Elastography for hepatic fibrosis severity in chronic hepatitis B or C.

Aims: To assess the value of transient elastography for predicting significant fibrosis or cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B or C (CHB or CHC) patients.

Methods: 75 patients (CHB: 45, CHC: 32) were included. All underwent elastography and liver biopsy concurrently.

Endoscopic treatment for high-risk bleeding peptic ulcers: a comparison of epinephrine alone with epinephrine plus ethanolamine.

Background: Among the various methods of combined endoscopic therapy for high-risk bleeding peptic ulcers the use of adrenaline followed by injection of ethanolamine is minimally demanding in terms of the endoscopic skills and instrumentation but has not been adequately studied. The aim of the present study is to determine whether the injection of ethanolamine in combination with epinephrine compared to injection of epinephrine alone reduces rebleeding rates, need for surgery and overall mortality of patients with bleeding ulcers.

Methods: Patients with ulcers and endoscopic features indicative of a high risk for spontaneous recurrent bleeding were included.

Study comparing the effect of pioglitazone in combination with either metformin or sulphonylureas on lipid profile and glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (ECLA).

Objective: To explore whether the improvement of lipid profile and glycaemic control observed in randomized control trials with pioglitazone (PIO) is replicated under conditions of general clinical practice.

Research Design And Methods: We studied 2388 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) not adequately controlled by monotherapy on either metformin (MET) or sulphonylurea (SU). Addition of a second drug, according to the treating physician's choice, resulted in three groups, PIO + MET, PIO + SU and MET + SU, followed for twelve months, while efficacy and safety parameters were measured at baseline, at six and at twelve months.

Substitution treatment or active intravenous drug use should not be contraindications for antiviral treatment in drug users with chronic hepatitis C.

Introduction And Aims: International guidelines and routine clinical practice express concerns about antiviral treatment in intravenous drug users (IDUs). We analysed the effect of IDU and/or substitution therapy on chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment adherence and response.

Patients And Methods: Intravenous drug users with CHC were divided into three groups: (A) patients on a substitution programme; (B) active users; and (C) past IDUs.