Hepatitis C screening and detection program in a large population: Epidemiological transition and characterization of the disease.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is considered an important public health challenge. Traditionally identified risk factors have undergone an epidemiological transition where other risk factors have become the main cause of new infections. OBJECTIVE: To describe risk factors associated to hepatitis C positivity through the evaluation of the epidemiological profile in hepatitis-C high-risk populations. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted as part of an HCV screening program in Mexican population. All participants answered an HCV risk-factor questionnaire and took a rapid test (RT). All patients reactive to the test were subject to HCV PCR (polymerase chain reaction) confirmation. A logistic regression model was used to examine associations between HCV infection and risk factors. RESULTS: The study included 297 631 participants that completed a risk factor questionnaire and underwent an HCV rapid test (RT). In total, 12 840 (4.5%) were reactive to RT and 9257 (3.2% of participants) were confirmed as positives by PCR test. Of these, 72.9% had at least one risk factor and 10.8% were in prison. Most common risk factors were history of acupuncture/tattooing/piercing (21%), intravenous drug use (15%) and high-risk sexual practices (12%). Logistic regressions found that having at least one risk factor increased the probability of having an HCV-positive result by 20% (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15-1.26), compared to the population without risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: We identified 3.2% of HCV-viremic subjects, all associated with risk factors and older age. Screening and diagnosis of HCV in high-risk populations (including underserved populations) should be more efficient.

Shear-wave elastography for the estimation of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease: determining accuracy and ideal site for measurement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of shear-wave elastography (SWE) for staging liver fibrosis in patients with diffuse liver disease (including patients with hepatitis C virus [HCV]) and to determine the relative accuracy of SWE measurements obtained from different hepatic acquisition sites for staging liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved this single-institution prospective study, which was performed between January 2010 and March 2013 in 136 consecutive patients who underwent SWE before their scheduled liver biopsy (age range, 18-76 years; mean age, 49 years; 70 men, 66 women). Informed consent was obtained from all patients. SWE measurements were obtained at four sites in the liver. Biopsy specimens were reviewed in a blinded manner by a pathologist using METAVIR criteria. SWE measurements and biopsy results were compared by using the Spearman correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: SWE values obtained at the upper right lobe showed the highest correlation with estimation of fibrosis (r = 0.41, P < .001). Inflammation and steatosis did not show any correlation with SWE values except for values from the left lobe, which showed correlation with steatosis (r = 0.24, P = .004). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) in the differentiation of stage F2 fibrosis or greater, stage F3 fibrosis or greater, and stage F4 fibrosis was 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68, 0.86), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.91), and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.95), respectively, for all subjects who underwent liver biopsy. The corresponding AUCs for the subset of patients with HCV were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.92), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.95), and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.00). The adjusted AUCs for differentiating stage F2 or greater fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease and those with HCV were 0.84 and 0.87, respectively. CONCLUSION: SWE estimates of liver stiffness obtained from the right upper lobe showed the best correlation with liver fibrosis severity and can potentially be used as a noninvasive test to differentiate intermediate degrees of liver fibrosis in patients with liver disease.

Novel pharmacological therapies for management of chronic constipation.

Chronic constipation is a common health problem that significantly affects the quality of life of patients and impacts in terms of costs; current treatments based on fiber and laxatives cause dissatisfaction to doctors and patients in more than half of the cases. New drugs are now available or in very advanced stages of research, with different and innovative mechanisms of action as prucalopride, lubiprostone, and linaclotide. Prucalopride an enterokinetic, is a selective high-affinity 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)4 receptor agonist of serotonin that increases the peristaltic reflex and the colonic contractions; lubiprostone, a type 2 chlorine channel activator, or linaclotide, a guanylate cyclase-C agonist of enterocytes, both prosecretory agents, stimulate the secretion of fluid within the intestinal lumen. In general, these promising drugs have proven efficacy and safety as a specific therapeutic option in patients with chronic constipation. Yet the solution might not be sufficient for everybody and still without the ideal drug that might be useful in all cases, the pharmacological revolution for colonic motility disorders has arrived.

