Asunaprevir and daclatasvir for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation: A Japanese multicenter experience

The safety and efficacy of an IFN‐free regimen using asunaprevir (ASV) and daclatasvir (DCV) for recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation (LT) have not been evaluated in Japan. A multicenter study of LT recipients (n = 74) with recurrent HCV genotype 1b infection treated with ASV‐DCV for 24 weeks was performed. Medical history was positive for pegylated interferon and ribavirin (Peg‐IFN/RBV) in 40 (54.1%) patients, and for simeprevir (SMV) with Peg‐IFN/RBV in 12 (16.2%) patients. Resistance‐associated variants (RAVs) were positive at D168 (n = 1) in the NS3, and at L31 (n = 4), Y93 (n = 4), and L31/Y93 (n = 1) in the NS5A region of the HCV genome. Sixty‐one (82.4%) patients completed the 24‐week treatment protocol. Although sustained viral response (SVR) was achieved in 49 (80.3%) patients, it was achieved in only two (16.7%) patients among those with histories of receiving SMV (n = 12). Univariate analysis showed that a history of SMV (P < .01) and the presence of mutations in NS5A (P = .02) were the significant factors for no‐SVR. By excluding the patients with either a history of SMV‐based treatment or RAVs in NS3/NS5A, the SVR rate was 96.4%. By excluding the patients with a history of SMV and those with RAVs in NS3/NS5A, viral clearance of ASV‐DCV was favorable, with a high SVR rate.     

16例腹主动脉瘤合并消化系统疾病的手术治疗

目的探讨腹主动脉瘤合并需外科手术的消化系统疾病的外科治疗方法。方法回顾性分析16例腹主动脉瘤合并消化系统疾病进行手术治疗患者的临床资料,总结处理经验。腹主动脉瘤与消化系统疾病同期手术12例（同时行胆囊切除术5例,结肠癌根治术7例）,腹主动脉瘤腔内治疗后行结肠癌根治术2例、食道下段癌根治术1例,先行胃癌根治术后再行腹主动脉瘤手术1例。结果发生食道胃吻合口瘘1例,术后第2天死亡。胃瘫1例,经保守治疗30d后恢复。14例存活8～60个月,无人工血管感染,无血管支架内漏,无肿瘤复发。结论腹主动脉瘤与消化系统疾病并存,只要全身和局部情况允许,应争取同期手术,反之应分期手术,合适病例在腹主动脉瘤腔内治疗后,再行消化系统疾病手术,这是一种安全、有效的方法。     

Impact of Sarcopenia on Survival in Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Skeletal muscle depletion, referred to as sarcopenia, predicts morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing digestive surgery. However, the impact on liver transplantation is unclear. The present study investigated the impact of sarcopenia on patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Sarcopenia was assessed by a body composition analyzer in 124 adult patients undergoing LDLT between February 2008 and April 2012. The correlation of sarcopenia with other patient factors and the impact of sarcopenia on survival after LDLT were analyzed. The median ratio of preoperative skeletal muscle mass was 92% (range, 67–130%) of the standard mass. Preoperative skeletal muscle mass was significantly correlated with the branched‐chain amino acids to tyrosine ratio (r = ?0.254, p = 0.005) and body cell mass (r = 0.636, p < 0.001). The overall survival rate in patients with low skeletal muscle mass was significantly lower than in patients with normal/high skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.001). Perioperative nutritional therapy significantly increased overall survival in patients with low skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that low skeletal muscle mass was an independent risk factor for death after transplantation. In conclusion, sarcopenia was closely involved with posttransplant mortality in patients undergoing LDLT. Perioperative nutritional therapy significantly improved overall survival in patients with sarcopenia.

     

腹腔镜对比开腹远端胰腺切除术治疗胰腺导管腺癌的Meta分析

目的对比腹腔镜及开腹远端胰腺切除术治疗胰腺导管腺癌(pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,PDAC)的疗效及安全性。方法检索2020年10月前公开发表的比较腹腔镜远端胰腺切除术(laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy,LDP)与开腹远端胰腺切除术(open distal pancreatectomy,ODP)治疗PDAC的临床研究。经过筛选,对纳入文献进行质量评价及数据提取,然后使用review manager(RevMan)5.3软件进行统计分析。结果共计15项研究,5343例患者纳入本研究(LDP组1396例,ODP组3947例)。LDP组的术中出血量低[加权均数差(weighted mean difference,WMD)=-112.44,95%置信区间(confidence interval,CI):-193.06~-31.82,P=0.006]、输血率低(OR=0.33,95%CI:0.23~0.49,P<0.00001)、住院时间短(WMD=-3.35,95%CI:-4.57~-2.13,P<0.00001)、R0切除率高(OR=1.30,95%CI:1.04~1.64,P=0.02)、3年生存率高(HR=0.84,95%CI:0.76~0.92,P=0.0004)以及5年生存率高(HR=0.82,95%CI:0.74~0.92,P=0.0008)。结论治疗胰体尾部PDAC时,LDP相较于ODP在术中出血量、输血率以及住院时间方面更具有优势,同时也有着不弱于ODP的肿瘤学结局。鉴于本研究的局限性,此结果仍需要大样本前瞻性随机对照研究证实。     

