Patients with Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia (GAVE) Are at a Higher Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in the Absence of Cirrhosis

Background and Aims: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is commonly found in patients with cirrhosis, but it is also associated with other diseases in the absence of cirrhosis. Whether GAVE confers a different severity of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding between patients with and without cirrhosis remains unknown. We aim to examine whether there is a difference in clinically significant GI bleeding due to GAVE in patients with or without cirrhosis. Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study of patients who were diagnosed with GAVE between January 2000 and June 2014. Patients were categorized into cirrhosis and noncirrhosis groups, and those with an additional GI bleeding source were excluded. Univariate comparisons and multivariable models were constructed using logistic regression. Results: In total, 110 patients diagnosed with GAVE on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) were included in our analysis; 84 patients had cirrhosis (76.4%) and 26 (23.6%) did not. Active GI bleeding was more prevalent in patients without cirrhosis (63.4% vs. 32.1%, p=0.003) despite similar indications for EGD, and endoscopic treatment with argon plasma coagulation (APC) was required more often in this group, approaching statistical significance (27% vs. 10.7%, p=0.056). There was no difference in bleeding severity, as evidenced by similar re-bleeding rates, surgery, or death attributed to uncontrolled bleeding. The strongest independent risk factor for GI bleeding was the absence of cirrhosis (odds ratio (OR): 5.151 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-24.48, p=0.039). Conclusions: Patients with GAVE in the absence of cirrhosis are at higher risk for active GI bleeding and require more frequent endoscopic treatment than similar patients with cirrhosis. It may be worthwhile to treat GAVE in this population even in the absence of active bleeding.     

Endogenous motion of liver correlates to the severity of portal hypertension

BACKGROUND Degree of portal hypertension(PH) is the most important prognostic factor for the decompensation of liver cirrhosis and death, therefore adequate care for patients with liver cirrhosis requires timely detection and evaluation of the presence of clinically significant PH(CSPH) and severe PH(SPH). As the most accurate method for the assessment of PH is an invasive direct measurement of hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG), the search for non-invasive methods to diagnose these conditions is actively ongoing.AIM To evaluate the feasibility of parameters of endogenously induced displacements and strain of liver to assess degree of PH.METHODS Of 36 patients with liver cirrhosis and measured HVPG were included in the casecontrol study. Endogenous motion of the liver was characterized by derived parameters of region average tissue displacement signal(dantero, dretro, d RMS) and results of endogenous tissue strain imaging using specific radiofrequency signal processing algorithm. Average endogenous strain μ and standard deviation σ of strain were assessed in the regions of interest(ROI)(1 cm × 1 cm and 2 cm × 2 cm in size) and different frequency subbands of endogenous motion(0-10 Hz and 10-20 Hz).RESULTS Four parameters showed statistically significant(P 0.05) correlation with HVPG measurement. The strongest correlation was obtained for the standard deviation of strain(estimated at 0-10 Hz and 2 cm × 2 cm ROI size). Three parameters showed statistically significant differences between patient groups with CSPH, but only dretro showed significant results in SPH analysis. According to ROC analysis area under the curve(AUC) of the σROI[0…10 Hz, 2 cm × 2 cm] parameter reached 0.71(P = 0.036) for the diagnosis of CSPH; with a cut-off value of 1.28 μm/cm providing 73% sensitivity and 70% specificity. AUC for the diagnosis of CSPH for μROI[0…10 Hz, 1 cm × 1 cm] was 0.78(P = 0.0024); with a cut-off value of 3.92 μm/cm providing 73% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Dretro parameter had an AUC of 0.86(P = 0.0001) for the diagnosis of CSPH and 0.84(P = 0.0001) for the diagnosis of SPH. A cut-off value of-132.34 μm yielded 100% sensitivity for both conditions, whereas specificity was 80% and 72% for CSPH and SPH respectively.CONCLUSION The parameters of endogenously induced displacements and strain of the liver correlated with HVPG and might be used for non-invasive diagnosis of PH.     

Characterization of Malignant Portal Vein Thrombosis with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography

We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for differentiation of benign versus malignant portal vein thrombosis (PVT). We studied a total of 43 patients with chronic liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma-suggestive nodules and confirmed PVT, in whom the nature of the PVT was confirmed by follow-up imaging (US, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging) performed up to 6 mo after CEUS. PVT was assessed by US, Doppler US and CEUS with respect to vessel wall disruption and/or invasion, color Doppler vascularization, pulsed Doppler vascularization pattern and CEUS enhancement and vascularization pattern, and thrombi were classified as benign or malignant based on these findings. Follow-up studies revealed malignant PVT in 22 of the 43 patients (51%) and benign PVT in 21 patients (49%). CEUS findings were consistent with follow-up studies in 41 of the 43 patients (95%), with κ?=?0.903 (p < 0.0001), sensitivity?=?91% and specificity?=?100%, indicating that CEUS can be confidently used to differentiate benign from malignant portal vein thrombosis in the setting of chronic liver disease.     

