Factors Found on the First Variceal-Bleeding Episode in Liver Cirrhosis Patients with Portal Hypertension

Background: The dietary protein restriction that was commonly recommended to hepatic encephalopathy (HE) patients, often leads to malnutrition, whereas malnutrition can deteriorate cirrhosis prognosis. The aims of this study were to find out encephalopathy improvement that was measured by critical flicker frequency (CFF) test and nutritional status by measuring prealbumin level after L-Ornithine L-Aspartate (LOLA) treatment with adequate calories and protein intake in patients with HE. Method: Patients with liver cirrosis who visited Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital on June-October 2009 was evaluated by CFF test using HEPAtonormTM device. Encephalopathy was defined when CFF < 39 Hz. Nutritional status was measured by the mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) and was stated as malnutrition when the MAMC was below the 15th percentile. Patients had been treated by 3 x 6 mg LOLA granules for 2 weeks, and adequate calories and protein intake with branched-chain amino acid (BCAAs) substitution. The change of encephalopaty was evaluated by the CFF test and the nutritional status by measuring prealbumin blood level. Results: There were 17 patients with liver cirrhosis who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean CFF Result increased from 34.1 ± 2.5 Hz to 36.5 ± 2.9 Hz after LOLA treatment with the adequate calories and protein intake including BCAAs substitution, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001) compared to before treatment. The prealbumin level also increased significantly compared before treatment, i.e. from 5.4 ± 2.1 mg/dL to 6.4 ± 2.6 mg/dL, p = 0.008. Conclusion: HE patients with malnutrition could be given adequate calorie and protein with BCAAs substitution to improve their nutritional status, and LOLA granules for the improvement of HE

Abdominal Disturbances Among Dengue Fever Patients

Background: Abdominal disturbances are common symptoms found in approximately 40% of patients with dengue fever, which frequently cause significant morbidity. This study was developed as an attempt to understand the effect of plasma leakage in dengue hemorrhagic fever; particularly on ab dominal problems. Method: The study was conducted in hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (based on the 1997 WHO criteria for DHF) at Fatmawati hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. Abdominal ultrasonography (USG) was done on the fourth to sixth day in every patient and when necessary, endoscopy was done. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test. Results: Fifty-three (54.6%) patients had abdominal pain, 81 (83.5%) patients had nausea, 45 (46.4%) patients had excessive vomiting and 28 (28.9%) patients had diarrhea. Forty-seven (48.4%) patients had their aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevated more than two fold of the Upper Normal Limit (UNL) level; 19 (20%) patients had their alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level elevated two fold higher than the UNL. Amylase was found to be two fold higher than the UNL only in 2 (2%) patients. Lipase level elevated two fold higher than the UNL in 11 (11.3%) patients. USG imaging showed that thickening of the gallbladder wall (over 3 mm) were observed in 83 (85.6%) patients. Endoscopic procedures showed erosive features particularly in the antrum, including edema of the gastric mucosa and widening of the gastric mucosa folding in four patients, while 4 (4.12%) patients had melena. Conclusion: Abdominal disturbances such as abdominal pain, vomiting, melena, liver enlargement and abnormal liver function as well as thickening of the gallbladder wall more than five mm are significantly high in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever