Publications by authors named "Goulis J"
Background & Aims: Recent studies reported that moderate HBV DNA levels are significantly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive, non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to develop and validate a new risk score to predict HCC development using baseline moderate HBV DNA levels in patients entering into HBeAg-positive CHB from chronic infection.
Methods: This multicenter cohort study recruited 3,585 HBeAg-positive, non-cirrhotic patients who started antiviral treatment with entecavir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate at phase change into CHB from chronic infection in 23 tertiary university-affiliated hospitals of South Korea (2012-2020).
Background: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has exhibited a favourable safety profile on estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) and bone mineral density (BMD), but has not been extensively studied in patients with renal impairment and/or BMD disorders.
Aims: To assess predictors of eGFR changes and other safety and efficacy outcomes during 24-month TAF therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B with renal and/or BMD disorders/risks.
Methods: Adult patients who started TAF at 13 clinics throughout Greece were prospectively included.
Background & Aims: Several models have recently been developed to predict risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Our aims were to develop and validate an artificial intelligence-assisted prediction model of HCC risk.
Methods: Using a gradient-boosting machine (GBM) algorithm, a model was developed using 6,051 patients with CHB who received entecavir or tenofovir therapy from 4 hospitals in Korea.
Background & Aims: Antiviral treatment from hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive status may attenuate the integration of hepatitis B virus DNA into the host genome causing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the impact of HBeAg status at the onset of antiviral treatment on the risk of HCC.
Methods: The incidence of HCC was evaluated in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B who started entecavir or tenofovir in either HBeAg-positive or HBeAg-negative phase.
Background & Aims: Recently, several risk scores for prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were developed in cohorts of treated Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but they have not been assessed in non-Asian patients. We evaluated the predictability and comparative utility of our PAGE-B and recent Asian HCC risk scores in nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-treated adult Caucasian patients with CHB, with or without well-documented compensated cirrhosis but not previous diagnosis of HCC.
Methods: We included 1,951 patients treated with entecavir/tenofovir and followed up for a median of 7.
Background: Long-term monotherapy with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) represents the treatment option for the majority of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), an aging population with a greater likelihood of comorbidities. We assessed the prevalence of concurrent non-hepatic diseases and the safety monitoring in a large cohort of CHB patients receiving NAs and their potential impact on disease outcomes.
Methods: We included 500 consecutive CHB patients from 5 major tertiary Greek centers, under long-term therapy with an NA.
Background & Aims: A recent study in Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) reported that the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was lower in patients treated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) than entecavir (ETV), but this finding remains controversial. We aimed to identify any differences in HCC incidence, or other patient outcomes, between patients receiving TDF or ETV in the well monitored, multicenter European PAGE-B cohort.
Methods: We included 1,935 Caucasians with CHB, with or without compensated cirrhosis, treated with ETV (n = 772) or TDF (n = 1,163) monotherapy.
Background: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a common and often persistent musculoskeletal disorder affecting both athletic and non-athletic populations. Despite the relatively high incidence there is little insight into the impact and perceptions of tendinopathy from the individual's perspective. Increased awareness of the impact and perceptions around individuals' experiences with Achilles tendinopathy may provide crucial insights for the management of what is often a complex, persistent, and disabling MSK disorder.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may develop in patients with chronic hepatitis (CHB) even after 5 years of oral therapy and cannot be easily predicted. We assessed predictors of HCC development and the need for HCC surveillance in this setting.
Methods: Of 1,951 adult Caucasians with CHB included in the PAGE-B cohort, 1,427 (73%) had completed >5 years of follow-up under therapy without developing HCC by year 5.
Background: Adherence and persistence to long-term therapy with nucleos(t)ides analogues are crucial to the outcome of treatment in chronic hepatitis B. Our aim was to determine the persistence and adherence rates to nucleos(t)ides analogues in chronic hepatitis B patients under maintenance therapy and to identify relative to prediction of adherence factors.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed electronic prescription data of patients (2011-2016; n = 400) with chronic hepatitis B treated with nucleos(t)ides analogues at 4 tertiary liver centers in Greece.
Objective: To determine if body mass index (BMI), smoking status, prehabilitation or time to reconstruction are associated with recovery of self-reported knee function and activity after ACL reconstruction (ACLR).
Data Sources: Four electronic databases were systematically searched.
Study Selection: English language articles were included if: (1) participants aged 16-70 years had primary or first revision ACLR with autograft, following complete rupture; and (2) the association between one of four modifiable factors: (1) BMI; (2) smoking; (3) prehabilitation; or (4) time to reconstruction with self-reported knee function and activity, ACL graft rupture or return to sport was evaluated.
There are estimated to be 74,000-134,000 patients living with chronic hepatitis C in Greece, but only 20-30% of them are aware of their disease status. In July 2017, the Hellenic National Plan for Hepatitis C was announced in alignment with the World Health Organization goals for the eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by the year 2030. This article discusses the epidemiology and current treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Greece.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: It is estimated that 17,000 people who inject drugs (PWID) in Greece have hepatitis C virus (HCV) viremia. The aim of our study was to explore the characteristics of the HCV-infected, direct acting antiviral (DAA)-naïve PWID.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of PWID with HCV infection.
