Evaluation of intravenous lidocaine in head and neck cancer surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pain after major head and neck cancer surgery is underestimated and has both nociceptive and neuropathic characteristics. Extended resection, flap coverage, nerve lesions, inflammation, and high-dose opioid administration can also lead to hyperalgesia and chronic postoperative pain. Opioids are frequently associated with adverse events such as dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, or constipation disturbing postoperative recovery and extending the length of hospital stay.

Efficacy and safety of boceprevir-based triple therapy in HCV cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation (ANRS HC29 BOCEPRETRANSPLANT).

Background And Aims: In this French multicentre, open-label study, we analyzed the efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes of a boceprevir-based triple therapy in HCV genotype 1 cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation (LT).

Methods: Patients received PEG-IFN/ribavirin (RBV) for 48 weeks (W) and boceprevir from W4 to W48 or until LT.

Results: Fifty-one patients (80% males, median age: 56 years) were included.

Role of a 48-week pegylated interferon therapy in hepatitis B e antigen positive HIV-co-infected patients on cART including tenofovir: EMVIPEG study.

Background & Aims: In hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive-HIV co-infected patients treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), including tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), the rate of HBe seroconversion remains low. Whether adding pegylated interferon alfa (PegIFN) could increase the likelihood of HBeAg loss and HBe seroconversion has not been assessed.

Methods: A 48-week PegIFN therapy was added to HBeAg positive-HIV co-infected patients on TDF and emtricitabine, or lamivudine for at least 6 months.

Clearance of serum HBsAg and anti-HBs seroconversion following antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

In this study, we have analyzed the evolution of serum HBsAg levels in 16 patients with chronic hepatitis B who showed an HBsAg seroconversion following antiviral therapy. The data showed that the clearance of serum HBsAg is slower than that of serum HBV DNA, which may reflect a slow kinetics of clearance of infected hepatocytes. Interestingly, HBsAg was detectable for a longer time using the Architect assay than with the Bio-Rad assay.