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Introduction: Histopathological risk factors for end-stage liver failure in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) include nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and advanced liver fibrosis. There is a need for noninvasive diagnostic methods for these 2 conditions., Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate new laboratory variables with a predictive potential to detect advanced fibrosis (stages 2 and 3) in NAFLD., Patients and Methods: The study involved 70 patients with histologically proven NAFLD of varied severity. Additional laboratory variables included zonulin, haptoglobin, visfatin, adiponectin, leptin, tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPSA), hyaluronic acid, and interleukin 6., Results: Patients with NASH (NAFLD activity score of ≥5) had significantly higher HOMA-IR values and serum levels of visfatin, haptoglobin, and zonulin as compared with those without NASH on histological examination. Advanced fibrosis was found in 16 patients (22.9%) and the risk factors associated with its prevalence were age, the ratio of erythrocyte count to red blood cell distribution width, platelet count, and serum levels of visfatin and TPSA. Based on these variables, we constructed a scoring system that differentiated between NAFLD patients with and without advanced fibrosis with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100% (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.93)., Conclusions: The scoring system based on the above variables allows to predict advanced fibrosis with high sensitivity and specificity. However, its clinical utility should be verified in further studies involving a larger number of patients.

The study introduces a case of a 51-year old patient with Caroli's disease of left liver lobe. In 2011 the patient was admitted to Clinic of General, Vascular and Transplantation Surgery. She was after first in her life incident of an acute pancreatitis and subsequent ERCP procedure with left hepatic biliary tract drainage. The lady was qualified to left-hemihepatoctomy, which was successfully conducted in our clinic. The only complication of the procedure was surgical site infection which was properly treated with typical antibiotics. One-year observation occurred no other complications and liver function was fine.

Introduction: In patients with advanced liver cirrhosis endoscopic images of large bowel are still poorly recognized in comparison with upper digestive tract. At present, the colonoscopy is examination routinely performed during qualification to liver transplantation. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze colonoscopic reports and to assess a safety of all procedures realized before and during colonoscopy., Material and Methods: The study included 46 patients with liver cirrhosis (males 54.4%, females 45.6%) at age of 18-66 years, hospitalized between 2007-2009 for qualification to liver transplantation. Colonoscopy was done in short general sedation, and standard bowel preparation involved 256 g of polyethylene glycol dissolved in 4 liters of fluid given to the patient one day before colonoscopy., Results: In 26.1% of patients no pathology was found on colonoscopy. Anal/rectal varices were found in 41.3% of patients, lesions classified as portal colopathy in 13% of patients and sigmoid diverticula in 8.7% of patients. In 17 (37%) of patients colonoscopy disclosed 46 polyps in large bowel (38 polyps in 12 patients were retrieved for histopathological examination). In 4 (8.7%) patients polyps were hyperplastic, in 6 (about 13%) tubular adenomas of low grade dysplasia and in 2 (4.35%) tubulo-villous adenomas of low grade dysplasia. Tubulo-villous adenomas were found only in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. Colonoscopy did not worsen the general clinical state of any patient, however, as compared with compensated cirrhotics, the patients with ascites and/or peripheral edema showed features of water retention (larger body mass changes -0.50 +1.21 kg vs 0.23 +1.38 kg; p < 0.05). After colonoscopy a significant increase of body temperature by 0.23 +0.30 degrees C; p < 0.001 was noted, while examination had no significant effect on serum creatinine level and white blood cell number., Conclusions: Liver cirrhosis may predispose to certain diseases of the large bowel, including portal colopathy and adenomatous polyps. Procedures accomplished before and during colonoscopy seem to be safe for cirrhotic patients, however, in decompensated cirrhosis exists a tendency to further water retention.

Unlabelled: A simple, non-invasive examination separating patients with irritable bowel syndrome from those affected by Crohn's disease (CD) has not been found, so far. Immune disturbances associated with release of various cytokines play an important role in CD pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of serum levels of broad panel of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in differentiation between patients with CD and intact bowel., Material and Methods: To the study were included 57 patients with established diagnosis of ileo-coecal CD (according to endoscopic, radiologic and histopathologic criteria) and 21 subjects with no organic bowel pathology. Serum concentrations of CRP and proinflammatory (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-1, IL-1RA, IL-6sR, TNF-alpha R2) cytokines were measured by immunoenzymatic method in both groups., Results: Serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and TNF-alpha R2 were significantly different in CD patients than in control group. Among these cytokines TNF-alpha serum level showed the highest discriminative diagnostic efficacy between both groups. The diagnostic efficacies of CRP (cut-off value was 4.25 mg/dl) and TNF-alpha (cut-off value 2.5 microg/ml) were similar, showing respectively an accuracy of 81% and 74%, sensitivity of 79% and 65% and specificity of 89% and 100%., Conclusion: TNF-alpha showed the highest diagnostic efficacy in differentiating patients with CD from healthy subjects, however, the TNF-alpha does not exceed diagnostic value of CRP.

