World Journal of Hepatology

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) are increasingly recognized as relevant comorbidities among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH), even in the absence of viral hepatitis coinfection or significant alcohol consumption. As life expectancy in PLWH improves, the burden of metabolic complicati…

BACKGROUND In addition to an elevated risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, along with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents the primary contributor to chronic liver disease, affecting 30% of the global population. Hypothyroidism is a common disorder that may influence MASLD development. Limited data have addressed the association between the whole …

There are still debates on the pathogenesis and classification of congenital porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD) with portal hypertension, which makes numerous challenges in treatment. This review provides a focused exploration of the disease, highlighting its clinical implications through a detailed case study. We offer a comprehensive on aspects of underlying pathophysiology, epidemiologi…

Muscle cramps are a frequent yet underrecognized complication in patients with liver cirrhosis, affecting up to 88% of this population and contributing substantially to morbidity and impaired quality of life. These painful, involuntary contractions are often overlooked due to the clinical emphasis on life-threatening complications of cirrhosis despite their independent association with poor funct…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of hepatology, offering new opportunities to enhance diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic decision-making. AI models have demonstrated improved performance compared with conventional methods by integrating complex multimodal datasets. These models have shown promising results across a broad spectrum of liver disea…

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has reduced the morbidity and severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and has resulted in many benefits for humans. Conversely, although not frequent, hepatic injury, such as autoimmune hepatitis and drug-induced liver injury due to COVID-19 vaccination, has been observed in scattered cases. Furthermore, r…

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation (LT) remains the definitive treatment for patients with acute and chronic end-stage liver disease, significantly improving survival and quality of life. Conventional liver function tests post LT, while routinely used, often lack sensitivity and may not detect graft injury promptly. Serum bile acids (SBAs), known for their role in hepatic function and enterohepatic…

Liver failure, which includes acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), is a life-threatening condition characterised by severe loss of hepatocytes, systemic inflammation, and multi-organ dysfunction, often leading to mortality rates exceeding 50%. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE, also known as plasmapheresis) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) are essenti…

BACKGROUND Variceal hemorrhage remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among patients with liver cirrhosis. Although primary prophylaxis is strongly recommended, uncertainty persists regarding the relative efficacy of carvedilol and other nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs) vs endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL). AIM To compare the efficacy of carvedilol and other NSBBs with EVL for …

BACKGROUND Hepatic hemangioma (HH) is the most common benign liver tumor. However, the relative impact of lesion location and tumor size on postoperative outcomes following trans-arterial embolization (TAE) combined with laparoscopic microwave ablation (LMWA) remains incompletely defined. In addition, heat-sink-related effects during ablation may contribute to perioperative complications, particu…

BACKGROUND Early-onset liver fibrosis is predominantly driven by inherited genetic mutations that disrupt critical metabolic or structural pathways in the liver. Pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase domain 2 (PYROXD2 ) (formerly named YueF) is a mitochondrial inner membrane/matrix-localized protein, regulating mitochondrial respiratory chain function. While emerging evidence highlights th…

The rebranding of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has shifted the clinical focus toward underlying metabolic drivers. This necessitates a re-evaluation of noninvasive diagnostic tools to better align with metabolic dysfunction as the primary driver of hepatic steatosis. Commonly used indices, including the fatty liver in…

BACKGROUND During the pathological advancement of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) toward cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, liver fibrosis acts as a pivotal transitional phase. Currently, non-invasive diagnostic techniques have become key substitutes for liver biopsy. However, the diagnostic efficacy of different indicators varies across populations, and the influence of factors such as gender, nu…

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) remains one of the most lethal gastrointestinal malignancies, characterized by aggressive biology and poor survival. Despite advances in molecular profiling and systemic therapies, innovations have not translated into proportional survival gains in many regions, suggesting underrecognized determinants of prognosis. In this opinion review, we argue that healthcare system l…

BACKGROUND Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) ranges from simple steatosis to cirrhosis and liver cancer, with rising prevalence in India due to high fat, high sugar diets. Kaempferol, a generally recognized as safe-certified flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering properties. Despite its therapeutic promise, k…

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic immune-mediated liver disease of complex and multifactorial origin, arising from the interplay of genetic susceptibility and environmental triggers. Among infectious factors, hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection has emerged as a potential precipitant of autoimmune responses leading to AIH onset. This mini-review explores the current understanding of HAV-induce…

BACKGROUND Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is traditionally classified as overt and minimal HE (MHE). The International Society for HE and Nitrogen Metabolism clubbed MHE and grade 1 HE as “covert” HE. However, these appear to be distinct entities. AIM To compare inflammatory markers, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), Bispectral index (BIS), spectral electroencephalography (EEG), and natural his…

BACKGROUND Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the LIPA gene. The clinical phenotype ranges from the rapidly progressive infantile form (Wolman disease), which usually results in death within the first year of life, to the childhood/adult-onset form, historically known as cholesteryl ester storage…

BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a compensatory response to chronic liver injuries, such as viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, and metabolic disorders. Despite this, no United States Food and Drug Administration-approved anti-fibrotic drugs are currently available. Saikosaponin-d (SSd) has demonstrated antifibrotic effects, but its impact on the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smads signaling pat…

The convergence of the global obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) pandemics necessitates innovative therapeutic strategies. Anti-obesity medications, especially incretin-based treatments such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and multi-agonists (e.g. , tirzepatide, retatrutide), have shown a strong ability to reduce body weight and to significantly …