The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Acute Cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis (AC) is one of challenging clinical conditions in biliary disorders as it can carry high morbidity and mortality. Gallstone disease is still the main cause of AC in clinical practice. Transabdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT scan and abdominal MRI are the standard diagnostic tools in AC, however, some obstacles can be found which are associated to the patient’s factor, anatomy or anomaly of biliary system, the disease severity, and the operator. Cholecystectomy is still the primary choice management in AC condition, however, several issues need to be encountered, such as critically ill condition, sepsis, and patient’s comorbidity. Percutaneous approach has become an alternative as it is considered as a simple procedure to be performed in clinical practice. Catheter dislodgement, the risk of bile leakage, and uncooperative patients have raised major concerns for this procedure. Another method, such as endoscopic approach has been studied as well and it seemed to have more advantage when compared to the percutaneous approach. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has been used as a combined diagnostic as well as therapeutic tools in managing biliary disorders. Recent evidences about the role of EUS approach for gallbladder drainage (EUS GBD) in patients who unsuitable for surgery have emerged in the past one decade. However, comprehensive evaluation before which approach is the best option is needed as expertise, cost, and patient’s outcome prediction are the most important factors to be considered in the real clinical practice

An Observational Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Telbivudine in Adults with Chronic Hepatitis B

Aim: to assess the safety and efficacy of telbivudine therapy in adult patients with CHB in Indonesia. Methods: the study design was prospective cohort study. Multicenter study of adult CHB patients requiring oral antiviral therapy in daily practice setting. All patients received 600 mg of telbivudine daily for one year. Recruitment and decision to start telbivudine therapy was based on clinical indication as assessed by the participating physicians. The primary end-point was patient safety (adverse event or serious adverse events); while the secondary end-points were HBeAg seroconversion, changes of serum HBV DNA levels and serum ALT normalization. Patients were assessed at week-24 and week-52 of treatment. Results: a total of 176 cases were eligible for analysis, comprising 104 (59.8%) HBeAg-positive and 70 (40.2%) HBeAg-negative patients. Adverse events were reported in 7 (4.0%) patients, most of them were mild. HBeAg loss and seroconversion rate was 28.8% and 14.14% at week-52 respectively. Undetectable HBV DNA (PCR negativity) was 51.8% at week-24 and 62.7% at week-52. Median HBV DNA levels were significantly reduced from baseline to week-24 and week-52 treatment (both p<0.001; Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test). Normalization of serum ALT activity occurred in 85 (73.28%) patients at week-52. Conclusion: Telbivudine therapy is generally safe and well tolerated among adult Indonesian patients with chronic hepatitis B. Treatment efficacy in terms of HBeAg loss and seroconversion, changes of HBV DNA levels and serum ALT normalization were similar to previous reported studies. Key words: Alanine aminotransferase, chronic hepatitis B, HBV DNA, oral antiviral treatment, telbivudine therapy

The Prevalence of Reflux Esophagitis in the Elderly and Its Associated Risk Factors

Background: Reflux esophagitis is a common problem in the elderly. Compare to the Western Countries, esophageal cancer where reflux esophagitis is the most predominant risk factor is considered rare in Asia. Many other risk factors have not been well studied especially in most Asian countries. The objective of this study is to evaluate the presence of reflux esophagitis in elderly patients and its associated risk factors.Method: This was a cross-sectional study in elderly patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients who received long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, suffered from gastrointestinal malignancies, recently receiving chemotherapy agents, diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease or Helicobacter pylori infection were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software version 17.00 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA).Results: A total of 238 elderly patients were enrolled. Patients’ mean age was 69.8 ± 6.8 years old. Reflux esophagitis was found in 22 (9.2%) patients. Several comorbidities were found in these patients, such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and liver cirrhosis. The only factor that associated with reflux esophagitis was the presence of hiatus hernia esophagus (p = 0.038). However, reflux esophagitis seemed to be more found in the elderly patients who have history of reflux inducing drugs consumption without any proton pump inhibitor (PPI) protection.Conclusion: Reflux esophagitis is still a major problem in the elderly. The presence of hiatus hernia might give an important consideration of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy screening. However, it would be a debate matter with regards to the cost burden and the low risk of esophageal cancer in Asian countries.

The Prevalence of Reflux Esophagitis in the Elderly and Its Associated Risk Factors

Background: Reflux esophagitis is a common problem in the elderly. Compare to the Western Countries, esophageal cancer where reflux esophagitis is the most predominant risk factor is considered rare in Asia. Many other risk factors have not been well studied especially in most Asian countries. The objective of this study is to evaluate the presence of reflux esophagitis in elderly patients and its associated risk factors.Method: This was a cross-sectional study in elderly patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients who received long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, suffered from gastrointestinal Malignancies, recently receiving chemotherapy agents, diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease or Helicobacter pylori infection were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software version 17.00 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA).Results: A total of 238 elderly patients were enrolled. Patients\u27 mean age was 69.8 ± 6.8 years old. Reflux esophagitis was found in 22 (9.2%) patients. Several comorbidities were found in these patients, such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and liver cirrhosis. The only factor that associated with reflux esophagitis was the presence of hiatus hernia esophagus (p = 0.038). However, reflux esophagitis seemed to be more found in the elderly patients who have history of reflux inducing drugs consumption without any proton pump inhibitor (PPI) protection.Conclusion: Reflux esophagitis is still a major problem in the elderly. The presence of hiatus hernia might give an important consideration of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy screening. However, it would be a debate matter with regards to the cost burden and the low risk of esophageal cancer in Asian countries

