Epidemiology of Acute Pancreatitis in the North Adriatic Region of Croatia during the Last Ten Years

Introduction. Several European studies have reported an increase in the incidence rate of acute pancreatitis (AP). Therefore, we studied the incidence rate of AP in the North Adriatic Region in Croatia, as well as epidemiological analysis concerning etiology, age, gender, and severity of disease. Methods. We analyzed 922 patients with confirmed diagnosis of AP (history, clinical and laboratory findings, and imaging methods) admitted to our hospital during a ten-year period (2000–2009). Epidemiological analysis was carried out focusing on incidence, demographic data, and etiology, as well as severity of the disease based on the Ranson and APACHE II scores. Results. The incidence rate varied from 24 to 35/100 000 inhabitants annually. Mean age was years. There were 53% men and 47% women among the patients. Most frequent etiologies of AP were biliary stones in 60% and alcohol abuse in 19% of patients. According to the Ranson and APACHE II scores, pancreatitis was considered to be severe in 50% and 43% of the cases, respectively. Conclusion. In our region the incidence of AP was around 30 per 100,000 population per year during the ten-year period studied. The mean age at admission was 60 years and etiology was predominantly biliary. In our region, we have shown epidemiological characteristics of AP typical for Mediterranean countries

Chronic Kidney Disease and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Proven by Transient Elastography

Background/Aim: Preliminary data suggest an association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to further investigate the association between NAFLD and decreased kidney function. Methods: A total of 62 patients with CKD were enrolled in the study. Liver stiffness was used to detect liver fibrosis and CAP (controlled attenuation parameter) was used to detect and quantify liver steatosis (Fibroscan®). NAFLD was defined by CAP values ≥238 dB.m-1. Results: CKD stage III was present in 29 patients (46.8%) and CKD stage IV in 33 patients (53.2%). Out of 62 CKD patients 53 (85.5%) had NAFLD and of these 14/53 patients (26.4%) had also liver stiffness >7 kPa. The severity of liver steatosis was positively correlated with serum creatinine (r=0.399;pConclusion: The results suggest a high prevalence of NAFLD in CKD patients. The severity of liver steatosis is negatively correlated with kidney function. The study documents the value of ultrasonographic elastography as an effective non-invasive screening method for the diagnosis of NAFLD

Factors associated with significant liver steatosis and fibrosis as assessed by transient elastography in patients with one or more components of the metabolic syndrome

We examined the relationship between controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM), as assessed by transient elastography (TE), and different clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with one or more components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The hypothesis of the study was that LSM and CAP values correlate with the number of MetS components

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) And Cardiovascular Risk In Renal Transplant Recipients

Background/Aims: Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) are at high risk for cardiovascular (CVD) mortality. Recently, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as a new risk factor for adverse CVD events in the general population. We examined whether transient elastography (TE) defined NAFLD was associated with atherosclerosis in RTRs, as measured by ultrasound in the carotid arteries. Methods: Carotid atherosclerosis was assesses in 71 RTRs with a TE proven NAFLD. With the help of TE liver stiffness was used to assess liver fibrosis and Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) was used to detect and quantify liver steatosis. NAFLD was defined by the presence of steatosis with CAP values ≥238 dB.m-1. Results: RTRs with NAFLD showed more carotid atherosclerosis than RTRs without NAFLD. RTRs-NAFLD patients had the mean intima-media measurements (ITM) of 1.1±0.1 mm and that was statistically significant higher than the mean ITM founded in RTRs without NAFLD (1.1±0.1 vs. 0.9±0.1 mm; pConclusion: We showed for the first time that carotid atherosclerosis is advanced in RTRs with NAFLD. Detection of NAFLD by TE should alert to the existence of an increased cardiovascular risk in RTRs

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)—A New Cardiovascular Risk Factor in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

