Spectrum of BRCA1/2 variants in 940 patients from Argentina including novel, deleterious and recurrent germline mutations: impact on healthcare and clinical practice.

Unlabelled: mutations in Latin America are scarcely documented and in serious need of knowledge about the spectrum of BRCA pathogenic variants, information which may alter clinical practice and subsequently improve patient outcome. In addition, the search for data on testing policies in different regions constitutes a fundamental strength for the present study, which analyzes gene sequences and large rearrangements in 940 probands with familial and/or personal history of breast/ovary cancer (BOC). In non-mutated DNA samples, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification assays (MLPA) were used for the analysis of large rearrangements.

Ultra-sensitive procalcitonin may help rule out bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Bacterial infections are frequent complications in patients with cirrhosis. Since they are associated with poor outcomes, antibiotics are frequently over-prescribed. Surrogate markers of bacterial infections, like procalcitonin, are needed to better discriminate between infected and not infected patients.

Efficacy and safety of long term entecavir in chronic hepatitis B treatment naïve patients in clinical practice.

Background And Aims: Entecavir (ETV) is effective and safe in patients with chronic hepatitis B in the short term, but its long term efficacy and safety has not been established.

Material And Methods: We evaluated HBV DNA clearance, HBeAg/antiHBe and HBsAg/antiHBs seroconversion rates in HBeAg-positive and negative NUC naïve HBV patients treated with ETV for more than 6 months, and predictors of response.

Results: A hundred and sixty nine consecutive patients were treated with ETV for a median of 181 weeks.

Relapse rates in chronic hepatitis B naïve patients after discontinuation of antiviral therapy with entecavir.

Registration studies show entecavir (ETV) to be effective and safe in NUC-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B, but relapse rates after treatment discontinuation have not been well established. Relapse rates and predictors of relapse were evaluated in naïve HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients treated with ETV. Treatment duration was defined according to international guidelines.