Obstructive Jaundice Due to Bile Duct Tumor

We reported here a rare case of a 62 year old male patient with obstructive jaundice due to bile duct tumor. The main clinical features were yellowish eye and skin, followed by pruritus and clay-colored stool. Ultrasonography showed common bile duct dilatation and without evidence of stones. Computed Tomography Scan of upper abdomen showed a mass which were thought of head of pancreas origin. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatograph revealed tight narrowing of the distal bile duct to a Malignant tumor. A stent was inserted to allow biliary drainage. A surgical plan for billio digestive anastomosis was rejected by the patient and family

Efficacy and Safety of In-Asia-manufactured Interferon Alpha-2b in Combination with Ribavirin for Therapy of Naïve Chronic Hepatitis C Patients: a Multicenter, Prospective, Open-Label Trial

Background: An open-label, multi center and non-comparative study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a more affordable in-Asia-manufactured interferon á-2b product in combination with ribavirin to treat naïve chronic hepatitis C patients. Method: Thirty chronic naïve hepatitis C patients were treated with in-Asia-manufactured interferon a-2b subcutaneously 3 MIU thrice weekly and ribavirin 800-1,200 mg daily for 48 weeks. Follow-up was done until 24 weeks after the end of treatment. Efficacy was assessed by examining serologic and biochemical parameters at pre and post-treatment. Safety was assessed by evaluating clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters. Results: The virological response and sustained virological response rates of all Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes were 83.3% and 76.7% respectively. Post-treatment, 80% patients had significant alanine transaminase (ALT) decreased into normal level and remained normal in 76.7% patients at 24th week follow up period. At that time, the ALT level and sustained virological response were lower in HCV genotypes 1 and 4 than in non-1 and non-4 genotypes. The most frequent adverse event was flu-like syndrome. Conclusion: The efficacy and safety study on combination therapy of in-Asia-manufactured interferon a-2b and ribavirin has shown a good result based on the current standard of interferon alpha and ribavirin combination therapy

Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein as potential biomarker for alpha-fetoprotein-low hepatocellular carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor because of late diagnosis. We determined the performances of α -1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) for the diagnosis of HCC, especially for α-fetoprotein (AFP)-low HCC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Of the 220 patients included in this retrospective study, 124 had HCC, and 61 (49%) of these were AFP-low HCC (AFP ≤ 20 ng/mL). The remaining 96 patients, including 49 with chronic hepatitis B or C and 47 with cirrhosis, were considered as control. Plasma AAG was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and confirmed using Western blot technique.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When all patients with HCC were evaluated, the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for AAG (0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.97) and DCP (0.92, 95% CI: 0.88-0.95) were similar (<it>P </it>= 0.40). AAG had better area under ROC curve (0.96, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99) than DCP (0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.93) for AFP-low HCC (<it>P </it>< 0.05). At the specificity 95%, the sensitivity of AAG was higher in AFP-low HCC than in AFP-high HCC (82% and 62%, respectively). In contrast, higher sensitivity was obtained from DCP in discriminating HCC patients with low AFP than that in high AFP (57% and 90%, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our cross-sectional study showed that AAG was better performance in diagnosing HCC patients with low AFP, while DCP did better in those with high AFP.</p

Global prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in 2015 : A modelling study

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier LtdBackground The 69th World Health Assembly approved the Global Health Sector Strategy to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, which can become a reality with the recent launch of direct acting antiviral therapies. Reliable disease burden estimates are required for national strategies. This analysis estimates the global prevalence of viraemic HCV at the end of 2015, an update of—and expansion on—the 2014 analysis, which reported 80 million (95% CI 64–103) viraemic infections in 2013. Methods We developed country-level disease burden models following a systematic review of HCV prevalence (number of studies, n=6754) and genotype (n=11 342) studies published after 2013. A Delphi process was used to gain country expert consensus and validate inputs. Published estimates alone were used for countries where expert panel meetings could not be scheduled. Global prevalence was estimated using regional averages for countries without data. Findings Models were built for 100 countries, 59 of which were approved by country experts, with the remaining 41 estimated using published data alone. The remaining countries had insufficient data to create a model. The global prevalence of viraemic HCV is estimated to be 1·0% (95% uncertainty interval 0·8–1·1) in 2015, corresponding to 71·1 million (62·5–79·4) viraemic infections. Genotypes 1 and 3 were the most common cause of infections (44% and 25%, respectively). Interpretation The global estimate of viraemic infections is lower than previous estimates, largely due to more recent (lower) prevalence estimates in Africa. Additionally, increased mortality due to liver-related causes and an ageing population may have contributed to a reduction in infections. Funding John C Martin Foundation.publishersversionPeer reviewe