Long-term outcome of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in a real-world setting: The German LOTOS study.

Background & Aims: There are few large-scale, prospective studies comparing liver-associated events in treated and untreated patients with CHC managed in routine clinical practice.

Methods: Patients with CHC were prospectively enrolled in a non-interventional study. Data from patients with available documentation who had either achieved a sustained virological response, or were non-responders, relapsers, or had virological breakthrough following treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a±ribavirin, or who had been diagnosed but never treated at least 3 years previously, and who remained under medical observation were analyzed.

Estimating the likelihood of sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C therapy.

The likelihood of a sustained virological response (SVR) is the most important factor for physicians and patients in the decision to initiate and continue therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. This study identified predictive factors for SVR with peginterferon plus ribavirin (RBV) in patients with CHC treated under 'real-life' conditions. The study cohort consisted of patients from a large, retrospective German multicentre, observational study who had been treated with peginterferon alfa-2a plus RBV or peginterferon alfa-2b plus RBV between the years 2000 and 2007.

Efficacy and tolerability of peginterferon alfa-2a or alfa-2b plus ribavirin in the daily routine treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C in Germany: the PRACTICE study.

In randomized clinical trials, treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin (RBV) results in a sustained virological response (SVR) in around half of hepatitis C virus genotype 1-infected and 80% of genotype 2/3-infected individuals. This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of peginterferon alfa-2a plus RBV compared with peginterferon alfa-2b plus RBV for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in routine clinical practice. The intent-to-treat cohort consisted of 3414 patients treated with either peginterferon alfa-2a plus RBV (Group A) or peginterferon alfa-2b plus RBV (Group B) in 23 centres participating in the large, multicentre, observational PRACTICE study.

Treatment during primary HIV infection does not lower viral set point but improves CD4 lymphocytes in an observational cohort.

Objective: To investigate if early treatment of primary HIV-1 infection (PHI) reduces viral set point and/or increases CD4 lymphocytes.

Methods: Analysis of two prospective multi-centre PHI cohorts. HIV-1 RNA and CD4 lymphocytes in patients with transient treatment were compared to those in untreated patients.

Pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients.

Objectives: HIV-coinfection accelerates the course of HCV-related liver disease. Since, highly active anti-retroviral therapy significantly improved survival of HIV-patients more coinfected patients develop end stage liver disease. Therefore, treatment options for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients need to be evaluated.

A prospective controlled study of interferon-based therapy of chronic hepatitis C in patients on methadone maintenance.

We examined the feasibility of hepatitis C treatment in patients on opioid maintenance. One hundred patients with chronic hepatitis C, 50 on methadone maintenance, and 50 with no intravenous drug use or opioid maintenance for at least 5 years were prospectively matched for sex, age, hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype and HCV RNA. The primary end point was undetectable HCV RNA at 24 weeks posttreatment.

Risk factors for the HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome in a closed cohort of patients after 3 years of antiretroviral treatment.

Objective: To identify prevalence and risk factors associated with the HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HIVLD) after 3 years of antiretroviral therapy, to investigate the diagnostic value of anthropometric measures and to assess the impact of HIVLD on quality of life.

Design And Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, multicentre, observational, cohort study was performed in 27 German teaching hospitals, nonacademic hospitals and private practices. A total of 221 HIV-positive patients commencing antiretroviral therapy between July and September 1996 were studied.