September 2021 - Georg Semmler

Dr.med.univ. Georg Semmler

MedUni Wien RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH September 2021

To facilitate a personalized follow-up strategy after cure from chronic hepatitis C, we investigated the predictive value of noninvasive surrogates of portal hypertension (liver stiffness measurement [LSM] by vibration-controlled transient elastography and von Willebrand factor/platelet count ratio [VITRO]) for development of hepatic decompensation in patients with pretreatment advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD). A combined approach using LSM and VITRO (measured ~12 weeks after the end-of-treatment) could successfully rule-in and rule-out clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH, hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥10 mm Hg) after treatment, and assign most of the patients to the low-risk group not at risk for hepatic decompensation. In contrast, patients in the high-risk group had a considerable risk of future hepatic decompensation, and thus need more stringent follow-up. In conclusion, LSM and VITRO are readily accessible and enable risk stratification after cure from chronic hepatitis C.

Selected Literature

1. Semmler G, Binter T, Kozbial K, Schwabl P, Hametner-Schreil S, Zanetto A, et al. Non-invasive risk stratification after HCV-eradication in patients with advanced chronic liver disease. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md). 2020.
2. Mandorfer M, Kozbial K, Schwabl P, Chromy D, Semmler G, Stättermayer AF, et al. Changes in Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient Predict Hepatic Decompensation in Patients Who Achieved Sustained Virologic Response to Interferon-Free Therapy. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md). 2020;71(3):1023-36.
3.  Semmler G, Scheiner B, Schwabl P, Bucsics T, Paternostro R, Chromy D, et al. The impact of hepatic steatosis on portal hypertension. PLoS One. 2019;14(11):e0224506.
4. Stift J, Semmler G, Wöran K, Simbrunner B, Scheiner B, Schwabl P, et al. Comparison of the diagnostic quality of aspiration and core-biopsy needles for transjugular liver biopsy. Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver. 2020.
5. Semmler G, Stift J, Scheiner B, Woran K, Schwabl P, Paternostro R, et al. Performance of Controlled Attenuation Parameter in Patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease and Portal Hypertension. Digestive diseases and sciences. 2019;64(12):3642-51.
6. Semmler G, Wöran K, Scheiner B, Unger LW, Paternostro R, Stift J, et al. Novel reliability criteria for controlled attenuation parameter assessments for non-invasive evaluation of hepatic steatosis. United European gastroenterology journal. 2020;8(3):321-31.
7. Wöran K, Semmler G, Jachs M, Simbrunner B, Maria Bauer DJ, Binter T, et al. Clinical Course of Porto-Sinusoidal Vascular Disease Is Distinct From Idiopathic Noncirrhotic Portal Hypertension. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. 2020.
8. Semmler G, Binter T, Kozbial K, Schwabl P, Chromy D, Bauer D, et al. Influence of Genetic Variants on Disease Regression and Outcomes in HCV-Related Advanced Chronic Liver Disease after SVR. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021;11(4):281.
9. Semmler G, Griebler H, Aberle SW, Stiasny K, Richter L, Holzmann H, et al. Elevated CXCL10 Serum Levels in Measles Virus Primary Infection and Reinfection Correlate With the Serological Stage and Hospitalization Status. The Journal of infectious diseases. 2020;222(12):2030-4.
10. Semmler G, Traugott MT, Graninger M, Hoepler W, Seitz T, Kelani H, et al. Assessment of S1-, S2-, and NCP-Specific IgM, IgA, and IgG Antibody Kinetics in Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection by a Microarray and Twelve Other Immunoassays. J Clin Microbiol. 2021;59(5).
11. Semmler G, Aberle SW, Griebler H, Richter L, Schmid D, Stiasny K, et al. Performance of Four IgM Antibody Assays in the Diagnosis of Measles Virus Primary Infection and Cases with a Serological Profile Indicating Reinfection. J Clin Microbiol. 2021;59(5).
12. Semmler G, Bachmayer S, Wernly S, Wernly B, Niederseer D, Huber-Schönauer U, et al. Nut consumption and the prevalence and severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. PLoS One. 2020;15(12):e0244514.
13. Semmler G, Wernly S, Bachmayer S, Wernly B, Schwenoha L, Huber-Schönauer U, et al. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Lean Subjects: Associations With Metabolic Dysregulation and Cardiovascular Risk-A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study. Clinical and translational gastroenterology. 2021;12(4):e00326.
14. Semmler G, Wernly S, Bachmayer S, Leitner I, Wernly B, Egger M, et al. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) - rather a bystander than a driver of mortality. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2021.