Re-treatment with highly purified nIFNα in Mexican nonresponder patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C.

Background And Aims: We undertook this study to evaluate the virological response to and presence of adverse events to natural interferon α (nIFNα; Multiferon®) treatment in previously nonresponsive Mexican patients chronically infected with genotype 1 hepatitis C.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients received a 4-week induction of 5 days/week of 6 MU nIFNα plus weight-based ribavirin followed by 3 MU of nIFNα three times a week for 44 weeks. The relationship between viral response and incidence of adverse events was analyzed.

Effective use of FibroTest to generate decision trees in hepatitis C.

Aim: To assess the usefulness of FibroTest to forecast scores by constructing decision trees in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: We used the C4.5 classification algorithm to construct decision trees with data from 261 patients with chronic hepatitis C without a liver biopsy.

Recurrent viral liver disease (hepatitis B and C) after liver transplantation.

Hepatitis C represents more than 35% of liver transplant candidates worldwide. Meanwhile, hepatitis B continues to be an important cause of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia and Africa. Recurrent viral liver disease is a significant event after liver transplantation and continues to be one of the main causes of graft dysfunction and loss in the middle and long-term follow-up.

[Advances in immunossuppression in liver transplantation].

The history of immunosuppression is a long one. From the utilization of steroids and azathioptine in the 50's to the design of humanized molecules that specifically block cell surface receptors. Liver transplantation is one of the procedures that benefit the most with the development of new immunosuppressors and is also one of the reasons to create a new branch in research and clinical practice: transplant medicine.

Early HCV RNA changes in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon alfa 2b and ribavirin.

Introduction: Currently, interferon alfa and ribavirin are the mainstay of therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C. Recently the pegylation of interferon has allowed a once weekly application, resulting in an increased sustained viral response rate. The analysis of serum HCV dynamics has been shown to be useful in predicting clinical effects and optimizing the treatment regimen.

Health-related quality of life and depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. It has been associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL) and psychiatric symptoms. Our aim was to assess HRQL, depression, and illness understanding in patients with chronic hepatitis C without previous interferon therapy.