Background and Aim: The present study aims to investigate the role of genetic variability of the PNPLA3 gene (adiponectin) in predisposition to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by comparing NAFLD patients to healthy controls and to investigate any impact of the PNPLA3 genetic variability on the natural course of the disease. Materials and Methods: This cohort consisted of 174 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 151 healthy controls. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the rs738409 C>G single nucleotide polymorphism was assessed using PCR-DNA sequencing. Results: The frequency distribution of the GG genotype was significantly higher in NAFLD patients than in controls (p=0.01). In patients with NAFLD, the GG genotype was associated with lower platelet counts (p=0.001), the presence of steatohepatitis (p=0.04) and hepatic fibrosis (p=0.016). After adjustment for age, gender, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, the GG genotype was an independent predictor of significant hepatic fibrosis (adjusted odds ratio =3.031 p=0.012). From the baseline to sequential liver biopsies, the progression of NAS in NAFLD patients was slightly higher in the GG genotype than that of CC and GG genotypes (p=0.18). Conclusion: The PNPLA3 GG genotype is a predisposing factor for the development of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD patients and related to a more severe liver disease.

The combination of hepatitis B immunoglobulin and potent nucleos(t)ide analogs after liver transplantation is considered as the standard of care for prophylaxis against hepatitis B virus recurrence. However, the recommended doses, route of administration, and duration of HBIG administration remain unclear. Moreover, hepatitis B immunoglobulin-free prophylaxis with potent nucleos(t)ide analogs has shown promising disease outcomes in preventing hepatitis B virus recurrence. The current recommendations, produced by the Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver, Acute Liver Failure and Liver Transplantation Special Interest Group, suggest a reduced need for hepatitis B immunoglobulin administration with effective long-term suppression of hepatitis B virus replication using potent nucleos(t) ide analogs after liver transplantation.

Background and Aim: This study aimed to identify the indications for liv-er transplantation (LT) based on underlying etiology and to characterize the patients who underwent LT. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multicenter crosssectional ob-servational study across 11 tertiary centers in Turkiye from 2010 to 2020. The study included 5,080 adult patients. Results: The mean age of patients was 50.3±15.2 years, with a predominance of female patients (70%). Chronic viral hepatitis (46%) was the leading etiological factor, with Hepatitis B virus infection at 35%, followed by cryptogenic cirrhosis (24%), Hepatitis C virus infection (8%), and al-cohol-related liver disease (ALD) (6%). Post-2015, there was a significant increase in both the number of liver transplants and the proportion of living donor liver transplants (p

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a novel acute infectious disease that has rapidly reached staggering pandemic proportions. This document addresses gastroenterologists, hepatologists, liver transplant specialist and health-care professionals working in the field of liver diseases and liver transplantation. It has been composed based on a limited number of publications, recommendations of national and international liver and organ transplantation societies, and COVID-19 patient experiences around the world. The purpose of this document is to provide information addressing questions and concerns about COVID-19, to reveal the effects of the novel disease on patients with chronic liver disease and liver transplant recipients, and to share information about the ways in which this pandemic will affect clinical practices. We, the Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL), would like to remind you that this text could actually be not a practical guide. It is imperative to act according to the standards set by health-care institutions and the Ministry of Health, Republic of Turkey.

This multicenter retrospective study analyzed 336 patients (236 adults, 100 children) who underwent liver transplantation (LT) for acute liver failure (ALF) between 2002 and 2019 across 14 centers in Türkiye. The aim was to evaluate pretransplant factors influencing short-term posttransplant survival. Median MELD and PELD scores were 31 and 30, respectively. The most common ALF etiologies were viral, indeterminate, and drug-induced causes. Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was more common in children (86.0%) than adults (57.2%). Mean posttransplant survival was 166±9 months in children and 117±6 months in adults. In adults, LDLT significantly improved survival compared to deceased donor LT (DDLT), with survival of 135 vs. 89 months (p=0.0012). Although pediatric LDLT recipients had longer mean survival than DDLT recipients (167 vs. 132 months), this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.5959). Three-month mortality was associated with low albumin and grade 4 hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in children. In adults, independent predictors of early mortality included DDLT, serum sodium >140 mEq/L, MELD >35, pH <7.3, and grade 4 HE. Our data suggest that LDLT may offer a survival advantage, particularly in adults with ALF. Identifying pretransplant risk factors is essential for improving early outcomes and guiding clinical decision-making.