Gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Objective: To examine gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Materials And Methods: The study comprised 11 female PBC patients (average age 53.4 years, range 43-70) and two aged-matched control groups: 11 (53.

[Pegylated interferon-alfa 2a with ribavirin in chronic viral hepatitis C (final report)].

Unlabelled: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a [40KD] (Peg-IFNalpha-2a) plus ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C in an open-label programme in a routine clinical setting in Poland. Patients received Peg-IFNalpha-2a 180mg/week plus ribavirin 800-1200 mg/d for 48 weeks. Sustained virological response (SVR) was defined as undetectable HCV RNA (<50IU/mL) at the end of follow-up (week 72).

Changes in TNF-alpha mRNA levels in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during alpha-interferon and ribavirin therapy.

HCV virus infections have become a serious epidemiological problem throughout the world. Hepatitis C therapy includes the administration of IFN-alpha and ribavirin, but results in the complete eradication of HCV viremia in only 30% of patients. TNF-alpha is one of the factors involved in hepatitis C pathogenesis and the results of therapy.

Effect of single-dose administration of recombinant interferon-alpha2b on gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Upper abdominal complaints during interferon therapy may result from impaired gastric motility and/or evacuatory function. We examined the effect of acute administration of interferon on gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) with the use of surface electrogastrography.

Methods: The study population comprised 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C.

[Does long-term erythropoietin therapy influence the prevalence of serum markers of hepatitis B and C in haemodialysed uraemic patients?].

Unlabelled: Haemodialysed patients are highly exposed to different virus infections namely hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV). Recently it was shown, that the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in haemodialysed patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) stimulates not only erythropoesis but also increases--in an indirect or direct manner--the humoral and cell--mediated immune defense. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in haemodialysed patients with CRF and renal anaemia treated either with rHuEPO or with allogenic blood transfusions only.

Blood serum glutathione alpha s-transferase (alpha GST) activity during antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Glutathione transferases (GST) belong to enzymes involved primarily in the processes of detoxification of exo- and endogenous substances. Immunohistochemical studies have demonstrated that alpha-GST present in the liver is localized exclusively in hepatocytes. The activity of alpha-GST is reported to reflect interstitial liver damage better than that of aminotransferases, especially in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, and, according to some authors, also in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C virus RNA level changes in sera during different regimens of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Interferon alfa-2b (IFN) has been shown to be effective for chronic hepatitis C infection, but treatment efficacy is still limited. Sustained response after interferon alfa monotherapy is achieved in about 15-25%. Great efforts are made to identify more effective forms of therapy.

[Lung function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) findings in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis].

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease with an autoimmune etiology. The present study was done to estimate the frequency of occurrence of pulmonary disturbances and to analyse the results of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) findings in patients with PBC. Thirteen patients (only women) aged 50.

A multi-center open study to determine the effect of lamivudine on HBV DNA clearance and to assess the safety of the regimen in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Background: Patients with on-going HBV viral replication often present with clinical features of active chronic hepatitis. Until the recent introduction of nucleoside analogues, interferon-alpha was the only approved drug for these patients. One of the former drugs, lamivudine, has been shown in clinical trials in the US and Asia to effectively inhibit the viral polymerase of HBV.

Distribution of hepatitis C virus RNA in whole blood of patients with HCV infection and HBV-HCV coinfection.

Background: Although HCV and HBV are essentially hepatoptropic, several lines of evidence suggest that these viruses can infect other cells, also PBMC in most patients with chronic HCV.

Material/methods: The presence of HBV DNA and HCV-RNA was determined by a polymerase chain reaction (multiplex PCR and RT-PCR - nested PCR) in a group of patients with chronic liver disease. HCV-RNA was investigated in serum, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) while HBV-DNA only in serum or plasma.