatia, Shweta A Singh, Shyam Kottilil, Simone Strasser, S M Shasthry, Soe Thiha Maung, Soek Siam Tan, Sombat Treeprasertsuk, Sonal Asthana, Steffen Manekeller, Subhash Gupta, Subrat Kumar Acharya, Sudhamshu K C, Sudhir Maharshi, Sumeet Asrani, Sunil Dadhich, Sunil Taneja, Suprabhat Giri, Surender Singh, Tao Chen, Tarana Gupta, Tatsuo Kanda, Tawesak Tanwandee, Teerha Piratvishuth, Ulrich Spengler, V G Mohan Prasad, Vandana Midha, Venera Rakhmetova, Vicente Arroyo, Vikrant Sood, Vinay Kumar Br, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Viniyendra Pamecha, Virendra Singh, Vishwa Mohan Dayal, Vivek A Saraswat, Wray Kim, Wasim Jafri, Wenyi Gu, Wong Yu Jun, Xiaolong Qi, Yogesh K Chawla, Yoon Jun Kim, Yu Shi, Zaigham Abbas, Guresh Kumar, Shuichiro Shiina, Lai Wei, Masao Omata, Shiv Kumar Sarin, Apasl-Aclf Research Consortium (Aarc) For Apasl-Aclf Working Party

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a condition associated with high mortality in the absence of liver transplantation. There have been various definitions proposed worldwide. The first consensus report of the working party of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) set in 2004 on ACLF was published in 2009, and the "APASL ACLF Research Consortium (AARC)" was formed in 2012. The AARC database has prospectively collected nearly 10,500 cases of ACLF from various countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This database has been instrumental in developing the AARC score and grade of ACLF, the concept of the …

Sudden Cardiac Death Associated With Fatty Liver Disease, Jonathan Vo, Thien T T T Truyen, Audrey Uy-Evanado, Arayik Sargsyan, Harpriya Chugh, Christopher Young, Sean Hurst, Christina Y Miyake, Kyndaron Reinier, Sumeet S Chugh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver disease or steatotic liver disease (SLD) affects 25% of the global population and has been associated with heart disease. However, there is a lack of postmortem studies in the context of sudden cardiac death (SCD).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between SLD and SCD.

METHODS: A post-mortem case-case study was conducted in victims of SCD from an ongoing community-based study in Southern California (Ventura, CA, 2015-2023). Diagnosis of SLD was determined from post-mortem liver histopathology reports. For each patient, demographic variables, laboratory values, and presence of co-morbidities were ascertained from medical records and were compared between patients …

Hes V20 Outperforms Galad For Detection Of Hcc: A Phase 3 Biomarker Study In The United States, Hashem B El-Serag, Qingchun Jin, Nabihah Tayob, Emad Salem, Michelle Luster, Abeer Alsarraj, Saira Khaderi, Amit G Singal, Jorge A Marrero, Sumeet K Asrani, Fasiha Kanwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The original hepatocellular carcinoma early detection screening (HES) score, which combines alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) with age, alanine aminotransferase, and platelets, has better performance than AFP alone for early HCC detection. We have developed HES V2.0 by adding AFP-L3 and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin to the score and compared its performance to GALAD and ASAP scores among patients with cirrhosis.

APPROACH AND RESULTS: We conducted a prospective-specimen collection, retrospective-blinded-evaluation phase 3 biomarker cohort study in patients with cirrhosis enrolled in imaging and AFP surveillance. True-positive rate (TPR)/sensitivity and false-positive rate for any or early HCC were calculated for GALAD, ASAP, and …

Dna Methylation Profile In Buffy Coat Identifies Methylation Differences Between Cirrhosis With And Without Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Hyeyeun Lim, Hashem B El-Serag, Michelle Luster, Megan L Grove, Jinyoung Byun, Yuri Jung, Younghun Han, Eric Boerwinkle, Christopher I Amos, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/Objectives: Cirrhosis is the precursor to most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Understanding the mechanisms leading to the transition from cirrhosis to HCC and identifying key biomarkers is crucial to developing effective screening strategies and reducing HCC-related mortality. DNA methylation is associated with gene inactivation and plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes; however, its role in cirrhosis progression to HCC is unknown.