超顺磁性氧化铁标记大鼠骨髓基质细胞经门静脉移植MRI活体示踪的研究

目的观察1．5T场强MRI联合动物专用线圈是否可以活体示踪经门静脉移植的纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒标记的骨髓基质细胞（bone marrow stromal cells BMSCs），为介人性门静脉骨髓基质细胞移植治疗终末期肝脏疾病的研究提供进一步的依据。方法供体大鼠5只，梯度密度离心分离BMSCs，纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒和脂质体转染BMSCs，体外经普鲁士蓝染色和HE染色确定细胞标记率。受体大鼠15只，分为5组，分别为对照组和纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒标记的骨髓基质细胞经门静脉移植人正常大鼠肝脏后2h、3d、7d及2周组。1．5T场强MRI联合动物专用线圈行T1W、T2W和T2＊序列扫描，观察肝脏信号改变情况，与对照组比较，并且与组织切片对照。结果纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒和脂质体转染BMSCs，细胞标记率〉95％。经门静脉移植人正常大鼠肝脏后，T2＊序列扫描显示经标记的BMSCs在肝内显示弥漫性的结节性低信号影，移植后2h到2周均可见到细胞在受体肝脏内存在，组织学切片显示信号缺失部位与铁颗粒标记细胞相一致。结论纳米级超顺磁性铁氧体颗粒标记的大鼠BMSCs经门静脉移植后可以通过1、5T场强行MRI活体示踪，为临床干细胞移植的应用提供可行的示踪方法。     

脾大部切除加断流术治疗小儿门静脉高压症(附16例临床分析)

目的探讨脾大部切除加断流术治疗小儿门静脉高压症的临床疗效。方法对16例确诊为门静脉高压症的患儿行脾大部切除加断流术。随访患儿恢复情况。结果16例患儿手术顺利,恢复良好,无死亡病例。无再发消化道出血、脾功能亢进表现,无脾切除术后凶险感染出现。结论保留脾脏的脾大部切除加断流术是治疗小儿门静脉高压症一种较好的手术方法。     

肛直肠抑制反射时门静脉血中P物质变化

目的探讨肛直肠抑制反射（RAIR）时门静脉血中P物质（SP）的变化规律及外源性内脏神经对其变化的影响。方法将实验大白鼠分为7组，其中6组先按去与不去直肠肛管外源性内脏神经支配而分为不去神经和去神经两大组，每组中又按Foley导管上气囊置入直肠腔中的位置分为2、4、6cm组；同时再设1个对照组，将Foley导管置入直肠腔中，但不注水扩张球囊。检测并比较在直肠腔内刺激后，各组门静脉血中的SP值及变化情况。结果去神经组中2、4cm组与不去神经组之间及对照组之间，门静脉血中SP值变化比较，P〉0．05，差异无统计学意义。不去神经组中的6cm组与对照组及去神经组中2cm和4cm组之间SP值比较，P〈0．01，差异有统计学意义；去神经组和不去神经组中的6cm组之间SP值比较，P〈0．01，差异有统计学意义。结论直肠腔内上部的刺激不引出RAIR可能与该部位的刺激使内括约肌兴奋性递质（SP）的释放有关；外源性内脏神经对RAIR中门静脉血的SP变化有调控作用。     

腹内高压对门静脉压、中心静脉压影响的实验研究

目的研究腹内压升高对大鼠中心静脉压和门静脉压的影响。方法将20只成年雄性SD大鼠分别通过颈静脉插管、穿刺门静脉主干法来测定中心静脉压和门静脉压，运用氮气气腹法制作大鼠腹内高压动物模型。建立气腹后分别在0、5、10、15、20、25、30、35、40、45mmHg压力值下测得中心静脉压和门静脉压。结果中心静脉压和腹内压之间的直线回归方程为Y=2．824＋0．045X，相关系数r=0．984（P〈0．01）；门静脉压和腹内压之间的直线回归方程为Y=8．887＋0．939X，相关系数r=0．998（P〈0．01）。结论腹内压与中心静脉压和门静脉压有很好的相关性，可以根据腹内压监测中心静脉压和门静脉压的变化。