001; r=0.53) and Ranson (p=0.037 r=0.32) scores. The cutoff level of endocan (day 3) was calculated 92.2 pg/ml (83% sensitivity and 50% specificity; p=0.039 area under the curve 0.706) for severe pancreatitis when considering the patients with a score of 8 or higher in the APACHE II scoring system.

Serum endocan level can be used as a marker of prognosis in patients with pancreatitis. However, studies involving large populations are needed on this matter.

Serum endocan level can be used as a marker of prognosis in patients with pancreatitis. However, studies involving large populations are needed on this matter.

Hypoxic hepatitis (HH) is an acute liver injury that develops in patients with underlying diseases, such as heart failure, respiratory failure, septic/toxic shock. However, some patients do not have underlying diseases or episodes which are known to result in HH. Here, we analyzed the clinical characteristics of this particular patient group (called ‘unknown HH’ hereafter) to understand its pathogenesis.

Between October 2010 and January 2016, 157 consecutive patients with acute liver injury were admitted to our hospital. Among these patients, 15 patients were categorized as unknown HH. Medical histories and blood test results of unknown HH were analyzed.

Among 15 patients of unknown HH, 11 were habitual drinkers and all experienced one of digestive symptoms which might result in mild hypovolemia such as vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, and epigastralgia. All patients of unknown HH presented marked elevation of serum ferritin concentration paralleled with aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations. The serum levels of ferritin, ALT, LDH, and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) were rapidly decreased during hospitalization and all 15 patients of unknown HH recovered without any complication.

We found the particular group of HH with marked elevation of serum ferritin probably due to intrahepatic macrophage activation. Anti-inflammatory treatments might be effective for this group of hypoxic hepatitis.

We found the particular group of HH with marked elevation of serum ferritin probably due to intrahepatic macrophage activation. Anti-inflammatory treatments might be effective for this group of hypoxic hepatitis.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) with people who inject drugs as the main group at risk worldwide.

This study investigated the differences in uptake for HCV screening and treatment between persons in opioid substitution therapy (OST) and the other members of the Christian Health Insurance Fund in Belgium.

Invoice data were retrospectively collected from the Christian Health Insurance Fund, representing 42% of the healthcare users. Information on demographics, screening, diagnostic tests, treatment and disease progression was obtained from 2008 till 2013. All people in this study were aged 20-65 year. Persons in the OST group were identified as having at least one prescription reimbursed for methadone. This group was compared to the other members of the Insurance Fund not on OST (NOST).

The Insurance Fund registered 8,409 unique OST and 3,525,190 members in the general group. HCV RNA screening rate was higher in the OST group after correction for age and gender (4.3% vs. 0.2%). P5091 cell line Ribavirin reimbursement, did not differ between the OST and NOST group screened for HCV RNA (16.9% vs. 14.4%), though the probability of having ribavirin reimbursed was smaller for females than for males. Procedures concerning disease progression were reimbursed less frequently in the HCV RNA screened OST group compared to the NOST group (0.3% vs. 1.2%).

People on OST were screened more often for HCV RNA. However, the general uptake for HCV screening and treatment in both populations remained suboptimal.

People on OST were screened more often for HCV RNA. However, the general uptake for HCV screening and treatment in both populations remained suboptimal.

Seronegative autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a diagnostic challenge with unclear prognosis. This study describes the features and outcomes of seronegative AIH in children.

Patients under 18 years of age, who had been diagnosed with AIH between April 2014 and April 2020, were retrospectively evaluated. Seronegative AIH was identified by the absence of the three conventional non-organ-specific autoantibodies (anti-nuclear antibody [ANA], anti-smooth muscle antibody [ASMA], and anti-liver kidney microsomal [anti-LKM] type 1 antibody), alongside the characteristic AIH liver histopathology and a positive response to immunosuppressive therapy in the absence of other liver diseases.

The study included 54 patients with AIH. 15 (27.77%) were seronegative at the time of diagnosis. 13 of the 15 seronegative patients presented with acute hepatitis or acute liver failure (ALF). Mean follow-up duration was 27.48 months in seronegative patients. Two seronegative patients had lymphocytopenia on admission, and, although the liver disease improved after corticosteroid treatment, they developed aplastic anemia (AA). Other seronegative patients responded well to immunosuppressive therapy.

Patients with seronegative AIH present frequently with acute hepatitis or ALF. AIH diagnosis can be confirmed by observing the effects of corticosteroid therapy in seronegative patients with characteristic AIH liver histopathological features. However, the presence of lymphocytopenia in seronegative patients is a sign of bone marrow failure.

Patients with seronegative AIH present frequently with acute hepatitis or ALF. AIH diagnosis can be confirmed by observing the effects of corticosteroid therapy in seronegative patients with characteristic AIH liver histopathological features. However, the presence of lymphocytopenia in seronegative patients is a sign of bone marrow failure.

The water load test (WLT) is an easy and cheap tool, useful in evaluating gastric accommodation and visceral hypersensitivity. This test can be used in diagnosing functional gastrointestinal disorders, like functional dyspepsia. Our main aim was to propose reference values for the WLT. Our secondary aim was to correlate the water volume drunk with the students’ gender, age, and anthropometric measures.

We performed the WLT in students aged 8 to 17 years. Students drank water ad libitum for 3 minutes or until pain, satiety or vomiting occurred. We correlated anthropometric variables with water volumes drunk. Upper and lower limit for the maximum tolerated volume were calculated as the 5th and 95th percentile. Pain and nausea were recorded before and after the test.

We evaluated 99 students, with a median age (inter quartile range) of 11 years 10-13 years) and 55.6 % were girls. Median water volume drank was 380 ml (190-540 ml). Boys (523 ml, interquartile range 275-760 ml) drank more water than girls (380 ml, interquartile range 190-570 ml) (p = 0.