Serum interleukin-18 level as a possible early diagnostic marker of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Early diagnosis of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (s-JIA) is a prerequisite for therapeutic efficacy. However, it is often challenging because most patients with s-JIA do not show arthritis at disease onset and are simply diagnosed with fever of unknown origin. Serum ferritin levels have commonly been used to diagnose s-JIA because they increase in patients with this condition by more than 5 times their normal value. However, there are no definite biomarkers for s-JIA, which makes the clinical diagnosis of s-JIA difficult. We report a case of s-JIA in which interleukin (IL)-18 elevation was observed before ferritin elevation at the early phase of s-JIA. We propose serum IL-18 levels as a more useful biomarker for the early diagnosis of s-JIA compared to serum ferritin levels.     

Effect of fatty liver and fibrosis on hepatocellular carcinoma development in patients with chronic hepatitis B who received nucleic acid analog therapy

The number of patients with fatty liver has been increasing worldwide; however, the significance of fatty liver in patients with chronic hepatitis B who are receiving nucleic acid analog (NA) therapy remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to determine whether fatty liver affects the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients receiving NA therapy. This study included 445 patients who received NA therapy, and the development of HCC was investigated. The primary outcome was the association between fatty liver and HCC development. During a mean follow-up period of 7.4 years, 46 patients (10.3%) developed HCC. No significant difference in the cumulative incidence of HCC was observed between patients with fatty liver and those without (p = 0.17). Multivariable analysis for age, gender, platelet count, alanine aminotransferase level at 1 year following NA therapy, and fatty liver revealed that the presence of fatty liver was not a significant factor for HCC development (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5–1.9). In another multivariable analysis for advanced fibrosis, gender, and fatty liver, advanced fibrosis was found to be a significant factor for HCC development (HR: 9.50, 95% CI: 5.1–18) but not fatty liver (HR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.5–1.7). In conclusion, in patients with chronic hepatitis B who received NA therapy, advanced fibrosis was found to be an important risk factor for HCC development but not fatty liver, suggesting the importance of providing treatment before the progression of liver fibrosis regardless of the presence of fatty liver.     

Internal hernia caused by exposed structures after laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer: A case report

Internal hernias secondary to exposed structures after lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for rectal cancer are rare. A 53-year-old man who underwent laparoscopic ultra-low anterior resection and bilateral LND presented to our emergency department with sudden-onset severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Computed tomography demonstrated a closed loop obstruction of the intestine in the right lateral pelvic cavity and a significantly dilated small bowel in the abdominal cavity. Laparoscopic surgery revealed small bowel migration into the space between the right ureter and umbilical artery. The herniated bowel was laparoscopically reduced, and the small bowel exhibited no ischemic changes. Meanwhile, the hernial orifice was left unrepaired. The patient was discharged on the seventh postoperative day without complications. An internal hernia caused by exposed structures after lymphadenectomy should be a differential diagnosis in patients who have undergone LLND for rectal cancer and then present with severe abdominal pain and vomiting.