Interferon-associated hepatic steatosis is related to discrepancies in biochemical and virological responses of chronic hepatitis C to IFN-based therapy.

Background And Aims: A discrepancy in virological and biochemical responses may occur throughout interferon-based therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV). We aimed to explore the risk, associated factors, potential mechanisms, and impact on the treatment outcome of the discrepancy.

Subjects And Methods: Consecutive 496, chronic HCV-infected patients receiving interferon/ribavirin or peginterferon/ribavirin for 24 weeks with a 24-week follow-up period were enrolled.

Comparison of adverse effects related to pegylated interferon-based therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan.

Purpose: Pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)-based therapy is effective in treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) but frequently induces adverse events (AEs). This study was conducted to compare the incidence of Peg-IFN-based therapy-associated AEs in Taiwanese patients with CHB and CHC.

Methods: Fifty-six patients with CHB and 103 age-, sex- and treatment duration-matched patients with CHC were enrolled.

Viral hepatitis infections in southern Taiwan: a multicenter community-based study.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are major causes of liver disease in Taiwan and have a great impact on the health of this country. This study investigated the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in southern Taiwan. Screening programs were performed from September 1999 to August 2005 for community-based surveillance of liver disease.

Early identification of achieving a sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C patients without a rapid virological response.

Background And Aim: A number of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients without a rapid virological response (RVR) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) with peginterferon-alpha-2a/ribavirin. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with SVR in non-RVR patients.

Methods: Baseline and on-treatment factors were used to explore the prognostic factors for SVR in 113 HCV genotype-1 (HCV-1) and 20 HCV-2 non-RVR patients in two randomized trials.

Efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin for the treatment of older patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (PegIFN)/ribavirin treatment in elderly patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: Seventy elderly patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (group A; age, > or = 65 years) and 140 sex- and HCV genotype-matched controls (group B; age, 50-64 years) were allocated to receive a PegIFN-alpha-2a/ribavirin standard-of-care regimen.

Results: Group A had a significantly higher rate of treatment discontinuation (21.

Hepatitis C virus viremia and low platelet count: a study in a hepatitis B & C endemic area in Taiwan.

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been shown to be associated with a low platelet count. This study aimed to elucidate the association between virologic status and platelet count in individuals with HCV infection.

Methods: A large-scale survey, enrolling 11,239 residents, was conducted in the Kaohsiung area of Taiwan.

Human leukocyte antigen alleles and the response to pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) may play a role in the clinical evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The present study was aimed at elucidating the association between the HLA loci and responses to combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha 2a (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin in Taiwanese. We enrolled a total of 208 treatment-naïve Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with combination therapy.

HBV infection in indigenous children, 20 years after immunization in Taiwan: a community-based study.

Objectives: Hepatitis B virus infection is hyperendemic in Taiwan. In the past, the infection rate has been higher in indigenous villages. The prevalence of chronic HBV infection among indigenous children after immunization remains unknown.

Insulin resistance predicts response to peginterferon-alpha/ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background/aims: Insulin resistance (IR) might be associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to elucidate impact of IR and beta-cell function on the response to peginterferon-alpha (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

Methods: Three hundred and thirty patients without overt diabetes were treated with combination therapy with (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin for 24 weeks.

Serum retinol-binding protein 4 is inversely correlated with disease severity of chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection carries a significant risk for development of insulin resistance (IR) and/or diabetes mellitus. Recently, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been reported as a protein contributing to IR. This study aimed to assess the correlation between RBP4 and disease severity of chronic HCV infection (CHC).

Association between transforming growth factor-beta 1 polymorphism and virologic characteristics of chronic hepatitis C.

The production of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) has been reported as being significantly associated with the gene polymorphism in the leader sequence at positions +29. The current study aimed to evaluate the associations between the polymorphism and the clinical characteristics of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A total of 422 (252 men; mean age: 49.

Hepatitis C virus infection among children in aboriginal areas in Taiwan.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among adults in aboriginal areas has been shown to be higher than in urban areas in Taiwan. Whether the prevalence of HCV infection is also higher among children in aboriginal areas remains unclear. In total, 1176 schoolchildren in four aboriginal areas were invited to participate in the study.

Reappraisal of the characteristics of glucose abnormalities in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Objectives: There is growing evidence suggesting the mutual link between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the impact of HCV infection on the suite of glucose abnormalities has rarely been investigated. The study aimed to determine the difference regarding the prevalence and the characteristics of glucose abnormalities between chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and community-based controls.

Performance characteristics of a real-time RT-PCR assay for quantification of hepatitis C virus RNA in patients with genotype 1 and 2 infections.

Background: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods play an essential role in providing data relating to diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay is an established and promising tool in terms of quantifying HCV RNA for clinical application. This study aimed to evaluate the performance characteristics of a real-time RT-PCR-based test in a clinical setting.

Changing prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among teenagers in an endemic area in Taiwan.

Tzukuan Township in Taiwan has been reported to be an endemic area for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection both in adults and adolescents. The maritime part of the township carries a higher prevalence than the non-maritime part and, as a consequence, several public education strategies have been introduced during the past decade. The current follow-up study aimed to clarify the changing prevalence of HCV infection among teenagers in the endemic maritime part of Tzukuan.

Rapid virological response and treatment duration for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 patients: a randomized trial.

Unlabelled: Recommended treatment for hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) patients is peginterferon plus ribavirin for 48 weeks. We assessed whether treatment duration of 24 weeks is as effective as standard treatment in HCV-1 patients with a rapid virological response (RVR; seronegative for hepatitis C virus [HCV] RNA at 4 weeks). Two hundred HCV-1 patients were randomized (1:1) to either 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon-alpha-2a (180 microg/week) and ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day) with a 24-week follow-up.

Associations between hepatitis C viremia and low serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels: a community-based study.

Background/aims: To evaluate the association of virologic status with serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: We conducted a large scale community-based study enrolling 11,239 residents in an area endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV infection in southern Taiwan. Overall, 703 (6.

Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with hepatic steatosis. However, the role of hepatic steatosis in the pathogenesis of HCV infection remains controversial. In our study, 425 consecutive HCV-viremic patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C (male, 264; mean age, 49.

Early response to lamivudine therapy in clinically non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients with decompensation.

This study aimed to elucidate the rate and predictors of early (6 months) therapeutic responses to lamivudine, the rate of early mortality and the use of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Index in predicting the survival in patients with a clinical diagnosis of non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B with decompensation. Ninety-eight patients with lamivudine therapy were enrolled and MELD and Index scores were calculated. Surviving patients were treated with lamivudine for more than 6 months.

Qualitative application of COBAS AMPLICOR HCV test version 2.0 assays in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and comparison of clinical performance with version 1.0.

The objective of this research was to investigate the clinical performance of COBAS AMPLICOR hepatitis C virus (HCV) test version 2.0 Assays (CA V2.0).

Hepatitis C viremia increases the association with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a hepatitis B and C endemic area: an epidemiological link with virological implication.

Objectives: There is growing evidence with regard to the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mutual link and related virological implication have not been fully clarified. The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on the epidemiological link remains unclear.

Adefovir dipivoxil treatment of lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B.

Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV)-resistant mutations have been identified in treating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to analyze the response, the incidence of ADV resistance and the virologic characteristics of ADV therapy. A total of 29 CHB patients with confirmed lamivudine (LAM)-resistant HBV were treated with ADV for more than 52 weeks.