Hepatology
hideHepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas as well as management of their disorders. Etymologically the word Hepatology is formed of ancient Greek hepar(ηπαρ) or hepato-(ηπατο-) meaning ' liver' and suffix -logia(-λογια) meaning 'word' or 'speech'. Although traditionally considered a sub-specialty of gastroenterology, rapid expansion has led in some countries to doctors specialising solely on this area, who are called hepatologists.
Diseases and complications related to viral hepatitis and alcohol are the main reason for seeking specialist advice. One third of world population has been infected with Hepatitis B virus at some point in their life. Although most of them would clear the virus from the body, approximately 350 million have become persistent carriers. Up to 80% of liver cancers can be attributed to either hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus. In terms of number of mortality, the former is second only to smoking among known agents causing cancer. With more widespread implementation of vaccination and strict screening before blood transfusion, lower infection rates are expected in the future. In many countries, though, overall alcohol intake is on the rise, and consequently the number of people with cirrhosis and other related complications is increasing.
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News tagged with hepatology
A high fat diet during pregnancy can lead to severe liver disease in offspring
Oct 13, 2009 |
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Scientists have discovered a previously unknown link between a mother's diet in pregnancy and a severe form of liver disease in her child.
Second-hand smoking results in liver disease, study finds
Sep 10, 2009 |
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A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside has found that even second-hand tobacco smoke exposure can result in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a common disease and rising cause ...
Researchers find high-dose therapy for liver disease not effective
Aug 28, 2009 |
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A national team of researchers led by scientists at Mayo Clinic has found that a common treatment for primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver disease, is not helpful for patients, according to a study published this ...
Case studies: Dietary supplements with steroids pose health danger
Aug 04, 2009 |
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Three cases of patients suffering from the adverse affects of steroid-enriched dietary supplements have been reported by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital.
Scientists link immune system's natural killer cells to infant liver disease
Jul 22, 2009 |
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Scientists have linked an overactive response by one of the immune system's key weapons against infection - natural killer, or NK, cells - to the onset of biliary atresia in infants, a disease where blocked ...
NEJM study points to new era in hepatitis C treatment
Jun 05, 2009 |
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For patients with the most common form of hepatitis C, the addition of a hepatitis C-specific protease inhibitor called telaprevir to the current standard therapy can significantly improve the chances of being cured, and ...
Antibiotic Can Reduce Hospitalization for Rare Brain Disorder, Analysis Shows
Jun 01, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A study analysis by researchers at the University of Cincinnati confirms that the antibiotic rifaximin can reduce hospitalizations of patients with a certain brain disorder caused by liver failure.
Environmental pollution increases the risk of liver disease
May 29, 2009 |
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A new study is the first to show that there is a previously unrecognized role for environmental pollution in liver disease in the general U.S. adult population. This work builds upon the groups' previous research demonstrating ...
Majority of doctors skeptical of organ transplantation practices in China
Apr 23, 2009 |
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The globalization of health care and the growth of "transplant tourism" (traveling abroad to purchase donor organs and undergo organ transplantation) have outpaced the implementation of internationally accepted ethical standards ...
New studies examine elimination of hepatitis B and C
Apr 01, 2009 |
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Two new studies in the April issue of Hepatology explore the ways that hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be cleared from patients' bodies. Hepatology is a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on beh ...
Researchers uncover 'obesity gene' involved in weight gain response to high-fat diet
Feb 24, 2009 |
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Scientists have determined that a specific gene plays a role in the weight-gain response to a high-fat diet. The finding in an animal study suggests that blocking this gene could one day be a therapeutic strategy to reduce ...
Children with inflammatory bowel disease have surprisingly high folate levels, study finds
Jan 24, 2009 |
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Children with newly diagnosed cases of inflammatory bowel disease have higher concentrations of folate in their blood than individuals without IBD, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, ...
Low-carbohydrate diet burns more excess liver fat than low-calorie diet
Jan 20, 2009 |
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People on low-carbohydrate diets are more dependent on the oxidation of fat in the liver for energy than those on a low-calorie diet, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a small clinical ...
