Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Pharmacol Ther 2020 Jun 1. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Yale University School of Medicine, Liver Center, New Haven, CT, USA.

Cholestatic liver diseases result in the hepatic retention of bile acids, causing subsequent liver toxicity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) regulates bile acid metabolism. In this retrospective observational study, we assessed the effects of fenofibrate (a PPARα agonist) therapy on bile acid metabolism when given to patients with PBC and PSC who have had an incomplete response to Ursodiol monotherapy. Read More

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Novara, Italy and Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Novara, Italy.

Med J Armed Forces India 2020 Apr 16;76(2):240-241. Epub 2019 Dec 16.

Resident (Radiodiagnosis), Narayan Medical College and Hospital, Sasaram, Bihar, India.

J Visc Surg 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Digestive and transplantation Department, Lille Nord de France University, Claude Huriez Hospital, University Hospital of Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille, France.

Neoplastic gallbladder polyps (NGP) are rare; the prevalence in the overall population is less than 10%. NGP are associated with a risk of malignant degeneration and must be distinguished from other benign gallbladder polypoid lesions that occur more frequently. NGP are adenomas and the main risk associated with their management is to fail to detect their progression to gallbladder cancer, which is associated with a particular poor prognosis. Read More

Dig Endosc 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.

Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Gallstones and cholecystitis are common clinical problems. There is a wide spectrum of disease severity, from rare symptoms of biliary colic to severe cholecystitis with marked gallbladder infection and inflammation that can cause life-threatening sepsis. The care of such patients is similarly varied and multi-disciplinary. Read More

Am J Gastroenterol 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERehd, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Objectives: Antibodies to hexokinase 1 (HK1) and kelch-like 12 (KLHL12) have been identified as potential biomarkers in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and this study assesses changes of these antibodies over time and if they are associated with clinical outcomes.

Methods: Two hundred fifty-four PBC patients (93.3% female, 51 ± 12. Read More

Surgery 2020 May 25. Epub 2020 May 25.

Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Emory Department of Surgery, Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA.

Background: We sought to prospectively identify risk factors for biliary complications and 30-day readmission after cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis across multiple US hospitals.

Methods: We performed a prospective, observational study of patients who underwent same admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis between 2016 and 2019 at 12 US centers. Patients with prior history of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or diagnosis of cholangitis were excluded. Read More

Hepatology 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

University of Utah and Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Background & Aims: Disease progression in children with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is variable. Prognostic and risk-stratification tools exist for adult-onset PSC, but not for children. We aimed to create a tool that accounts for the biochemical and phenotypic features and early disease stage of pediatric PSC. Read More

Hepatology 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, People's Republic of China.

Cholangiopathies are a group of diseases mainly including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), biliary atresia (BA), and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Very limited treatment options are available for these diseases. Following an injury and exposure to DAMPs (Damage associated molecular patterns) and/or PAMPs (Pathogen-associated molecular patterns), cholangiocytes produce a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines leading to the activation of other innate and also adaptive immune cells. Read More

Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2020 Feb;11(2):e00129

Department of Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Objectives: Monogenic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises rare Mendelian causes of gut inflammation, often presenting in infants with severe and atypical disease. This study aimed to identify clinically relevant variants within 68 monogenic IBD genes in an unselected pediatric IBD cohort.

Methods: Whole exome sequencing was performed on patients with pediatric-onset disease. Read More

Liver Int 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke-University Hospital Magdeburg, Leipziger Strasse 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.

Background & Aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterized by chronic cholestasis and inflammation, which promotes cirrhosis and an increased risk of cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCA). The transcription factor Krueppel-like-factor-6 (KLF6) is a mediator of liver regeneration, steatosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but no data is yet available on its potential role in cholestasis. Here, we aimed to identify the impact of hepatic KLF6 expression on cholestatic liver injury and PSC and identify potential effects on farnesoid-X-receptor (FXR) signalling. Read More

Cureus 2020 Apr 22;12(4):e7774. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Gastroenterology, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, IND.

Gossypiboma refers to a retained surgical sponge that can occur after any type of surgery. Though it is a rare complication of surgery, the retention of surgical sponges still occurs. We report a case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with recurrent upper abdominal pain and fever. Read More

Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2020 Jul 14;55:66-68. Epub 2020 May 14.

Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

Congenital agenesis of the gall bladder is a very rare ranging from 0.02% to 0.002% in clinical practice. Read More

Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2020 Jan;32(2):200-202

Harbin Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150030, China.

Objective: To build a discriminant function of clonorchiasis sinensis using stepwise discriminant analysis, so as to investigate the feasibility of discriminant analysis for clonorchiasis sinensis screening.

Methods: Ten villages in Mulan County of Harbin City were sampled as the study sites using a cluster random sampling method. The fecal samples were collected from the permanent residents in the study sites and detected for eggs using the modified Kato-Katz smear technique. Read More

Z Rheumatol 2020 May 26. Epub 2020 May 26.

Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Platz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland.

Testing for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) on human epithelial cell lines (HEp-2) using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) is central for ruling out or for diagnosing connective tissue diseases and other diseases, such as primary biliary cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis as well as drug-induced ANA. The comprehensive description of 29 different ANA-IIF patterns by the international consensus of ANA patterns (ICAP) facilitates the harmonization of ANA-IIF diagnostics. Positive ANA tests are frequently observed in healthy individuals and a reason for referral to rheumatologists. Read More

Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2020 May;24(2):150-155

Hepato Pancreato Biliary Clinic, Hospital General de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.

Backgrounds/aims: The bile duct injuries are the most severe complications that occur after the surgical manipulation of the bile duct. The hepaticojejunostomy remained as the best treatment. Several factors identified that affect the result. Read More

Case Rep Gastrointest Med 2020 11;2020:1416743. Epub 2020 May 11.

Augusta University, 1120 15 Street, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA.

Acute esophageal necrosis (AEN), or colloquially named "black esophagus," is a rare clinical condition often associated with ischemic injury to the esophagus secondary to splanchnic vasoconstriction during hypotensive episodes. We present a case of a 78-year-old man with extensive cardiovascular disease who was initially admitted for gallstone pancreatitis and possible cholangitis. His hospital course was complicated by possible sepsis secondary to aspiration pneumonia and hematemesis secondary to acute ischemic esophageal necrosis as noted on upper endoscopy. Read More

Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2020 May 26;112. Epub 2020 May 26.

Medicina Digestiva, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Valencia.

Endoscopic ampullectomy is indicated for the resection of non-invasive papillary adenomas in selected patients. Cholangitis is an uncommon complication (0-2%) that may be secondary to contamination during the procedure, poor emptying of the bile duct and prosthesis dysfunction or migration. Placement of a prophylactic biliary stent after the resection is not well established. Read More

Korean J Gastroenterol 2020 May;75(5):257-263

Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.

Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) are the pancreatobiliary manifestations of IgG4-related disease. IgG4-related disease is a newly named fibroinflammatory condition that is characterized by tumefactive lesions that contain dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates rich in IgG4-positive cells and often by elevated serum IgG4 concentrations. IgG4-related pancreatobiliary disease is often disguised as pancreatobiliary malignancies owing to its tumefactive nature and clinical presentations, such as obstructive jaundice. Read More

Korean J Gastroenterol 2020 May;75(5):246-256

Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are immune-mediated chronic liver diseases. PSC is a rare disorder characterized by multi-focal bile duct strictures and progressive liver diseases that ultimately results in the need for liver transplantation in most patients. Imaging studies, such as MRCP, have an essential role in the diagnosis of most cases of PSC. Read More

Intern Med 2020 May 23. Epub 2020 May 23.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.

We experienced a case of follicular cholangitis that was positive on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (F-FDG-PET). A 70-year-old man was admitted for jaundice. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography showed stenosis of the middle to upper choledocus. Read More

BMC Gastroenterol 2020 May 24;20(1):158. Epub 2020 May 24.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Shinkawa 6-20-2, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan.

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is still performed using two-dimensional (2D) X-ray images. The success rate and risk of complications are considered operator-dependent. We explored performing an ERCP-related procedure with 3D-computed tomography (CT) biliary imaging for preoperative simulation and intraoperative reference in a patient with malignant biliary obstruction. Read More

Int J Surg Case Rep 2020 May 15;71:116-119. Epub 2020 May 15.

Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Ofuna Chuo Hospital, 6-2-24, Ofuna, Kamakura, Kanagawa 247-0056, Japan. Electronic address:

Introduction: Cholecystoenteric fistula (CEF) is rare in biliary tract surgery, and cholecystogastric fistula (CGF) is the rarest form of CEF. Although open cholecystectomy with the closure of the fistula is the gold standard treatment for nonobstructing biliary-enteric fistulas, the optimal treatment for CGF has not been established. Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), a minimally invasive surgery for gastric submucosal tumors, reportedly helps achieve favorable postoperative outcomes. Read More

Transplant Proc 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address:

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess gastrointestinal (GI) monitoring in the group of patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) because of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) concomitant with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Analysis was performed of data collected from medical histories and telephone calls in 33 patients who underwent OLTx in the Department of General and Transplantation Surgery of the Medical University of Warsaw from 2001 through 2017 because of PSC concomitant with IBD.

Results: Only 52% of patients claimed they stayed under constant supervision of a GI clinic. Read More

Gastroenterology 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Centre for Liver and Gastroenterology Research, University of Birmingham, UK; Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, UK; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address:

Background & Aims: There are insufficient population-level data on effects of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: We identified incident cases of IBD, with PSC (PSC-IBD) and without, from April 2006 through to April 2016 and collected data on outcomes through April 2019. We linked data from national healthcare registries maintained for all adults in England on hospital attendances, imaging and endoscopic evaluations, surgical procedures, cancer, and deaths. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2020 ;1253:259-283

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, 145 Middle Shandong Road, Shanghai, 200001, China.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease with non-suppurative destruction of the intrahepatic bile ducts. The interplay of genetics and environmental triggers contributes to the onset of the disease and subsequently results in cholestasis and progressive fibrosis. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple genes influencing the susceptibility to PBC in HLA and non-HLA loci. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 May;99(20):e20205

Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University.

