[Efficacy of combination treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in patients chronically infected with HCV].

The Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the efficacy of combined antiviral treatment with pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin in patients with chronic HCV infection who have not yet been treated with antivirals (treatment-naive patients). To compare the treatment effect in patients with low (< 600,000 IU/ml) and high (> or = 600,000 IU/ml) initial viremia. METHODS AND TREATMENT REGIME: Treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV infection treated with the combination therapy of pegylated interferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin.

[Diabetes mellitus and the liver].

Liver diseases are frequently associated with disorders of the carbohydrate metabolism--impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance. Impaired glucose tolerance is due in particular to impaired glucose uptake in the splanchnic area and periphery. Glucose production by the liver is normal, similarly as insulin secretion.

[Diagnosis and treatment of hepatic cysts].

Hepatic cysts are at the present time of widespread use of abdominal ultrasonography a frequent finding. The authors summarize contemporary diagnostic possibilities of liver cysts and submit variants of the therapeutic procedure in case of symptomatic liver cysts. They present their own experience with the treatment of hepatic cysts by the evaluation method combined with administration of 96% ethanol into the cyst.

Indel in the FIC1/ATP8B1 gene-a novel rare type of mutation associated with benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis.

Benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) is a rare inherited liver disease characterized by recurrent attacks of severe cholestasis with no progression to end stage liver disease. Patients have jaundice, however, serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and cholesterol levels remain within the normal range during the attacks. Three mutations in the familial intrahepatic cholestasis 1 (ATP8B1) gene encoding a P-type ATPase have been reported so far in patients with the autosomal recessive form of BRIC.

[Cholestasis].

Cholestasis is a condition, where the bile flow into the intestine is defective. The causes may be extrahepatic (in large biliary ducts) or intrahepatic (at the level of hepatocytes or minor biliary ducts). The lack of bile in the intestine results in serious consequences, mainly malabsorption, malnutrition and skeletal changes.