Effectiveness of generic sofosbuvir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi patients.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of generic sofosbuvir (SOF) and branded daclatasvir (DCV) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)infected patients.

Methods: This retrospective study, performed in a single center in Saudi Arabia between August 2017 and July 2022, we enrolled 140 consecutive patients with HCV who received generic SOF and branded DCV. The primary outcome was sustained virologic response at week 12 (SVR12).

Hepatitis D double reflex testing of all hepatitis B carriers in low-HBV- and high-HBV/HDV-prevalence countries.

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection occurs as a coinfection with hepatitis B and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensated cirrhosis, and mortality compared to hepatitis B virus (HBV) monoinfection. Reliable estimates of the prevalence of HDV infection and disease burden are essential to formulate strategies to find coinfected individuals more effectively and efficiently. The global prevalence of HBV infections was estimated to be 262,240,000 in 2021.

Uveitis and autoimmune hepatitis, a real entity? A case report with review of the literature.

A 63-year-old man presented with a 10-day history of severe pain, redness of the right eye, and reduced vision in both eyes. In addition, he had been diagnosed incidentally with liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly 1 week before he was admitted to our center. The patient was found to have severe intraocular inflammation that initially involved the right eye and then progressed to bilateral panuveitis.

Principles of Care for Patients with Liver Disease During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: Position Statement of the Saudi Association for the Study of Liver Disease and Transplantation.

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified in patients in Wuhan, China. The virus, subsequently named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, spread worldwide and the disease (coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Older adults and individuals with comorbidities have been reported as being more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Quantitative HBsAg levels do not identify hepatic fibrosis in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background/aims: Quantitative serum hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg) has been evaluated in limited patient groups as a marker of histological fibrosis. The accurate identification of inactive chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers from those with active carriers is difficult because of wide and frequent HBV DNA fluctuations. We aimed to assess the utility of qHBsAg in distinguishing histologically significant fibrosis in untreated HBeAg-negative chronic HBV patients.

Acute onset autoimmune hepatitis: Clinical presentation and treatment outcomes.

Introduction And Aim: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) may present acutely, which can rapidly progress to fulminant type. This pattern has been described worldwide but is generally under-reported. We aim to describe the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of patients with acute onset AIH.

Greater prevalence of comorbidities with increasing age: Cross-sectional analysis of chronic hepatitis B patients in Saudi Arabia.

Background/aims: Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia to some extent, are endemic for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection which could be associated with high mortality and comorbidities risk. However, limited data characterizing this CHB population exists. Our aim was to characterize and compare CHB patients in 2015 with those in 2010 and 2012 in Saudi Arabia.

Hepatitis B care pathway in Saudi Arabia: Current situation, gaps and actions.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a public health problem worldwide. In this review, we aim to assess the current situation of the HBV care pathway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), identify gaps/barriers therein, and recommend initiatives to be taken to improve the management of such patients. Towards this end, a literature search was conducted in PubMed and free Internet searches.

Clinical and virological outcomes of entecavir therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B: A real life experience.

Background: Entecavir (ETV) is a nucleoside analogue (NA) that is effective for treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) due to its low resistance rates and potent antiviral effects. We aimed to evaluate the clinical, biochemical and virological response to ETV in patients without a prior use of nucleos(t)ide (NA-naïve) vs. those who failed prior NA use (NA-experienced) in the treatment of CHB.

Clinicopathologic characteristics andoutcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with chronic hepatitis B versus hepatitis C infection.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver malignancy and one of the most common cancers worldwide. Few studies in Saudi Arabia have compared the clinicopathologic characteristics of HCC caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) versus hepatitis C virus (HCV) and their effect on patient survival and prognosis.

Objectives: Identify differences in clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by HBV versus HCV.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease burden - Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, 2017-2030.

Background/aim: Due to epidemic levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and resulting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) will be driving factors in liver disease burden in the coming years in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Materials And Methods: Models were used to estimate NAFLD and NASH disease progression, primarily based on changes in adult prevalence rates of adult obesity and DM. The published estimates and expert interviews were used to build and validate the model projections.

Real life efficacy of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in hepatitis C genotype 4-infected patients with advanced liver fibrosis and decompensated cirrhosis.

Unlabelled: Limited clinical trial data has shown high efficacy of co-formulated ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT)-4 infected cirrhotic patients. We assessed real-world safety and efficacy of LDV/SOF with or without ribavirin (RBV) in GT4-infected patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.

