Effect of thrombocytopenia on treatment tolerability and outcome in patients with chronic HCV infection and advanced hepatic fibrosis - Peeref (2024)

Article Immunology

IgE antibodies to hepatitis C virus core and nonstructural antigens in chronic hepatitis C patients before and after antiviral treatment

Paulo C. G. Silva, Larissa S. Jesus, Maria Isabel Schinoni, Isabela S. Oliveira, Maria Luiza B. S. Atta, Ajax M. Atta

Summary: In this study, the IgE immune response to HCV antigens in chronic hepatitis C patients before and after antiviral treatment was investigated. Anti-core, anti-NS3, and anti-NS4 IgE antibodies were prevalent, while anti-NS5 IgE antibodies were less common, and antiviral treatment reduced the production of the former three. Anti-NS3 IgE antibodies may be useful in diagnosing occult hepatitis C and monitoring antiviral treatment.

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Decade of optimizing therapy with direct-acting antiviral drugs and the changing profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C

Michal Brzdek, Dorota Zarebska-Michaluk, Federica Invernizzi, Marta Cilla, Krystyna Dobrowolska, Robert Flisiak

Summary: Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health problem affecting 58 million people worldwide. Treatment with direct-acting antivirals has significantly improved, offering hope for the elimination of HCV as a public threat by 2030. Patients treated with antiviral therapies are now younger, healthier, and have less advanced liver disease.

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Interferon-based treatment of chronic hepatitis D

Lisa Sandmann, Heiner Wedemeyer

Summary: Interferon-alfa has been the main treatment for hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection, but only a portion of patients benefit from it. Successful interferon treatment is associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes. Although alternative treatments are being developed, pegylated interferon-alfa still plays an important role. There is a need for better biomarkers to select patients who are likely to benefit from interferon-based treatments.

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Current and future strategies for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Omar Alshuwaykh, Paul Y. Kwo

Summary: Chronic hepatitis C infection is a major cause of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma globally. While treatment has been successful in the past, challenges in diagnosis and treatment remain, making global elimination of hepatitis C problematic. Multiple populations are being targeted for care models and efforts for a vaccine continue.

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Weight Gain after Interferon-Free Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C-Results from the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R)

Bernhard Schlevogt, Klaus H. W. Boeker, Stefan Mauss, Hartwig Klinker, Renate Heyne, Ralph Link, Karl-Georg Simon, Christoph Sarrazin, Yvonne Serfert, Michael P. Manns, Heiner Wedemeyer

Summary: The study indicates that patients receiving interferon-free antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C experience significant weight gain during long-term follow-up, with non-obese patients being more vulnerable to weight gain. A body mass index (BMI) < 30 was the only consistent predictor for weight gain, suggesting that non-obese individuals are more likely to gain weight after DAA treatment.

Review Orthopedics

Antiviral Treatment for Hepatitis C Is Associated With a Reduced Risk of Periprosthetic Joint Infection: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Tao Cheng, Dongdong Xu, Zixiao Yan, Cheng Ding, Chao Yang, Xianlong Zhang

Summary: This meta-analysis investigates the impact of antiviral therapy on the incidence of postoperative complications in TJA patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The results suggest that antiviral therapy is associated with a reduced risk of overall complications and surgical complications, particularly periprosthetic joint infection.

Review Virology

Management and Treatment of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B: Towards Personalized Medicine

Piero Colombatto, Barbara Coco, Ferruccio Bonino, Maurizia R. Brunetto

Summary: Currently available antiviral treatments for chronic hepatitis B can achieve a functional cure in a limited number of patients, but can effectively suppress viral replication and halt liver disease progression, reducing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Review Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Should Treatment Indications for Chronic Hepatitis B Be Expanded?

