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Biomedical subjects

Philippe Mathurin

Publications and source records attributed to Philippe Mathurin.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

A comparison of fibrosis progression in chronic liver diseases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: No study has compared the liver fibrosis progression rates among chronic liver diseases and the risk factors in order to better organize screening strategies. METHODS: A total of 4852 patients were retrospectively studied (chronic hepatitis C (HCV) [n=2313], human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-HCV co-infection (HIV-HCV [n=180]), hepatitis B (HBV [n=777]), alcoholic liver disease (ALD [n=701]), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC [n=406]), genetic hemochromatosis (GH [n=383]) auto-immune hepatitis (AIH [n=57]) and delta hepatitis (n=35). The fibrosis progression rates were estimated from birth and from the date of exposure, when known, to the first biopsy. RESULTS: There were highly significant differences in the rates of fibrosis progression, the most rapid being HIV-HCV co-infection (50% cirrhosis percentile at 52 years of age) and the slowest being PBC (50% cirrhosis percentile at 81 years). There was an acceleration of fibrosis progression with aging. Fibrosis progression was slower in females compared with males for HCV, HBV, GH, and PBC. In contrast, in ALD, the fibrosis progression was more rapid in females. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of fibrosis progression differ markedly between the predominant causes of chronic liver disease, and according to age and gender. Patients with HIV-HCV co-infection are at particularly high risk of fibrosis progression.

Adult↗

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils are a source of hepatocyte growth factor in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in liver regeneration. Plasma HGF levels correlate with survival and hepatocyte proliferation in alcoholic hepatitis (AH). As AH is accompanied by inflammation, neutrophilia and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) infiltration of the liver, we postulated that PMN could be a source of HGF in such patients. METHODS: We studied 25 patients with severe AH in comparison with 20 alcoholic cirrhotic patients without AH and 20 healthy controls; the impact of a 28-day course of corticosteroids was evaluated in patients with AH. RESULTS: On day 0, HGF plasma and homogenized liver tissue levels were markedly increased in AH patients as compared to controls. The role of PMN in HGF production during AH was confirmed by a significantly higher ex-vivo HGF production capacity of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated blood PMN from AH patients relative to both control groups. Formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine-induced PMN release of HGF (degranulation conditions) was also higher in AH patients. In this setting, we found that HGF release by PMN ex vivo correlated strongly with HGF plasma levels, and that the degree of hepatic PMN correlated strongly with hepatic HGF levels. HGF plasma levels and ex-vivo HGF release by PMN were unaffected by steroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that, by releasing HGF, PMN could participate in liver regeneration during severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Corticosteroids improve short-term survival in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH): individual data analysis of the last three randomized placebo controlled double blind trials of corticosteroids in severe AH.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Controversy surrounding the efficacy of corticosteroids in severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) persists. THE AIMS OF OUR STUDY WERE: (a) to analyze individual data of patients with severe AH discriminant function (DF)> or =32 from the last three randomized controlled trials; and (b) to identify the independent prognostic factors associated with short-term survival. METHODS: Individual data were collected from the three principal investigators. Survival analysis was performed at 28 days using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The independent prognostic values were assessed by the proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: About 102 placebo and 113 corticosteroid patients with DF > or =32 were analyzed. At 28 days, corticosteroid patients had significantly higher survival: 84.6+/-3.4% vs. 65.1+/-4.8%, P=0.001. In univariate analysis, corticosteroid treatment, age, DF, albumin, creatinine and encephalopathy were prognostic factors. In multivariate analysis, age (P=0.0001), serum creatinine (P<0.002) and corticosteroid treatment (P=0.002) were independent prognostic variables. A more dramatic decrease of median serum bilirubin values (micromol/l) was observed at 7 and 14 days in corticosteroid patients (P<0.05) : -76.5 vs. -35 and -105 vs. -45. CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroids improved short-term survival of patients with severe AH. Age and serum creatinine are independent prognostic factors. Corticosteroids are recommended for patients with severe AH.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Effect of terlipressin (Glypressin) on hepatorenal syndrome in cirrhotic patients: results of a multicentre pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a severe complication of cirrhosis, leading to death in more than 90% of cases in the absence of liver transplantation. Several treatments have been attempted as a bridge to liver transplantation. Among such treatments, terlipressin has been studied in several reports, two prospective pilot studies and a double-blind, short-term, controlled haemodynamic study. Promising results have been shown with this drug. The purpose of this multicentre retrospective study was to evaluate the effects of terlipressin on renal function and survival of patients with HRS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients recruited in three liver units with type 1 HRS in 16 cases and type 2 HRS in two cases were given 4 mg/day terlipressin (range 1.5-12) for 7 days (range 2-16). Electrolytes, renal function, mean urinary output, natriuresis, liver function tests, and tolerance of the treatment were monitored regularly. RESULTS: A total of 13/18 (72%) patients responded with a mean decline in serum creatinine ranging from 31 to 75% from day 0 to day 5. Eight of these 13 patients had a normal serum creatinine level at day 5. Liver function tests remained unaffected by terlipressin administration. Three local necrosis complications were noted in patients receiving terlipressin continuously via an infusion pump. Two responder patients survived: one of these underwent orthotopic liver transplantation with a follow-up of 24 months; the other is alive with a follow-up of more than 36 months. Patients who responded to terlipressin had lower baseline serum bilirubin and significantly higher serum sodium concentrations than patients who did not respond. CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, improvement in renal function was noted in 72% of cases after administration of terlipressin, and was associated with long-term survival in two patients. Parameters associated with response to terlipressin and increased survival should be defined better in a large cohort of cirrhotic patients with HRS.

Aged↗

Prothrombin index decrease: a useful and reliable marker of extensive fibrosis?

Non-invasive serum markers of extensive liver fibrosis are required in clinical practice for several reasons: (1) although histological analysis is considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis, the rate of false-negative results is approximately 15-20%; (2) liver biopsy is an invasive method with a 1/10 000 mortality rate, even though occurrence of death is exceptional in patients with diffuse liver disease; (3) patients with chronic viral hepatitis have to undergo multiple liver biopsies during follow-up to assess the progression of tissue injury. In this leading article, we briefly overview the recent progress in non-invasive serum markers for the prediction of the extent of liver fibrosis. Among those serum markers, we focused on prothrombin index, which seems to be a reliable and non-expansive marker for the diagnosis of extensive fibrosis.

Apolipoprotein A-I↗

IL-10 receptor and coreceptor expression in quiescent and activated hepatic stellate cells.

Interleukin (IL)-10 expression is induced in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in vitro and in vivo. We analyzed expression of IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) and coreceptor cytokine receptor family (CRF2-4) in HSC. We aimed to clone and sequence partial cDNA for rat IL-10R and CRF2-4, determine their expression in activated rat HSC in vivo and in vitro, and examine the biological responsiveness of HSC to exogenous IL-10. PCR cloning and sequencing of partial rat IL-10R and CRF2-4 cDNAs revealed 86% homology with corresponding mouse sequences. In hepatic macrophages, Northern blot with cloned IL-10R cDNA detected an expected 3.5-kb transcript, and IL-10R and CRF2-4 mRNAs showed steady constitutive expression after in vitro lipopolysaccharide treatment or cholestatic liver injury. IL-10R mRNA expression, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry, was induced 20.1- and 8.6-fold in HSC from cholestatic livers and 7-day culture-activated HSC, respectively but CRF2-4 mRNA levels were unchanged. Under serum-free conditions, IL-10 had minimal effects on collagen production but reduced DNA synthesis, matrix metalloprotease-2 mRNA levels, and activity in HSC. With serum, IL-10 inhibited both collagen production and DNA synthesis but had no effect on procollagen-alpha(1)(I) mRNA levels. This shows concomitant induction of IL-10R but not CRF2-4 to that of IL-10 by activated HSC in vitro and in vivo and associated acquisition of the responsiveness to IL-10, entailing complex effects on HSC.

Animals↗