genotype is associated with cirrhosis or transition to cirrhosis in treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection: the international observational Gen-C study.

Background And Purpose: Contradictory data exist on the association between host interleukin-28B () rs12979860 genotype and liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). This large, international, observational study (NCT01675427/MV25600) investigated relationships between rs12979860 genotype and liver fibrosis stage in CHC patients.

Methods: A total of 3003 adult, treatment-naive CHC patients were enrolled into the study.

The alterations in the extracellular matrix composition guide the repair of damaged liver tissue.

While the cellular mechanisms of liver regeneration have been thoroughly studied, the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in liver regeneration is still poorly understood. We utilized a proteomics-based approach to identify the shifts in ECM composition after CCl4 or DDC treatment and studied their effect on the proliferation of liver cells by combining biophysical and cell culture methods. We identified notable alterations in the ECM structural components (eg collagens I, IV, V, fibronectin, elastin) as well as in non-structural proteins (eg olfactomedin-4, thrombospondin-4, armadillo repeat-containing x-linked protein 2 (Armcx2)).

Changes in Blood B Cell-Activating Factor (BAFF) Levels in Multiple Sclerosis: A Sign of Treatment Outcome.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is mediated primarily by autoreactive T cells. However, evidence suggesting the involvement of humoral immunity in brain diseases has increased interest in the role of B cells and their products during MS pathogenesis. The major survival factor for B cells, BAFF has been shown to play a role in several autoimmune conditions.

Risk Knowledge in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RIKNO 1.0)--Development of an Outcome Instrument for Educational Interventions.

Background: Adequate risk knowledge of patients is a prerequisite for shared decision making but few attempts have been made to develop assessment tools. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of young adults with an increasing number of partially effective immunotherapies and therefore a paradigmatic disease to study patient involvement.

Objective/methods: Based on an item bank of MS risk knowledge items and patient feedback including perceived relevance we developed a risk knowledge questionnaire for relapsing remitting (RR) MS (RIKNO 1.

Prevalence of Walking-Related Motor Fatigue in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Decline in Walking Distance Induced by the 6-Minute Walk Test.

Objective: To investigate the individual occurrence of walking-related motor fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), according to disability level and disease phenotype.Study design This was a cross-sectional, multinational study.Participants They were 208 PwMS from 11 centers with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores up to 6.

Cognitive dysfunction during anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis is present in early phase of the disease.

Anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder with a well-defined set of clinical features including psychiatric changes (anxiety, agitation, bizarre behaviour, delusional or paranoid thoughts), epileptic seizures and cognitive disturbance followed by movement disorders including orofacial dyskinesias, alterations in the level of consciousness and dysautonomia. Although the cognitive changes are not always very clear at presentation, they can persist after recovery from the acute and often prolonged illness. However, there are few studies describing neuropsychiatric changes in depth, both in the early course of the disease and in long-term follow-up.

Plasma HIV-1 tropism and risk of short-term clinical progression to AIDS or death.

Introduction: It is uncertain if plasma HIV-1 tropism is an independent predictor of short-term risk of clinical progression / death, in addition to the CD4 count and HIV RNA level. We conducted a nested case-control study within EuroSIDA to assess this question amongst people with current HIV RNA level >1000 copies/mL, including both people on ART and those ART naïve.

Methods: People with an AIDS diagnosis or who died from any causes for whom there was a stored plasma sample with HIV-1 RNA (VL)≥1,000 copies/mL available in the time window of 3-12 months prior to the event were identified.

Improvements in renal replacement therapy practice patterns in estonia.

Background: The clinical performance indicators (CPI) are important tools to assess and improve the quality of renal replacement therapy (RRT). The aim of the current study was to compare the results of a longitudinal set of CPI in RRT patients and to determine the extent to which the guidelines for anaemia, calcium phosphate management and other CPI are met in Estonian renal centres.

Methods: A long-term retrospective, observational, cross-sectional CPI analysis was undertaken in RRT patients from 2007 to 2011.

Amino Acid Polymorphisms Within the Entire HCV NS5A Region in Estonian Chronic HCV 1b Patients With Different Treatment Response.

Background: A substantial proportion of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-1b infected patients do not response to pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin (PegIFNα/RBV) combination therapy that was partially associated with mutations in the non-structural 5A (NS5A) protein.

Objectives: Analysis of NS5A polymorphisms in HCV genotype 1b pre-treatment serum samples from Estonian patients and their effect on the treatment response.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-nine complete NS5A sequences obtained from patients with chronic HCV-1b infection who had received combined therapy with PegIFNα-2a/RBV were analyzed and compared with the prototype strain HCV-J.

Sarcoidosis and chronic hepatitis C: a case report.

Several case reports deal with the relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and pulmonary or hepatic sarcoidosis. Most publications describe interferon α-induced sarcoidosis. However, HCV infection per se is also suggested to cause sarcoidosis.

Efficacy of peginterferon alpha-2A and ribavirin combination therapy in treatment-naive Estonian patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2a and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C in Estonia.

Methods: Out of 121 outpatients with chronic hepatitis C (73 males, 48 females, aged 19-63) enrolled in the study, 76 were infected with HCV genotype 1b and 45 with genotype 3a. At baseline, the viral load in 75.

The prevalence of depression in hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of depression and sensitivity and specificity of the single-item interview 'Are you depressed?' for people with hereditary spastic paraplegia in Estonia.

Design: Single-item interview 'Are you depressed?' was used as a screening question for depression; all participants then completed the Beck Depression Inventory.

Setting: People with hereditary spastic paraplegia identified from the epidemiological database who agreed to participate in the study.

Clean intermittent self-catheterization in persons with multiple sclerosis: the influence of cognitive dysfunction.

Background: Bladder problems are very common in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of PwMS to learn clean intermittent self-catheterization (CISC).

Methods: The physical disability of 23 PwMS was evaluated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and cognitive status was evaluated with the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRB-N).

One question as a screening instrument for depression in people with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate how effectively one question 'Are you depressed?' works as a screening tool for depression in people with multiple sclerosis.

Design: The results from a single question were compared with formal clinical diagnosis and the classification from a standard questionnaire.

Setting: Estonian Multiple Sclerosis Centre, from October 2001 to April 2002.