Publications by authors named "Joelma Carvalho Santos"

Introduction: The seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) is little known in Brazil. Studies have suggested that HEV may harmfully influence the course of CLD, with a higher risk of progression to cirrhosis.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of the anti-HEV antibody (IgG) in patients with CLD and to describe demographic data and risk factors, as well as clinical-laboratory and ultrasound parameters.

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Schistosomiasis mansoni is a neglected disease and key public health problem, mainly due to its high prevalence, the scarcity of public policies, and the severity of some clinical forms. Periportal fibrosis (PPF) is the commonest complication of chronic schistosomiasis mansoni and its diagnosis requires different techniques. Even though wedge biopsy of the liver is considered the gold standard, it is not justified in non-surgical patients, and percutaneous liver biopsy may be informative but does not have sufficient sensitivity.

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In patients with Mansoni schistosomiasis, it is fundamental to evaluate the disease morbidity, which is reflected by the severity of periportal fibrosis (PPF) and parameters of portal hypertension, as analyzed by ultrasonography (US). This study aimed to evaluate the morbidity of schistosomiasis by hepatic and splenic point shear-wave elastography (pSWE) and relate this to US parameters. The PPF pattern, the diameter of the portal and splenic veins and the size of the spleen were evaluated by US.

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The efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in liver transplant recipients is poorly understood, and several factors, including immunosuppression, drug interactions, elevated viraemia, and intolerance to ribavirin (RBV), can reduce cure rates. We conducted a real-life study on liver transplant recipients with CHC treated with a combination of sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DCV) or simeprevir (SIM), with or without RBV, followed-up for 12 to 24 weeks. The treatment effectiveness was assessed by determining the sustained virological response (SVR) rates at 12 or 24 weeks after the treatment cessation.

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Background: ARFI elastrography has been used as a noninvasive method to assess the severity of liver fibrosis in viral hepatitis, although with few studies in schistosomiasis mansoni. We aimed to evaluate the performance of point shear wave elastography (pSWE) for predicting significant periportal fibrosis (PPF) in schistosomotic patients and to determine its best cutoff point.

Methodology/principal Findings: This cross-sectional study included 358 adult schistosomotic patients subjected to US and pSWE on the right lobe.

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Aim: To develop metabonomic models (MMs), using H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of serum, to predict significant liver fibrosis (SF: Metavir ≥ F2), advanced liver fibrosis (AF: METAVIR ≥ F3) and cirrhosis (C: METAVIR = F4 or clinical cirrhosis) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Additionally, to compare the accuracy of the MMs with the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4).

Methods: Sixty-nine patients who had undergone biopsy in the previous 12 mo or had clinical cirrhosis were included.

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Background: Diagnosis of liver involvement due to schistosomiasis in asymptomatic patients from endemic areas previously diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) and periportal fibrosis is challenging. H-1 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabonomics strategy is a powerful tool for providing a profile of endogenous metabolites of low molecular weight in biofluids in a non-invasive way. The aim of this study was to diagnose periportal fibrosis due to schistosomiasis mansoni in patients with chronic HBV or HCV infection through NMR-based metabonomics models.

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Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms and variant expression of some interferon (IFN) genes in individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection might be related to higher viral load and disease complications. Thereby, whole blood samples of 208 patients (94 chronic HBV-infected patients and 114 HBV immune subjects) were analyzed to investigate the association between IFNG (-5Ax2192;G), IFNA1 (-2Cx2192;T) and IFNAR1 (-97Tx2192;C) genes with their expression levels and HBV viral load.

Methods: Genotyping was performed by high-resolution melting analysis with quantitative PCR (qPCR).

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Joelma Carvalho Santos"

  • - Joelma Carvalho Santos' research primarily focuses on the epidemiology and diagnostics of liver diseases associated with viral infections and parasitic conditions, particularly hepatitis E and schistosomiasis mansoni, in Brazil.
  • - Her studies highlight the importance of non-invasive diagnostic techniques, such as elastography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomics, for assessing liver conditions and complications like periportal fibrosis in chronic liver diseases.
  • - Research findings indicate that hepatitis E virus may exacerbate chronic liver disease progression, while the efficacy of direct-acting antivirals in chronic hepatitis C treatment in liver transplant patients shows variable outcomes influenced by several clinical factors.

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