Treating HCV in Prisons
In the Connecticut correctional system, success rates for HCV treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin were high, but fewer than 1 in 1000 presumably HCV-infected inmates were actually tested and treated.
By Helmut Albrecht, MD
September 29, 2008
Covering:
Maru DS-R et al., Clin Infect Dis 2008 Oct 1; 47:952
PEG-IFN Therapy for Genotype 1 HCV: 24 or 48?
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Patients treated for 24 weeks had higher relapse rates — and therefore lower SVR rates — than did those treated for 48 weeks.
Acute HCV Infection in HIV-Positive Men
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
More than 80% of HIV-infected men with newly acquired HCV had moderately advanced fibrosis.
Salvage Vaccination for Hep B Vaccine Nonresponders
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Double doses of the combined hepatitis A/B vaccine work well.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
August 12, 2008
Covering:
Cardell K et al., J Infect Dis 2008 Aug 1; 198:299
HCV Infection and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
In a pooled case-control study, HCV infection was associated with increased risk for certain subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
July 25, 2008
Covering:
de Sanjose S et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2008 Apr; 6:451
Achieving Immunity in Hepatitis B Vaccine Nonresponders
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Three double doses of the combined hepatitis A/B vaccine provided protective HBV immunity in 95% of hepatitis B vaccine nonresponders.
By Daniel J. Diekema, MD, MS
July 2, 2008
Covering:
Cardell K et al., J Infect Dis 2008 Jun 10
Diepolder HM., J Infect Dis 2008 Jun 10
HCV Among Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Prevalence may be higher than in the general U.S. population, and risk factors may differ.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
June 27, 2008
Covering:
Batash S et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2008 Apr; 103:922
Normal Liver Enzyme Levels in Chronic Hepatitis B
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Disease progression occurs even in patients with persistently normal serum ALT levels.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
June 24, 2008
Covering:
Kumar M et al., Gastroenterology 2008 May; 134:1376
CRP Levels in HIV- and HIV/HCV-Infected Patients
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
HIV infection is associated with increased CRP levels in men, whereas HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with decreased CRP levels in men and women.
By Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD
June 18, 2008
Covering:
Reingold JS et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008 Jun 1; 48:142
Abacavir Use May Decrease Response to HCV Therapy in Coinfected Patients
In a retrospective analysis, abacavir use was associated with an increased rate of HCV treatment failure when ribavirin exposure was low.
By Melissa Osborn, MD, and Carlos del Rio, MD
June 9, 2008
Covering:
Vispo E et al., Antivir Ther 2008 ; 13:429
Hepatitis C-Related Mortality: An Update
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Population study confirms prior model-based prediction of a steep rise in U.S. HCV-related mortality.
Cannabis Use Increases Risk for Hepatic Steatosis in HCV Patients
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Another reason to "just say no"
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
June 6, 2008
Covering:
Hézode C et al., Gastroenterology 2008 Feb; 134:432
Overlapping Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
AIH patients with higher-than-usual alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin levels might be at higher risk for AIH-PSC overlap.
Entecavir Inhibits HIV at Reduced Viral Inoculum
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
The HBV drug entecavir has anti-HIV activity at a low viral inoculum and shouldn’t be used in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients who are not receiving combination ART.
By Lynn L. Estes, PharmD
May 14, 2008
Covering:
Lin P-F et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008 May; 52:1759
Individualization of Treatment Duration in Genotype 1 HCV-Positive Patients
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Is it time to stop treating all HCV-positive patients the same way?
Pentoxifylline for Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis who do not respond to corticosteroids gain no benefit from switching to pentoxifylline.
Telbivudine vs. Adefovir for Chronic HBV
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Telbivudine showed greater antiviral effects than did adefovir after 24 weeks of treatment in patients with chronic HBV infections.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
March 21, 2008
Covering:
Chan HLY et al., Ann Intern Med 2007 Dec 4; 147:745
HCV/HIV: Good News, Continued Challenges
Data from the 15th Retrovirus Conference addressed numerous questions around HCV treatment in HIV-coinfected patients.
Extended Interferon Therapy in HCV-Positive Slow Responders
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Sustained virologic response was significantly higher among slow responders who were treated with 72 weeks of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
March 7, 2008
Covering:
Pearlman BL et al., Hepatology 2007 Dec; 46:1688
Outcomes of HCV Screening in a High-Risk Population
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Nearly one half of all veterans who were found to have chronic HCV infections in a targeted screening program were considered to be candidates for treatment.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
February 29, 2008
Covering:
Mallette C et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2008 Jan; 103:131
Chronic HBV Infection with Persistently Normal ALT Levels
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Researchers find marked histologic damage in HBV-infected patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels.
Chronic Hepatitis E?
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Investigators in France provide convincing evidence of chronic HEV infection in organ-transplant recipients.
By Larry M. Baddour, MD
February 20, 2008
Covering:
Kamar N et al., N Engl J Med 2008 Feb 21; 358:811
Prolonged Entecavir vs. Lamivudine for HBV
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Entecavir’s efficacy and resistance profile remained superior to that of lamivudine at 96 weeks.
By Atif Zaman, MD, MPH
February 8, 2008
Covering:
Gish RG et al., Gastroenterology 2007 Nov; 133:1437
HBV Revaccination in HIV-Infected Patients
After failing to respond to a standard HBV vaccine series, 144 HIV-infected patients were revaccinated on an accelerated schedule with a higher dose; half developed an adequate antibody response.
Baseline CD4-Cell Count and HCV Treatment Success
Retrospective analyses in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients did not demonstrate a link between baseline CD4-cell count and HCV treatment response, but the total number of patients with low CD4-cell counts was too small to make this conclusion definitively.
By Helmut Albrecht, MD
January 14, 2008
Covering:
Opravil M et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008 Jan 1; 47:36
Valerio L et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008 Jan 1; 47:50
