Concurrent acute pancreatitis and pericardial effusion

While pleural effusion and ascites secondary to acute pancreatitis are common, clinically relevant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade are observed rarely. In a study by Pezzilli et al., pleural effusion was noted in 7 of the 21 patients with acute pancreatitis whereas the authors detected pericardial effusion development in only three. The authors asserted that pleural effusion was associated with severe acute pancreatitis, while pericardial effusion and the severity of acute pancreatitis were not significantly related

Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease is an autosomal-recessive disorder caused by mutation in the ATP7B gene. Absent or reduced function of ATP7B protein leads to decreased hepatocellular excretion of copper into bile. Subsequent copper accumulation, first in the liver but ultimately in the brain and other tissues, produces different clinical manifestations such as hepatic, neurological, hematological, ophthalmological, and psychiatric problems. Diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion, parameters of copper metabolism, ophthalmic examination (Kayser-Fleischer rings) and a liver biopsy. Genetic studies are of limited use. Early diagnosis and initiation of therapy with chelators and therapeutic plasma exchange therapy are essential for prognosis. Liver transplantation corrects the underlying pathophysiology and can be lifesaving in fulminant hepatic failure. Screening of siblings and 1st degree relatives of the patients is also important

Crohn disease activity evaluated by Doppler ultrasonography of the superior mesenteric artery and the affected small-bowel segments

Objective. To reveal the disease activity in Crohn disease by gray scale and Doppler ultrasonography of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the affected bowel segments. Methods. Twenty-six patients (12 with active and 14 with inactive disease according to the Crohn disease activity index) were prospectively evaluated with gray scale and Doppler ultrasonography. The control group included 10 healthy subjects. In the SMA evaluation, anteroposterior diameter, resistive index (RI), and flow volume were measured. In the affected small-bowel segments, wall thickness, mural vascularity, RI, and extraintestinal findings were evaluated. Results. Differences between the active and inactive groups but not between the inactive and control groups were statistically significant for mean SMA diameter, RI, and flow volume (P = .019; P 500 mL/min), the affected small-bowel segments also had increased wall thickness and vascularity. Conclusion. Evaluation of the SMA and the affected small-bowel segments together by gray scale and Doppler ultrasonography is a reliable quantitative method for determining Crohn disease activity. Findings obtained from both the SMA and the affected small-bowel segments showed parallel results about the disease activity

Efficacy of alpha interferon therapy for lamivudine resistance in chronic hepatitis B

Objectives: The occurrence of lamivudine resistance is often associated with the clinical breakthrough, which is characterised by the reappearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum and the elevation of aminotransferases. We evaluated the efficacy of alpha interferon for clinical breakthrough in patients receiving lamivudine therapy

Occult HBV infection and YMDD variants in hemodialysis patients with chronic HCV infection

Background/Aims: End-stage renal disease patients on chronic hemodialysis are at risk for both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Although the prevalence is unknown in hemodialysis patients, occult HBV infection is frequent in subjects with chronic HCV infection. We aimed to investigate (1) the prevalence and clinical impact of occult HBV infection in hemodialysis patients with chronic HCV infection, and (2) the frequency of YMDD variants (tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate amino acid motif of HBV polymerase) in this setting