PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Venkataramani

Publications and source records attributed to A Venkataramani.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Liver biopsies in adult hemophiliacs with hepatitis C: a United States center's experience.

We report a case series of 13 adult hemophiliacs with serological evidence of hepatitis C who underwent percutaneous liver biopsies without major complications. We also briefly review the recent literature on safety of liver biopsies in this population, and conclude that these patients may be safely biopsied using appropriate precautions regardless of the severity of hemophilia.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Fulminant Hepatic Failure.

The initial approach to a patient with fulminant hepatic failure includes assessment of the grade of encephalopathy and the cause of hepatic failure. Aggressive supportive therapy with early referral to a transplantation center is recommended for patients with advancing encephalopathy. A critical component of the transplant decision process is the ongoing clinical assessment of reversibility of neurologic status; liver transplantation continues to be the only successful intervention in patients with advanced encephalopathy. Emerging therapies such as auxiliary transplantation and extracorporeal liver assist devices are being perfected or rigorously evaluated.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Abnormal duodenal bile composition in patients with acalculous chronic cholecystitis.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to characterize biliary lipid composition in patients with the syndrome of chronic biliary pain, absence of gallstones, and inflammation of the gallbladder mucosa (acalculous chronic cholecystitis). METHODS: Duodenal bile, obtained from 27 patients with a history of right upper quadrant pain and with negative imaging studies of the biliary tract, was analyzed enzymatically for bile acids, phospholipids, and cholesterol. Fifteen patients were found to have inflammation and/or fibrosis of the gallbladder at cholecystectomy. RESULTS: The 15 patients with abnormal gallbladder histology had more dilute duodenal bile, as indicated by a low bile acid concentration and a lower proportion of phospholipids (p < 0.01) when values were compared with those of duodenal bile samples from postmenopausal women without gallbladder disease or from radiolucent gallstone subjects participating in the National Cooperative Gallstone Study. Cholecystectomy relieved pain in 9 of 14 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with acalculous chronic cholecystitis have duodenal bile samples characterized by a decreased bile acid concentration and a decreased proportion of biliary phospholipids. The low biliary bile acid concentration may result from impaired gallbladder contraction and/or secretion by the biliary tract epithelium. The low proportion of phospholipid may result from posthepatic hydrolysis of luminal phosphatidylcholine followed by absorption of the hydrolysis products. The latter process could be caused by and/or contribute to mucosal inflammation and would also elevate the cholesterol saturation of bile, increasing the risk for cholesterol gallstone formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A pilot study of the effects of d-alpha-tocopherol on hepatic stellate cell activation in chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oxidative stress mediates activation and stimulates collagen production of cultured hepatic stellate (Ito) cells. The aim of this study was to assess whether oxidative stress contributes to hepatic fibrogenesis in chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: In liver biopsy specimens of patients with chronic hepatitis C, the following fibrogenesis cascade was analyzed: (1) oxidative stress, determined by the presence of malondialdehyde protein adducts; (2) activation of stellate cells as indicated by their expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin; (3) stimulation of c-myb expression in stellate cells, a critical step in the activation of these cells; and (4) induction of collagen gene expression as detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Treatment with d-alpha-tocopherol (1200 IU/day for 8 weeks) in 6 of these patients, who were refractory to interferon therapy, prevented the fibrogenesis cascade observed before antioxidant treatment. In addition, d-alpha-tocopherol treatment significantly decreased the carbonyl modifications of plasma proteins, a sensitive index of oxidative stress. However, 8 weeks of d-alpha-tocopherol treatment did not significantly affect serum alanine aminotransferase levels, hepatitis C virus titers, or histological degree of hepatocellular inflammation or fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that enhanced oxidative stress initiates a fibrogenesis cascade in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Sclerosing mesenteritis: an unusual cause of abdominal pain in an HIV-positive patient.

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare, idiopathic, and benign mesenteric lesion that is characterized by fat necrosis, fibrosis, and chronic inflammation. We report a case of sclerosing mesenteritis presenting as recurrent abdominal pain in an HIV-positive patient. Because of the wider differential diagnosis in such cases, the patient underwent an extensive workup culminating in a laparoscopy with biopsy. Tamoxifen has been shown to be useful in the treatment of desmoid tumors and idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. We present the first case of sclerosing mesenteritis to respond to tamoxifen therapy. Because this drug is relatively safe and simple to dose, its utility as therapy for patients with this benign but debilitating disease should be considered.

Abdominal Pain↗