Patients & Methods: This observational cohort (n = 213) included GT4 treatment-naïve (59.

The Role of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Predicting Acute Kidney Dysfunction in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Background: Early detection of acute kidney dysfunction (AKD) in cirrhotic patients is crucial. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) has been identified as an early marker of AKD. The aim of the study was to evaluate serial uNGAL as a marker and predictor of AKD in liver cirrhosis patients.

Pharmacokinetics-Based Adjusted Versus Standard Dose of Ribavirin Does Not Improve Virologic Response Rates in Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 4 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Optimal doses of Ribavirin (RBV) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment are not known. To assess the safety and efficacy of PegIFNalfa-2a in combination with an adjusted (ADJ) RBV dose based on early pharmacokinetics versus a fixed standard (STD) dose of RBV in chronic HCV genotype (GT) 4-naive patients in a randomized trial. One hundred eighty-one patients were randomized.

Diminished accuracy of biomarkers of fibrosis in low replicative chronic hepatitis B.

Background: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4), AST/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AAR), and age-platelet index (API) for significant fibrosis (Metavir F2-4) in low-replicative (HBV DNA <20,000 IU/mL) chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients.

Methods: The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of HBeAg-negative, low-replicative (n = 213) and high-replicative (HBV DNA ≥20,000 IU/mL, n = 153) patients was assessed.

Results: Overall, 113 patients (30.

Policy of screening for colorectal cancer in Saudi Arabia: A prospective analysis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Several policies of CRC screening are available in different countries. The idea of screening is to identify patients at risk by detection of precancerous and small cancers early enough before they become advanced.

Symptoms of Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Apnea in Liver Cirrhosis Patients.

Unlabelled: Background/propose. Sleep disturbance and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) have been reported in patients with hepatic cirrhosis with no hepatic encephalopathy (HE). The objective of this study was to evaluate daytime sleepiness and risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among liver cirrhosis patients.

Tracing the epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Saudi Arabia.

HCV genotype 4 is highly prevalent in many Middle Eastern countries, yet little is known about the genotype's epidemic history at the subtype-level in this region. To address the dearth of data from Saudi Arabia (SA) we genotyped 230 HCV isolates in the core/E- and NS5B-region and analyzed using Bayesian phylogenetic approaches. HCV genotype 4 (HCV/4) was positive in 61.

Magnitude and causes of loss to follow-up among patients with viral hepatitis at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Non-adherence with recommended follow-up visits is a major barrier for completing treatment of viral hepatitis and is consequently associated with unfavorable outcomes of health services.

Objectives: To estimate the magnitude and identify perceived reasons and patient characteristics associated with loss to follow-up in a tertiary care setting.

Methods: A two-step cross-sectional study design was used, including a chart review (2011) followed by phone survey (2012).

Clinical Presentation, Risk Factors, and Treatment Modalities of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single Tertiary Care Center Experience.

Objective. To investigate the risk factors, clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes in Saudi patients with HCC and propose points for early detection of the disease. Methods.

Epidemiology, disease burden, and treatment strategies of chronic hepatitis C virus infections in Saudi Arabia in the new treatment paradigm shift.

Background/aims: Around 101,000 individuals are estimated to be viremic for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2014; however, only about 20% have been diagnosed. We aim to assess baseline epidemiology, disease burden, and evaluate strategies to eliminate HCV in KSA.

Materials And Methods: The infected population and disease progression were modeled using age- and gender-defined cohorts to track HCV incidence, prevalence, hepatic complications, and mortality.

Serum procalcitonin in cirrhotic patients with septic shock: relationship with adrenal insufficiency and clinical outcomes.

Background: Serum procalcitonin is commonly used to differentiate systemic inflammation due to infection from non-infectious causes. Limited data exist on the value of procalcitonin in predicting relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI). This study evaluated the value of procalcitonin in predicting RAI and mortality in cirrhotic patients with septic shock.

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and the occurrence of delayed graft function after kidney transplant.

Objectives: To investigate the predictive value of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in the occurrence of delayed graft function after kidney transplant.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective cohort study of 67 consecutive patients who received a living-related (40 patients [61%]) or deceased-donor kidney transplant (27 patients [39%]), urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was determined in the first 100 mL perfusate of the donor kidney and in urine at 6 hours after transplant. Patients were followed (11 ± 7 mo) for changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate and delayed graft function.