Wen-Juei Jeng, Anna S. Lok

Summary: Current treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) does not eradicate the virus, requiring long-term maintenance for most patients. Expanding treatment to certain patient populations, such as immune tolerant patients and those with evidence of liver disease, is supported by available evidence. However, data supporting treatment expansion for confirmed inactive carriers and other immune tolerant patients is lacking. New therapies that can achieve HBsAg loss in a high percentage of patients after a finite course of treatment may allow for more liberal HBV treatment indications in the future.

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Hepatitis C treatment and long-term outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after resection

Hou-Ying Cheng, Rey-Heng Hu, Chih-Yang Hsiao, Ming-Chih Ho, Yao-Ming Wu, Po-Huang Lee, Cheng-Maw Ho

Summary: This study aimed to investigate the survival outcomes of antiviral agents in patients with hepatitis C virus who underwent liver resection for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The results showed that antiviral treatment can prolong overall survival, and DAAs may have a protective effect against hepatic decompensation.

Review Virology

Novel Pegylated Interferon for the Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Yi-Wen Huang, Albert Qin, Chan-Yen Tsai, Pei-Jer Chen

Summary: Ropeginterferon alfa-2b is a promising treatment option for MPN and chronic viral hepatitis due to its favorable pharmaco*kinetic profile and demonstrated efficacy in clinical studies. Administered once every two weeks, it has shown to be well-tolerated and effective in treating chronic hepatitis B, C, and D.

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Factors influencing the failure of interferon-free therapy for chronic hepatitis C: Data from the Polish EpiTer-2 cohort study

Ewa Janczewska, Mateusz Franciszek Kolek, Beata Lorenc, Jakub Klapaczynski, Magdalena Tudrujek-Zdunek, Marek Sitko, Wlodzimierz Mazur, Dorota Zarebska-Michaluk, Iwona Buczynska, Dorota Dybowska, Agnieszka Czau-Anderzejuk, Hanna Berak, Rafal Krygier, Jerzy Jaroszewicz, Jolanta Citko, Anna Piekarska, Beata Dobracka, Lukasz Socha, Zbigniew Deron, Lukasz Laurans, Jolanta Bialkowska-Warzecha, Olga Tronina, Brygida Adamek, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz, Krzysztof Simon, Malgorzata Pawlowska, Waldemar Halota, Robert Flisiak

Summary: This study analyzed factors influencing the failure of direct-acting antiviral drugs in a real-world setting, including liver function status, viral factors, and gender.

Review Primary Health Care

Chronic hepatitis C: Diagnosis and treatment made easy

Naim Abu-Freha, Binil Mathew Jacob, Ali Elhoashla, Zaid Afawi, Talab Abu-Hammad, Foad Elsana, Sergey Paz, Ohad Etzion

Summary: This review summarises the important updated recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and emphasizes the vital role of family physicians in all steps of care. It highlights the importance of screening, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate treatment options based on fibrosis assessment.

Review Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Cost-Effectiveness of Elbasvir/Grazoprevir for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C: A Systematic Review

Jinyu Liu, Min Guo, Lei Ke, Ruxu You

Summary: The economic evaluation of elbasvir/grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) shows that EBR/GZR may be cost-effective or dominant compared with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV) and other direct antiviral agents (SOF/VEL, 3D, DCV/ASV, LDF/SOF) or non-therapy. However, in certain scenarios, EBR/GZR is not a cost-effective option for CHC patients compared to glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB).

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the immunoregulatory roles of PegIFN-alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Penglei Jiang, Hongyu Jia, Xinyue Qian, Tian Tang, Yingli Han, Zhaoru Zhang, Lingli Jiang, Zebin Yu, Lin Zheng, Guodong Yu, Huan Cai, Shanyan Zhang, Xiaoli Zhang, Jueqing Gu, Chanyuan Ye, Lisha Yang, Yingfeng Lu, Heng Liu, Xiaoqing Lu, Ciliang Jin, Yue Ren, Miaomiao Lu, Lingling Xu, Jiong Yu, Xi Jin, Yida Yang, Pengxu Qian

Summary: This study used single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the transcriptomic landscape of peripheral immune cells in CHB patients before and after PegIFN-alpha therapy. The study identified specific cell subsets associated with CHB and found that PegIFN-alpha treatment could decrease hyperactivated monocytes, increase long-lived naive/memory T cells, and enhance effector T cell cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the treatment altered the transcriptional profiles of immune cells and enhanced innate antiviral response.

