Evidence of a significant role for Fas-mediated apoptosis in HCV clearance during pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy.

Background: The role of apoptosis in treatment-induced HCV clearance is controversial. We sought to assess the kinetics of serum apoptosis-related cytokines during pegylated interferon-α2a or -α2b plus weight-based ribavirin therapy for genotype 1 chronic HCV infection.

Methods: Serum levels of soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) were measured at baseline, week 12 and 24 weeks after the end of therapy.

Gender influence on treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1.

Introduction: Although various studies have been published regarding the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with peginterferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin, little is known regarding the real impact of gender on the characteristics that influence the effectiveness and safety of antiviral treatment for CHC patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of gender on HCV treatment outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analytical study was conducted among selected carriers of CHC genotype 1, who were treated with Peg-IFN alpha-2b at a dose of 1.

Anti-HCV reactive blood donors: clinical and epidemiological factors associated with false-reactive results.

Background: In certain clinical settings, false-reactive anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) results are rare because the majority of persons being tested have evidence of liver disease and the specificity of the screening assays is high. However, among healthy populations, such as blood donors, mainly in regions with a low prevalence of HCV infection, this situation does occur. In this study, we sought to assess clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory characteristics of blood donors with false-reactive anti-HCV screening tests.

Clinical and histological impact of previous hepatitis B virus infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Recent reports suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers with serological markers of prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have more advanced liver fibrosis, irrespective of HBV-DNA detection.

Aims: We sought to assess the prevalence and impact of previous HBV infection in patients with HCV chronic infection.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included hepatitis B surface antigen- and human immunodeficiency virus-negative subjects with positive HCV-RNA.

Optimized cutoffs improve performance of the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index for predicting significant liver fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection.

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of modified cutoffs for aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) to predict significant liver fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included consecutive patients with HIV/HCV co-infection who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy. The accuracy of APRI for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (F2/F3/F4 METAVIR) was evaluated by estimating the positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV respectively) and by measuring the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC).

Simple blood tests as noninvasive markers of liver fibrosis in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Unlabelled: HCV infection is common among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis, and it has been considered an independent risk factor for mortality in this setting. Although liver biopsy in ESRD patients with HCV infection is useful before kidney transplantation, it carries a high risk of complications. We sought to assess the diagnostic value of noninvasive markers to stage liver fibrosis in 203 ESRD HCV-infected patients.