Background & Aims: The effects of long-term antiviral therapy on survival have not been adequately assessed in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In this 10-centre, ongoing cohort study, we evaluated the probability of survival and factors affecting survival in Caucasian CHB patients who received long-term entecavir/tenofovir therapy.
Methods: We included 1,951 adult Caucasians with CHB, with or without compensated cirrhosis and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at baseline, who received entecavir/tenofovir for ≥12 months (median, six years).
Background: We determined the proportions of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in association with possible prioritized indications for interferon-free regimens and the use of co-medications with potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs).
Methods: Five hundred consecutive mono-infected CHC patients seen in 2015 at 5 Greek centers were included. Priorities for interferon-free regimens were based on liver disease severity, contraindication(s) for interferon and prior interferon-treatment failure.
Unlabelled: Whether there is a change of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in chronic hepatitis B patients under long-term therapy with potent nucleos(t)ide analogues is currently unclear. We therefore assessed the HCC incidence beyond year 5 of entecavir/tenofovir (ETV/TDF) therapy and tried to determine possible factors associated with late HCC occurrence. This European, 10-center, cohort study included 1,951 adult Caucasian chronic hepatitis B patients without HCC at baseline who received ETV/TDF for ≥1 year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Two models are mostly used to predict survival in cirrhosis: the Child-Pugh score (CP score) and the model for end-stage liver disease score (MELD score).
Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the CP score and the MELD score for short- and long-term prognosis in cirrhosis, as well as CP-creatinine score, MELD-Na score, and UKELD score.
Methods: One thousand and forty-seven patients from five referral centers were included: men/women: 620/427, median age: 58 years (IQR 48-66), median follow-up: 33 months (IQR 12-74), CP (A/B/C): 493/357/147, CP score: 7 (IQR 5-9), MELD score: 12 (IQR 9-16).
Aim: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are both characterized by decreased circulating adiponectin. Recently, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have been shown to induce adiponectin's expression. However, their interaction on clinical grounds needs to be further elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: Risk scores for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed in Asians offer poor-moderate predictability in Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This nine center cohort study aimed to develop and validate an accurate HCC risk score in Caucasian CHB patients treated with the current oral antivirals, entecavir/tenofovir.
Methods: We included 1815 adult Caucasians with CHB and no HCC at baseline who received entecavir/tenofovir for ⩾12 months.
Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple therapy using boceprevir (BOC) with pegylated interferon (pIFN)/ribavirin (RBV) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) genotype 1 (G1) treatment-experienced patients with advanced fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis.
Methods: We report the Greek experience on the first CHC patients who received BOC-based regimen. From September 2011 to June 2012, 26 treatment-experienced CHC patients and G1 with bridging fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis received 48 weeks of BOC+pIFN+RBV antiviral therapy.
Background/aim: Patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis (HBV-DeCi) should be treated with potent nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA)[entecavir (ETV) or tenofovir (TDF)]. The aim was the evaluation of safety and efficacy in terms of changes in liver disease course in HBV-DeCi patients treated with ETV or TDF.
Methods: In 52 HBV-DeCi patients clinical and laboratory data, including glomerular filtration rates (GFR), were recorded.
Background & Aims: The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), treated with entecavir (ETV) or tenofovir (TDF), is unclear. We evaluated the incidence and predictors of HCC and the accuracy of existing HCC risk scores in Caucasian CHB patients receiving ETV/TDF.
Methods: This large, multicentre, retrospective cohort study included 1666 adult Caucasian CHB patients under ETV/TDF for 39 months.
Background & Aims: Antibodies (Abs) to soluble liver antigen/liver pancreas (anti-SLA/LP) are considered markers of worse prognosis and outcome in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) although this assumption has recently been attributed to their frequent co-expression with Abs against Ro52 (anti-Ro52). To assess the clinical significance of anti-SLA/LP Abs alone or in combination with anti-Ro52 in AIH patients and determine the immunodominant Ro52 epitopes according to the anti-SLA/LP status.
Methods: Twenty-three anti-SLA/LP-positive and 106 anti-SLA/LP-negative AIH patients were included.
Aim: Although serum creatinine is included in the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, it is an inaccurate marker of renal function, namely, of glomerular filtration rate ("true" GFR) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Our aim was to investigate the impact of MELD score and "true" GFR as determinants of survival in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.
Methods: We included all consecutive patients with decompensated cirrhosis who were admitted to our department.
Background & Aims: Serum HBsAg levels might represent an important predictor of sustained off-treatment response in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We evaluated the changes of HBsAg and interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP10) serum levels in HBeAg-negative CHB patients treated with entecavir.
Methods: 114 patients received entecavir for a median of 4.