Unlabelled: Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are not prefect indicators of Crohn's disease severity. Magnetic resonance enteroclysis (MRE) is a method allowing simultaneous assessment of lesions involving an entire intestinal wall as well as intra- and extraintestinal spaces. This method, however, is not appropriate for monitoring the course of disease and therapeutic effects., The Aim of the Study: To evaluate which of the extensive panel of pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines correlates with an actual severity of CD assessed by MRE. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 57 patients with endoscopically diagnosed ileocecal form of CD (28 women, age 29 + 11 yrs, range 18-62 yrs) hospitalized in 2007-2008. The mean CDAI was 293 + 119 points, range 18-503 points and serum CRP level was 17.5 + 31 mg/l, range 0.1-122 mg/l. MRE was performed in each patient not later than 3 days after entry to the study. The summarized score was calculated using standardized protocol, assessing the intestine wall thickness and length of its involvement (ileocecal region), pattern of mural contrast enhancement, presence of fistulas or other extraintestinal lesions and enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes. At admission the blood was taken to measure following cytokines: IL-la, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-6, soluble IL-6 receptor, TNF-alpha, TNF-alpha type II receptor and IL-10., Results: In Spearman's correlation test the MRE score showed the strongest relationship with serum level of TNF-alpha type II receptor (r = 0.52, p < 0.001), correlating less significantly with IL-6 level (r = 0.37, p < 0.01) and CDAI (r = 0.40, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: TNFalpha receptor type II shows better correlation with the severity of ileocecal CD (assessed by MRE) than CDAI or serum levels of other cytokines and CRP.

Background: Visfatin has been identified as a new adipokine with proinflammatory and immunomodulating properties. It seems to interfere with immune and fibrogenic process in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim was to assess visfatin expression in the liver tissue and its association with biochemical parameters and morphological features in NAFLD patients., Material and Methods: The study included 40 severely obese patients with NAFLD who underwent intraoperative wedge liver biopsy during a bariatric operation. Immunohistochemical assay was carried out with the use of a visfatin mice monoclonal antibody., Results: Visfatin expression in the liver was observed in all patients. The expression was significantly higher in patients with fibrosis (p = 0.036) and was positively correlated with the fibrosis stage (r = 0.52, p = 0.03). There was no difference between patient with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and simple steatosis (p = 0.54). Inflammatory activity and NAS (NAFLD Activity Score) score were not associated with visfatin expression. There was a tendency of more evident visfatin liver expression in morbidly obese patients with diabetes mellitus., Conclusion: Our study showed a positive association between visfatin and the fibrosis stage in NAFLD. This observation suggests a potential role of this adipokine in the pathogenesis and progression of NAFLD. Visfatin expression does not seem to be associated with liver steatosis and inflammation.

Ulcerative colitis (CU) and Crohn's disease (CD) are called inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In the light of contemporary knowledge it is believed that a common feature of CU and CD is chronic gut inflammation which is the result of a combination of genetic, immunologic and environmental factors. CU and CD incidence peak is observed in the age group from 20 to 40 and, therefore, women in reproductive age constitute the bulk of it Dagnostics is based on biochemical, endoscopic and histologic examinations whereas treatment is based on long-term anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive pharmacotherapy. Knowledge of the influence of IBD on pregnancy course and proper treatment allows us to reduce the risk of serious obstetric complications and significant adverse reactions to medication. In this review we discuss the issue of inflammatory bowel diseases affecting pregnant women, their impact on pregnancy and risk of obstetrical complications, as well as pharmacotherapy safety issues.

