Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe liver cirrhosis complication with high mortality rates. Despite that chronic liver diseases are prevalent in Egypt, there is no available data about patients with ACLF. We aimed to evaluate the pattern of ACLF in Egypt. This prospective cohort study included all patients with ACLF, according to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the European Association for the Study of the Liver, admitted to Al-Rajhi liver Hospital, Egypt, between November 2018 and October 2019. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bsj-4-116.html We recorded data at admission, days 3, 7, 14 and 28, and calculated ACLF grades and Chronic Liver Failure Consortium scores until discharge or death. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for survival analysis. We analyzed 52 patients with ACLF. Liver cirrhosis was secondary to hepatitis C virus in 46 patients (88.9%), and hepatitis B virus in 4 (7.4%). The main ACLF precipitating factors were infection in 38 (73.1%) and variceal bleeding in 9 (17.3%). The most common infections were spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (44.7%) and chest infection (31.6%). The 28 and 90-day mortality rates were 86.5 and 96.2%. None of the patients who survived >28 days had ACLF 3 at admission or day 7. Among those who died <28 days, ACLF 3 was reported in 7 at admission and 19 on day 7. Living donor liver transplantation was not offered in any case. In this study, the 28-day mortality rate was higher than in the literature. Egypt urgently needs to develop specific protocols for the proper management of ACLF. In this study, the 28-day mortality rate was higher than in the literature. Egypt urgently needs to develop specific protocols for the proper management of ACLF. Hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) remains an unsolved problem; therefore, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of shunting different portal vein branch during TIPS with 8 mm covered stent for preventing gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients. Between November 2015 and December 2018, the medical records of consecutive cirrhotic patients who received TIPS with an 8 mm covered stent for preventing gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding were analyzed retrospectively. Shunting the left and right branches of the portal vein was performed in 58 (group A) and 104 patients (group B), respectively. Afterwards, 54 patients in each group were produced by the PSM method. The incidence of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), shunt patency, variceal rebleeding and survival were compared between two groups by using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. The median follow-up time was 37 months (range 0.3-50 months). The 6-,12- and 24-months cumulative OHE free rates in groups A and B were 92.5, 86.2, 83.6% and 74.1, 70.2, 67.6%, respectively (P = 0.042; hazard ratio = 0.469; 95% CI, 0.223-0.988). Two (3.7%) and eight (14.8%) patients experienced severe OHE in groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.042). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of shunt patency, variceal rebleeding and survival. Shunting the left portal vein branch during TIPS with an 8 mm covered stent for preventing gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients might decrease the occurrence of OHE significantly. The prospective trial is needed to further provide evidence of this results in future. Shunting the left portal vein branch during TIPS with an 8 mm covered stent for preventing gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients might decrease the occurrence of OHE significantly. The prospective trial is needed to further provide evidence of this results in future. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires appropriate measures for containing infection spreading. Endoscopic procedures are considered at increased risk of infection transmission. We evaluated organizational aspects and personal behaviours in Italian Endoscopic Units during phase II of the pandemic. A questionnaire on organizational aspects and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) were e-mailed to gastroenterologists working in Endoscopic Units. Data were analysed accordingly to the National Health Institute and Gastroenterology Societies recommendations. Data of 117 centres were collected, and different shortcomings emerged. Specific protocols for containing infection and training programs for operators were lacking in 20 and 30% of centres, respectively, and telephone triage 24-72 h before the endoscopy was not implemented in 25% of hospitals. In 30% of centres, the slot time for endoscopies and between examinations was not prolonged. PPE, masks, shirts and gloves were universally adopted, although with some differences. In 20% of centres, a FFPE-FFP3 mask was not adopted during endoscopic examinations. Postendoscopy patient tracking/contact was completed in only one-third of centres. Our survey provides information on organizational and medical behaviours during COVID-19 phase II in Italy, which could be useful for adopting appropriate measures for containing COVID-19 spread during phase II. Our survey provides information on organizational and medical behaviours during COVID-19 phase II in Italy, which could be useful for adopting appropriate measures for containing COVID-19 spread during phase II.Cure rate following standard first-line regimens for Helicobacter pylori eradication is decreasing so several patients require two or more treatments. Antibiotic susceptibility-based therapy, advised in current guidelines, is largely impracticable in clinical practice. Some 'standard' regimens (triple therapies based on either levofloxacin or rifabutin, bismuth-based quadruple therapies, sequential, concomitant and hybrid therapies) were empirically used as rescue therapies. We performed a systematic review on recent studies carried out in European countries dealing with these regimens. A total of 24 studies, with 3804 patients, were identified. As second-line therapy, Pylera (89.2%) and sequential therapy (92.5%) achieved significantly higher cure rates as compared to all the other regimens. As third-line therapy, levofloxacin-based therapy (84.1%) and Pylera (83.6%) achieved similarly high cure rates, whereas standard, bismuth-based quadruple therapy (64.1%) achieved the lowest. As a rescue therapy, the success rate was close to 75% following all therapies used, with data on rifabutin-based regimen consolidated in the larger sample size.