Methods: We performed genome-wide DNA methylation profiling using Illumina Infinium MethylationEPI BeadChip in pre-diagnostic samples from 22 cirrhosis patients who subsequently developed HCC and 22 cirrhosis patients who remained HCC-free during an average 4-year follow-up. …

Semaglutide And The Evolving Landscape Of Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Rohan Karkra

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

The FDA approved Semaglutide (Wegovy™) on August 15, 2025, for adults with MASLD and moderate to advanced fibrosis (F2–F3), making it the second approved therapy after Resmetirom. MASLD affects up to 38% of adults and is now the leading cause of liver disease. In the phase 3 ESSENCE trial, Semaglutide achieved resolution of steatohepatitis without worsening fibrosis in 62.9% versus 34.3% with placebo, with additional benefits in weight loss and glycemic control. While long-term data remain pending and access barriers exist, this approval marks a significant advance in MASLD therapy with meaningful histologic and metabolic improvements.

Correspondence To Letter To The Editor On “Genomic Biomarkers To Predict Response To Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Immunotherapy In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Insights From The Imbrave150 Trial”, Sung Hwan Lee, Sun Young Yim, Ji Hoon Kim, Sunyoung S Lee, Ahmed O Kaseb, Peng Wei, Ju-Seog Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Post-Remission Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Use In The Phase 3 Studies Of Venetoclax Combination Treatments In Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Courtney D Dinardo, Keith W Pratz, Panayiotis Panayiotidis, Xudong Wei, Vladimir Vorobyev, Árpád Illés, Inho Kim, Vladimir Ivanov, Grace Ku, Catherine L Miller, Meng Zhang, Fernando Tatsch, Jalaja Potluri, Xenia Schmidt, Christian Récher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Bcg-Induced Dna Methylation Changes Improve Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Immunity Without Decreasing The Risk For Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Santiago Carrero Longlax, Kent J Koster, Ashish M Kamat, Marisa Lozano, Seth P Lerner, Rebecca Hannigan, Tomoki Nishiguchi, Abhimanyu, Daanish Sheikh, Malik Ladki, Alexandra Portillo, Amrit Koirala, Tajhal D Patel, Zoe Spieler, Aaron B Benjamin, Maxim Lebedev, Theresa U Ofili, Robert W Hutchison, George Udeani, Lynne A Opperman, Gabriel Neal, Anna M Mandalakas, Mihai G Netea, Moshe Arditi, Pablo Avalos, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Jeffrey D Cirillo, Andrew R Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The BCG vaccine induces trained immunity, an epigenetic-mediated increase in innate immune responsiveness. Therefore, this clinical trial evaluated if BCG-induced trained immunity could decrease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related frequency or severity.

METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of healthcare workers randomized participants to vaccination with BCG TICE or placebo (saline). Enrollment included 529 healthcare workers randomized to receive BCG or placebo. Primary analysis evaluated COVID-19 disease frequency, while secondary analysis evaluated coronavirus immunity in a subset of participants. Study enrollment ceased early in December 2020 following introduction of COVID-19-specific vaccines.

RESULTS: Study enrollment was halted early, prior to reaching …

Evaluation Of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis In Pediatric General Medicine Patients After Transfer From The Intensive Care Unit And At Discharge, Lamees Loubani, Jenna W Bartlett, Brent Mothner, Rathi Asaithambi, Surin Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to determine continuation rates of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) upon transfer from a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to a general medicine unit and upon hospital discharge. The secondary aim was to identify patient characteristics or concomitant medications that were associated with continuation of SUP at transfer from the PICU.

METHODS: This retrospective chart review included patients who were initiated on acid suppression for SUP in the PICU between June 2021 and May 2022 and subsequently transferred to a general medicine unit prior to discharge. Patients were excluded if they were receiving …