Quality of Tissue Samples Obtained by Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Liver Biopsy: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION

Liver biopsy (LB) remains essential for the diagnosis and staging of parenchymal liver diseases. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided LB (EUS-LB) has emerged as an attractive alternative to percutaneous and transjugular routes. We aimed at comparing the adequacy of samples obtained by EUS-LB with percutaneous LB.

METHODS

A single-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial was designed. Patients undergoing LB were randomly assigned to EUS-LB or percutaneous LB groups. EUS-LB was performed with a 19-gauge Franseen core needle through a transduodenal and transgastric route. Percutaneous LB was performed with a 16-gauge Tru-Cut needle. The main outcome was the percentage of adequate samples obtained. Secondary outcomes were the percentage of accurate histologic diagnosis, number of complete portal tracts (CPT), total and longest specimen length (TSL and LSL), sample fragmentation, adverse events, and patients' satisfaction. An adequate specimen was defined as TSL ≥20 mm and including ≥11 CPT.

RESULTS

Ninety patients were randomized (44 to EUS-LB and 46 to percutaneous LB) and included in the analysis. The percentage of adequate tissue samples was 32.6% and 70.4% for percutaneous LB and EUS-LB, respectively ( P < 0.001). A final histologic diagnosis was provided in all cases but one. TSL was longer after EUS-LB (23.5 vs 17.5 mm, P = 0.01), whereas the number of CPT was similar in both groups. Sample fragmentation occurred more often after EUS-LB ( P < 0.001). No differences in adverse events were found. Satisfaction reported with both procedures was high.

DISCUSSION

EUS-LB is safe and accurate and may be considered an alternative to percutaneous LB for the evaluation of parenchymal liver diseases.

Jaundice in relation to immune activation during Epstein-Barr virus-induced infectious mononucleosis

BACKGROUND

Liver involvement during infectious mononucleosis is common, but jaundice is considered rare. This study aimed to investigate serum bilirubin concentrations in patients with infectious mononucleosis and immune abnormalities associated with jaundice.

METHODS

We report on an adult patient with monoclonal B lymphocytosis and IgM-lambda gammopathy who developed a severe icteric hepatitis during infectious mononucleosis. We then reviewed the clinical records of 389 patients admitted to the hospital with infectious mononucleosis between 1995 and 2018 (51.7% male patients; median age, 19 years; range, 15-87 years) with focus on liver abnormalities and associated factors.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine patients (15.1%) had serum bilirubin concentrations between 1.5 and 3 mg/dL, and 47 patients (12.0%) had serum bilirubin >3 mg/dL. Patients with increased bilirubin concentrations had a distinct clinical presentation, with more frequent abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and less frequent sore throat than patients with normal bilirubin. Age and sex were not significantly different for the patients with increased and normal serum bilirubin concentrations. The patients with increased serum bilirubin concentrations showed higher levels of immune activation markers than the patients with normal bilirubin, including blood lymphocyte counts, serum IgM, and β₂-microglobulin concentrations. Heterophile antibody-positive patients (88.6%) showed similar bilirubin concentrations but higher aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels than their heterophile-negative counterparts. Serum bilirubin elevations normalized quickly during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Transient hyperbilirubinemia is common during severe (in-hospital) infectious mononucleosis in adult patients. Patients with hyperbilirubinemia have less frequent pharyngitis symptoms and more frequent abdominal symptoms. Hyperbilirubinemia during infectious mononucleosis is associated with immune activation markers.

Clinicopathological features of peripheral ossifying fibroma in a series of 41 patients

Peripheral ossifying fibromas are benign mesenchymal lesions that usually arise in the anterior maxilla of young female patients. Histologically they consist of spindle cell proliferation with focal mineralisation. We reviewed 48 specimens from 41 patients and recorded the clinical data, sex, and age of the patients, site and size of the lesions, treatment, and postoperative outcome. Histologically the presence of mature, woven bone, cementum, and calcifications were evaluated and evaluated immunohistochemically. Lesions were more frequent in female patients in the third and fourth decade, and were usually in the lower maxilla and smaller than 2cm. All lesions were conservatively excised, and they relapsed in eight patients. Histopathologically, the lesions were poorly circumscribed, moderately cellular proliferations, with no discernible architectural pattern. All tumours showed some degree of mineralisation, the presence of immature bone being the most common. Immunohistochemical examination showed staining of tumoural cells for smooth muscle actin and CD68. Lesions tended to occur more commonly in female patients, but one decade later than usually reported. We found a higher recurrence rate in lesions that contained cementum-like material but without bone formation, suggesting a lack of maturation in this group. Immunohistochemical results were consistent with myofibroblastic differentiation but they added no information about the behaviour of the lesions.