Liver Updates: Statin Protection from HCC, PSVD -new name, novel finding and Hypothyroidism with Hepatic Hemangiomas

Posted on by

B Zou et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 21: 435-444. Open Access! Statin Use and Reduced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This study, in agreement with prior studies of individuals with chronic liver disease, showed that statin use is associated with a lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in NAFLD as well, with a Hazard Ratio of 0.47 in a database with 272,431 adults with NAFLD. The authors note the concern about hepatotoxicity from statins; however, “severe liver injury from statins is fairly low. Indeed, the incidence of lovastatin-associated fulminant liver failure is about 2 in a million users.”

Related blog posts:

J Shan et al. Hepatology 2023; 77:501-511. Open access! Genetic predisposition to porto‐sinusoidal vascular disorder: A functional genomic‐based, multigenerational family study

Porto‐sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD; also previously described as idiopathic noncirrhotic portal hypertension [NCPH]…”is a group of liver vascular diseases featuring lesions encompassing the portal venules and sinusoids unaccompanied by cirrhosis, irrespective of the presence/absence of portal hypertension. It can occur secondary to coagulation disorders or insult by toxic agents. However, the cause of PSVD remains unknown in most cases.”

Key findings:

  • In a group of 4 patients, a novel heterozygous mutation in the FCHSD1 gene was identified but not in 2 familial controls.
  • When this variant was introduced in mice using CRISPR, ” Nine out of the 15 mice carrying the human FCHSD1 R183W variant mimicked the phenotype of human PSVD, including splenomegaly and enlarged portal vein.”
  • Aberrant FCHSD1 structure and function led to mTOR pathway overactivation

Related blog post: Time to Adjust the Knowledge Doubling Curve in Hepatology

MA Siano et al. JPGN Reports. 2022; 3(4):p e270,.  Consumptive Hypothyroidism due to Hepatic Hemangiomas: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

“Consumptive hypothyroidism (CH) is a rare form of hypothyroidism due to thyroid hormone inactivating enzyme type 3 (Deiodinase) overexpressed by hepatic/hepatic and cutaneous hemangiomas, and occasionally by some other extrahepatic visceral hemangiomas…Pediatric hepatologists should recognize the importance of periodical assessments of thyroid function in patients with hepatic hemangiomas”

“MRI of the abdomen in one of our patients (patient 1), before (A) and after (B) 19 months of treatment with propranolol/10 months of treatment with levothyroxine. The T2-weighted axial MRI images shows the regression of a diffuse infantile hepatichemangioma with innumerable T2 hyperintense masses throughout the liver with central hypointense central regions.”