Background: Autoimmune liver disease (ALD) is a chronic liver disease caused by immune dysfunction in the body. However, no causative or curative medical treatment with proven efficacy exists to cure ALDs, and liver transplantation (LT) remains the only effective treatment available. However, the problem of recurrence of ALDs (rALDs) still remains after LT, which seriously affects the survival rate of the patients. Read More

Dig Dis Sci 2020 May 22. Epub 2020 May 22.

Department of Medicine, Nanaimo General Hospital, Nanaimo, BC, Canada.

Dig Dis Sci 2020 May 21. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Gastroenterology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan.

Background: The risk related to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 4 is uncertain and remains a concern.

Aims: We aimed to examine the safety and efficacy of ERCP in patients with PS4 compared to those in patients with PS0-3.

Methods: A total of 1845 patients met the eligibility criteria for study inclusion between 2014 and 2018. Read More

Steroids 2020 May 18;160:108657. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Chemistry, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China; Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China. Electronic address:

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is used to treatment for Primary Biliary Cholangitis and other Famesoid X Receptor related diseases. Through the palladium catalyzed Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling reaction, a novel and efficient method for synthesis of OCA with satisfied yield was successfully developed. The absolute configuration of the key intermediate was confirmed by Single-crystal X-ray Diffraction. Read More

Liver Int 2020 May 21. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background/purpose: Although ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a first-line treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), 20%-30% of patients with PBC exhibit an incomplete response to UDCA. Recently, the UDCA Response Score was proposed for predicting response to UDCA using pretreatment parameters in patients with PBC. We aimed to validate the UDCA Response Score in Japanese patients with PBC. Read More

Am J Gastroenterol 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

Division of Organ Transplant, Department of Medicine, Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla, California, USA.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune-mediated inflammatory cholestatic liver disease, which can progress to cirrhosis. This issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology features the results of the GLOBAL PBC Study Group evaluating patients with PBC over a 10-year period. . Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2020 5;7:149. Epub 2020 May 5.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.

Cholestatic liver diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and the leading indication for pediatric liver transplant. These include diseases such as biliary atresia, Alagille syndrome, progressive intrahepatic cholestasis entities, ductal plate abnormalities including Caroli syndrome and congenital hepatic fibrosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, bile acid synthesis defects, and certain metabolic disease. Medical management of these patients typically includes supportive care for complications of chronic cholestasis including malnutrition, pruritus, and portal hypertension. Read More

Surg Endosc 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 195 Collyer St, Suite 302, Providence, RI, 02904, USA.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is one of the safest, most commonly performed surgical procedures, but postoperative complications including bile leak, retained stone, cholangitis, and gallstone pancreatitis following LC occur in up to 2.6% of cases and may require readmission with possible endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) intervention. There is a paucity of literature on factors predictive of need for ERCP following LC. Read More

Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020 May 19:1-13. Epub 2020 May 19.

Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology and Hematology, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna , Bologna, Italy.

Introduction: Monoclonal antibodies directed against programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) and its ligand (anti-PD-L1) showed a significant efficacy among different immunogenic metastatic tumors such as melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Between immune-related adverse events (irAEs) dependent on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs), immune-related liver diseases are uncommon and a definitive diagnosis is not always feasible.

Areas Covered: We revised data from phase II/III clinical trials and real-world retrospective analyses on liver-related adverse events induced by anti-PD-1 (nivolumab/pembrolizumab) and anti-PD-L1 (atezolizumab) in advanced cancer populations (melanoma, NSCLC and RCC). Read More

J Surg Oncol 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: Surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC) is associated with high morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of the future liver remnant volume-to-body weight (FLRV/BW) and propose a risk score for predicting the risk of patients with PHCC developing posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF).

Methods: This study included 348 patients who underwent major hepatectomy with bile duct resection for PHCC during 2008-2015 at a single center in Korea and they were retrospectively analyzed. Read More

Acta Derm Venereol 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Dermatology, Necker Hospital, Paris, France.

Arab J Gastroenterol 2020 May 15. Epub 2020 May 15.

Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, UP, India.

Endoscopic biliary stenting is performed for various indications in routine clinical practice. Plastic stents are indicated primarily for short-term biliary decompression and require removal or exchange after 12-16 weeks. However, patients who become asymptomatic after the procedure may not return for scheduled stent removal and subsequently present with severe complications. Read More

Int J Surg Pathol 2020 May 18:1066896920924079. Epub 2020 May 18.

Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Context.: Follicular cholecystitis (FC) is a poorly characterized entity.

Objective. Read More