The presence of a membrane in the inferior vena cava also influences therapy as many of these patients are treated by dilatation of the inferior vena cava rather than surgical shunts or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). In the patient illustrated below, membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava was associated with vascular collaterals that resulted in an unusual appearance on a chest radiograph. A 42-year-old woman was investigated because of fatigue, mild dyspnea

and a 3-month history of peripheral edema. Physical examination revealed two varicose vessels on her left back. A chest radiograph showed an abnormality in the left lower lobe of her lung that raised the possibility of lung cancer (Figure 1). However, a Doppler ultrasound study and an abdominal computed tomography scan showed a narrow segment between the inferior learn more vena cava and the right atrium consistent with a Budd-Chiari syndrome. The diagnosis was confirmed by angiography that demonstrated complete

obstruction of the inferior vena cava (arrowhead) and Everolimus the formation of numerous collateral vessels (1 represents the inferior vena cava; 2, left renal vein; 3, ascending lumbar vein; 4, left subphrenic vein; 5, right subphrenic vein) as shown in Figure 2. A dilated cardiac septal vein (arrow) created the abnormality on the chest radiograph. This vein was linked to the left subphrenic vein in the cardiac septum and entered into the superior vena cava through the left brachiocephalic vein. After balloon dilatation of the inferior vena cava, blood was shown to enter the right atrium and pressure in the inferior vena cava fell from 16 mmHg to 9 mmHg. Various investigations did not reveal a hypercoagulable state. Treatment resulted in improvement in symptoms and a reduction in the size of the abnormality on the chest radiograph. Contributed by “
“To the Editor: We read with great interest the practice guidelines for the diagnosis and selleckchem management of autoimmune hepatitis recently issued by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

(AASLD).1 In particular, we appreciate the new definition of biochemical remission, which now requires not only normal bilirubin and gamma-globulin levels but also normal serum aminotransferases; this is at variance with the 2002 definition,2 which considers aminotransferase levels lower than twice the upper limits of normal to be sufficient. According to the 2002 criteria, nearly 80% of patients with autoimmune hepatitis enter remission within 3 years. The recently coined new definition will result in a tremendous change in the rate of response to immunosuppressive treatment for autoimmune hepatitis. Here we present our own experience, which has already been published in part,3 and compare the different response rates according to the 2002 and 2010 definitions of remission.