HIV and HCV cooperatively promote hepatic fibrogenesis via induction of reactive oxygen species and NFkappaB.

HIV/HCV coinfection leads to accelerated hepatic fibrosis progression, with higher rates of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver death than does HCV mono-infection. However, the profibrogenic role of HIV on hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSC) has not been fully clarified. We hypothesized that HIV, HCV induce liver fibrosis through altered regulation of the production of extracellular matrix and matrix metalloproteinases. We examined the fibrogenesis- and fibrolysis-related gene activity in LX2 HSC and Huh7.5.1 cells in the presence of inactivated CXCR4 and CCR5 HIV, as well as HCV JFH1 virus. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon fibrosis gene expression was assessed using the ROS inhibitor. Fibrosis-related transcripts including procollagen α1(I) (CoL1A), TIMP1, and MMP3 mRNA were measured by qPCR. TIMP1 and MMP3 protein expression were assessed by ELISA. We found that inactivated CXCR4 HIV and CCR5 HIV increased CoL1A, and TIMP1 expression in both HSC and Huh7.5.1 cells; the addition of JFH1 HCV further increased CoL1A and TIMP1 expression. CXCR4 HIV and CCR5 HIV induced ROS production in HSC and Huh7.5.1 cells which was further enhanced by JFH1 HCV. The ROS inhibitor DPI abrogated HIV-and HCV-induced CoL1A and TIMP1 expression. HIV and HCV-induced CoL1A and TIMP1 expression were also blocked by NFκB siRNA. Our data provide further evidence that HIV and HCV independently regulate hepatic fibrosis progression through the generation of ROS; this regulation occurs in an NFκB-dependent fashion. Strategies to limit the viral induction of oxidative stress are warranted to inhibit fibrogenesis.

Hepatotoxicity associated with dietary energy supplements: use and abuse by young athletes.

 In recent years there has been a significant increase in the consumption of dietary energy supplements (DES) associated with the parallel advertising against obesity and favoring high physical performance. We present the case and outcome of a young patient who developed acute mixed liver injury (hepatocellular and cholestatic) after ingestion of various "over the counter" products to increase muscle mass and physical performance (NO Xplode®, creatine, L-carnitine, and Growth Factor ATN®). The diagnosis was based on the exclusion of other diseases and liver biopsy findings. The dietary supplement and herbal multivitamins industry is one with the highest growth rates in the market, with annual revenues amounting to billions and constantly lacking scientific or reproducible evidence about the efficacy and/or safety of the offered products. Furthermore, and contrary to popular belief, different forms of injury associated with these natural substances have been documented particularly in the liver, supporting the need of a more strict regulation.

HIV infection increases HCV-induced hepatocyte apoptosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: HCV related liver disease is one of the most important complications in persons with HIV, with accelerated fibrosis progression in coinfected persons compared to those with HCV alone. We hypothesized that HCV-HIV coinfection increases HCV related hepatocyte apoptosis and that HCV and HIV influence TRAIL signaling in hepatocytes. METHODS: We analyzed the effect of HIV in JFH1-infected Huh7.5.1 cells. Apoptosis was measured by Caspase-Glo 3/7 assay and Western blotting for cleaved PARP. TRAIL, TRAIL receptor 1 (DR4), and 2 (DR5) mRNA and protein levels were assessed by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. We also investigated activation of caspase pathways using caspase inhibitors and assessed expression of Bid and cytochrome C. RESULTS: We found increased caspase 3/7 activity and cleaved PARP in JFH1 HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cells in the presence of heat-inactivated HIV, compared to Huh7.5.1 cells infected with JFH1 or exposed to heat-inactivated HIV alone. Both DR4 and DR5 mRNA and protein expression were increased in JFH1-infected cells in the presence of inactivated HIV compared to Huh7.5.1 cells infected with JFH1 or exposed to heat-inactivated HIV alone. Pancaspase, caspase-8, and caspase-9 inhibition blocked apoptosis induced by HCV, inactivated HIV, and HCV plus inactivated HIV. A caspase-9 inhibitor blocked apoptosis induced by HCV, HIV, and HCV-HIV comparably to pancaspase and caspase-8 inhibitors. HCV induced the activation of Bid cleavage and cytochrome C release. The addition of HIV substantially augmented this induction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that hepatocyte apoptosis is increased in the presence of HCV and HIV compared to HCV or HIV alone, and that this increase is mediated by DR4 and DR5 up-regulation. These results provide an additional mechanism for the accelerated liver disease progression observed in HCV-HIV co-infection.

