Norfloxacin prophylaxis effect on multidrug resistance in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections.

It is unclear whether norfloxacin predisposes to infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). We aimed to evaluate if patients with cirrhosis receiving norfloxacin prophylaxis at the time of the diagnosis of bacterial infections were more likely to present a multidrug-resistant isolate than those without prophylaxis. This is a cross-sectional study of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections from Argentina and Uruguay (NCT03919032) from September 2018 to December 2020. The outcome variable was a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of norfloxacin on infection caused by MDROs considering potential confounders. Among the 472 patients from 28 centers, 53 (11%) were receiving norfloxacin at the time of the bacterial infection. Patients receiving norfloxacin had higher MELD-sodium, were more likely to have ascites or encephalopathy, to receive rifaximin, beta-blockers, and proton-pump inhibitors, to have a nosocomial or health-care-associated infection, prior bacterial infections, admissions to critical care units or invasive procedures, and to be admitted in a liver transplant center. In addition, we found that 13 (24.5%) patients with norfloxacin and 90 (21.5%) of those not receiving it presented infections caused by MDROs (adjusted OR 1.55; 95% CI: 0.60-4.03; p = 0.360). The use of norfloxacin prophylaxis at the time of the diagnosis of bacterial infections was not associated with multidrug resistance. These results help empiric antibiotic selection and reassure the current indication of norfloxacin prophylaxis in well-selected patients.Study registration number: NCT03919032.

Effectiveness and safety of original and generic sofosbuvir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: A real world study.

We report the first real-world prospective multicenter cohort study that evaluated the effectiveness and safety of original or generic sofosbuvir-based regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Latin America. The main endpoints were assessment of sustained virological response and serious adverse events rates. A total of 321 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with the following regimens were included: sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir for 12 (n = 34) or 24 (n = 135) weeks, sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir plus ribavirin for 12 (n = 84) or 24 (n = 56) weeks, or sofosbuvir plus ribavirin for 12 (n = 8) or 24 (n = 2) weeks. Patients received either original sofosbuvir (Sovaldi® , Gilead Sciences, n = 135) or generic sofosbuvir (Probirase® , Laboratorios RICHMOND, n = 184) which were randomly assigned by the National Ministry of Health. Overall, 292 (91%) patients had cirrhosis, 136 (42%) were treatment experienced, and 240 (75%) genotype 1. The overall sustained virological response was 90% (95% CI 86-93%); 91% (95% CI 84-95%) in patients who received Sovaldi® , and 89% (95% CI 84-93%) in patients who received Probirase® . Anemia was the most common adverse event and was reported in 52 (17%) patients. Bacterial infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, worsening of ascites or encephalopathy occurred in less than 5% of the patients. During the study, seven (2%) patients died, four of whom died of cirrhosis-related complications. In summary, we observed similar sustained virological response rates than prior studies, both in patients who received Sovaldi® or Probirase® . Serious adverse events were infrequent, in line with prior studies that included patients with cirrhosis treated with protease-inhibitor-free regimes.

Hepatitis B virus genetic diversity in Argentina: dissimilar genotype distribution in two different geographical regions; description of hepatitis B surface antigen variants.

BACKGROUND: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) molecular epidemiological data of Argentina are still scarce, since most of the previous analyses have been performed in the Metropolitan Region. OBJECTIVES: To deepen the current molecular and epidemiological information about the geographical distribution of HBV genotypes and subgenotypes, and to describe the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) variants circulating in Argentina. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty-eight Argentine partial HBsAg sequences from both the Northern and the Metropolitan Regions of the country were analyzed along with 67 Argentine HBV sequences existing in GenBank. RESULTS: Phylogenetic and amino acid sequence analysis grouped the 88 samples as genotypes A (14.8%), D (21.6%) and F (63.6%). In the Northern Region, 44 out of the 48 sequences analyzed (91.7%) grouped as genotype F. Differently, in the Metropolitan Region, the 40 samples grouped as genotype F (30.0%), genotype D (42.5%), and genotype A (27.5%). An elevated proportion (14.8%) of the genomes presented mutations in the major hydrophilic region (MHR). CONCLUSIONS: The different genotype distribution in both Argentine regions indicates that the epidemiological landscape of HBV infection appears to be the result of the diverse human migratory movements that have given shape to the present population. Our findings show that the prevalence of HBsAg variants is quite significant among the Argentine population.

Pre-treatment prediction of response to peginterferon plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C genotype 3.

AIM: To evaluate pre-treatment factors associated with sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 treated with peginterferon and ribavirin (RBV). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed treatment naive, mono-infected HCV genotype 3 patients treated with peginterferon and RBV. Exclusion criteria included presence of other liver disease, alcohol consumption and African American or Asian ethnicity. The variables collected and compared between patients who achieved an SVR and patients who did not were as follows: gender, age, fibrosis stage, diabetes, body mass index, steatosis, INFL3 polymorphism, pre-treatment HCV-RNA, type of peginterferon, RBV dose and adherence. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients treated between June, 2004 and March, 2013 were included. Mean treatment duration was 25.1 (± 1.8) wk. Overall, 58% (62/107) of the patients achieved an SVR and 42% (45/107) did not. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, pre-treatment HCV-RNA ≥ 600000 UI/mL (OR = 0.375, 95%CI: 0.153-0.919, P = 0.032) and advanced fibrosis (OR = 0.278, 95%CI: 0.113-0.684, P = 0.005) were significantly associated with low SVR rates. In patients with pre-treatment HCV-RNA ≥ 600000 UI/mL and advanced fibrosis, the probability of achieving an SVR was 29% (95%CI: 13.1-45.2). In patients with pre-treatment HCV-RNA < 600000 UI/mL and mild to moderate fibrosis, the probability of achieving an SVR was 81% (95%CI: 68.8-93.4). CONCLUSION: In patients with HCV genotype 3 infections the presence of advance fibrosis and high pre-treatment viral load might be associated with poor response to peginterferon plus RBV. These patients could benefit the most from new direct antiviral agents-based regimes.