Involvement of Differential Relationship between HCV Replication and Hepatic PRR Signaling Gene Expression in Responsiveness to IFN-Based Therapy.

Aim. To gain an insight into the effect of HCV replication-associated interference with the IFN system on hepatic mRNA expression involved in IFN production. Methods.

Adding interferon to lamivudine enhances the early virologic response and reversion of the precore mutation in difficult-to-treat HBV infection.

Background: The virologic impact of adding interferon to antiviral nucleoside therapy was studied in Japanese patients having perinatally transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C.

Methods: Sixty-four patients including 41 positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were assigned to receive either (1) a combination of interferon-alpha (6 million units daily for 2 weeks, then three times weekly) plus lamivudine (100 mg daily) for 24 weeks followed by lamivudine alone for 28 weeks (n = 30) or (2) 52-week lamivudine monotherapy (n = 34).

Results: The combination treatment enhanced the early virologic response, and HBV clearance was more frequent at week 8 for patients with baseline HBV DNA < or = 7 log copies/ml (90% vs.

Squamous cell carcinoma as a rare entity of primary liver tumor with grave prognosis.

The development of primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the liver has only rarely been reported in association with pre-existing hepatic cysts and biliary tract diseases. This report describes an unusual case of SCC originating in a cirrhotic liver. A 63-year-old male alcoholic was incidentally found to have a 6-cm liver tumor which showed mixed echogenic by sonography and a low-density area with rim enhancement by computed tomography.

Significance of liver negative-strand HCV RNA quantitation in chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Liver negative-strand hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA is the most direct indicator of active viral replication but has only been examined in a few semiquantitative studies.

Methods: Positive- and negative-strand HCV RNA in the right (R) and left (L) liver lobes was quantified by rTth-based strand-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction for 48 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Results: Close correlations between lobes were seen for positive- and negative-strand amounts (r = 0.

Circulating soluble Fas levels in patients with hepatitis C virus infection and interferon therapy.

Background: The clinical relevance of the circulating soluble form of the Fas-Receptor (sFas) was investigated in patients with hepatitis C receiving type 1 interferon (IFN) therapy.

Methods: sFas was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 66 hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers and 30 HCV-naive or previously infected controls. The levels were then monitored during enhanced treatment with type 1 IFNs in 15 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Long-term clinical and virological outcomes of chronic hepatitis C after successful interferon therapy.

Clinical relevance of occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection(s) remains uncertain years after interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C. By 1993, 38 sustained virological responders (SVRs) showing HCV RNA clearance at 6 months post-treatment and 37 biochemical responders (BRs) with end-of-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization and subsequent 6-month stabilization within 2 x the upper limit of normal (ULN) were enrolled. They were monitored for 4.

Long-term histologic and virologic outcomes of acute self-limited hepatitis B.

The long-term impact of acute self-limited hepatitis B on the liver is unknown. Fourteen patients were recalled at a median of 4.2 years (range, 1.

Histological improvement of chronic liver disease after spontaneous serum hepatitis C virus clearance.

The long-term histological and virological outcomes of spontaneous circulating hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance were studied in chronic liver disease. Between 1979 and 1984, three patients underwent laparoscopy for chronic non-A, non-B liver disease, and two were found to have cirrhosis and one with chronic active hepatitis. After HCV assays became available in 1990, they were positive persistently for HCV antibody without serum HCV RNA.