♦ BACKGROUND: Recent investigations indicated that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a hepatic component of metabolic syndrome (MS), is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accordingly, we were interested in exploring the frequency of NAFLD in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and analyzing factors in PD patients associated with NAFLD occurrence. In addition, we were interested in investigating whether NAFLD is associated with higher CVD risk in our PD patients. ♦ METHODS: In the present cross-sectional study, we analyzed 58 PD patients. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was used to detect and quantify liver steatosis with the help of transient elastography (TE) (FibroScan, Echosense SA, Paris, France). A carotid ultrasound was performed in all patients to measure carotid intimae media thickness (IMT) and plaque as surrogate measures of increased CVD risk, and we investigated their association with NAFLD. ♦ RESULTS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was present in 74.1% of PD patients. Peritoneal dialysis/nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients had statistically greater daily (136.5 ± 62.6 vs 93.6 ± 36.1; p = 0.02) and monthly (4,095.3 ± 1,877.7 vs 2,806.6 ± 1,083.2; p = 0.02) glucose load in comparison to the non-NAFLD/PD patients. In the next step, we were interested in analyzing what demographic and clinical characteristics in our PD patients are associated with a higher NAFLD occurrence. Presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), arterial hypertension (AH), dyslipidemia, body mass index > 25 kg/m(2), and daily glucose load > 100 g were associated with NAFLD occurrence. Peritoneal dialysis patients with NAFLD showed more carotid atherosclerosis than PD patients without NAFLD. In addition, CAP values (as indicator of liver steatosis) showed strong positive association with IMT (r = 0.801; p < 0.0001). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was a strong predictor of carotid atherosclerosis in PD patients. ♦ CONCLUSION: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is highly prevalent in PD patients. Peritoneal dialysis patients with NAFLD are at high risk of atherosclerosis. Assessment of NAFLD in PD patients may be helpful for CVD risk stratification

Prevention of Infectious Complications in Acute Pancreatitis: Results of a Single-Center, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of imipenem to prevent infectious complications in predicted severe acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS Consecutive AP patients were randomized to imipenem 3 × 500 mg intravenously daily or an identical placebo. Exclusion criteria were prior AP, chronic pancreatitis, active malignancy, immune deficiency, active infection, concomitant antibiotic treatment, pregnancy, and patients younger than 18 years. Infectious complications including infected pancreatic necrosis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, positive blood cultures, sepsis, and other infections were assessed as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included mortality, persistent organ failure, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, local complications, serious adverse events, and need for surgical intervention. RESULTS Forty-nine patients were randomized to each group. Infectious complications were present in 10 versus 12 of 49 patients (relative risk [RR], 0.833; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.398-1.747). There were no significant differences in infected pancreatic necrosis (RR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.262-8.588), pneumonia (RR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.262-8.588), urinary tract infection (RR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.152-2.374), positive blood cultures (RR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.047-5.336), sepsis (RR, 0.333; 95% CI, 0.036-3.095), and other (RR, 1.333; 95% CI, 0.315-5.648). We found no significant differences in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Concordantly to available evidence, there is currently no ground to support prophylactic use of antibiotics in predicted severe AP

Tortura como antípoda de la compasión

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) is a challenging and multisystem disease that has a high socioeconomic impact. NAFLD/NASH is a main cause of macrovesicular steatosis and has multiple impacts on liver transplantation (LT), on patients on the waiting list for transplant, on post-transplant setting as well as on organ donors. Current data indicate new trends in the area of chronic liver disease. Due to the increased incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, NASH cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma caused by NASH will soon become a major indication for LT. Furthermore, due to an increasing incidence of MetS and, consequently, NAFLD, there will be more steatotic donor livers and less high quality organs available for LT, in addition to a lack of available liver allografts. Patients who have NASH and are candidates for LT have multiple comorbidities and are unique LT candidates. Finally, we discuss long-term grafts and patient survival after LT, the recurrence of NASH and NASH appearing de novo after transplantation. In addition, we suggest topics and areas that require more research for improving the health care of this increasing patient population