Real-world efficacy and safety of Ledipasvir plus Sofosbuvir and Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir +/- Dasabuvir combination therapies for chronic hepatitis C: A Turkish experience

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the real-life efficacy and tolerability of direct-acting antiviral treatments for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with/without cirrhosis in the Turkish population.Material and Methods: A total of 4,352 patients with CHC from 36 different institutions in Turkey were enrolled. They received ledipasvir (LDV) and sofosbuvir (SOF)+/- ribavirin (RBV) ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir +/- dasabuvir (PrOD)+/- RBV for 12 or 24 weeks. Sustained virologic response (SVR) rates, factors affecting SVR, safety profile, and hepatocellular cancer (HCC) occurrence were analyzed.Results: SVR12 was achieved in 92.8% of the patients (4,040/4,352) according to intention-to-treat and in 98.3% of the patients (4,040/4,108) according to per-protocol analysis. The SVR12 rates were similar between the treatment regimens (97.2%-100%) and genotypes (95.6%-100%). Patients achieving SVR showed a significant decrease in the mean serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (50.90 +/- 54.60 U/L to 17.00 +/- 14.50 U/L) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores (7.51 +/- 4.54 to 7.32 +/- 3.40) (p<0.05). Of the patients, 2 were diagnosed with HCC during the treatment and 14 were diagnosed with HCC 37.0 +/- 16.0 weeks post-treatment. Higher initial MELD score (odds ratio [OR]: 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-2.38; p=0.023]), higher hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.31-2.28; p=0.038), and higher serum ALT levels (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.21-1.83; p=0.042) were associated with poor SVR12. The most common adverse events were fatigue (12.6%), pruritis (7.3%), increased serum ALT (4.7%) and bilirubin (3.8%) levels, and anemia (3.1%).Conclusion: LDV/SOF or PrOD +/- RBV were effective and tolerable treatments for patients with CHC and with or without advanced liver disease before and after liver transplantation. Although HCV eradication improves the liver function, there is a risk of developing HCC.Turkish Association for the Study of The Liver (TASL

Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) Are Good Candidates for Prognostic Markers for Acute Pancreatitis

Background and Objectives: It has been demonstrated that parameters such as the Controlled Nutrition Status (CONUT) score and Prognostic Nutrition Index (PNI) are beneficial for the assessment of patients’ nutrition. In this study, our objective was to investigate the potential benefits of CONUT and, as a prognostic marker of acute pancreatitis, the PNI. Materials and Methods: The data of 361 patients were analysed retrospectively. The PNI and CONUT scores of these patients were retrospectively calculated. They were categorised as CONUT-high (≥3) and CONUT-low (≤2). A PNI ≥ 45 was considered high and a PNI Results: According to the CONUT score, it was found that 209 patients had normal to mild, whereas 152 patients had severe malnutrition. A total of 293 patients had mild AP and 68 thereof had severe AP. The patients with a high CONUT score used more antibiotics, were hospitalised more in intensive care units and experienced organ failure more frequently. There were no intensive care hospitalisations, mortalities, surgical needs and local complications among the patients with a higher PNI score. Conclusions: CONUT and the PNI have proven to be useful prognostic markers not only for predicting nutritional status but also for estimating the severity and results of AP

The COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical practice advice for gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and liver transplant specialists

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a novel acute infectious disease that has rapidly reached staggering pandemic proportions. This review addresses gastroenterologists, hepatologists, liver transplant (LT) specialists, and health-care professionals working in the field of liver diseases and liver transplantation. It has been written based on a limited number of publications, recommendations of national and international liver and organ transplantation societies, and experiences of patients with COVID-19 around the world. The purpose of this review is to provide information addressing questions and concerns about COVID-19, to reveal the effects of the novel disease on patients with chronic liver disease and LT recipients, and to share information about ways in which this pandemic will affect clinical practices. We, the Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL), would like to remind you that this text is actually not a practical guide. It is imperative to act according to the standards set by health-care institutions and the Ministry of Health, Republic of Turkey

Changing Trends in the Etiology of Cirrhosis in Türkiye: A Multicenter Nationwide Study

Background/Aims: The aim of our study was to investigate the underlying causes behind the etiology of cirrhosis in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: The study was comprised of patients with cirrhosis located in the gastroenterology clinics of 28 centers in Türkiye between January 2000 and June 2021. Results: The study group consisted of 4953 cirrhotic patients (median age: 62.2 years, male / female: 58% / 42%). Among the patients, 39% of the patients were compensated, and 61% were decompensated. Furthermore, 47.5% had Child-Pugh class A, 38% had Child-Pugh class B, and 14.5% had Child-Pugh class C. The most frequent complaints were abdominal bloating (28%). Ascites (54.2%) was the most common manifestation of decompensation. The median Child-Pugh and MELD-Na scores were 7.0 and 10.0, respectively. The most common cause of cirrhosis was chronic viral hepatitis (43%), followed by cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC) (19%), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-related cirrhosis (13%), and alcohol-related cirrhosis (11%). Among the 950 patients with CC, 416 had metabolic abnormalities. If these 416 CC patients with metabolic abnormalities were categorized as having MASLD-related cirrhosis, the proportion of MASLD-related cirrhosis increased to 21%. Thirteen percent of the patients were diagnosed with HCC, while 4% had extrahepatic malignancy. Female breast cancer (18%) and colorectal cancer (18%) were the most frequent extrahepatic malignancies