Diabetic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus response compared to non diabetics when treated with directly acting antiviral therapy.

Background And Study Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) impairs glucose homoestasis, thus influences its clinical picture and prognosis. This study aimed at evaluating Diabetes mellitus (DM) on Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and its impact on their virologic response when treated with directly acting antiviral (DAA) medications.

Patients And Methods: Adult patients with CHC were divided into 2 groups; Diabetic patients, and Non diabetic patients serving as control group.

Impacts of the Egyptian national screening and treatment programme for viral hepatitis C: A cost-effectiveness model.

Background & Aims: Egypt used to have one of the highest prevalences of HCV infection worldwide. The Egyptian Ministry of Health launched a national campaign for the detection and management of HCV to reduce its burden. This study aims to carry out a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate the costs and benefits of the Egyptian national screening and treatment programme.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease with hepatitis C virus infection-a population-based study.

Background: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) was proposed in 2020 to identify fatty liver disease associated with metabolic risks. Metabolic abnormalities with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and MAFLD frequently co-exist. However, data on the co-existence are still lacking.

Impact of successful HCV treatment using direct acting antivirals on recurrence of well ablated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: There are many contradictory studies that dealt with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence rate of well ablated hepatitis C virus (HCV) related HCC. We aim to assess the recurrence rate of previously ablated HCC in patients who received direct acting antiviral (DAA) for their HCV.

Research Design And Methods: This is a retrospective data analysis of 523 HCV patients who have a history of successfully ablated HCC and eligible for HCV treatment.

Efficacy of combined Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with pneumonia: a multicenter Egyptian study.

Background: Limited experimental and clinical evidence suggests a potential role for sofosbuvir/daclatasvir in treating COVID19. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of generic sofosbuvir/daclatasvir in treating COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

Research Design And Methods: This multicenter prospective study involved 174 patients with COVID-19.

Pregnancy outcome of anti-HCV direct-acting antivirals: Real-life data from an Egyptian cohort.

We aimed to assess the pregnancy outcome in women with chronic HCV who had negative pregnancy test prior to the anti-HCV course and had unintended pregnancy while on HCV treatment. Hundred patients with a mean age of 30 ± 6.7 y were included and advised to withhold antivirals and continue follow-up in viral hepatitis and obstetrics centres till delivery.

Evaluation of red cell distribution width to platelet ratio as a novel non-invasive index for predicting hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background And Study Aims: Assessing the extent of fibrosis is an essential part of therapeutic decisions in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Liver biopsies are the "gold standard" for evaluating liver fibrosis but have many limitations. Thus, noninvasive predictors of fibrosis have been developed.

The interrelation between lipid profile in chronic HCV patients and their response to antiviral agents.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the changes of lipid profile in chronic HCV patients; before, during, and after treatment with DAAs and their association with treatment response.

Methods: 301 chronic HCV patients who received SOF-based therapy were included. Serum lipid profile was assessed at different check points; baseline, 6 weeks on treatment, end of treatment (EOT) and 12 weeks after EOT; and compared between SVR and non-SVR groups.

Assessment of facility performance during mass treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Egypt: Enablers and obstacles.

Background: The national committee for control of viral hepatitis (NCCVH) in Egypt, settled by the Ministry of health, treated over one million patients in around 60 centers with chronological changes in drug combinations. This research aims to study the health care facilities and services provided by NCCVH treatment centers in Egypt and explore hinders faced.

Methods: A cross-sectional operational research study.

Sustained virologic response and changes in liver fibrosis parameters following 12-wk administration of generic sofosbuvir and daclatasvir in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with HCV genotype 4 infection.

Background: Novel direct-acting antiviral agents have shown great efficacy and tolerability in HCV-monoinfected patients. However, data are lacking regarding their efficacy and safety in HIV/HCV-genotype (GT) 4-coinfected patients.

Methods: A single-centre, prospective study including HIV/HCV-GT 4-coinfected patients who were treated with sofosbuvir and daclatasvir (SOF/DCV) was conducted for 12 wk.

Liver stiffness measurements and FIB-4 are predictors of response to sofosbuvir-based treatment regimens in 7256 chronic HCV patients.

: To assess the role of baseline liver stiffness (LS) by Transient elastography (TE) and FIB-4 in the prediction of virological response to sofosbuvir - based regimens in chronic HCV patients.: A retrospective, multicenter study including 7256 chronic HCV patients who received different sofosbuvir-based regimens. Baseline demographic and laboratory data were recorded.

Evaluation of accuracy of elastography point quantification versus other noninvasive modalities in staging of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus patients.

Background: Elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) is a newly noninvasive method incorporated into a conventional ultrasound system for staging of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases.

Aim: The aim was to evaluate ElastPQ reproducibility and its accuracy in staging of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients in comparison with transient elastography (TE) and fibrosis scores [FIB-4 and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI)] using liver biopsy as a reference standard and also to predict the sensitivity and specificity of ElastPQ as well as proposing a cut-off for advanced fibrosis.

Patients And Methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study enrolled 72 chronic HCV patients.

Planning and prioritizing direct-acting antivirals treatment for HCV patients in countries with limited resources: Lessons from the Egyptian experience.

