Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) improves, and can sometimes resolve, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) but data based on histological assessment for the efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in resolving NAFLD are sparse. Consequently, we aimed to compare the efficacy of RYGB vs. SG on NAFLD 12 months after surgery. In a prospective cohort study, 40 patients with obesity underwent bariatric surgery (16 RYGB and 24 SG). During surgery, a liver biopsy was taken and repeated 12 months later. NAFLD severity was evaluated using the NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) and Kleiner Fibrosis score. RYGB and SG patients were comparable at baseline. Mean (standard deviation, SD) NAS was 3.3 (0.9) in RYGB and 3.1 (1.4) in SG (p = 0.560) with similar degrees of steatosis, inflammation, and ballooning. Two RYGB patients, and six SG patients, had NASH (p = 0.439). Twelve months after surgery, NAS was significantly and comparably (p = 0.241) reduced in both RYGB (−3.00 (95% CI −3.79–−2.21), p < 0.001) and SG (−2.25 (95% CI −2.92–−1.59), p < 0.001) patients. RYGB patients had significantly more reduced (p = 0.007) liver steatosis (−0.91 (95% CI −1.47–−1.2) than SG patients (−0.33 (95% CI −0.54–−0.13) and greater improvement in the plasma lipid profile. Fibrosis declined non-significantly. NASH was resolved in seven of eight patients without a worsening of their fibrosis. RYGB and SG have similar beneficial effects on NAS and NASH without the worsening of fibrosis. RYGB is associated with a more pronounced reduction in liver steatosis.
In countries like Denmark, cervical cancer incidence is at present relatively high in elderly women, while routine screening stops at age 65 years. On this background, all women aged 69 and above were invited to human papillomavirus (HPV)-screening in Denmark in 2017. Women were identified from the Central Population Register and personally invited by digital or ordinary mail to have a screening sample taken by their general practitioner. In four regions, samples were tested for high risk (HPV) with the cobas 4800® HPV-assay, and in the last region with the BD Onclarity® HPV-assay. Participation rate, prevalence of high risk HPV, and proportion of positive samples with HPV16, HPV18, and other high risk HPV-types were tabulated by 5-year age-groups. 455,612 women were invited, and 30.2% (95 confidence interval (CI) 30.0-30.3) participated. Average age of participants was 74.6 years. Overall, 4.3% (95% CI 4.1-4.4) of participants were HPV-positive, of whom 24% had HPV 16/18. HPV-prevalence decreased slightly from 4.5% in women aged 69-73 years to 3.1% in women aged 84-88 years, but was 5.2% in the very small group of participants aged 89+ years. Invitation to HPV-screening was well received by elderly women. The HPV-prevalence decreased slightly with increasing age. No rebound of HPV-prevalence after menopause was found when our data were combined with previously published Danish data from younger women. The presently relatively high cervical cancer incidence in elderly women was not reflected in the HPV-prevalence.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the real-life screening outcomes after cytology was replaced by human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for women aged 60–64 years. METHODS: Using the Danish national pathology register, we compared screening outcomes during two consecutive calendar periods, one where women were screened with cytology and one where most women were screened with HPV testing. Our primary outcomes were the proportions of women with positive test results, high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2 or worse), and cervical cancer. RESULTS: Women screened during the HPV testing period were more likely to have a positive screening test result than were women screened during the cytology period (relative proportion 2.80, 95% CI 2.65–2.96). The detection of CIN 2 or worse was also increased (relative proportion 1.54, 95% CI 1.31–1.80), whereas there was no increase in screen-detected cervical cancer diagnoses (relative proportion 1.27, 95% CI 0.76–2.12). Within the first 4 years after a negative screening test result, including 168,477 woman-years at risk after a negative screen result in the HPV period and 451,421 woman-years after a negative screen result in the cytology period, the risk of a cervical cancer diagnosis was approximately 4 per 100,000 woman-years and was similar for both screening tests (relative risk 0.99, 95% CI 0.41–2.35). CONCLUSION: Human papillomavirus testing led to more positive screening test results and diagnoses of high-grade CIN lesions. Few women were diagnosed with cervical cancer after a negative screening test result.
Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. Nevertheless, stagnation has been seen in incidence rates also in countries with well‐functioning healthcare. On this basis, we investigated associations between control interventions and changes in cervical cancer incidence in Denmark from 2009 to 2022. Data on human papillomavirus (HPV)‐vaccination were retrieved from Staten's Serum Institute; on screening recommendations from Danish Health Authority, on screening performance from Danish Quality Database for Cervical Screening; and on cervical cancer incidence from Nordcan and Danish Cancer Register. We reported coverage with HPV vaccination (1+ dose); coverage with cervical cell samples; number of women with primary HPV tests; proportion of non‐normal cell samples without timely follow‐up; number of conizations; and cervical cancer incidence rates. In 2022, all women aged ≤29 had been offered childhood HPV vaccination with coverage of 80%–90%. By 2020–2022, the cervical cancer incidence rate in women aged 20–29 was 3 per 100,000; at level of disease elimination. In 2017, women aged 70+ were offered a one‐time HPV screening, and by 2020–2022, the old‐age peak in cervical cancer incidence had largely disappeared. From 2009 to 2022, proportion of non‐normal cell samples without timely follow‐up decreased from 20% to 10%, and conventional cytology was largely replaced by SurePath liquid‐based cytology; these factors could explain the steady decrease in cervical cancer incidence rate. Implementation of primary HPV screening in women aged 30–59 in 2021 was reflected in a, probably temporary, increase in the 2022 cervical cancer incidence rate. In conclusion, combined interventions with childhood HPV vaccination; one‐time HPV screening of elderly women; and better management of screening broke previous stagnation in cervical cancer incidence rate.
Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection that usually presents as a primary lung infection. The fungus is endemic to the Southwest United States of America, northern Mexico and parts of Central and South America the infection is rare outside these areas. However, some patients develop disseminated infection that can lie dormant for several years and can present itself in travelers. We report the first case of extra pulmonary Coccidioidomycosis in a non-immunocompromised individual in Denmark. A 32 year old Danish woman presented at the Emergency department with abdominal pain. Computed tomography scan and ultrasound examination of the pelvis raised suspicion of salpingitis. A laparoscopy exposed a necrotic salpinx and several small white elements that resembled peritoneal carcinomatosis. Histological workup however determined that she suffered from disseminated coccidioidomycosis. The patient had lived 2 years in Las Vegas, in the United States of America, 7 years prior and had no memory of lung infection at the time. Disseminated coccidioidomycosis is rare in non-immunocompromised individuals. The patient in this case underwent several rounds of in vitro fertilization treatment in the years before admittance. We suspect that the hormonal treatment in combination with low-dose prednisolone may have triggered reemergence of the disease and present literature that support this.
1 June 2024 in American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
Patients with autoimmune liver disease but without overt diabetes display glucose disturbances early on in their disease course. We identified pathophysiological traits specific to these patients including altered incretin responses.