Combining cross-sectional survey and register data improved the estimate of hepatitis C prevalence among patients attending a psychiatric emergency department in Denmark.

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) among psychiatric patients is elevated compared to the background population in many studies, but the prevalence among Danish psychiatric patients is unknown. The aim of the study was to determine the HCV prevalence and the proportion of the psychiatric patient population that remains to be diagnosed and treated in a Danish setting.

Methods: During a 5-month period, patients attending the psychiatric emergency room in Vejle, Denmark, were offered point-of-care anti-HCV testing.

Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark.

Background: The goal of the C-Free-South project is to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the Region of Southern Denmark (1.2 million inhabitants). One target group consists of people with HCV who had received care but were lost to follow-up.

Increasing prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection and low linkage to care in Denmark on 31 December 2016 - an update based on nationwide registers.

Objectives: We aimed to update the estimated prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Denmark. Moreover, we aimed to determine the number of people with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in specialised care and to assess the completeness of reporting to the national register of communicable diseases.

Methods: Using four registers with national coverage, we identified all individuals registered with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, aged 16 years or older, and alive in Denmark on 31 December 2016.

Four Weeks Treatment with Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir + Ribavirin-A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Enhancing treatment uptake for hepatitis C to achieve the elimination goals set by the World Health Organization could be achieved by reducing the treatment duration. The aim of this study was to compare the sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) after four weeks of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) + ribavirin compared to eight weeks of GLE/PIB and to estimate predictors for SVR12 with four weeks of treatment through a multicenter open label randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized 2:1 (4 weeks:8 weeks) and stratified by genotype 3 and were treatment naïve of all genotypes and without significant liver fibrosis.

A multi-level intervention to eliminate hepatitis C from the Region of Southern Denmark: the C-Free-South project.

Denmark has signed the WHO strategy to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the absence of a national strategy for elimination, a local action plan was developed in the Region of Southern Denmark (RSD). The aim of the strategy is to diagnose 90% of HCV-infected persons and treat 80% of those diagnosed by 2025.

Emergency department testing is feasible but ineffective to eliminate hepatitis C in Denmark.

Background: As direct-acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is widely available in Denmark, the hindrance to achieving elimination lies in identifying infections. Effective identification relies on screening in high-risk populations. Here, we report the outcomes of a risk-based, point-of-care (POC) screening strategy in a Danish emergency department (ED).

Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients.

Background: It is currently not well described if a two-dose regimen of a Covid-19 vaccine is sufficient to elicit an immune response in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients.

Results: A total of 80 SOT recipients completed a two-dose regimen with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) messenger RNA vaccine. Only 35.

Low incidence of HCC in chronic hepatitis C patients with pretreatment liver stiffness measurements below 17.5 kilopascal who achieve SVR following DAAs.

Background And Aims: To evaluate the ability of pretreatment liver stiffness measurements (pLSM) to predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), incident decompensation and all-cause mortality in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).

Methods: 773 CHC patients with SVR after DAA treatment and no prior liver complications were identified retrospectively. Optimized cut-off of 17.

Hepatitis C prevalence in Denmark in 2016-An updated estimate using multiple national registers.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can be eliminated as a public health threat by meeting the WHO targets: 90% of patients diagnosed and 80% treated by 2030. To achieve and monitor progress towards elimination, an updated estimate of the size of the CHC population is needed, but Denmark has no complete national CHC register. By combining existing registers in 2007, we estimated the population living with CHC to be 16,888 (0.

Incidence, prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C in Danish prisons.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is prevalent among people in prison and prisons could therefore represent a unique opportunity to test risk groups for HCV. The aim of this sero-epidemiological study was to determine the incidence and prevalence of HCV infection and the corresponding risk factors in Danish prisons. Participants, recruited from eight Danish prisons, were tested for HCV using dried blood spots and filled out a questionaire with demographic data and risk factors for HCV infection.