Hepatitis B screening, prophylaxis and re-activation in the era of rituximab-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B re-activation is a well-described complication in patients with inactive chronic hepatitis B receiving chemotherapy. Screening for HBV and pre-emptive therapy are recommended. However, the rates of HBV screening, prophylaxis and re-activation during rituximab-containing chemotherapy are unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who received rituximab between August 1997 and September 2009. We evaluated patients for hepatitis B serologies, antiviral prophylaxis and hepatitis B re-activation during or up to 6 months after chemotherapy. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred and twenty-nine patients underwent rituximab-containing chemotherapy for NHL. Hepatitis B serologies were documented in 524 (36.6%) patients. Of these, 20 (3.8%) were HBsAg positive and 10 (50%) experienced HBV re-activation. Only half (5/10) had HBV serology documented before re-activation. Only 3/8 (37.5%) of patients with newly documented HBsAg positivity received antiviral prophylaxis. Virological breakthrough occurred in two of the patients on chronic therapy, in one of three inactive carriers on prophylaxis and in two of five patients not receiving prophylaxis. Re-activation developed in another five patients not screened previously for hepatitis B. One patient developed ALF and died. Re-activation did not occur in 25 patients with isolated positive core antibody. CONCLUSIONS: At tertiary care institutions hepatitis B serologies are infrequently assessed before rituximab-based chemotherapy and prophylaxis is uncommon. Greater adherence to recommendations for screening and prophylaxis is necessary. This suboptimal screening rate could be even lower in community hospitals and could result in significant harm to unscreened and unprophylaxed patients.

Anatomical cardiac alterations in liver cirrhosis: an autopsy study.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that liver cirrhosis (LC), regardless of etiology, may be associated with anatomical cardiac alterations. OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency and type of macroscopical anatomic cardiac abnormalities present in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients in an autopsy series. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The autopsy records performed at our institution during a 12-year period (1990-2002) were reviewed. All cases with final diagnosis of LC were included, their demographic characteristics as well as cirrhosis etiology and macroscopic anatomical cardiac abnormalities (MACA) analyzed. Patients with any known history of heart disease prior to diagnosis of cirrhosis were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 1,176 autopsies were performed, of which 135 cases (11.5%) were patients with LC. Two patients with cardiac cirrhosis were excluded. Chronic alcohol abuse (29%) and chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (20%) were the most common causes of cirrhosis. The etiology was not identified in 35% of the cases, even after exhaustive clinical, serological and/or radiological assessment. In the postmortem analysis, 43% of the cases were informed to have MACA (47% in the group of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 41% in other types of cirrhosis); this rate increased to 62% in patients with ascites. The most frequent alterations were cardiomegaly and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). CONCLUSION: The results confirm the high frequency of cardiac abnormalities in patients with cirrhosis, regardless of cirrhosis etiology.

Hepatotoxicity from ingestion of wild mushrooms of the genus Amanita section Phalloideae collected in Mexico City: two case reports.

We present two cases of acute liver injury resulting from consumption of wild mushrooms. The first case was a male who developed acute hepatitis after ingestion of diverse mushrooms including Amanita species. His clinical course was favorable with complete recovery of liver function. The second case was a male who developed acute liver failure (ALF) after ingestion of Amanita bisporigera. He required MARS therapy as a bridge to liver transplantation but transplantation was not performed because he succumbed to multiorgan failure. There are few trials demonstrating the efficacy of the different treatments for mushroom poisoning. These cases demonstrate that the consumption of wild mushrooms without proper knowledge of toxic species represents a serious and under recognized health problem.

A randomized controlled trial of double versus triple therapy with amantadine for genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C in Latino patients.

