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Hepatology
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Treatment with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) significantly enhances the effect of propranolol in reducing hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, a recent study has shown.
The combination of hepatocyte-derived biomarkers and FibroTest or model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores can help identify patients with Child-Pugh class A alcohol-related cirrhosis who are prone to liver-related events at 2 years, reports a study.
Treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/glucagon receptor co-agonist efinopegdutide results in a greater decrease in liver fat content (LFC) relative to the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), results of a phase IIa trial have shown.
Treatment outcomes with nucleos(t)ide analogues for hepatitis B patients appear to differ by sex, such that men are more likely to have biochemical response and achieve clinical remission than women, a study has shown.
For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the use of antidepressants after diagnosis may signal increased overall and cancer-specific survival, according to a study.
In the treatment of patients with nonresectable colorectal cancer (CRC) with liver metastases, liver transplantation may improve long-term survival outcomes especially when performed for those with favourable prognostic scoring, according to a study.
A recent study has found no amino acid substitutions associated with reduced sensitivity to bulevirtide (BLV) monotherapy, a hepatitis D/B virus (HDV/HBV) entry inhibitor, at baseline or week 24 in patients with virologic breakthrough after BLV treatment.
Special Reports
Updated
health information is crucial for healthcare professionals to improve their
knowledge in providing healthcare services. During a series of talks at the
IMPACT GP Symposium 2020 held in Singapore on 11 January 2020, a panel of
specialists shared insights on current treatment approaches for atopic
dermatitis and wound healing, as well as updates from the 2019 dyslipidaemia
guidelines and on the management of fatty liver disease.
Systemic therapy plays a central role in the management of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this rapidly developing therapy area, recent clinical trials are redefining systemic treatments, including multiple kinase inhibitors (MKI). During the recent Gastro Lunch and Learn sessions sponsored by Eisai, Dr David Tai and Dr Yong Wei Peng discussed the evidence behind MKIs such as lenvatinib (Lenvima®) in the treatment of unresectable HCC through a case-based approach.
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major public health concern because of its worldwide distribution and potential adverse sequelae, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). At a recent symposium held during the GIHep Singapore 2019, Professor Vincent Wong from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Professor Ray Kim from the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, US, discussed antiviral treatments for CHB, with a focus on the novel agent tenofovir alafenamide (Vemlidy®). Dr Tan Poh Seng from the National University Hospital, Singapore, chaired the symposium.
Overall survival (OS) is currently the primary criteria in assessing the efficacy of a cancer treatment. Dr Raghav Sundar, a consultant medical oncologist at the National University Hospital, Singapore, details the crucial role played by tumour response in evaluating treatment efficacy, with a focus on the multiple kinase inhibitor lenvatinib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Current guidelines for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)
recommend entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), or
tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) as first-line oral agents. [Hepatology
2018;67:1560-1599; Hepatol Int 2016;10:1-98; J Hepatol 2017;67:370-398]
TAF, like TDF, is a phosphonate prodrug of tenofovir. Whether tenofovir
is superior to entecavir in specific clinical settings, or both
antivirals have comparable clinical outcomes in real-world cohorts,
remains to be extensively studied as these would have considerable
implications for practice and the prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC) in the CHB population.
The patient was a 63-year-old male diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in April 2013, presenting with two lesions – 7.7 and 3.5 cm in segment 4 and segment 8, respectively. He underwent two rounds of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in May and June 2013, with good response. In September 2013, he underwent hepatic wedge resection for both lesions.
For decades, patients with chronic hepatitis B and C had limited treatment options and had to endure unacceptable drug toxicities. However, Professor Naoky Tsai, Clinical Professor of Medicine from the John A. Burns School of Medicine University of Hawaii in Manoa, Hawaii, US, explains during a sponsored symposium by Gilead that potent and tolerable antivirals are now available for the effective management of hepatitis B and C. He highlighted the clinically useful features of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (Epclusa®) and discussed key clinical evidence on tenofovir alafenamide (Vemlidy®).
Conference Reports
Minimal monitoring is feasible in patients with active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), with high rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) reported, including in patients with novel HCV subtypes, according to new data from the phase IV MINMON study presented at IDDF 2023.
In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), most complications following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) involve minor postembolization syndrome, reveals a study presented at EASL 2023. The incidence of major complications is high at 25 percent, with a 1.8-percent death rate.
Among patients with treatment-naïve autoimmune hepatitis, more of those who receive mycophenolate mofetil achieve remission than those who receive azathioprine, as shown in the results of the CAMARO trial.
The addition of simvastatin to a nonselective beta blocker results in better survival among cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding, reports a study presented at EASL 2023.
The THR-β selective agonist resmetirom helps resolve nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and reduce fibrosis, with the drug being safe and well-tolerated, according to data from the large phase III pivotal MAESTRO-NASH trial presented at EASL 2023.
Weight loss strategies do not only provide therapeutic alternatives for obesity but may also hold promise in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and NAFLD*.
Two phase III studies presented at EASL 2023 reflected the long-term efficacy of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) for individuals with HBeAg*-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV).