Gastroenterology
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Review Meta Analysis
Efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid in treating intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a meta-analysis.
We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on pruritus, liver test results, and outcomes of babies born to women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). ⋯ Based on a meta-analysis, UDCA is effective in reducing pruritus and improving liver test results in patients with ICP; UDCA therapy might also benefit fetal outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Teduglutide reduces need for parenteral support among patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure.
Teduglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 2 analogue, might restore intestinal structural and functional integrity by promoting growth of the mucosa and reducing gastric emptying and secretion. These factors could increase fluid and nutrient absorption in patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (SBS-IF). We performed a prospective study to determine whether teduglutide reduces parenteral support in patients with SBS-IF. ⋯ Twenty-four weeks of teduglutide treatment was generally well tolerated in patients with SBS-IF. Treatment with teduglutide reduced volumes and numbers of days of parenteral support for patients with SBS-IF; ClinicalTrials.gov Number, NCT00798967.
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After liver injury, bone marrow-derived liver sinusoidal endothelial cell progenitor cells (BM SPCs) repopulate the sinusoid as liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). After partial hepatectomy, BM SPCs provide hepatocyte growth factor, promote hepatocyte proliferation, and are necessary for normal liver regeneration. We examined how hepatic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) regulates recruitment of BM SPCs and their effects on liver injury. ⋯ BM SPC recruitment is a repair response to dimethylnitrosamine liver injury in rats. Hepatic VEGF regulates recruitment of BM SPCs to liver and reduces this form of liver injury.
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Antiangiogenic agents can sometimes promote tumor invasiveness and metastasis, but little is known about the effects of the antiangiogenic drug sorafenib on progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). ⋯ Sorafenib promotes invasiveness and the metastatic potential of orthotopic tumors from HCC cells in mice, down-regulating expression of HTATIP2 via JAK-STAT3 signaling.