Drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction three months after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination: A case report and review of literature.

Background: A 70-year-old man with hepatitis C virus-related recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted for further diagnosis of a 1 cm iso-hyperechoic nodule in segment (S) 5.

Case Summary: Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) revealed the nodule in S5 with a defect at the hepatobiliary phase, hyperintensity on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and hypointensity on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed hypervascularity at the early phase, and delayed contrast-enhancement was observed at the late phase.

Double-Filtration Plasmapheresis plus Interferon-β for HCV-1b Patients with Non-Sustained Virological Response to Previous Combination Therapy.

Background And Aims: Double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) together with interferon (IFN) administration produces a substantial reduction in the viral load during the early stages of treatment.

Methods: Based on their responses to previous pegylated IFN and ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) therapy, 20 patients were divided into null virological response (NVR; n = 12) and relapse (n = 8) groups. DFPP was used in combination with IFN-β/RBV with subsequent administration of PEG-IFN-α2a/RBV therapy (DFPP + IFN-β/RBV then PEG-IFN/RBV).

Polymorphisms of hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 5A and core protein and clinical outcome of pegylated-interferon/ribavirin combination therapy.

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV genome) polymorphisms are thought to influence the outcome of pegylated-interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) therapy. This study aimed to examine non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) polymorphisms, e.g.

Outcome and early viral dynamics with viral mutation in PEG-IFN/RBV therapy for chronic hepatitis in patients with high viral loads of serum HCV RNA genotype 1b.

We investigated whether sustained virological response (SVR) and non-SVR by chronic hepatitis C patients to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) combination therapy are distinguishable by viral factors such as the IFN/RBV resistance-determining region (IRRDR) and by on-treatment factors through new indices such as the rebound index (RI). The first RI (RI-1st; the viral load at week 1 divided by the viral load at 24 h) and the second RI (RI-2nd; the viral load at week 2 divided by the viral load at 24 h) were calculated. The subject patients were divided into 3 groups based on RI-1st and RI-2nd: an RI-A group (RI-1st < or = 1.

Double-filtration plasmapheresis plus IFN for HCV-1b patients with non-sustained virological response to previous combination therapy: early viral dynamics.

Double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was approved in Japan in April 2008 for the retreatment of chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b and high viral loads, whose hepatitis C virus was not eradicated by earlier IFN therapy or by pegylated IFN plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) combination therapy. In this study, we assessed the early viral dynamics of 9 patients with non-sustained virological response to the combination therapy. The overall viral dynamics of DFPP plus IFN treatment with or without RBV for 4 weeks showed a reduction of > or =1 log in the viral load in 22% (2 of 9 patients), 55.

Well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma smaller than 15 mm in diameter totally eradicated with percutaneous ethanol injection instead of radiofrequency ablation.

We describe three cases of well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) smaller than 15 mm in diameter completely eradicated with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) instead of using radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Ultrasound (US) examination revealed one nodule each in segment 2 (hypoechoic, near bile ducts, 10 mm), in segment 5 (hyperechoic, near the gall bladder, 15 mm), and in segment 7 (hypoechoic, near the diaphragm, 15 mm). Although imaging studies revealed isovascular (case 1) and hypervascular (cases 2 and 3) nodules, histological analysis of US-guided biopsy tissue revealed well-differentiated HCC.

Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C with high viral load of serum hepatitis C virus RNA, genotype 1b, discontinued on attaining sustained virological response at week 16 after onset of acute pancreatitis.

Recent clinical trials have shown that pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha) in combination with ribavirin (RBV) improves the rate of sustained virological response (SVR), with over 50% of patients demonstrating a positive response to treatment. However, no SVR has been reported when PEG-IFN/RBV combination therapy is discontinued by week 16, especially in cases of chronic hepatitis with a high viral load of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, genotype 1b. Here, we describe SVR in a 67-year-old woman whose PEG-IFN/RBV combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C with a high viral load of serum HCV RNA, genotype 1b, was discontinued after 16 weeks because of the onset of PEG-IFN plus RBV-induced acute pancreatitis.

Acute Pancreatitis Associated with Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C, Genotype 1b with High Viral Load.

Acute pancreatitis, an uncommon side effect of pegylated interferon α (PEG-IFN α) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy, has rarely been reported in the English language literature. Here, acute pancreatitis associated with PEG-IFN plus RBV treatment is described in three patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1b with high serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels. The patients had been started on weekly subcutaneous injections of PEG-IFN α (60, 80, and 90 μg) plus a daily oral dose of RBV (600 mg).

