Therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: in Hungary, over the past 5 years more than 900 patients with chronic hepatitis C have been examined for treatment with interferon at 16 major hepatology centres, using unified diagnostic and therapeutical criteria. Authors give an account of their experiences on the clinical features of patients with chronic hepatitis C and report the results of the interferon therapy.

Methods: a total of 993 patients--virtually the entire Hungarian hepatitis C patient population who had been referred for interferon treatment--were included in the program.

C5b-9 and interleukin-6 in chronic hepatitis C. Surrogate markers predicting short-term response to interferon alpha-2b.

Background: Available data and our observations suggest that elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and -10 and some complement parameters may be associated with a poor response to IFN alpha. We evaluated how baseline levels of C5b-9, IL-6, and IL-10 influence the outcome of IFN alpha treatment.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with established chronic hepatitis C were enrolled and treated with IFN alpha-2b.

Changes in the acute phase complement component and IL-6 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving interferon alpha-2b.

In order to study the effect of interferon alpha on the levels of acute phase complement proteins in vivo, serum concentrations of C9 and C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) were measured in patients with chronic hepatitis C before and 3 months after the beginning of interferon alpha2b therapy. Serum levels of the activation product of terminal complement pathway, C5b-9, HCV RNA and IL-6 were also determined. IFN alpha treatment significantly (P<0.

Amino acid sequence homology of factor C produced by Streptomyces griseus with regulatory proteins of zinc finger type.

Factor C is a regulatory protein produced by Streptomyces griseus 45H. Factor C-like antigen can be detected in the most diverse species examined. It is also present in human serum with an average of 219.

[Interferon therapy in cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis C virus infection].

The authors report the case of a 38 year old man with horseshoe kidney who developed a severe nephroso-nephritis syndrome, caused by cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulo-nephritis. A combination of steroid and cyclophosphamide treatment resulted in partial improvement, but was discontinued after 12 weeks due to adverse reactions, with a consequent early relapse. The 4 week course of cyclosporine monotherapy proved ineffective and signs of cryoglobulinemia appeared.

[Effect of interferon-alpha2b therapy in chronic hepatitis C].

In chronic hepatitis C the interferon treatment given three times a week in a dosage of 3 million units (MU) normalizes the values of alanin-amino-transferase in a part of cases (25-40%), and produces bettering in the subjective complains of patients. In the short term therapy (3-6 months) the activity of ALT increases again after leaving the therapy, and the disease becomes active. The aim of this multicenter study in Hungary was to give newer data in the case of longterm efficacy with alpha-interferon.

[Effect of paracetamol on the acid hemolysis of erythrocytes, with special reference to the intracellular glutathione level].

The authors give account of their study concerning the effect of paracetamol on the acid haemolysis, and glutathione content of human erythrocytes. In vitro, paracetamol decreased intracellular glutathione content in a dose dependent manner. This may lead to an increased sensitivity of erythrocytes to the haemolytic effect of hydrochloric acid, what may explain the dose dependent decrease of time of haemolysis, presented in form of dynamic haemolysis curve.

[Acute viral hepatitis: pathogenesis and clinical manifestations].

This is a review of several mechanisms in the acute and chronic progress of viral hepatitis. Investigation of these mechanisms may have an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis. Clinical features of acute non-A, non-B hepatitis were studied in 110 patients.

The effect of silibinin (Legalon) on the the free radical scavenger mechanisms of human erythrocytes in vitro.

The effect of Legalon was investigated parallel with that of Adriblastina (doxorubicin) and paracetamol on some parameters characterizing the free radical scavenger mechanisms of human erythrocytes in vitro and on the time of acid hemolysis performed in aggregometer. Observations suggest that Adriblastina enhances the lipid peroxidation of the membrane of red blood cells, while paracetamol causes significant depletion of intracellular glutathione level, thus decreasing the free radical eliminating capacity of the glutathione peroxidase system. Legalon on the other hand, is able to increase the activity of both superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, which may explain the protective effect of the drug against free radicals and also the stabilizing effect on the red blood cell membrane, shown by the increase of the time of full haemolysis.

Autoantibody against liver cell membrane and killer cell activity in chronic liver diseases.

The aim of our present study was to examine the ADCC reaction against liver cell in various chronic liver diseases on the basis of indirect evidence. Forty-nine liver patients and one hundred and twenty-three healthy controls were examined. Anti-LSP autoantibody was determined on rat liver membrane by using the indirect immunofluorescent method.

[Clinical aspects of zinc].

In the literature an increasingly large body of evidence has revealed disturbances of zinc metabolism and a consecutive zinc deficit in a broad spectrum of chronic diseases. The authors call attention to the therapeutic benefit of zinc substitution mainly in chronic hepatic diseases, pancreatitis and colitis, as well as in diabetes and in several cases of immunodeficiency with various complications. Since suitable preparations are not available on the market 'possibilities concerning zinc substitution are rather limited.

Attempt with oral immunobiotherapy (broncho-vaxom) and immunochemotherapy (broncho-vaxom + neomycin) for the elimination of bacteria in symptom-free "other Salmonella" carriers.

Forty-five symptomless "other Salmonella" carriers were treated; stool became negative for Salmonella in 22 of the 25 patients treated with Broncho-Vaxom (88%) and in 16 of the 20 patients treated with Broncho-Vaxom + Neomycin (80%) (who had discharged Salmonella for not longer than one month previously). This result is very favourable when compared to data of references of thoroughly controlled patients according to which 69% was the highest rate of bacterial negativity obtained in the treated patients who discharged "other Salmonellas" for not longer than 1 month. The stool of all 10 patients admitted as symptomless carriers of "other Salmonellas" became negative for bacteria in response to the mentioned therapy (in 6 cases of Group I, and 4 cases of Group II).

Detection of platelet-associated IgG in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura using antibody-coated polyacrylamide beads.

Platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG) was detected by means of anti-human IgG coated polyacrylamide beads ("Immunobeads") technique in 32 patients with chronic ITP. Both a direct test (with in vivo sensitized platelets) and an indirect test (with in vitro loaded platelets) were carried out. The percent of rosette forming beads was both in the direct test (41.

In vitro and in vivo demonstration of the cytoprotective effect of (+)-cyanidanol-3.

In vitro and in vivo investigations were undertaken to demonstrate cytoprotective effect of (+)-cyanidanol-3 on human erythrocytes. The time of full haemolysis induced by hydrochloride acid was measured and dynamic haemolysis curve was recorded with an aggregometer. In vitro, following a one-hour incubation of erythrocytes with (+)-cyanidanol-3 at 37 degrees C, significant increase of the haemolysis time could be demonstrated.

Lymphocytes bearing both T and B markers in lymphoproliferative disorders.

The appearance of dual-marked (D) lymphocytes, i.e. lymphocytes having both T and B markers, was investigated in patients with acute (ALL) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) as well as with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Serum alpha-fetoprotein in chronic liver disease.

The serum alpha-fetoprotein level was measured by radioimmunoassay in 20 normal subjects and in 118 patients with chronic liver disease. The highest concentrations were found in the group of hepatocellular carcinoma. Compared with the controls, higher values were demonstrable in the other groups of liver disease as well.