Long-term outcome of hepatitis delta in different regions world-wide: Results of the Hepatitis Delta International Network.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Chronic hepatitis delta represents a major global health burden. Clinical features of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection vary largely between different regions worldwide. Treatment approaches are dependent on the approval status of distinct drugs and financial resources. METHODS: The Hepatitis Delta International Network (HDIN) registry involves researchers from all continents (Wranke, Liver International 2018). We here report long-term follow-up data of 648 hepatitis D patients recruited by 14 centres in 11 countries. Liver-related clinical endpoints were defined as hepatic decompensation (ascites, encephalopathy and variceal bleeding), liver transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma or liver-related death. RESULTS: Patient data were available from all continents but Africa: 22% from Eastern Mediterranean, 32% from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 13% from Central and Southern Europe, 14% from South Asia (mainly Pakistan) and 19% from South America (mainly Brazil). The mean follow-up was 6.4 (.6-28) years. During follow-up, 195 patients (32%) developed a liver-related clinical event after 3.5 (±3.3) years. Liver cirrhosis at baseline and a detectable HDV RNA test during follow-up were associated with a worse clinical outcome in multivariate regression analysis while patients receiving interferon alfa-based therapies developed clinical endpoints less frequently. Patients from South Asia developed endpoints earlier and had the highest mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The HDIN registry confirms the severity of hepatitis D and provides further evidence for HDV viraemia as a main risk factor for disease progression. Hepatitis D seems to take a particularly severe course in patients born in Pakistan. There is an urgent need to extend access to antiviral therapies and to provide appropriate education about HDV infection.

Profile of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Republic of Moldova: first-hand information on the presentation, distribution and etiologies.

INTRODUCTION: Moldova is the European country with the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both sexes. There is, however, no data comprehensively describing the presentation and the risk factors of HCC in the country. We decided to analyze cases of HCC recently received in a tertiary healthcare Institution from Chisinau, the Moldovian capital. METHODS: A series of 148 primary liver tumors including 139 cases of HCC were retrospectively analyzed for demographic features, serological and biochemical data, and clinical presentation. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 59 ± 10 years (range: 19-66) with a M:F sex ratio of 1.9. Tumors appeared on full-blown liver cirrhosis in 83% of cases and were composed of multiple nodules at diagnosis in 36% of patients. Serum Alpha-fetoprotein was exceeding 10ng/mL in 76% of cases. Liver tumor and hepatitis were co-discovered in 34% of cases. More than 81% of hepatocellular carcinomas were associated with at least one hepatitis virus. Carriers of anti-hepatitis C virus were predominating (55% of cases) over patients seropositive for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (36%). Half of the latter were also infected with hepatitis Delta virus. In total, dual or triple infections were present in 24% and 7% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of infections with hepatitis viruses is particularly important in Moldova and corresponds to a situation commonly observed in countries of the Southern hemisphere. A pro-active policy of screening for persistent liver infection targeting population at risk of HCC (> 50 years) and coupled with the distribution of antivirals in positive cases should be rapidly implemented in Moldova to reduce incidence or primary liver cancer.

Clinical and virological heterogeneity of hepatitis delta in different regions world-wide: The Hepatitis Delta International Network (HDIN).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chronic hepatitis D (delta) is a major global health burden. Clinical and virological characteristics of patients with hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection and treatment approaches in different regions world-wide are poorly defined. METHODS: The Hepatitis Delta International Network (HDIN) registry was established in 2011 with centres in Europe, Asia, North- and South America. Here, we report on clinical/ virological characteristics of the first 1576 patients with ongoing or past HDV infection included in the database until October 2016 and performed a retrospective outcome analysis. The primary aim was to investigate if the region of origin was associated with HDV replication and clinical outcome. RESULTS: The majority of patients was male (n = 979, 62%) and the mean age was 36.7 years (range 1-79, with 9% of patients younger than 20 years). Most patients were HBeAg-negative (77%) and HDV-RNA positive (85%). Cirrhosis was reported in 48.7% of cases which included 13% of patients with previous or ongoing liver decompensation. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed in 30 patients (2.5%) and 44 (3.6%) underwent liver transplantation. Regions of origin were independently associated with clinical endpoints and detectability of HDV RNA. Antiviral therapy was administered to 356 patients with different treatment uptakes in different regions. Of these, 264 patients were treated with interferon-a and 92 were treated with HBV-Nucs only. CONCLUSIONS: The HDIN registry confirms the severity of hepatitis delta but also highlights the heterogeneity of patient characteristics and clinical outcomes in different regions. There is an urgent need for novel treatment options for HDV infection.