Introduction: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is the clinical relationship between hepatic dysfunction and the arterial hypoxygenation caused by significant intrapulmonary arteriovenous blood leakage. HPS is responsible for increased peritransplant mortality. Data on prevalence of HPS are contradictory and its clinical risk factors are still unknown. Aim of the study was assessment of prevalence of HPS in cirrhotic patients qualified to liver transplantation and determination of clinical risk factors of this syndrome., Material and Methods: The study involved 30 patients with advanced liver cirrhosis of different etiology, qualified to liver transplantation. In all patients the laboratory hepatic examinations, pulmonary function tests (spirometry, gasometry) and albumin lungs-brain scintigraphy were performed., Results: We did not find symptomatic HPS in the investigated group, but 2 patients (6.6%) with alcoholic cirrhosis showed arterio-venous intrapulmonary shunt. No significant differences in demographic and clinical data were found between patients with and without intrapulmonary shunt., Conclusions: Symptomatic HPS is rare complication of advanced cirrhosis. Symptom free intrapulmonary shunt occurs in less than 10% of patients, however, significance and clinical risk factors of this phenomenon remain unknown.

Symptoms associated with neoplasms that are not a direct result of tumor growth, metastases, concomitant infection or antineoplastic treatment are known as paraneoplastic syndrome (PS). PS results from autoimmune reaction against antigens common to host nervous cells and neoplasm. The most common neurological PS are Lambert-Eaton syndrome, paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and polyneuropathies. The most common neoplasms inducing PS are oat cell lung carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, breast carcinoma, neuroblastoma, thymoma and lymphoma. From 2001 to 2004 at the Dept. of Neurology, Ageing, Degenerative and Cerebrovascular Diseases the paraneoplastic polyneuropathy was diagnosed in 6 patients. The authors report on a 86-year-old male with peripheral polyneuropathy and respiratory failure who presented PS ten months prior to finding of primary neoplastic lesion in lungs. The authors discuss diagnostic and therapeutic problems in patients with PS. This report reminds that in each unclear case of polyneuropathy PS should be strongly suspected.

Splanchnic arterial relaxation is the most important pathology in systemic circulation of portal hypertensive patients. Progressive decline of splanchnic vascular resistance is responsible for development of circulatory dysfunction syndrome (CDS), associated with reduction of effective blood volume within central vascular compartment and compensatory stimulation of vasopressor and natrium retaining hormonal mechanisms. Advanced CDS is characterized by increased cardiac output, tachycardia and low arterial pressure. Complications of CDS have functional nature and comprise: renal failure (hepatorenal syndrome), respiratory failure in context of hepatopulmonary syndrome, cardiac insufficiency produced by portopulmonary hypertension or portal cardiomyopathy, hemorrhages from digestive tract caused by hypertensive portal gastropathy or derangements of brain perfusion. The management of CDS relies on adequate filling of vascular system (albumin), constriction of arterial splanchnic vessels (beta-blocker, analogs of vasopressin and somatostatin), reduction of cardiac output (beta-blocker) and giving support to local vasoprotective mechanisms (prostaglandins, nitric oxide, blockade of ET-A receptors).

Idiopathic adult ductopenia is a rare disease characterized by chronic cholestasis related to an unexplained loss of the interlobular bile ducts. We report on a 43-year-old woman, whose clinical course of cholestatic disease was indolent and non-progressive, and laboratory abnormalities occurred intermittently. Histological examination of liver specimen showed absence of interlobular bile ducts, intensive proliferation of peripheral bile ductules and only minimal inflammatory portal response. Given the presence of microscopic non-specific chronic proctitis, hypothyroidism and antinuclear antibodies in serum we hypothesize that idiopathic adult ductopenia could be a variant of primary sclerosing cholangitis affecting exclusively small bile ducts.

