International Hepatology

From June 5 to 8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was held in Milan, Italy. This major event brought together over 7,000 professionals, including clinicians, researchers, healthcare workers, patient representatives, and industry experts. During the conference, Professor Jian Gao Fan from the Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine presented a poster titled “ASC41, a selective THR-β agonist significantly reduces liver fat and ALT in biopsy-confirmed MASH patients after 12-week treatment: an interim analysis of a 52-week serial liver biopsy study,” which attracted considerable attention. Professor Fan shared with us the main findings and clinical significance of this research.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a significant global health issue. At this year's European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting, the functional cure of CHB emerged as a focal point of research. "Hepatology Digest" had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Graham Griffiths, Chief Brand Officer at Barinthus Biotherapeutics, to gain insights into the conference highlights and the latest advancements in CHB treatment. Mr. Griffiths not only shared his key takeaways from the event but also detailed the progress made in the pursuit of a functional cure for CHB. He emphasized that combining various therapeutic strategies holds promise for more effective treatments and expressed optimism about the collaborative spirit and innovative potential showcased at the conference.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe liver injury caused by factors such as drugs, viruses, and ischemia-reperfusion injury, leading to massive hepatocyte apoptosis, necrosis, and potentially irreversible liver damage. The condition progresses rapidly, with high short-term mortality rates and poor prognosis, while medical treatment options are limited. Although liver transplantation is an effective strategy for treating ALF, its high cost, scarcity of donor livers, and lifelong requirement for immunosuppressants limit its clinical application. Therefore, new treatment methods for ALF are urgently needed. On June 7, 2024, at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) annual meeting in Milan, a study by Professor Yu Chen's team from Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, was presented as a poster (Abstract No. FRI-347). This study revealed the mechanism by which liver-derived stem cells (HYX1) can be used to treat ALF, providing new insights for the future clinical treatment of ALF.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a global public health issue, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being one of its most severe complications. Traditional viral markers have limited efficacy in predicting HCC risk, highlighting the need for new viral predictive indicators. On June 5, 2024, at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) annual meeting in Milan, Italy, Professor Jian Sun's team from Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, presented a compelling poster on the predictive role of serum HBV RNA reduction in HCC risk among CHB patients undergoing nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) therapy (Abstract No. LBP-037).

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective virus that requires the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) to replicate. Co-infection with HBV and HDV is considered the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis, accelerating liver-related mortality and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). At the 2024 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) annual meeting held in Milan, Italy from June 5-8, the latest research on the treatment of chronic hepatitis D (CHD) with Bulevirtide (BLV) drew significant attention. These studies not only provide new strategies and evidence-based medicine for CHD treatment but also lay the foundation for future research. This article compiles and organizes three key studies presented at the conference for our readers.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a complex syndrome characterized by acute liver function deterioration based on chronic liver disease, accompanied by high mortality rates of liver and extra-hepatic organ failure. The short-term mortality rate of comprehensive internal medicine treatment ranges from 50% to 90%. Due to its high mortality and complex pathogenesis, research and treatment strategies for ACLF are particularly crucial. From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was held in Milan, Italy, where Professor Jun Li 's team from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine presented five research findings related to ACLF. Hepatology Digest invited Professor Jun Li to introduce the highlights and significance of these studies, share his conference insights, and discuss the future development of the ACLF field. The following is the interview transcript.

From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was successfully held in Milan, Italy. During this event, the team led by Professor Shuangsuo Dang from the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University presented three significant clinical and basic research findings: real-world antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), mechanisms and treatment of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and risk factors and mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This report covers these studies for our readers.

Editor's Note: From June 5-8, 2024, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Annual Meeting was held in Milan, Italy. Over 7,000 hepatology experts from around the world gathered for this academic event. On the first day, the conference focused on various fields including chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis, and portal hypertension. Hepatology Digest invited two young experts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Terry Yip and Dr. Jimmy Che-To Lai, to share their insights and experiences.

Liver biopsy is the "gold standard" for diagnosing liver fibrosis, but due to its high cost, invasive nature, and other disadvantages, it is not widely used. Currently, various non-invasive tests (NITs) based on serum biochemical indicators and/or imaging have been developed to evaluate liver stiffness and diagnose liver fibrosis, aiming to identify high-risk populations early for timely intervention and management. However, the diagnostic performance of various NITs varies, and some diagnostic devices are not easily accessible. Finding an NIT with high accuracy and accessibility is a clinical challenge.

On June 7, 2024, at 5:30 PM in Milan, Italy, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) jointly released the latest Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD) at the EASL 2024 Annual Meeting. The guidelines cover a wide range of topics from the use of non-invasive diagnostic tools to treatment strategies, emphasizing the importance of treating obesity and diabetes and multidisciplinary collaboration in the management of MASLD. These guidelines have been simultaneously published online in the official journals of EASL, EASD, and EASO, such as the Journal of Hepatology.