慢性胰腺纤维化研究的新热点

实质纤维化是慢性胰腺炎的特征。静息型胰腺星状细胞受转化生长因子β（TGF-β）刺激后转化激活,导致细胞外基质大量生成并最终发展为纤维化。Smad能正性或者负性调节TGF-β信号传导,深入研究其机制有助于明确纤维化的成因,指导慢性胰腺炎的治疗。     

Replication-incompetent Adenovirus Vector-mediated MDA-7/IL-24 Selectively Induces Growth Suppression and Apoptosis of Hepatoma Cell Line SMMC-7721

In order to investigate the effect of replication-incompetent adenovirus vector expressing MDA-7/IL-24 on tumor growth and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cell line SMMC-7721 and normal liver cell line L02, the recombinant replication-incompetent Ad.mda-7 virus vector was constructed and infected into the HCC cell line SMMC-7721 and normal liver cell line L02. RT-PCR was performed to examine the expression of MDA-7 mRNA. The concentrations of MDA-7/IL-4 in culture superuatants were determined by using ELISA. MTT and Hoechst staining assay were applied to observe the inhibitory and killing effects of MDA-7 on the HCC cells. By using flow cytometry, the apoptosis, cell cycle and proliferation of SMMC-7721 and L02 cells were measured. The results showed recombinant replication-incompetent virus expressing MDA-7/IL-24 was constructed successfully, and RT-PCR revealed that it could mediate the high expression of the exogenous gene MDA-7/IL-24 in SMMC-7721 and L02 cells. The expression of MDA-7/IL-24 proteins in the culture superuatant was detectable by ELISA. Ad.mda-7 infection induced apoptosis and growth suppression in SMMC-7721 cells and an increased percentage of HCC cells in the GyM phase of the cell cycle, but not in L02 cells. It was concluded that mda-7/IL-24 gene, mediated with replication-incompetent adenovirus vector, could selectively induce growth suppression and apoptosis in HCC cell line SMMC-7721 but without any toxic side-effect on normal liver line L02.     

Accuracy comparison of MR elastography and biological markers in detecting liver fibrosis and predicting postoperative ascites

BackgroundThis retrospective study aimed to compare the discriminative performance between magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and biological markers in detecting liver fibrosis and in predicting postoperative ascites (PA).MethodsWe enrolled 77 patients consecutively who underwent hepatectomy between March 2017 and June 2019. Liver fibrosis was histopathologically graded using the METAVIR scoring system as reference. Discriminative performance of non-invasive assessments in detecting different stages of liver fibrosis and predicting PA was evaluated by receiver–operator curve analysis.ResultsThe concordance indices (C-indices) for MRE and biological markers for detecting significant fibrosis (≥F2) and cirrhosis (F4) were: MRE, 0.84 and 0.86; Wisteria floribunda agglutinin + Mac-2 binding protein (WM2BP), 0.63 and 0.71; Hyaluronic acid (HA), 0.72 and 0.75; 7 S-type 4 collagen (T4C), 0.61 and 0.66; APRI, 0.76 and 0.83; and Fib-4, 0.75 and 0.76. Univariable logistic analysis for predicting PA showed that C-indices were 0.751 (p = 0.007), 0.798 (p = 0.106), 0.771 (p = 0.050), 0.674 (p = 0.855), 0.655 (p = 0.263), and 0.560 (p = 0.640) for MRE, WM2BP, Fib-4, HA, APRI, and T4C, respectively.ConclusionMRE has a higher diagnostic performance than biological markers in detecting the stages of liver fibrosis and is a predictor for PA after hepatectomy.     

Laparoscopic mesh repair for lumbar hernia after iliac crest bone harvest

Lumbar hernia after iliac crest bone harvest is relatively rare. When it does occur, it presents as a flank abdominal protrusion through a lateroposterior abdominal wall defect. A laparoscopic approach for this type of hernia is reported to have advantages over the classic open method. Here, we present a case of a 49‐year‐old Caucasian man who presented with an enlarged left flank mass after iliac bone harvest for pseudarthrosis. He had undergone open onlay mesh repair for inferior lumbar hernia, but the hernia recurred 3 months postoperatively. Laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh repair using a composite mesh was performed 7 months after recurrence. The patient was discharged 6 days postoperatively without complications. No signs of recurrence were detected during 1‐year follow‐up period. The laparoscopic approach for lumbar hernia conferred excellent visualization of the hernia defect and enabled a safe mesh repair using intra‐abdominal pressure to hold it in position. This approach provided all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.