Focal nodular hyperplasia-like lesion with venous washout in alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

A case of 22 mm hypervascular nodule in segment two of the liver but without hepatitis B or C virus infection in a 32-year-old Japanese woman with a history of alcohol abuse is presented. Imaging studies such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed hypervascularity in the early phase and venous washout in the late phase. Histologically, stellate scar-like fibrous septa, pericellular fibrosis, fatty change, neutrophilic infiltration, slight increase of cell density, and diffuse capillarization of the sinusoids together with small unpaired arteries were observed.

Usefulness of a new immunoradiometric assay of HCV core antigen to predict virological response during PEG-IFN/RBV combination therapy for chronic hepatitis with high viral load of serum HCV RNA genotype 1b.

We investigated the clinical usefulness of a new immunoradiometric (IRM) assay of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen in predicting virological response during pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) combination therapy for chronic hepatitis with high viral loads of serum HCV RNA genotype 1b. Thirty-nine patients received a regimen of PEG-IFNalpha-2b (1.5 microg/kg/week s.

Sequence variation in hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 5A predicts clinical outcome of pegylated interferon/ribavirin combination therapy.

Unlabelled: A substantial proportion of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-1b-infected patients still do not respond to interferon-based therapy. This study aims to explore a predictive marker for the ultimate virological response of HCV-1b-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) combination therapy. Nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) sequences of HCV in the pretreated sera of 45 patients infected with HCV-1b were analyzed.

Long-term outcome of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for minimum-sized hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To evaluate long-term follow-up of minimum-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI).

Methods: PEI was applied to 42 lesions in 31 patients (23 male and eight female) with HCC < 15 mm in diameter, over the past 15 years.

Results: Overall survival rate was 74.

Blood cell, liver function, and response changes by PEG-interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin with polaprezinc therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Purpose: Zinc has been reported to ameliorate hematologic side effects and improve liver function. In addition to its various effects, zinc supplementation in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b of high viral load enhanced the response to interferon (IFN) monotherapy. This study was aimed at clarifying whether zinc could improve hematologic side effects, improve liver function, and enhance the response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV).

Prediction of efficient virological response to pegylated interferon/ribavirin combination therapy by NS5A sequences of hepatitis C virus and anti-NS5A antibodies in pre-treatment sera.

A considerable number of patients infected with Hepatitis C virus subtype 1b (HCV-1b) do not respond to pegylated interferon/ribavirin combination therapy. In this study we explored a useful factor(s) to predict treatment outcome. A total of 47 HCV-1b-infected patients were treated with pegylated interferon/ ribavirin for 48 weeks.

Case of adult genotype C HBV carrier after acute hepatitis B, losing HBsAg and acquiring HBsAb after IFN and lamivudine treatment.

Here we report the case of a 48-year-old man, carrier of genotype C HBV for longer than 6 months after contracting sexually transmitted acute hepatitis B, who eventually lost HBsAg and acquired HBsAb by IFN/lamivudine therapy. The patient had been negative for HBsAg in 2001, but, during his stay in China from January to July in 2003, he developed acute hepatitis B after having an extra-marital sexual contact there. HBsAg was still positive and a liver biopsy indicated chronic hepatitis when he was admitted to our hospital in December 2003 for detailed examination of liver dysfunction.

Well-differentiated HCC manifesting hyperattenuation on CT during arterial portography.

A rare case of well-differentiated minute hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis, with unusual radiologic features, is presented. A 10-mm hypoechoic nodule disclosed by ultrasound in segment six showed hypoattenuation on computed tomography hepatic arteriography and hyperattenuation on computed tomography during arterial portography, indicating that the portal vein may have been the dominant vascularity of the nodule. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound revealed hypovascularity in the early arterial phase, isovascularity in the late vascular phase, and the same perfusion as that surrounding the liver parenchyma in the post-vascular phase, with the same pattern observed on the two imaging techniques.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis and hepatitis C virus infection.

Two cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis with hepatic C virus infection in a 62-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman are presented. The infection in the man was eradicated with interferon therapy in 1992. Seven years thereafter, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography revealed a diffuse 2.

Prediction of efficacy of interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis C and occurrence of HCC after interferon treatment by a new classification.

One hundred and twenty-one chronic hepatitis C patients were administered interferon (IFN) and divided into two groups: 31 complete responders (CR) with prolonged HCV-RNA negative 1 year after treatment and 90 non-complete responders (non-CR), including partial responders (PR) with transiently negative HCV-RNA and non-responders (NR) with continuously positive HCV-RNA. Liver biopsy specimens were classified into four grades and stages according to the degree of severity and the extent of fibrosis, respectively. No correlation was observed between the rate of IFN efficacy and grading.