To compare the long-term outcomes of combined transarterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation (TACE-RFA) with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) monotherapy for small (≤3 cm) hepatocellular ...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported in human diseases, in which chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is included. Herein, we assessed the role along with the possible mechanisms of miR‐150‐5p in cigarette smoke‐ (CS‐) induced COPD. The plasma miR‐150‐5p expression was lower in patients with COPD and acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and was related to disease diagnosis, disease severity, and lung function. Consistently, exposure to CS for 3 months or 3 days reduced miR‐150‐5p in the plasma and lung tissues of mice, and CS extract (CSE) inhibited miR‐150‐5p in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in a concentration along with time‐dependent approach. In vitro, miR‐150‐5p overexpression decreased the contents of inflammatory factors interleukin‐ (IL‐) 6, IL‐8 along with cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers glucose‐regulated protein (GRP) 78 and C/‐EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and promoted cell migrate. Mechanistically, miR‐150‐5p could bind with the 3 ^′‐untranslated region (UTR) of inositol requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), while IRE1α overexpression obliterated the impacts of miR‐150‐5p. Besides, N‐acetyl‐cysteine (NAC) reversed CSE‐induced miR‐150‐5p downregulation and its downstream effects. In vivo, miR‐150‐5p overexpression counteracted CS‐triggered IRE1α upregulation, inflammation, and ER stress in the lung tissues of mice. In conclusion, our findings illustrated that ROS‐mediated downregulation of miR‐150‐5p led to CS‐induced COPD by inhibiting IRE1α expression, suggesting to serve as a useful biomarker for diagnosing and treating COPD.

Background and Aim. To investigate the incidence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after devascularization treatment and to explore the risk factors of perioperative PVT and PVT diagnosed during the follow‐up period after surgery. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed medical records from cirrhosis patients who underwent devascularization for the treatment of portal hypertension in our hospital between January 1, 2008, and December 20, 2014. Patients were followed up to investigate the PVT incidence at different times after surgery. Patients were divided into two groups (PVT, no PVT), and the risk factors for PVT after surgery were determined. Results. Until October 16, 2015, the median follow‐up time of the 124 patients enrolled into this study was 41.43 months (range, 5.47–95.30 months). 61 patients had perioperative PVT, and 21 (16.94%) patients had PVT diagnosed during the follow‐up period. Those who had lower preoperative white blood cell counts, larger preoperative portal vein trunk diameter, and no gastric varices were more likely to have perioperative thrombosis. In those without perioperative PVT, a history of hypertension, higher grade of splenomegaly, and higher preoperative levels of creatinine were independent predictors of PVT occurrence during the follow‐up period. Conclusions. The risk factors for perioperative PVT in cirrhotic patients after devascularization were lower preoperative white blood cell count and larger portal vein trunk diameter, with no gastric varices. A history of hypertension, a larger spleen, and higher preoperative creatinine level are independent predictors of PVT during follow‐up after surgery in patients without perioperative PVT.

Objective. The role of anticoagulants in chronic liver diseases is inconclusive. A meta-analysis was thus undertaken to evaluate treatment-related survival and antifibrotic effects in animal models of chronic liver diseases. Methods. A systematic search of the literature took place (up to November 2020), screening for preclinical studies that evaluated anticoagulant effects in animal models of chronic liver diseases. We assessed the quality of methods and the certainty of evidence. Data on outcomes were extracted and pooled into random-effects models. Results. Sixteen studies proved eligible, each assessing anticoagulant use in animals with chronic liver diseases. Generally, the pooled evidence demonstrated that the administration of anticoagulants is preventive against fibrogenesis, as indicated by METAVIR fibrosis scores (risk ratio=0.66, 95 confidence interval: 0.47 to 0.94), portal pressure determinations (mean difference=1.39, 95 confidence interval: 2.33 to 0.44), inflammatory activity (mean difference=169.69, 95 confidence interval: 257.64 to 81.74), and indices of hepatic injury, specifically alanine aminotransferase (mean difference=82.7, 95 confidence interval: 107.36 to 58.04), aspartate aminotransferase (mean difference=186.12, 95 confidence interval: 254.90 to 117.33), albumin (mean difference=0.59, 95 confidence interval: 0.16 to 1.01), and total bilirubin (mean difference=0.96, 95 confidence interval: 1.46 to 0.46), and it had no impact on animal survival (risk ratio=1.03, 95 confidence interval: 0.94 to 1.13). Conclusions. Our assessments indicate that in animal models of chronic liver diseases, anticoagulants may alleviate the degree of fibrosis evaluated by the METAVIR score system, portal pressure, inflammatory activity, and serum indices of hepatocellular injury, without impacting survival. High-quality experimental studies are still required.

Tissue adhesive injection is the first-line treatment for gastric varices rebleeding. Available studies are focused on antibiotic usage in emergency endoscopy, while the use of antibiotics in selective endoscopic tissue adhesive treatment remains controversial. This is a randomized controlled study conducted in a tertiary referral hospital. Consecutive patients were enrolled from February 16, 2016, to November 19, 2016, and blindly randomized into two treatment groups. Patients in the prophylactic group received 2 g of cefotiam during endoscopic injection of tissue adhesive. All the subjects were observed for rebleeding, fever, and changes in laboratory indicators in hospital and post-discharge. One hundred and seven patients who received endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal varices were included. Fifty-three patients were allocated to the antibiotic prophylactic group and 54 patients to the on-demand group. The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. The incidence of fever in hospital was 2/53 (3.8%) vs 9/54 (16.7%) (P = 0.028). Perioperative and postoperative clinical events were significantly lower in the antibiotic prophylactic group (5.7% vs 24.1%, P = 0.018; 7.5% vs 20.4%, P = 0.050). Inflammation indices were elevated on the first day after endoscopic therapy; however, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The cumulative rebleeding free rate within 2 months was lower in the antibiotic prophylactic group (1.9% vs 9.3%, P = 0.100). Our study illustrated that prophylactic use of antibiotics in selective endoscopic injection of tissue adhesive reduced the incidence of the total clinical events in perioperative period and had a trend towards lower rebleeding in 2 months.