Fatty Liver Linked to Brain Atrophy

A study in JAMA Neurology linked fatty liver disease to an accelerated risk of atrophic brain disease compared to normal aging. Researchers said NAFLD did not appear to be linked to indications of other brain injuries or stroke. The reduced brain volume linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is equivalent to an extra 4.2

Liver disease risk tied to Metabolic Syndrome and Alcohol

  Finnish researchers found that individuals with diabetes or a high waist circumference who consumed higher average amounts of alcohol were at an increased risk of developing liver disease. The findings in the journal Hepatology, based on an analysis of the Finnish Health 2000 study data involving 6,732 individuals without liver disease, revealed that the

Fatty liver disease may increase cancer risks

NAFLD Linked to Higher Incidence Rates of Cancer Significantly associated with HCC, colon cancer in men, and breast cancer in women Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was tied to an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), colorectal cancer in men, and breast cancer in women, South Korean researchers found. Adjusted results from an observational meta-analysis

Native Americans Highest HCV Rates

Within the U.S., Native American populations have the highest incidence of acute hepatitis C (HCV) infection of any racial or ethnic group. They also have a significantly greater risk for HCV-related mortality than the general population and are an important group to target in efforts to eliminate the disease. According to the Centers for Disease

VA’s Hep C models could reduce disease burden

  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed models of care that can be used to reduce the overall burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. More than 92,000 veterans with HCV have been treated by the VA since January 2014. Their cure rates have exceeded 90 percent. Expansion of treatment capacity through

Women injecting drugs at higher risk for Hep C than men

The risk of becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus is 39% higher for women who inject drugs compared with their male counterparts, according to findings published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study evaluated data from seven studies on HIV and HCV involving 1,868 people in the US, Australia and Europe who inject

San Diego Health Emergency from Hepatitis A Outbreak

Cases linked to the outbreak of Hepatitis A were first reported in November. As of Friday, more than 15 people in the area have died from hepatitis infections and more than 350 others are ill. San Diego’s homeless population has been hit hardest by the highly contagious hepatitis A virus. According to the World Health Organization most

Western diet and bacteria linked to liver inflammation

Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that chronic liver inflammation is associated with a Western diet via the type of bacteria present in the gut. “We know the transition from steatosis, or fatty liver, to steatohepatitis (inflammation in the fatty liver) plays a crucial role in liver injury and carcinogenesis,” Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, professor

Researchers link risk of gestational diabetes and glucose intolerances to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

A Canadian study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that women with ultrasound evidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) during their early pregnancy were more likely to develop gestational diabetes and dysglycemia in the second trimester of their pregnancy than those without NAFLD. The findings were based on 476 healthy women who underwent

“Most HCV patients unsuccessful on previous regimens clear virus with triple therapy”

Triple-DAA Pill Offers HCV Retreatment Option A combination of three drugs that act directly to block hepatitis C (HCV) replication successfully cured most patients who had previously failed therapy with such agents, researchers reported. In two phase III trials, the investigational combination of sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir cleared the virus in 96% and 98% of