Targeted hepatitis C screening among ex-injection drug users in the community.

Background And Aim: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. It is highly prevalent among injection drug users (IDUs) but is often undiagnosed because they represent an underprivileged group that faces multiple barriers to medical care. Here, we report the results of the New Life New Liver Project, which provides targeted HCV screening and education for ex-IDUs in the community.

A randomized comparison of ultrathin and standard colonoscope in cecal intubation rate and patient tolerance.

Background: Complete colonoscopy examination cannot be performed in as many as 10% of cases. The new 9.2-mm ultrathin colonoscope (UTC) with an extra bending section may improve procedure tolerance and allow improvement in colonoscopy completion rate compared with a 12.

Rate and factors affecting treatment uptake of patients with chronic hepatitis C in a tertiary referral hospital.

Background: Contraindications to interferon and ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are well recognized, and previous data indicated the consequent suboptimal treatment uptake.

Aim: To evaluate the treatment rate of CHC patients in a tertiary referral center in Hong Kong, and to examine the reasons for non-treatment.

Methods: A retrospective review of all referred CHC patients to the outpatient clinic was conducted.

Durability of peginterferon alfa-2b treatment at 5 years in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Unlabelled: Approximately 30%-40% of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B treated with peginterferon and/or lamivudine achieve HBeAg seroconversion 6 months after the end of treatment. The durability and long-term effect of treatment are unknown. In this study, 85 HBeAg-positive patients who received peginterferon alfa-2b 1.