In routine clinical practice, few physicians use early viral kinetics to guide HCV dual therapy treatment decisions.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: PROPHESYS is a large, multinational, non-interventional prospective cohort study of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with peginterferon alfa/ribavirin. This subanalysis assesses rates of premature treatment discontinuation stratified by on-treatment virological response (VR). METHODS: This PROPHESYS subanalysis is restricted to treatment-naive, hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (G)1/2/3 mono-infected patients who received peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD)/ribavirin with intended treatment duration of 48 (G1) or 24 weeks (G2/3). Early virological responses were classified into four mutually exclusive categories [rapid VR (RVR), complete early VR (cEVR), partial EVR (pEVR), no RVR/EVR], using standard criteria. RESULTS: The likelihood for shortening treatment owing to good efficacy was highest among patients with an RVR and HCV RNA≤400 000 IU/ml (G1 10.0%; G2/3 5.8%) whereas for poor efficacy, it was highest in G1 non-RVR/EVR patients with HCV RNA>400 000 IU/ml (56.6%). Factors significantly associated with early treatment discontinuation as a result of good efficacy in G1 patients included RVR vs. no RVR/EVR and, at baseline, lower HCV RNA, lower FIB-4 score, HCV infection via injection drug use. For G2/3 patients, factors included lower baseline HCV RNA and G2 vs. G3 infection. Most patients started with the recommended peginterferon alfa-2a dose, but a high proportion received a higher-than-recommended ribavirin dose. CONCLUSIONS: Despite international guidelines, few physicians used early viral kinetics to abbreviate treatment. Therefore, relatively few patients with an RVR and low baseline HCV RNA abbreviated treatment. In addition, there were deviations in ribavirin starting doses, suggesting that physicians tailor treatment according to local guidelines or previous experience.

[Predicting side effects of the treatment of chronic hepatitis with peginterferon alpha-2A with ribaverin].

The aim of the study was to monitor the commonest side effects of the treatment of chronic hepatitis with peginterferon alpha-2A (PEG-IFN) and ribaverin (RBV) and the influence of various factors on their development. The work was done in the Department of Infectious Disease, Erevan State Medical University. Monitoring 16 adverse reactions was carried out with the use of special tables within 1, 2, 4 and 6 months after the onset of therapy in patients with genotypes 2 and 3 and in addition after 8, 10 and 12 months in patients with genotype 1. The influence of independent prognostic factors was estimated by logistic regression analysis. The commonest side effects of PEG-IFN plus RBV therapy were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, weight loss, depression, fatigue, and insomnia that occurred at one time or another in more than half of the patients. Weight loss during therapy amounted to 8.36 kg (95% CI 6.7-10) (maximum 21 kg). Myalgia, anorexia, arthralgia, headache, alopecia, and vomiting were documented in 20-50% of the cases. Anemia, pruritis, eruption, erythema, and hair shedding at injection sites occurred in 1/4 of the patients. It is concluded that logistic regression analysis with matching selected prognostic factors permits to estimate the probability of such side effects as weight loss, flu-like syndrome, and myalgia.

Epidemiological assessment of neglected diseases in children: lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis and intestinal parasitic infections in school-aged children living in a filariasis endemic area and discuss about the therapeutic regimen adopted in Brazil for the large-scale treatment of filariasis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study including 508 students aged 5-18 years old, enrolled in public schools within the city of Olinda, Pernambuco. The presence of intestinal parasites was analyzed using the Hoffman, Pons and Janer method on 3 stool samples. The diagnosis of filarial infection was performed using the rapid immunochromatographic technique (ICT) for the antigen, and the polycarbonate membrane filtration for the presence of microfilariae. Descriptive statistics of the data was performed using EpiInfo version 7. RESULTS: The prevalence of filariasis was 13.8% by ICT and 1.2% by microfilaraemia, while intestinal parasites were detected in 64.2% of cases. Concurrent diagnosis of filariasis and intestinal parasites was 9.4%, while 31.5% of students were parasite-free. Among individuals with intestinal parasites, 55% had one parasite and 45% had more than one parasite. Geohelminths occurred in 72.5% of the parasited individuals. In the group with filarial infection the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis was 54.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The simultaneous diagnosis of filariasis and intestinal parasites as well as the high frequency of geohelminths justify the need to reevaluate the treatment strategy used in the Brazilian filariasis large-scale treatment program.

