Real-life efficacy and safety of paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir in chronic hepatitis C patients in Hong Kong.

Background And Aim: In registration studies, combination therapy of paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir (PrOD) with and without ribavirin for 12-24 weeks can achieve > 90% sustained virological response (SVR) for genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, data in Asia is scanty. We aimed to study the efficacy and safety of this combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients in Hong Kong.

To fine needle aspiration or not? An endosonographer's approach to pancreatic cystic lesions.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) is an established diagnostic tool in the management of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs). Due to the proximity to the target lesion, the fine diagnostic needle travels through only minimal normal tissues. The risks of bleeding, pancreatitis and infection are small.

Prevalence of occult hepatitis B infection in a highly endemic area for chronic hepatitis B: a study of a large blood donor population.

Background And Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine the population prevalence of occult hepatitis B (OHB) infection and its clinical profile in a highly endemic area of chronic hepatitis B virus disease.

Methods: OHB was first identified by individual sample testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) followed by nucleic acid testing (NAT) and vice versa for 3044 (cohort 1, stored sera from donation within 1 year) and 9990 (cohort 2, prospective study) blood donors, respectively. OHB was confirmed meticulously by ≥2 out of 3 tests with detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA using a sensitive standardised assay.

Safety evaluation of telbivudine.

Importance Of The Field: Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) often requires long-term oral nucleoside/nucleotide agents which can be associated with viral resistance, patient non-compliance and adverse effects. Telbivudine is one of the more potent options available, with a 6.5- to 6.

Independent risk factors and predictive score for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B.

Background/aims: To determine whether gender, age, hepatitis B virus genotype, core promoter and precore mutations, HBeAg/ anti-HBe status, HBV DNA, ALT levels and cirrhosis on presentation were independent risk factors and derive a novel risk score for the development of HCC.

Methods: CHB patients (820) were followed up (mean duration 76.8 months) for the occurrence of HCC.

Twenty-two years follow-up of a prospective randomized trial of hepatitis B vaccines without booster dose in children: final report.

Long-term immunogenicity and efficacy of HBVvaccination with different regimens of HBV vaccines (A: 2-dose recombinant vs. B: 3-dose recombinant vs. C: 3-dose plasma-derived vaccines) without booster dose were examined in 318 Chinese children.

Natural history of hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important cause of cancer death in the world. It has great regional differences in the pathology and epidemiology. The variation is greatly influenced by the aetiologies of the disease.