New data concerning the epidemiology of Hepatitis B virus infection in Greece.

There is an obvious, significant, and diachronic reduction of the prevalence of HBV infection in Greece, concerning the general population as well as some traditionally high-risk groups, mainly as a result of constant informing and the widespread initiation of preventive and prophylactic measures, as well as the improvement of health care services. Nevertheless, there are special groups and populations (economical refugees, religious minorities, HIV-positive patients, abroad pregnant women, prostitutes, etc.) who represent sacs of high HBV endemicity and need epidemiological supervision and intervention, in order to limit the spread of the infection and to further improve the existing epidemiological data.

Patient's age modifies the impact of the proposed predictors of sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with PEG-interferon plus ribavirin.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of patient's age on the impact of typically proposed predictors of sustained virological response (SVR) in treatment-naïve, high-pretreatment viral load (>700.000 IU/ml), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated under real-life conditions in Greece.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 185 CHC patients (14.

Impact of shorter duration of treatment on virological response rate in genotype 2 or 3 chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of shortened duration of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RIB) treatment on sustained virological response (SVR) rates in treatment-naomicronve patients with chronic hepatitis due to genotype 2 or 3 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and high pre-treatment viral load (>800,000 IU/mL).

Methods: Records of 142 patients with chronic hepatitis C (22 with cirrhosis) who had been treated with PEG-IFN and RIB for 24 weeks (Group A, n=88), both drugs for 12-16 weeks (Group B, n=39), or with PEG-IFN for 12-16 weeks and RIB for 24 weeks (Group C, n=15), were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: Overall, 81.

Changing serological status and low vaccination-induced protection rates against hepatitis B characterize chronic hepatitis C virus-infected injecting drug users in Greece: need for immunization policy.

Objective: To evaluate the serological status of hepatitis B virus infection among Greek injecting drug users with chronic hepatitis C virus infection; to correlate hepatitis B virus infection status with the possible time of infection and the principal genotype of hepatitis C virus infection.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty consecutive injecting drug users with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were evaluated for serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection. One hundred and three of them (44.

Serological and virological profile of chronic HBV infected women at reproductive age in Greece. A two-year single center study.

Objective: Seroprevalence of HBsAg in 26,746 women at reproductive age in Greece and evaluation of HBeAg/anti-HBe serological status as well as serum HBV-DNA levels in a subgroup of HBsAg(+) women at labor.

Study Design: Serological markers were detected using enzyme immunoassays. Serum HBV-DNA was calculated using a sensitive quantitative PCR assay, with a lower limit of quantification of 200 copies/ml.

Serum procalcitonin levels in chronic hepatitis C patients under pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin treatment.

Objectives: To evaluate the alterations of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C during pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNa) plus ribavirin (RIB) treatment and to correlate them with clinical and virological outcomes.

Study Design: Fifty-two consecutive patients (29 males, age=41.2+/-14.

Immunogenicity of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced chronic hepatitis C patients: the effect of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment.

Aim: To retrospectively evaluate the vaccination-induced anti-HBs seroconversion rates in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Also to prospectively evaluate the seroconversion rates in CHC patients during pegylated interferon (PEG) plus ribavirin (RIB) treatment.

Methods: Seventy treatment-naive CHC patients (group A), 22 sustained virological responders-SVR following interferon (IFN) plus RIB treatment CHC patients (group B) and 121 healthy subjects (group C) had been participated in the same HBV vaccination schedule (20 microg, 0-1-6 mo).

Serological profile and virological evaluation of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection among HIV infected patients in Greece.

In this study we evaluate the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and the HBV and/or HCV viral load as well as HCV genotype among 737 HIV-infected patients. 89/737 (12.1%) were HBsAg(+) and the majority of them (60.

Late onset autoimmune thrombocytopenia associated with pegylated interferon-alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Interferon-induced, immune-mediated, thrombocytopenia is a rare event. In this report the case is described of development of severe, reversible, autoimmune thrombocytopenia in a patient with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, 6 months after the discontinuation of pegylated interferon-alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment. Physicians must be aware that autoimmune thrombocytopenia can occur even after the end of treatment, as a late onset complication, especially when using the pegylated forms of interferons, which have longer half-lives and prolonged activity.

Clinical significance of serum procalcitonin levels in patients with acute or chronic liver disease.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin levels in patients with acute or chronic liver disease, with or without bacterial infections and to correlate the results with the clinical outcome and the laboratory findings for these patients.

Methods: One hundred and six consecutive hospitalized patients with liver disease were evaluated for procalcitonin levels on admission. Fifteen of them (14.

Serological profile of HBV infection and liver histopathology among injecting drug users with chronic HCV infection in Greece.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serological status of HBV infection and liver histology in chronic HCV-infected injecting drug users (IDUs) and to correlate them with the possible time of infection and the principal HCV genotype.

Methods: Some 130 prior IDUs with chronic HCV infection were consecutively evaluated for the serological status of HBV infection. Fifty-eight (44.

HBeAg negative serological status and low viral replication levels characterize chronic hepatitis B virus-infected women at reproductive age in Greece: a one-year prospective single center study.

Aim: To evaluate the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 13 581 women at reproductive age and the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)/anti-HBe status as well as serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA levels in a subgroup of HBsAg(+) pregnant women at labor in Greece.

Methods: Serological markers were detected using enzyme immunoassays. Serum HBV-DNA was determined by a sensitive quantitative PCR assay.

Relationship between serum b2-microglobulin levels and virological breakthrough in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients, under long-term treatment schedules including lamivudine.

Aim: Predictive value of serum b2-microglobulin (b2m) levels for virological breakthrough (VB) in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients under long-term treatment schedules including lamivudine (LAM).

Methods: Serum b2m levels were calculated during treatment in 25 CHB patients under long-term LAM monotherapy (group A) and 12 patients under initial interferon plus LAM treatment followed by LAM monotherapy (group B), using the MEIA technology. We used Cox proportional hazard models in order to investigate the association between serum b2m levels and VB.

Tamoxifen induced hepatotoxicity in breast cancer patients with pre-existing liver steatosis: the role of glucose intolerance.

Objective: Tamoxifen induced hepatotoxicity has not been investigated in breast cancer patients with pre-existing liver steatosis. The aim of our study was to investigate the most common predisposing factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in breast cancer patients with liver steatosis, treated with adjuvant tamoxifen therapy, in order to evaluate their role in the appearance of tamoxifen induced hepatotoxicity.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory evaluation, including an oral glucose tolerance test, was done in 60 women with breast cancer and liver steatosis before the beginning of adjuvant tamoxifen treatment and every 6 months during treatment.

Serum beta2-microglobulin levels in hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients under long term lamivudine monotherapy: relationship with virological breakthrough.

Objectives: To evaluate the predictive value of serum beta2-microglobulin (beta2m) levels for virological breakthrough in hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients under long term lamivudine monotherapy.

Methods: Serum beta2m levels were calculated at baseline and every three months during lamivudine monotherapy in 25 patients with chronic hepatitis B, using microparticle enzyme immunoassay technology to investigate their association with biochemical, virological and histological outcome data. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the association between serum beta2m levels and virological breakthrough.

Plasma pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) levels in chronic hepatitis B patients under lamivudine treatment.

Objective: Lamivudine is a nucleoside analogue with potent antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV). Plasma pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a multifunctional neuropeptide that is produced within the lymphoid microenvironment and induces the production of Th2-type cytokines. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible alterations of plasma PACAP-38 levels in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients during lamivudine treatment and to compare them with biochemical, virological and histological data.