Long-Term Outcomes of Patients With HCV-Associated Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis After Virologic Cure.

Patients with hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (HCV-CV) have high rates of clinical remission after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), but circulating cryoglobulins persist, and vascular disorders reappear in some patients shortly after DAA treatment ends. We performed a prospective study to assess the long-term clinical and immune system effects of HCV eradication with DAAs in 46 patients with HCV-CV and 42 asymptomatic patients with circulating cryoglobulins. A median of 24 months after DAA treatment (range, 17-41 months), 66% of patients with HCV-CV and 70% of asymptomatic patients with circulating cryoglobulins had an immunologic response, with comparable reductions in cryocrit from 2.

Anti-viral therapy can be delayed or avoided in a significant proportion of HBeAg-negative Caucasian patients in the Grey Zone.

Background: Grey Zone (GZ) is an ill-defined situation including patients falling between inactive carrier (IC) state and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg-negative CHB).

Aims: To assess the long-term outcomes of GZ patients compared to IC in the absence of treatment.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 287 IC and GZ HBeAg-negative patients.

Correction: Neutrophil and Monocyte Function in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Undergoing Antiviral Therapy with Regimens Containing Protease Inhibitors with and without Interferon.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Clinico-biological characteristics and outcome of hepatitis C virus-positive patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with immunochemotherapy.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients carrying hepatitis C virus (HCV) have higher risk of treatment toxicity and complications. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of HCV in a series of DLBCL patients treated with immunochemotherapy. 321 patients (161 M/160F; median age, 66 years) diagnosed with de novo DLBCL in a single center between 2002 and 2013 were included.

Neutrophil and Monocyte Function in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Undergoing Antiviral Therapy with Regimens Containing Protease Inhibitors with and without Interferon.

Real-life data showed an increased incidence of bacterial infections in patients with advanced liver disease receiving a protease inhibitor (PI)-containing antiviral regimen against hepatitis C (HCV). However, the causes of this event are unknown. We hypothesized that PIs might impair innate immune responses through the inhibition of proteases participating in the anti-bacterial functions of neutrophils and monocytes.