Publications by authors named "Gianfranco Elia"
Background: Evidence is scarce on the efficacy of long-term human albumin (HA) administration in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The human Albumin for the treatmeNt of aScites in patients With hEpatic ciRrhosis (ANSWER) study was designed to clarify this issue.
Methods: We did an investigator-initiated multicentre randomised, parallel, open-label, pragmatic trial in 33 academic and non-academic Italian hospitals.
Background: Manual microscopy remains the gold standard for enumeration and classification of nucleated cells in peritoneal fluids, especially for diagnosing bacterial peritonitis. However, this approach carries several drawbacks, so that the use of simple and automated tests may be a viable option for initial screening of peritoneal fluids.
Materials And Methods: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), proteins and glucose were assessed in peritoneal fluids from patients with new onset nonmalignant ascites, along with nucleated cell count and differentiation.
Background/aims: The aim of this study was to increase virologic response rates by individualized treatment according to the early virologic response.
Methods: Serum HCV-RNA was frequently quantified in patients with chronic hepatitis C (n=270) treated with peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg/week) and ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day). After 6 weeks patients were classified as rapid (RVR), slow (SPR), flat (FPR), or null responders (NUR) and randomized within each viral kinetic class to continue therapy either with an individualized or standard regimen.
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses (HBV and HCV) are both noncytopathic and can cause acute and chronic infections of the liver. Although they share tropism for the same organ, development of chronic hepatitis is much more frequent following HCV infection, suggesting different mechanisms of viral persistence. In this study, we show that circulating HBV- and HCV-specific tetramer-positive CD8 cells during the acute phase of hepatitis B and C belong almost entirely to an effector-memory subset (CCR7(-) CD45RA(-)).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study compared the functionality of CD4+ T cells specific to hepatitis C virus (HCV) from both blood and liver of 29 chronic HCV patients.
- Different HCV proteins were tested for their ability to stimulate T-cell responses, with the core protein being the most recognized by intrahepatic T cells.
- Although the immune response was focused on a few key protein sections, no escape mutations were detected over time, indicating a strong and stable immune response in the liver.