Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a consequence of excessive alcohol use. According to many studies, alcohol represents a significant socioeconomic and health risk factor in today’s population. According to data from the World Health Organization, there are about 75 million people who have alcohol disorders, and it is well known that its use leads to serious health problems. ALD is a multimodality spectrum that includes alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFL) and alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH), consequently leading to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. In addition, the rapid progression of alcoholic liver disease can lead to alcoholic hepatitis (AH). Alcohol metabolism produces toxic metabolites that lead to tissue and organ damage through an inflammatory cascade that includes numerous cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the process of inflammation, mediators are cells of the immune system, but also resident cells of the liver, such as hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and Kupffer cells. These cells are activated by exogenous and endogenous antigens, which are called pathogen and damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs, DAMPs). Both are recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which activation triggers the inflammatory pathways. It has been proven that intestinal dysbiosis and disturbed integrity of the intestinal barrier perform a role in the promotion of inflammatory liver damage. These phenomena are also found in chronic excessive use of alcohol. The intestinal microbiota has an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the organism, and its role in the treatment of ALD has been widely investigated. Prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, and symbiotics represent therapeutic interventions that can have a significant effect on the prevention and treatment of ALD.

The proportion of elderly people in the world population is constantly increasing. With age, the risk of numerous chronic diseases and their complications also rises. Research on the subject of cellular senescence date back to the middle of the last century, and today we know that senescent cells have different morphology, metabolism, phenotypes and many other characteristics. Their main feature is the development of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), whose pro-inflammatory components affect tissues and organs, and increases the possibility of age-related diseases. The liver is the main metabolic organ of our body, and the results of previous research indicate that its regenerative capacity is greater and that it ages more slowly compared to other organs. With age, liver cells change under the influence of various stressors and the risk of developing chronic liver diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases. It has been proven that these diseases progress faster in the elderly population and in some cases lead to end-stage liver disease that requires transplantation. The treatment of elderly people with chronic liver diseases is a challenge and requires an individual approach as well as new research that will reveal other safe and effective therapeutic modalities.

Background: This study aimed to calculate the frequency of elevated liver enzymes in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and to test if liver enzyme biochemistry levels on admission could predict the computed tomography (CT) scan severity score of bilateral interstitial pneumonia. Methods: This single-center study comprised of 323 patients including their demographic data, laboratory analyses, and radiological findings. All the information was taken from electronic health records, followed by statistical analysis. Results: Out of 323 patients, 115 of them (35.60%) had aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and/or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) over 40 U/L on admission. AST was the best predictor of CT scan severity score of bilateral interstitial pneumonia (R² = 0.313, Adjusted R² = 0.299). CT scan severity score in the peak of the infection could be predicted with the value of AST, neutrophils, platelets, and monocytes count (R² = 0.535, Adjusted R² = 0.495). Conclusion: AST, neutrophils, platelets, and monocytes count on admission can account for almost half (49.5%) of the variability in CT scan severity score at peak of the disease, predicting the extensiveness of interstitial pneumonia related to COVID-19 infection. Liver enzymes should be closely monitored in order to stratify COVID-19 patients with a higher risk of developing severe forms of the disease and to plan the beforehand step-up treatment.

Background/Objectives: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and remains incurable in approximately 30–40% of patients despite advances in immunochemotherapy. Although gene expression profiling has improved risk stratification, there is an ongoing need for non-invasive, cost-effective, and clinically practical biomarkers to identify patients at high risk of treatment resistance or relapse (R/R). Systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in DLBCL pathogenesis, impacting both tumor progression and treatment response. The C-reactive protein–albumin–lymphocyte (CALLY) index, integrating markers of inflammation, nutritional status, and immune competence, has demonstrated prognostic relevance in solid tumors; however, its relevance in hematologic malignancies remains unexplored. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 180 adults with newly diagnosed DLBCL, NOS (not otherwise specified) who received frontline rituximab-based immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP or CHOP-like regimens) between January 2014 and December 2019 at three tertiary centers in Serbia. The median age was 67 years (IQR 59–73), and 56.1% were female. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined 6.5 as the optimal CALLY index cut-off (AUC 0.744, 95% CI 0.670–0.817; p < 0.001). Results: A low CALLY index (<6.5) was significantly associated with adverse clinical features, including anemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and β2-microglobulin, poor ECOG performance status, bulky disease, advanced stage, and unfavorable IPI, R-IPI, and NCCN-IPI scores (all p < 0.001). In contrast, no associations were observed with tumor subtype, immunophenotype, or comorbidities. Furthermore, patients with CALLY <6.5 showed lower overall response rates to treatment (59.6% vs. 85.5%, p < 0.001) and higher relapse rates (21.0% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.014). They also experienced reduced 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) (all p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a low CALLY index independently predicted poorer OS (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.13–3.67; p = 0.017) and EFS (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.13–3.14; p = 0.015). In addition, it independently identified patients at risk of relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.02–10.10; p = 0.04), outperforming standard prognostic indices. Conclusions: The CALLY index is a simple, low-cost, and widely accessible biomarker that independently predicts prognosis in DLBCL, NOS. It outperforms standard indices in identifying R/R cases. The CALLY index may enhance risk stratification and guide individualized treatment strategies.

Large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the general population, constituting 40-50% of all NHL cases, and over 60% of lymphoma cases in the population of patients over 65 years. Given their increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of this lymphoma type is expected to grow in the upcoming years. Treating these patients is a significant challenge due to numerous factors that complicate the treatment and worsen the outcome of the disease. Elderly patients often have comorbid conditions, weakened organ function, altered drug metabolism, and reduced hematopoietic capacity for bone marrow recovery, which makes them less tolerant to chemotherapy. A poorer prognosis is attributed to a higher frequency of the non-GCB subtype and histologically unfavorable types of LBCL, such as EBV-positive LBCL, High-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL), and plasmablastic lymphoma, as well as extranodal localizations associated with worse outcomes. Treating elderly patients is complex because they represent a highly heterogeneous population with significant variations in health status, comorbid conditions, and expected lifespans. Therefore, when it comes to elderly patients, a comprehensive geriatric assessment is necessary, including the determination of a comorbidity index to differentiate between those in good general condition (fit), those in poor general condition (frail), and those who are in between. The treatment can be aimed at recovery, life extension, or symptom control. The standard therapy for elderly patients with good general condition and advanced disease is R-CHOP, while for patients with comorbidities and poor general condition, reduced protocols with or without anthracyclines are considered. Previously, elderly patients with relapsed or refractory LBCL faced a very poor prognosis due to limited treatment options. However, the treatment of elderly patients with R/R LBCL has improved in recent years due to the introduction of new drugs (polatuzumab, tafasitamab, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cells) that can be used in older individuals.