Article Virology

Short-duration treatment with the novel non-nucleoside inhibitor CDI-31244 plus sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for chronic hepatitis C: An open-label study

Joel Chua, Afua Ntem-Mensah, Ameer Abutaleb, Jennifer Husson, Lydiah Mutumbi, Ka Wing Lam, Alip Ghosh, Sara Romani, Bhawna Poonia, Sam Lee, M. Luz Pascual, Lyn R. Frumkin, Shyamsundaran Kottilil

Summary: Combination regimens of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection can achieve high cure rates within shortened treatment durations. Future studies may explore extending the duration of certain drugs to further improve cure rates.

Article Dermatology

Abnormal T-cell phenotype in episodic angioedema with hypereosinophilia (Gleich syndrome): Frequency, clinical implication, and prognosis

Noemie Abisror, Arsene Mekinian, Agnes Dechartres, Matthieu Groh, Alice Berezne, Nicolas Noel, Chafika Morati, Julien Haroche, Mathilde Hunault-Berger, Christian Agard, Felix Ackermann, Loik Geffray, Pierre-Yves Jeandel, Sebastien Trouillier, Thomas Quemeneur, Jean-Francois Dufour, Isabelle Lamaury, Francois Lhote, Guillaume Lefevre, Olivier Fain, Jean Emmanuel Kahn

Summary: EAE is a rare disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of angioedema, hypereosinophilia, and elevated serum IgM level. A multicenter study in France revealed the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations and therapeutic management of EAE patients.

Letter Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Does NAFLD Prevalence Data Expire?

Laurens A. Van Kleef, Ibrahim Ayada, Robert J. de Knegt

Letter Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Reply

Laurens A. van Kleef, Robert J. de Knegt, Willem Pieter Brouwer

Letter Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Reply

Laurens A. van Kleef, Milan J. Sonneveld, Robert J. de Knegt

Letter Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Reply

Laurens A. van Kleef, Milan J. Sonneveld, Robert J. de Knegt

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Fatty liver disease is not associated with increased mortality in the elderly: A prospective cohort study

Laurens A. van Kleef, Milan J. Sonneveld, Maryam Kavousi, M. Arfan Ikram, Robert A. de Man, Robert J. de Knegt

Summary: This study demonstrates that fatty liver disease is not associated with mortality in the elderly population, both overall and in various subgroups. This suggests that screening for fatty liver disease and/or fibrosis is unlikely to improve outcomes among elderly individuals.

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and excessive alcohol consumption are both independent risk factors for mortality

Laurens A. van Kleef, Robert J. de Knegt, Willem Pieter Brouwer

Summary: The study aimed to investigate the mortality risk of MAFLD in relation to excessive alcohol consumption and its potential interactions. The results showed that MAFLD increases mortality risk independent of excessive alcohol consumption. Furthermore, participants with both MAFLD and excessive alcohol consumption have the highest mortality risk.

Article Surgery

The impact of perceived donor liver quality on post-transplant outcome

Melisa Dirchwolf, Chiara Becchetti, Susanne Stampf, Christa Haldimann, Franz Immer, Franziska Beyeler, Christian Toso, Philipp Dutkowski, Daniel Candinas, Jean-Francois Dufour, Vanessa Banz

Summary: This study analyzed the impact of perceived liver donor quality on transplant recipient outcomes. It included all deceased liver donors during 2008-2018 in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. The results showed that perceived poor-quality liver donors accounted for 19.2% of the total, but this did not significantly affect re-listing or death within the first week and first year post-transplant.

