Adverse events associated with ribavirin in sofosbuvir-based therapies for patients with chronic hepatitis C: A community practice experience.

Objective: Due to high sustained virological response (SVR) rates, sofosbuvir-based regimens are currently a mainstay for hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies. The addition of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin impacts patients' quality of life during treatment. This study aimed to compare severe adverse events (SAEs) amongst therapeutic combinations for HCV in a community clinic setting.

Predicting clinical outcomes in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis.

Background And Aims: The progression of HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis is insidious and unpredictable. Identification of factors leading to either a benign or more serious clinical outcome may assist in decision making for antiviral therapy.

Methods: From 1989 to 1998, 130 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis were enrolled in a prospective study and followed every 3-6 months with liver and virologic tests, platelet counts and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) measurements.

Familial clustering of hepatocellular carcinoma in HBsAg-positive patients in the United States.

Purpose: The impact of familial clustering of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected persons in a low HBV endemic area was investigated.

Methods: Four hundred thirteen HBsAg-positive patients, 173 with HCC and 240 without HCC, were subgrouped into those with or without a family history of HCC and analyzed for risk factors associated with HCC development. In families with HCC clustering, the ages of HCC onset in parents and siblings were compared.

Tumor factors associated with clinical outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. This study evaluated the impact of surveillance and treatment on HBV-infected HCC patients and identified factors associated with survival.

Methods: From 1981 to 2010, 166 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive HCC patients were evaluated.

Evaluation of current treatment recommendations for chronic hepatitis B: a 2011 update.

Background And Aim: Guidelines for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B have been recently updated in the 2009 European Association for the Study of the Liver consensus statement, the 2008 US Panel, the 2008 Asian-Pacific consensus statement, and the 2009 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease practice guidelines. We sought to determine whether these guidelines identified patients who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or who died of non-HCC liver-related deaths for antiviral therapy.

Methods: The criteria described in the new treatment guidelines were matched to the database of 369 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients, in whom 30 developed HCC and 37 died of non-HCC liver-related deaths during a mean follow up of 84 months.

A comparison of hepatitis B viral markers of patients in different clinical stages of chronic infection.

Purpose: Hepatitis B viral markers may be useful for predicting outcomes such as liver-related deaths or development of hepatocellular carcinoma. We determined the frequency of these markers in different clinical stages of chronic hepatitis B infection.

Methods: We compared baseline hepatitis B viral markers in 317 patients who were enrolled in a prospective study and identified the frequency of these tests in immune-tolerant (IT) patients, in inactive carriers, and in patients with either hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive or HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.

Development of hepatocellular carcinoma after seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen.

Background & Aims: During the natural course of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, a small proportion of patients experience hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance. However, the long-term clinical outcomes of this process are not well established.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with chronic hepatitis B, followed between 1976 and 2008 at a community liver clinic, experienced HBsAg seroclearance.

Factors associated with progression to hepatocellular carcinoma and to death from liver complications in patients with HBsAg-positive cirrhosis.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B viral markers and liver tests were used as predictors for development of hepatocellular carcinoma and progression to end-stage liver disease in 128 cirrhosis patients with hepatitis B.

Results: During a median follow-up of 63.5 months, 28 patients (21.

Treatment recommendations for chronic hepatitis B: an evaluation of current guidelines based on a natural history study in the United States.

Unlabelled: Current guidelines for treatment of chronic hepatitis B include hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status, levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values in the setting of either chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Based on findings from a prospective study of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients, we determined whether these guidelines included patients who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and who died of non-HCC liver-related complications. The criteria for treatment from four published guidelines were matched to a cohort of 369 HBsAg-positive patients enrolled in the study.