Background And Aims: The introduction of direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Egypt led to massive treatment uptake, with Egypt's national HCV treatment program becoming the largest in the world. The aim of this paper is to present the Egyptian experience in planning and prioritizing mass treatment for patients with HCV, highlighting the difficulties and limitations of the program, as a guide for other countries of similarly limited resources.

Methods: Baseline data of 337,042 patients, treated between October 2014 to March 2016 in specialized viral hepatitis treatment centers, were grouped into three equal time intervals of six months each.

Impact of old Schistosomiasis infection on the use of transient elastography (Fibroscan) for staging of fibrosis in chronic HCV patients.

Background And Aim: In tropical regions, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) - Schistosomiasis coinfection remains one of the health problems. With the new era of HCV treatment and the variety of methods of assessment of liver fibrosis so we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of FibroScan for staging hepatic fibrosis in HCV-Schistosomiasis coinfected patients.

Methodology: Three groups of patients were enrolled.

Changes in liver stiffness measurements and fibrosis scores following sofosbuvir based treatment regimens without interferon.

Background And Aim: Accurate evaluation of the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases is crucial, as liver fibrosis is important in order to make therapeutic decisions, determine prognosis of liver disease and to follow-up disease progression. Multiple non-invasive methods have been used successfully in the prediction of fibrosis; however, early changes in non-invasive biomarkers of hepatic fibrosis under effective antiviral therapy are widely unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes of transient elastography values as well as FIB-4 and AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) in patients treated with Sofosbuvir-based treatment regimen.

Relation of ALT and AST levels to the histopathological changes in liver biopsies of patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 4.

Background And Study Aims: Worldwide, Egypt has a high prevalence of adult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity is most commonly measured to assess hepatic disease. The revision of the definition of the normal limits for the ALT level is advisable.

IP-10 Serum Level in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Patients: Relation to Fibrosis and Response to Combined Interferon/Ribavirin Therapy.

Despite the appearance of the direct acting antiviral drugs, pegylated interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) still has a place in the standard of care (SOC) therapy for chronic HCV4. Studies were conducted to find an accurate prediction in response to SOC therapy. Pretreatment serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) is an independent predictive factor of sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV1-infected patients.

Circulating microRNA, miR-122 and miR-221 signature in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To explore the potential usefulness of serum miR-122 and miR-221 as non-invasive diagnostic markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 90 adult patients of both sex with HCV-related chronic liver disease and chronic hepatitis C related HCC. In addition to the 10 healthy control individuals, patients were stratified into; interferon-naïve chronic hepatitis C (CH) (n = 30), post-hepatitis C compensated cirrhosis (LC) (n = 30) and treatment-naïve HCC (n = 30).

Clinical, biochemical and pathological profiles of 5464 Egyptian chronic hepatitis C-infected patients.

Background/aims: In Egypt, hepatitis C virus (HC is highly endemic with at least 91% are genotype-4. However, HCV-specific burden data for Egypt are scarce. The study aims to identify clinical, biochemical and pathological features of chronic HCV population in Egypt.

Fibroscan of chronic HCV patients coinfected with schistosomiasis.

Background And Study Aims: Both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and schistosomiasis are highly endemic in Egypt and coinfection is frequently encountered. Such coinfection is responsible for leading to a more severe liver disease. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the fibroscan in chronic HCV patients coinfected with Schistosoma.

Hepatic fibrosis and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as predictors of response to HCV treatment and factors associated with serum AFP normalisation after treatment.

Background And Study Aim: Elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can be seen in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and liver cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma and were negatively associated with treatment response. However, factors associated with its changes are not identified. We aimed in this study to verify a cut-off value for AFP as a predictor of response to standard of care (SOC) antiviral therapy in Egyptian chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients and identify factors associated with its changes post treatment.

The impact of interleukin 28b gene polymorphism on the virological response to combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in chronic HCV genotype 4 infected egyptian patients using data mining analysis.

Background: Chronic HCV represents one of the common causes of chronic liver disease worldwide with Egypt having the highest prevalence, namely genotype 4. Interleukin IL-28B gene polymorphism has been shown to relate to HCV treatment response, mainly in genotype1.

Objectives: We aim to evaluate the predictive power of the rs12979860 IL28B SNP and its protein for treatment response in genotype 4 Egyptian patients by regression analysis and decision tree analysis.

The Effect of Peginterferon Alpha-2a vs. Peginterferon Alpha-2b in Treatment of Naive Chronic HCV Genotype-4 Patients: A Single Centre Egyptian Study.

Background: Egypt has one of the highest (16-8%) prevalence rates of HCV infection in the world. Approximately 90% of Egyptian HCV isolates belong to a single subtype (4a), which responds less successfully to interferon therapy than other subtypes. Studies comparing the efficacy and safety of PEGIFN alfa-2a and PEGIFN alfa-2b in treatment-naive HCV-infected patients have shown conflicting results.

Serum autoantibodies positivity prevalence in patients with chronic HCV and impact on pegylated interferon and ribavirin treatment response.

Background & Aims: Prevalence of serum autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) patients is higher than that in the general population. Interferon may induce autoimmune manifestations in patients treated with peg-interferon and ribavirin. Effect of autoantibody seropositivity and treatment response are limited and controversial.