BACKGROUND: With only a third of Latinos achieving sustained virologic response (SVR), there is a need for enhanced HCV treatment. Amantadine has been proposed to improve response rates in addition to standard therapy with peginterferon alpha and ribavirin. Our objective is to evaluate whether triple therapy with amantadine improves SVR rates in this special population. METHOD: Treatment-naïve Latino subjects with HCV genotype 1 infection were randomized to receive peginterferon alpha-2a plus weight-based ribavirin for 48 weeks (double therapy) or the same regimen plus amantadine 200 mg daily (triple therapy). The primary endpoint was SVR. Predictors of liver fibrosis using APRI and Forns indices were also evaluated. RESULTS: We enrolled 124 patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1. Sixty-three received conventional therapy and 61 patients had triple therapy with amantadine. SVR at week 72 was achieved in 25 patients (39.7%) vs. 26 patients (42.6%) in the double and triple regimen, respectively (p=0.561). After multivariate analysis, advanced fibrosis, obesity, and low pretreatment ALT levels were associated with non-response in both groups (p=0.0234, p=0.0012, p=0.0249, respectively). APRI values delimited an area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.724 and Forns index with AUROC of 0.733. There was no difference between both indices in predicting significant fibrosis (Knodell index: F3-F4). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that the addition of amantadine to standard treatment of chronic HCV does not improve SVR rates in Latino patients with genotype 1. Further research to improve response rates in this special population is needed.

[Epidemiologic and situational panorama of hepatitis C in Mexico]. / Panorama epidemiológico y situacional de la hepatitis C en México.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological situation of Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) in our country. BACKGROUND DATA: Chronic Hepatitis C affects 170 million people worldwide, and about 0.7% of Mexican population. There is no enough epidemiological information about CHC in our country, and it is very probable that some cases are not even detected. METHODS: An investigation poll was performed. Age, gender, birthday, weight, race, residence and birth place, routes of transmission, ALT levels, histological, serological and molecular diagnosis, evidence of complications and previous treatments were recorded. A data recollection sheet was dispatched to different country provinces; they had 6 months to answer it, in order to recollect all information. RESULTS: 831 patients were analized (58.6% female and 41.4% male) with the following distribution in our country provinces: Aguascalientes 15, Chihuahua 12, Distrito Federal 495, Durango 10, Jalisco 89, Guanajuato 78, Yucatán 8, Querétaro 11, Sonora 40, Tabasco 15, Baja California 5, Veracruz 13, Tamaulipas 2 and 38 patients of Nuevo León. The highest incidence of CHC was found at fifth and sixth decade of life (28.5% y 26.7% respectively. The weight distribution was 36.2% < 65kg, 34.6% 65-75 kg and 29.2% > 75 kg. 86.5% had chronic hepatitis and 13.2% cirrhosis. The risk factors for HCV infection analysis showed that the main route of transmission was via contaminated blood (64.2%); when we excluded the patients that were exposed before 1995, the incidence was lowered to 4.5%. The higher incidence was showed between 1970 and 1990 (68%). The intravenous drug users were predominantly male and on those patients in the provinces near the north border line of our country. The predominant genotype was gen- 1 no matter the province (72.2%), in the intravenous drug users genotype 3 was found in 25%. The viral load was similar in all the provinces. 75% of the patients had have treatment and 22.5% had have two cycles, 50% of cirrhotic patients had have treatment whereas only 28% of the patients with late complications had have it. The most common treatment was pegylated alpha-2a interferon plus ribavirine. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The main route of transmission was blood transfusion. There is a marked decrease in the incidence of post-transfusional hepatitis since the introduction of anti-VHC antibody screening of blood donors (4.5%). 2. The time between the infection and diagnosis was 23 years for chronic hepatitis and 26 years for cirrhosis. 3. Intravenous drugs use was an important route of transmission in the north of our country. 4. The predominant genotype was gen-1. 5. Almost all the patients with chronic hepatitis received treatment, the most common used was pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin. 6.50% of the patients with CHC have late complications.

Serum vitamin D levels are not predictive of the progression of chronic liver disease in hepatitis C patients with advanced fibrosis.

