Hepatology
Expert perspectives on liver disease, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis management, and liver transplantation.
Recent Discussions
In what clinical scenario would you consider the use of budesonide over prednisone as part of the pharmacologic management of autoimmune hepatitis?
Primarily in patients where the side effects of prednisone will or are too difficult to tolerate (diabetics, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, psychiatric disease, etc). I like to try prednisone first because of its ability to elucidate a biochemical response, fairly rapidly, so we know what we are d...
What are some practical tips for when a patient's consistently stated goals of care do not correlate with their actions?
First, it's important to remember that most of us have inconsistent beliefs. We both want to lose weight, and we want to eat chocolate cake; we want to get an A, and we want to go to the party. So when we see inconsistencies in others' beliefs, rather than being judgmental, we should get curious. Ou...
In suspected antibiotic-associated cholestatic DILI with jaundice and no obstructing lesion on MRCP, what specific clinical or laboratory trajectory triggers you to proceed to early liver biopsy to evaluate for evolving vanishing bile duct syndrome rather than continued close outpatient monitoring?
This is an important question because early awareness and a confirmed diagnosis will result in a better outcome. 1- Needs a clear history and exclusion of other potential etiologies. 2- Need to know whether the patient has underlying liver disease, i.e., metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic li...
In pregnant liver transplant recipients, which transplant-specific modifiable targets do you prioritize to reduce prematurity and fetal growth restriction?
There is no data or guidance on how to reduce prematurity or fetal growth restriction in transplant recipients.However, regarding this patient population, the AASLD Practice Guidance on Reproductive Health summarizes the key points nicely of what's recommended in liver transplant recipients planning...
What factors can lead to falsely elevated fibrosis readings on FibroScan (e.g., consuming sugar before the scan)?
I recommend 3 hours of fasting before performing a FibroScan. Liver stiffness may not be equivalent to fibrosis stages in the following conditions: liver congestion (right-sided heart failure, Fontan-associated liver disease), active liver inflammation (alcohol, active viral or autoimmune hepatitis)...
How do you treat diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in a patient with cirrhosis complicated by thrombocytopenia?
Thank you for the question. This is a very challenging case. There are different factors to consider, such as age, PS, stage, and actual liver function. Liver function may have been affected by lymphoma.Most likely, the patient will require dose reductions of standard R-CHOP (such as mini R-CHOP). A...
What early response criteria and timeframe do you use to declare corticosteroid non-response and move to expedited transplant listing in patient with acute severe AIH without encephalopathy?
I would administer the corticosteroid as an IV to remove the possibility of absorption issues. However, I would wait for a total of 5-7 days before moving on to expedited transplant listing, provided there is no worsening of the liver failure in the interim.
How do you consider the clinical relevance of elevated serum B12 levels as a marker of underlying hepatic disease?
Elevated B12 levels have shown significant relevance and significance to many underlying conditions, particularly a high correlation with underlying liver disease. About 1 in 5 to 1 in 4 B12 levels >1000 pg/ml had a significant correlation. It is a prognosticator, in my opinion, and the literature s...
Do you recommend restarting a GLP-1RA after bariatric surgery if the patient tolerated it before the surgery?
While there are no clear recommendations on whether/when to resume GLP-1 RA after bariatric surgery, current 2025 guideline statements (ASMBS, ADA, AACE, Obesity Society) and expert consensus documents suggest the following approach: Hold GLP-1RA in the acute perioperative period. For daily-dosed ...
Do you ever use Joyrnavx in a patient with end stage liver disease?
I have not encountered this novel oral small molecule medication Suzetrigine for the management of acute moderate to severe pain (FDA approved indication) in my patients with cirrhosis. The drug received FDA approval in Jan 2025 after two phase III trials where it was used for pain control after b...