Perfil epidemiológico da polifarmacoterapia e morbidades em idosos de uma cidade do interior paulista / Epidemiological profile of the health conditions of the elderly in a city in the interior of São Paulo

O processo de envelhecimento traz consigo diversas modificação no âmbito pessoal e biológico do indivíduo. Expandindo-se essas transformações, para o âmbito populacional, na questão da saúde, delimita-se um crescente prevalências das denominadas doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Nesta lógica, um maior número de moléstias crônicas, leva os indivíduos a ingerirem uma maior quantidade de fármacos, sejam eles prescritos por via clínica ou mesmo pela própria automedicação. Em vista disso, o presente trabalho objetivou realizar um levantamento epidemiológico para se traçar o perfil de saúde dos idosos de uma cidade do interior paulista, enfocando-se a presença de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, medicamentos utilizados, a presença de polifarmácia e a qualidade de vida. A amostra foi composta por 241 idosos residentes da cidade de Duartina, SP. Primeiramente realizou-se um questionário geral para se determinar a presença de doenças e caracterização geral da amostra. Após, os idosos passaram pelo questionário de qualidade de vida e por um questionário sobre os medicamentos utilizados. A partir dos dados deste último, através do site drugs.com determinou-se a presença e os níveis de polifarmácia. Nos resultados, pode-se observar uma considerável prevalência de diabetes, dislipidemias e hipertensão, sendo as idosas as mais afetadas. Quanto ao uso dos fármacos, 22,7% utilizam, ao menos, cinco medicamentos distintos ao dia. Na análise da polifarmácia, 30% não apresentaram interações, 68% apresentaram nível moderado e 2% elevado. Através da correlação de Pearson, identificou-se que com o aumento do número de medicamentos utilizados, houve aumento do nível da intensidade da polifarmácia (p < 0,0001 e r = 0,81). Quanto à qualidade de vida, todos as áreas apresentaram índices relativamente altos, sendo o domínio físico com a melhor média e o ambiental com pior. Na análise por questão, os piores índices ficaram com dor, dependência de medicamentos e sentimentos negativos. Com a Correlação de Spearman, determinou-se que o aumento dos índices de polifarmácia diminuem a qualidade vida (p = 0,03 e r = -0,57). Deste modo, conclui-se que, nos idosos, há uma elevada prevalência de hipertensão, diabetes e das dislipidemias, bem como um considerável uso de diferentes medicamentos diariamente. Anexo a estes dados, a qualidade de vida apresentou índices adequados, sendo afetada negativamente pelo aumento do uso diários de medicamentos.(AU)

The process of aging brings with it several modifications in the personal and biological scope of the individual. Expanding these transformations, for the population, in the health issue, delimits a growing prevalence of so-called chronic non-communicable diseases. In this logic, a greater number of chronic diseases, leads individuals to ingest a greater amount of drugs, whether they are prescribed clinically or even by self-medication. In view of this, the present study aimed to carry out an epidemiological survey to trace the health profile of the elderly in a city in the interior of the state of São Paulo, focusing on the presence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, medications used, the presence of polypharmacy and the quality of life. The sample consisted of 241 elderly residents of the city of Duartina, SP. Firstly, a general questionnaire was carried out to determine the presence of diseases and the general characterization of the sample. Afterwards, the elderly passed the quality of life questionnaire and a questionnaire about the medications used. From the data of the latter, through the website drugs.com was determined the presence and levels of polypharmacy. In the results, a considerable prevalence of diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension can be observed, with the elderly being the most affected. As for drug use, 22.7% use at least five different drugs a day. In the analysis of polypharmacy, 30% did not present interactions, 68% presented moderate level and 2% elevated. Through the Pearson correlation, it was identified that with the increase in the number of medications used, there was an increase in the level of polypharmacy intensity (p <0.0001 and r = 0.81). As for the quality of life, all the areas presented relatively high indexes, being the physical domain with the best average and the environmental one with worse. In the analysis by question, the worst indexes were pain, drug dependence and negative feelings. With Spearman's correlation, it was determined that the increase in polypharmacy indexes decreased the quality of life (p = 0.03 and r = -0.57). Thus, it is concluded that in the elderly, there is a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemias, as well as a considerable use of different drugs daily. Annexed to these data, the quality of life presented adequate indexes, being negatively affected by the increase in the daily use of medicines.(AU)