Efficacy of elbasvir/grazoprevir therapy in HCV genotype-1 with or without HIV infection: role of HCV core antigen monitoring and improvement of liver stiffness and steatosis.

Background: The combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) has been approved for treating HCV infection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EBR/GZR in terms of sustained virological response (SVR) and improvement of liver fibrosis in Thai patients with HCV genotype-1 (GT1). The utility of serum HCV core antigen (HCVcAg) as an alternative to HCV RNA in assessing SVR was also investigated.

Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein level as a diagnostic marker of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: Serum glycosylated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA -M2BP) is a novel marker for staging liver fibrosis and predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of WFA -M2BP in the diagnosis of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Methods: The WFA -M2BP levels were measured in stored samples collected at initial diagnosis of 150 patients with HBV-related HCC and 150 age- and gender-matched patients with non-malignant chronic HBV infection.

Peg-interferon and ribavirin treatment in HIV/HCV co-infected patients in Thailand: efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics.

Objective: In Thailand, 7.2% of HIV patients are co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and these patients are treated with peg-interferon + ribavirin (PR) for their HCV infection. This study evaluates efficacy and safety of PR treatment and pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in this population.

Predictive role of serum HBsAg and HBcrAg kinetics in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B receiving pegylated interferon-based therapy.

Objectives: To investigate the role of serum hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) kinetics in predicting long-term outcome of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-based therapy in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods: A total of 121 Thai patients with HBeAg-negative CHB recruited from a previous randomized trial of 48-week PEG-IFN alone or combined with entecavir were enrolled. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBcrAg levels were serially examined.

Association of vitamin-D-related genetic variations and treatment response to pegylated interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Vitamin D, a potent immune-modulator, has been linked to the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study was aimed at investigating the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vitamin-D-related genes and treatment response to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) in patients with CHB.

Methods: A total of 275 Thai patients (122 hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]-positive and 153 HBeAg-negative CHB) treated with 48-week PEG-IFN were recruited.