Cytokines in hepatitis C-infected patients with or without opioid maintenance therapy.

Objective: Both chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and opioids cause altered blood levels of cytokines. Previous studies have investigated levels of selected groups of cytokines in patients on opioid maintenance treatment. Little is known about the levels of multiple cytokines in patients with chronic HCV infection on opioid maintenance treatment.

Effect of the baseline Y93H resistance-associated substitution in HCV genotype 3 for direct-acting antiviral treatment: real-life experience from a multicenter study in Sweden and Norway.

The NS5A resistance-associated substitution (RAS) Y93H is found quite frequently (5-10%) at baseline in direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) treatment-naïve genotype (GT) 3a patients when studied by the population-sequencing method (cut-off 20%). This RAS may impair HCV DAA treatment response, since it possesses a high fold resistance to daclatasvir (DCV) and velpatasvir (VEL) in GT 3. We investigated the effect of baseline Y93H in patients with GT 3a infection on treatment outcome, with or without resistance-based DAA-treatment during 2014-2017.

Personalized treatment of hepatitis C genotype 1a in Norway and Sweden 2014-2016: a study of treatment outcome in patients with or without resistance-based DAA-therapy.

Objectives: Resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) may impair treatment response to direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. We investigated the effects of baseline NS3-RASs (Q80K and R155K) and clinically relevant NS5A-RASs in patients with HCV genotype (GT) 1a infection on treatment outcome, with or without resistance-based DAA-treatment. This multi-center study was carried out between 2014 and 2016.

Clinical outcomes in a prospective study of community-acquired hepatitis C virus infection in Northern Norway.

Objective: Knowledge on the natural course of the morbidity of unselected community-acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is limited. The aim of our study was to characterize the clinical outcomes of both hepatic and extrahepatic morbidity in patients infected with HCV in a community-based setting in Northern Norway.

Material And Methods: This prospective cohort study included 1010 HCV-positive patients diagnosed by recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA), between 1 January 1990 and 1 January 2000.

Prevalences of viremic hepatitis C and viremic hepatitis B in pregnant women in Northern Norway.

Background/aims: No data exist for current infections of hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus in pregnant women in Northern Norway. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalences of viremic hepatitis C and hepatitis B of pregnant women in Northern Norway. A cross-sectional, multi-center study with participation of all hospitals and delivery rooms in this region was performed.

"Test, score and scope": a selection strategy for safe reduction of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies in young dyspeptic patients referred from primary care.

Objective: To test the ability of pre-endoscopic clinical evaluation to predict clinically relevant findings of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Material And Methods: Patients (341) who had been referred to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for further evaluation of dyspeptic symptoms were included in this prospective, single-blinded study. Prior to endoscopy, the patients underwent a standardized clinical evaluation consisting of 1) a symptom questionnaire, 2) serological testing for Helicobacter pylori antibody and 3) determination of blood hemoglobin.

High-dose ursodeoxycholic acid in primary sclerosing cholangitis: a 5-year multicenter, randomized, controlled study.

Background & Aims: There is no medical treatment of proven benefit for primary sclerosing cholangitis. This study aimed at studying the effect of a higher dose of ursodeoxycholic acid than previously used on survival, symptoms, biochemistry, and quality of life in this disease.

Methods: A randomized placebo-controlled study was performed in tertiary and secondary gastroenterology units.

[Hepatitis C in Northern Norway--an 8-year material].

Background: In 1992 a screening and medical follow-up programme of patients with hepatitis C was established in northern Norway. We report the data from the eight-year observation period.

Material And Methods: Patients with positive recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) confirmation tests of hepatitis C from the counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark were referred from primary care.