Metabolic Evaluation in Patients With Hepatitis C Treated With Direct Antiviral Agents.

Epidemiological data clearly indicate a link between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and altered glucose homeostasis. Objective: To evaluate the response of treatment with direct antiviral agents (DAAs) on metabolic variables of patients with hepatitis C. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study in a sample of patients with hepatitis C starting therapy with DAAs followed on the hepatology division of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State. Data were collected in two stages: before the start of therapy and between 12 and 52 weeks after obtaining the sustained virological response. Results: In the baseline assessment of the 97 patients selected, 19.3% were obese, 38.6% were overweight, 50% were hypertensive, 43.8% were pre-diabetic, 12.5% were diabetic, 31.2% were dyslipidemic, and 21.8% had metabolic syndrome. There was an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels (p < 0.001), and a non-significant reduction in blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels after treatment. In the post-treatment, there was a reduction in fibrosis (p = 0.016), with a reduction in the levels of GGT, AST, and ALT (all with p < 0.001), as well as in the FIB4 and APRI scores (both with p < 0.001) and in the degree of fibrosis evaluated by elastography represented in kPa (p = 0.006). The blood glucose level was higher in patients with steatosis (p = 0.039) after treatment. There was a positive pre-treatment correlation between the degree of fibrosis (kPa) and FIB4 (r = 0.319, p = 0.004), APRI (r = 0.287, p = 0.010), and the NAFLD score (r = 0.275, p = 0.016). Conclusion: Patients with hepatitis C had a high prevalence of metabolic disturbance in the pre-treatment phase, but the therapy did not show beneficial effects, especially on glucose metabolism.

The clinical effectiveness of pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients in Brazil: a multicentric study

Introduction: in Brazil, chronic hepatitis C in patients coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is treated with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of this treatment in this particular population. The identification of the factors that predict sustained virological response (SVR) under current clinical practice would enable clinicians to more accurately estimate the probability of achieving an SVR and therefore utilize the appropriate therapeutics, especially in the era of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents. Aims: the primary aim of our study was to determine the SVR rate under current clinical practice. The secondary aims were as follows: (1) to determine the factors before and during treatment that predict SVR; and (2) to identify the causes of treatment interruption. Methods: within a cohort of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients in Brazil, we performed a retrospective analysis of those individuals treated with Peg-IFN and RBV. Results: among the 382 analyzed patients, SVR was observed in 118 [30.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 26.3-35.8)], which included 25.9% (75/289) of the patients with genotypes 1 and 4 and 48.2% (41/85) of those with genotypes 2 and 3. After multivariate analyses the independent positive predictors for SVR after treatment for chronic hepatitis C with PegIFN and RBV were: absence of an AIDS-defining illness (p = 0.001), HCV viral load lower than 600,000 IU/mL at the onset of treatment (p = 0.003), higher liver enzyme levels (p = 0.039) at baseline, infection with genotypes 2 or 3 (p = 0.003), and no transient treatment interruption (p = 0.001). The treatment was interrupted in 25.6% (98/382) of the patients because of adverse events (11.3%, 43/382), virologic failure (7.8%, 30/382), and dropout (6.5%, 43/382). The main adverse events were cytopenia and psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: ...

The clinical effectiveness of pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients in Brazil: a multicentric study.