Precise evaluation of bile duct stones presence in particular moment, performed using the most non-invasive method, is important for the planning of optimal treatment. Not only simple imaging procedures (like conventional transabdominal ultrasound--US) but also more sophisticated imaging methods (CT or MRI) are frequently useless. The "gold standards" of bile duct stones diagnosis are still endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic sphincterotomy and surgical choledochotomy. However, the ERCP expose the patients to the risk of some serious complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of patients case history data and non-invasive tests (such as biochemistry, ultrasound data) in order to establish a risk scale in cases suspected for common bile duct stones. The investigated group comprised of 135 patients treated from January 1996 through March 1997 in the Department of Gastroenterology Silesian Medical Academy. In patients prospectively enrolled to the study case history and a set of blood biochemical examinations were completed. In following, US was performed. The verification of the biliary tree (done with ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy or surgical choledochotomy) was performed. Examiners (US, ERCP) were blind to the other results of a patient. Case history data, laboratory blood tests and US results were used to select parameters significantly differing between patients with and without bile duct stones. Thirteen parameters were tested using Mann-Whitney's and chi 2 tests and four parameters were finally selected. For every selected parameter cut off values (i.e. values best differentiating patients with and without stones) were chosen on the basis of the chi 2 value, 95% confidence interval of risk ratio and Youden's index (gamma-GTP, alanine transaminase, enlarged bile ducts on US, bile duct stones on US). In the next step a set of different combinations of selected parameters was tested to find out the best waged scale for bile duct stones risk diagnosis. Finally, diagnostic efficacy of the best constructed scales and US alone were compared. Constructed risk scales can not be employed in the primary selection of patients, as their positive predictive value is quite high, but negative predictive value is low. US is also not valuable in evaluation of patients suspected for common bile duct stones.

Ethanol toxicity on liver is a function of duration of alcoholism, amount of daily intake of alcohol and patient's nutrition. The threshold of alcohol toxicity on the liver is about 40 g of ethanol daily in men and 20-30 g in women, however liver cirrhosis develops in no more than 8-20% of patients exceeding this values. Ethanol is oxidized in the liver to acetaldehyde--a compound considerably more toxic than ethanol itself. Despite small amount of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) found in gastric mucosa, the metabolism of ethanol in this site may have an important hepatoprotective effect. The oxidation of ethanol is associated with a change of hepatocyte redox homeostasis, which leads to a number of metabolic disorders such as lactic acidosis, hyperlipidaemia and hyperuricaemia. Chronic ethanol consumption does not influence ADH activity, but has a profound stimulatory effect on microsomal enzymes, in particular cytochrome CYP2E1. This fact is responsible for development in alcoholic liver associated with rise of oxygen consumption, excessive production of free radicals and increased metabolism of ethanol, vitamin A and testosterone. Ethanol and acetaldehyde have a deleterious effect, both the direct and indirect, on hepatocytes e.g., generating radical oxygen species and damaging intestinal mucosal barrier. Cellular oxidative stress that is caused by both an excess of free radicals and the antioxidatives' deficiency (glutathion, vitamin E, phosphatidylcholine), may be the principal factor responsible for progression of alcoholic liver disease. Among other factors accelerating alcohol-related liver lesion there are certain drugs, high fat diet, infection with HCV and genetic factors (female sex, enzymatic polymorphic forms of ADH and ALDH, hemochromatosis). Great importance in pathogenesis of necrotic and inflammatory hepatic events is being attributed to portal endotoxaemia and cytokines induced within the liver, in particular TNF-alpha and interleukin 8. These cytokines play a key role in development of alcoholic hepatitis, which clinical severity ranges from subclinical to fatal forms. Apart from abstinence, the treatment of alcohol liver disease is based on hyperalimentation, since alcoholism is generally associated with protein malnutrition. In severe forms of alcohol hepatitis corticosteroids are recommended.

Background: The aim of our study was to analyze drug-induced liver disease over a 3-year period in one gastroenterological department., Material/methods: International consensus standard definitions and criteria for assessing causality of adverse drug reactions were applied to all patients with abnormal hepatic test results., Results: Drugs were implicated in hepatic injury in 14 patients (8 females) in whom causal relationship between drug and liver disease was definite or highly probable. The drugs responsible were amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (3 cases), fluvastatin and pravastatin (3 cases), antituberculous drugs (2 cases), estrogens, roxithromycin, asacol, satolol, enalapril and thiamazol. A total of 78.6% (11 cases) were classified as hepatocellular or mixed hepatitis, while cholestatic injury was found in 21.4% (3 cases). There were no lethal or severe (prothrombin < 50%) hepatic drug reactions. In 13 patients the course of liver disease after withdrawal of the offensive drug was either acute or protracted, while in one patient there was chronic cholestasis (>3 years) resulting from injury to interlobular bile ducts by amoxicllin with clavulanic acid., Conclusions: A thorough history of drug intake should be taken in all patients presenting with abnormal hepatic test results. Amoxicillin & clavulanic acid, cholesterol-lowering and antituberculin drugs were the most frequent hepatotoxic factors in our patients. In a majority of cases the liver injury was not severe, and resolved after prompt withdrawal of the responsible drug.