The IL7RA rs6897932 polymorphism is associated with progression of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C: Repeated measurements design.

The polymorphisms at the α-chain of the IL-7 receptor (IL7RA) have been related to T-cell homeostasis and development and may contribute to immune system deregulation. In the present study, we analyzed the association between IL7RA polymorphisms and the progression of liver fibrosis in patients infected with HCV. We carried out a retrospective study with a design consisting of repeated measurements in 187 HCV-infected patients, to study the risk prediction of liver fibrosis progression using genetic factors.

Liver stiffness measurement predicts liver-related events in patients with chronic hepatitis C: A retrospective study.

The management of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) depends on their clinical stage. Thus, noninvasive early recognition of patients with CHC at high risk for developing liver-related events (LREs) is important because it ensures optimal preventative management strategies may be employed that can affect the course of CHC disease. Our aim was to determine whether liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients is associated with a risk of LREs, particularly in cirrhotic patients.

CXCL9-11 polymorphisms are associated with liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: CXCL9-11 polymorphisms are related to various infectious diseases, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this study, we analyzed the association between CXCL9-11 polymorphisms and liver fibrosis in HCV-infected patients.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in 389 patients who were genotyped for CXCL9-11 polymorphisms (CXCL9 rs10336, CXCL10 rs3921, and CXCL11 rs4619915) using the Sequenom's MassARRAY platform.

[Diagnostic usefulness of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in the Emergency Department for predicting bacterial meningitis in the elderly].

Objetives: To analyse and compare procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as tools for detecting bacterial meningitis (BM) in the elderly (>74 years of age).

Methods: A prospective, observational, descriptive, analytical study of 220 consecutive patients aged ≥1year and diagnosed with acute meningitis in an emergency department between September 2009 and July 2014.

Results: A total of 220 patients (136 [62%] male) were studied.