In animal models and human cross-sectional studies, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with liver disease progression. Vitamin D supplementation has been suggested as a treatment to prevent disease progression. We sought to evaluate the role of vitamin D levels in predicting chronic liver disease development. We conducted a nested case-control study of vitamin D levels in subjects with (cases) and without (controls) liver histologic progression or clinical decompensation over the course of the HALT-C Trial. Vitamin D levels were measured at 4 points over 45 months. 129 cases and 129 aged-matched controls were included. No difference in baseline vitamin D levels were found between cases and controls. (44.8 ng/mL vs. 44.0 ng/mL, P = 0.74). Vitamin D levels declined in cases and controls over time (P = 0.0005), however, there was no difference in the level of decline (P = 0.37). Among study subjects with diabetes mellitius, baseline vitamin D levels were higher in cases, 49.9 ng/mL, than controls, 36.3 ng/mL. (P = 0.03) In addition, baseline vitamin D levels were higher in black case subjects, 32.7 ng/mL, than in black control subjects, 25.2 ng/mL (P = 0.08) No difference in vitamin D levels was found between patients with and without progression of hepatitis C-associated liver disease over 4 years. Our data do not suggest any role for vitamin D supplementation in patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C and raise the possibility that higher vitamin D levels may be associated with disease progression.

Pneumocystosis in a patient with Crohn's disease treated with combination therapy with adalimumab.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a potential complication of immunosuppression. Crohn's disease (CD) is an immune granulomatous disorder characterized by transmural inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its treatment is based on steroids and immunosuppressants but in non-responders, biologic compounds such as anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) antibodies have been used. Neutralization of TNF causes a decrease in the inflammatory response but increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections such as fungal infections. We report a young male with chronic diarrhea, fever and weight loss who was diagnosed with CD and began conventional treatment with immunosuppressants, but due to lack of response after several weeks, biologic therapy with adalimumab was initiated. Seven weeks later he developed persistent fever and upper respiratory symptoms. After chest CT, bronchoscopy and bronchial lavage, P. jirovecii was identified by silver staining and confirmed by immunofluorescence. To our knowledge this is the second case of pneumocystosis associated with the use of adalimumab in CD and the first reported Mexican case confirmed by microbiological and immunological studies in this setting.

Prucaloprida: enterocinético selectivo como una nueva alternativa en el tratamiento del estreñimiento crónico / Prucalopride: selective enterokinetic as a new alternative in the treatment of chronic constipation

El estreñimiento crónico es un problema de salud frecuente que afecta a todos los grupos de edad, genera pobre calidad de vida en quienes lo padecen, e impacta de manera negativa en los sistemas de salud de países desarrollados como en aquellos en vías de desarrollo. La definición de estreñimiento se basa en la objetividad de la frecuencia de las deposiciones como también en lo subjetivo de los síntomas asociados a este trastorno como son pujo, sensación de evacuación incompleta o heces duras. El tratamiento incluye modificaciones en el estilo de vida, ejercicio aeróbico, mayor ingesta de agua y fibra, laxantes y el uso de estimulantes de la motilidad o procinéticos. Una novedosa alternativa es prucaloprida, un enterocinético selectivo agonista de los receptores 5HT4 de serotonina, que incrementa el reflejo peristáltico y desencadena las contracciones musculares de alta amplitud sobre el intestino grueso promoviendo la deposición. La prucaloprida, ha demostrado ser eficaz y seguro en pacientes adultos y adultos mayores con estreñimiento crónico.

Chronic constipation is a common health problem that affects all ages, generates poor quality of life, and impacts negatively on the health systems of developed and developing countries. The definition of constipation is based on the objectivity of stool frequency as well as in the subjective symptoms associated with this disorder like straining, sensation of incomplete evacuation or hard stools. The treatment includes changes in lifestyle, aerobic exercise, increased intake of water and fiber, laxatives and the use of motility stimulants or prokinetics. A novel alternative is the enterokinetic prucalopride, a selective 5HT4 serotonin agonist, which increases the peristaltic reflex and triggers high amplitude muscle contractions of the colon promoting intestinal deposition. Prucalopride has proven efficacy and safety in adults including elderly patients with chronic constipation.