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Time-trends in disease characteristics and comorbidities in patients with chronic hepatitis B in the period 1980-2020

D. P. C. van der Spek, W. K. Katwaroe, L. A. van Kleef, S. Brakenhoff, R. A. de Man, R. J. de Knegt, A. J. van der Meer, M. J. Sonneveld

Summary: The characteristics of newly referred chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients are changing, with older age, less active HBV-related liver disease, and a higher likelihood of being co-affected by metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). These findings provide guidance for resource allocation to address the changing characteristics of the CHB population.

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Patients treated with rituximab are poorly screened for hepatitis B infection: Data from a low-incidence country

Sylvia M. Brakenhoff, Roos Hoekstra, Pieter Honkoop, Robert Roomer, Jan G. den Hollander, Geert Bezemer, Robert J. de Knegt, Milan J. Sonneveld, Robert A. de Man

Summary: This study evaluated the adherence to international guidelines for preventing hepatitis B reactivation among patients with chronic or resolved hepatitis B who are treated with rituximab. The results showed that many patients were not correctly screened for hepatitis B infection and antiviral prophylaxis was often not initiated. Although screening rates improved over time, they remain suboptimal. These findings could raise awareness among all medical specialties prescribing these agents.

Letter Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Sustained virological response in an HCV-infected patient on an enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic agent despite undetectable trough plasma levels of velpatasvir

David Burger, Huseyin Aktas, Robert de Knegt

Article Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Liver stiffness is associated with excess mortality in the general population driven by heart failure: The Rotterdam Study

Laurens A. van Kleef, Milan J. Sonneveld, Fang Zhu, M. Arfan Ikram, Maryam Kavousi, Robert J. de Knegt

Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between liver stiffness and mortality in the general population, stratified by heart failure and/or coronary heart disease. The results showed that high liver stiffness was associated with increased mortality, especially in patients with heart failure. The study also found that heart failure and its indicators were associated with increased liver stiffness.

Letter Clinical Neurology

Author Response: Association of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Fibrosis With Incident Dementia and Cognition: The Rotterdam Study

Laurens A. van Kleef, Tian Xiao, Robert J. de Knegt, M. Arfan Ikram

Summary: In our recent study, we found no evidence to suggest that fatty liver disease increases the risk of dementia or impairs cognitive function, regardless of the duration of follow-up. We appreciate Dr. Gupta's interest in our findings.

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Less Severe Sepsis in Cecal Ligation and Puncture Models with and without Lipopolysaccharide in Mice with Conditional Ezh2-Deleted Macrophages (LysM-Cre System)

p*rnpimol Phuengmaung, Phuriwat Khiewkamrop, Jiradej Makjaroen, Jiraphorn Issara-Amphorn, Atsadang Boonmee, Salisa Benjaskulluecha, Patcharee Ritprajak, Aleksandra Nita-Lazar, Tanapat Palaga, Nattiya Hirankarn, Asada Leelahavanichkul

Summary: The absence of Ezh2 in macrophages resulted in less severe sepsis, indicating the importance of Ezh2 in regulating the inflammatory response. Additionally, the use of an Ezh2 inhibitor might be beneficial in severe infections.

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Effect of bariatric surgery on NAFLD/NASH: a single-centre observational prospective cohort study

Willy B. Theel, Bianca M. Boxma-de Klerk, Femme Dirksmeier-Harinck, Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum, Danny A. Kanhai, Jan A. Apers, Bas M. van Dalen, Robert J. De Knegt, Bojou Neecke, Ellen M. van der Zwan, Diederick E. Grobbee, Thomas Hankemeier, Janneke Wiebolt, Manuel Castro Cabezas

Summary: The prevalence of NAFLD ranges from 25% in the general population to 90% in obese patients scheduled for bariatric surgery. NAFLD can progress to NASH, leading to serious complications. Weight loss and lifestyle changes are the current treatment options, and bariatric surgery has shown short-term improvements. However, the extent and long-term effects of surgery on NAFLD/NASH are still uncertain. The factors involved in the regression of NAFLD/NASH after bariatric surgery have not been fully understood.