INTRODUCTION: in Brazil, chronic hepatitis C in patients coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is treated with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV). However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of this treatment in this particular population. The identification of the factors that predict sustained virological response (SVR) under current clinical practice would enable clinicians to more accurately estimate the probability of achieving an SVR and therefore utilize the appropriate therapeutics, especially in the era of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents. AIMS: the primary aim of our study was to determine the SVR rate under current clinical practice. The secondary aims were as follows: (1) to determine the factors before and during treatment that predict SVR; and (2) to identify the causes of treatment interruption. METHODS: within a cohort of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients in Brazil, we performed a retrospective analysis of those individuals treated with Peg-IFN and RBV. RESULTS: among the 382 analyzed patients, SVR was observed in 118 [30.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 26.3-35.8)], which included 25.9% (75/289) of the patients with genotypes 1 and 4 and 48.2% (41/85) of those with genotypes 2 and 3. After multivariate analyses the independent positive predictors for SVR after treatment for chronic hepatitis C with Peg-IFN and RBV were: absence of an AIDS-defining illness (p=0.001), HCV viral load lower than 600,000IU/mL at the onset of treatment (p=0.003), higher liver enzyme levels (p=0.039) at baseline, infection with genotypes 2 or 3 (p=0.003), and no transient treatment interruption (p=0.001). The treatment was interrupted in 25.6% (98/382) of the patients because of adverse events (11.3%, 43/382), virologic failure (7.8%, 30/382), and dropout (6.5%, 43/382). The main adverse events were cytopenia and psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS: in our Brazilian case series, the SVR rate under current clinical practice conditions was similar to that reported in other studies. There was a correlation between an SVR and being infected by genotypes 2 and 3, low viral load, high ALT levels at the onset of treatment, and absence of an AIDS-defining illness. Cytopenia and psychiatric disorders were the major causes of treatment interruption. Efforts should be focused on optimizing management of side effects and counseling to improve adherence and to keep patients on treatment.

A síndrome de imunodeficiência adquirida (AIDS/SIDA) em pacientes portadores de hemofilia do Centro de Hematologia Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in hemophilic patients of the Santa Catarina Hematology Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Apresenta-se a casuística do Centro de Hematologia Santa Catarina, referente a 786 pacientes hemofílicos, sendo 4,9:1 a relaçäo de hemofilia A e B respectivamente, no que se refere aos aspectos relacionados à Síndrome de Imunodeficiência Adquirida (AIDS). Desde 1979 a junho de 1985, observou-se 15 casos de AIDS e 52 de Complexo Relacionado à AIDS (ARC), sendo que 17 deles apresentavam Púrpura Trombocitopênica Idiopática(PTI). Todos os pacientes menos um foram tratados de sua doença básica, a hemofilia, exclusivamente com concentrados de fatores da coagulaçäo obtidos do plasma de doadores brasileiros e voluntários de sangue. A AIDS foi mais frequente na faixa etária de 0-12 anos(57,1%) e nos hemofílicos A(3,1%) do que hemofílicos B(1,4%). A PTI incidiu com maior frequência(55%) sobre os pacientes maiores de 25 anos e nos hemofílicos B(6%) que nos hemofílicos A(3,8). As alteraçöes de Imunidade celular e humoral nestes pacientes foram significativas, mesmo nos hemofílicos assintomáticos. Além da alta incidência da PTI, ao contrário do referido em outros grupos de risco, chama-se a atençäo para o fato de näo encontrar-se, mesmo nos estudos "post-mortem", nenhum caso de Sarcoma de Kaposi, descrito como frequente entre os homossexuais. Nos estudos "post-mortem" foi diagnosticado a toxoplasmose do S.N.C, em 2 pacientes, encefalite subaguda em outros 2, candidíase do S.N.C. em 2, meningite asséptica atípica, meningite pneumocócica e criptococose do S.N.C. em um. O comprometimento pulmonar de 9 casos que foram a óbito, incidem em mais de uma nosologia em alguns pacientes; foram pneumonia intersticial em 6 casos, broncopneumonia em 7, bronquite e bronquiolite em 3 e frequente identificaçäo de membrana hialina em 5. Os agentes patogênicos identificados foram a Candida albicans em 3, Pneumocystis carinii em 3, Citomegalovirus também em 3. Vírus Respiratório Sincicial em 2 e Aspergillus fumigatus em 1. De todas as manifestaçöes gastro-intestinais nos hemofílicos com AIDS, a que mais se destacou foi a colite por C.M.V. As medidas profiláticas específicas recomendadas com maior destaque foram o questionário de auto-exclusäo de doadores, o exame rigoroso de todos os doadores de sangue em relaçäo a presença de anticorpo para o HTLV-III/LAV