DILI in Asia has a different aetiology as compared with the West, and could be related to presence of adulterants in traditional CAM.

Purpose Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) is implicated in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Pentoxifylline inhibits TNF-a. We wanted to evaluate the efficacy of Pentoxifylline on NASH patients. Methods Patients with biopsy proven NASH and persistently elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal were randomized to 3 months of treatment with a step 1 American Heart Association diet and daily exercise with Pentoxifylline or placebo. Liver function tests, serum lipids and TNF-a, Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and plasma hyaluronic acid were measured at baseline, at weeks 6 and 12. Categorical data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test while independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used for continuous data. Results Eleven patients were randomized into the Pentoxifylline and nine to the placebo group. After 3 months of treatment body mass index (BMI), ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) decreased significantly in both groups. There was no difference between the two groups in reduction of BMI (P = 0.897). There was significantly greater reduction in AST in the Pentoxifylline group (P = 0.038). There was a trend toward lower ALT level (P = 0.065) in the Pentoxifylline group. TNF-a and IL-6 decreased significantly in both groups after treatment, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion Three months of Pentoxifylline treatment in combination with diet and exercise results in significantly greater reduction in AST levels in patients with NASH as compared with controls.

Posttransplant steatosis is common after liver transplant even in patients transplanted for non-NAFLD-related liver diseases. However, it is mostly benign during our follow-up, with only 13% developing steatohepatitis and none with fibrosis or cirrhosis.

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MARS liver dialysis in a setting without timely liver transplantation is associated with a poor outcome. It does, however, provide a window of time for consideration of living donors in the setting of limited cadaveric donors.