Combining liver stiffness with hyaluronic acid provides superior prognostic performance in chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Non-invasive methods are the first choice for liver fibrosis evaluation in chronic liver diseases, but few studies investigate the ability of combined methods to predict outcomes.

Methods: 591 chronic hepatitis C patients with baseline liver stiffness (LSM) by FibroScan and hyaluronic acid measurements were identified retrospectively. The patients were grouped by baseline LSM: < 10kPa, 10-16.

Test uptake and hepatitis C prevalence in 5483 Danish people in drug use treatment from 1996 to 2015: a registry-based cohort study.

Background And Aims: The aims of this study were, in people in treatment for drug use in Funen, Denmark, to: (1) assess prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) test uptake and prevalence of HCV; (2) identify predictors of test update and HCV infection; and (3) characterize changes between 1996 and 2015 in test uptake, HCV prevalence and drug use.

Design: Cohort study linking the Danish National Registry on Drug Users in Treatment to the regional hepatitis test registry and the Danish Death Certificate Registry, thus combining longitudinal data on drug use with data on HCV testing and results.

Setting And Participants: People recorded as having received treatment for drug use between 1996 and 2015 (n = 5483) in Funen, Denmark.

Late Presentation for Care Among Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C: Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Patients with chronic hepatitis C may have advanced fibrosis at first evaluation. Using the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) definition (FibroScan® >9.5 kPa) for "late presenter for care" (LP), we found that 32% (169 of 527) of patients were LP.

Accuracy of the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis Test vs FibroTest, Elastography, and Indirect Markers in Detection of Advanced Fibrosis in Patients With Alcoholic Liver Disease.

Background & Aims: Alcohol is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver-related mortality, but we lack serum markers to detect compensated disease. We compared the accuracy of the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis test (ELF), the FibroTest, liver stiffness measurements (made by transient elastography and 2-dimensional shear-wave elastography), and 6 indirect marker tests in detection of advanced liver fibrosis (Kleiner stage ≥F3).

Methods: We performed a prospective study of 10 liver fibrosis markers (patented and not), all performed on the same day.

PRO-C3: a new and more precise collagen marker for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Objective: Detecting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis remains important in treatment and follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis C Infection (CHC). The aim of this study was to assess the ability of PRO-C3 to identify significant fibrosis (Ishak score ≥3) and cirrhosis (Ishak score ≥5) both as a single test and as a part of algorithms.

Materials And Methods: PRO-C3 was assessed in baseline samples from the NORDynamIC trial.

Feasibility of transient elastography versus real-time two-dimensional shear wave elastography in difficult-to-scan patients.

Background And Aims: Transient elastography (TE) is hampered in some patients by failures and unreliable results. We hypothesized that real time two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE), the FibroScan XL probe, and repeated TE exams, could be used to obtain reliable liver stiffness measurements in patients with an invalid TE examination.

Methods: We reviewed 1975 patients with 5764 TE exams performed between 2007 and 2014, to identify failures and unreliable exams.

Reliability Criteria for Liver Stiffness Measurements with Real-Time 2D Shear Wave Elastography in Different Clinical Scenarios of Chronic Liver Disease.

Purpose:  Liver stiffness measurement by real-time 2-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) lacks universal reliability criteria. We sought to assess whether previously published 2D-SWE reliability criteria for portal hypertension were applicable for the evaluation of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and to look for criteria that minimize the risk of misclassification in this setting.

Materials And Methods:  In a biopsy-controlled diagnostic study, we obtained five 2D-SWE measurements of optimal image quality.

Liver stiffness measurement among patients with chronic hepatitis B and C: results from a 5-year prospective study.

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is widely used to evaluate liver fibrosis, but longitudinal studies are rare. The current study was aimed to monitor LSM during follow-up, and to evaluate the association of LSM data with mortality and liver-related outcomes. We included all patients with chronic viral hepatitis and valid LSM using Fibroscan.