Safety and efficacy of directly-acting antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus in elderly people.

INTRODUCTION: In Italy, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is higher in the elderly, although the efficacy and safety of treatment in this population has not been extensively studied. Moreover, little is known about how much pharmacological interaction affects eligibility to treatment and to what extent the treatment affects subsequent outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of directly acting antivirals (DAAs), drug-to-drug interactions, and post-treatment outcomes in 138 patients with HCV aged 70 years or older, who were consecutively treated in our center between 2015 and 2020. RESULTS: The mean age was 77 years old (range = 70-95 years old). The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale of pretherapy severity was classified as moderate to severe in 65% of patients. Fifty-five patients (40%) presented compensated cirrhosis, eight of which were complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and all were cured before treatment. One hundred two patients (74%) were taking two or more drugs (range = 0-5 concomitant drugs registered) and in 29 patients (21%) we found potential drug-to-drug interaction. In 11 of those 29 patients (38%), we were forced to change the chronic therapy, when all therapeutic regimens were equal in terms of efficacy and interactions, to avoid potentially serious drug interactions. One serious adverse event occurred in our sample population (i.e., diverticular bleeding due to interaction with direct oral anticoagulants [DOACs]), whereas mild side effects occurred in 37% of patients. The undetectability of HCV RNA at the end of treatment was achieved in 97% of patients, whereas a sustained virological response (SVR) 12 and SVR 24 were obtained in 98% of patients. When comparing pretherapy with post-therapy data, after a medium follow-up of 15 months (median = 1 year, minimum = 2 months, and maximum = 4 years), we observed a reduction in the incidence of episodes of liver decompensation in patients with cirrhosis and a slight increase in the incidence of HCC (with 6 recurrent and 5 de novo HCC), diagnosed within 13 months from the end of therapy. In all patients, we found a significant improvement in all ultrasound variables and a significant reduction in the elastographic measurements. No significant differences in outcomes were observed dividing the population into patients aged ≥ 80 and < 80 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Directly acting antiviral therapy was found to be safe and effective in elderly people, and, despite the large number of concomitant drugs, pharmacological interactions appeared to not affect the adherence to therapy or the incidence of adverse events. Side effects were mostly independent from the type of DAA used and from the burden of comorbidity. In long-term follow-up, the benefit of DAA therapy mainly concerned liver pathology and should be strongly advised in patients with cirrhosis. The therapy was found to not affect extrahepatic comorbidities but allowed to end follow-up in noncirrhotic patients with savings in terms of resources. Finally, patients should not be excluded based on age if they have a good performance status.

An Extragenital Colonic Salpingiosis.

Endosalpingiosis is a rare condition characterized by the presence of benign fallopian tubal-like glandular epithelium derived from Mullerian ducts, usually affecting the serosal surfaces of the pelvis and peritoneum. It is histologically differentiated from endometriosis as endosalpingiosis lacks endometrial stroma. Endosalpingiosis tends to affect older women and has been associated with ovarian serous tumors of low malignant potential. The extragenital endosalpingosis is typically without symptoms, reported only once as chronic pelvic pain. It rarely affects the appendix but can be mistaken for acute appendicitis or appendiceal tumors. No reports of endoscopic findings have been never described. Its treatment is challenging and provides a multidisciplinary approach with gynecologist, surgeon and gastrointestinal endoscopist. Our case reports for the first time an endoscopic finding of colonic salpingiosis and it is challenging both for the diagnosis and for the treatment.

Directly acting antivirals are safe and effective in HCV positive patients aged 80 years and older: a multicenter real-life study.

Background: Treatment of chronic Hepatitis C with directly acting antivirals (DAAs) can bring to sustained virologic response (SVR) in approximately 95% of patients. Efficacy and safety of DAAs in aging patients has not been widely analyzed. We aimed to determine safety and efficacy of DAA-based regimens in a cohort of elderly patients in a real-life setting.Research Design and Methods: We retrospectively investigated safety and efficacy of DAAs in HCV patients of 80 years or older treated in three Hepatology Units.Results and Expert opinion: During the study period, 170 patients older than 80 years received DAAs. Their mean age was 82,3 years. The predominant HCV genotype was 1 (100 patients, 59%). Among the 93 cirrhotic patients (54,7%), 18 had CPT score > A5. Different DAAs regimens were used. Concomitant drugs were common: 163 patients (95,8%) taking at least one drug. In 11 patients, usual therapy had to be changed to start antiviral treatment. Two serious adverse events occurred. Four patients terminated treatment prematurely. In total, 45 patients (26,5%) testified mild side effects. HCV-RNA undetectability at week 12 of treatment follow-up was achieved in 168/170 patients. DAA treatment in HCV patients of 80 years or older is efficacious and safe. Drug-drug interaction should be judiciously evaluated before starting therapy.

[Ankle-brachial index: nurses strategy to cardiovascular disease risk factors identification]. / Índice tornozelo-braquial: estratégia de enfermeiras na identificação dos fatores de risco para doença cardiovascular.

Elevated risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events is associated with high prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, with assessment through the ankle-brachial index (ABI). This study aimed to demonstrate that the ABI and the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire are tools to be used by nurses in prevention and/or treatment of CVD (cardiovascular disease). A cross-sectional study was carried out with patients from a cardiovascular clinic. The Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire was applied and the ABI was measured with the formula (ABI= Blood Pressure Ankle/Blood Pressure Brachial). A total of 115 patients were included, most were females (57.4%), aged 60.6 ± 12.5 years. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (64.3%), physical inactivity (48.7%) and family history (58.3%). The study showed that abnormal ABI was frequently found and 42.6% of the patients with abnormal ABI showed intermittent claudication. The method to evaluate the ABI associated to the Edinburg Claudication Questionnaire, can be easily used by nurses in the clinical evaluation of asymptomatic and symptomatic CVD patients.

Ankle-Brachial Index: Nurses Strategy To Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Identification / Indice Tobillo-Brazo: Estrategia De Enfermeras En La Identificación De Los Factores De Riesgo De Enfermedad Cardiovascular / Índice tornozelo-braquial: estratégia de enfermeiras na identificação dos fatores de risco para doença cardiovascular

Elevated risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events is associated with high prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, with assessment through the ankle-brachial index (ABI). This study aimed to demonstrate that the ABI and the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire are tools to be used by nurses in prevention and/or treatment of CVD (cardiovascular disease). A cross-sectional study was carried out with patients from a cardiovascular clinic. The Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire was applied and the ABI was measured with the formula (ABI= Blood Pressure Ankle/Blood Pressure Brachial). A total of 115 patients were included, most were females (57.4%), aged 60.6 ± 12.5 years. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (64.3%), physical inactivity (48.7%) and family history (58.3%). The study showed that abnormal ABI was frequently found and 42.6% of the patients with abnormal ABI showed intermittent claudication. The method to evaluate the ABI associated to the Edinburg Claudication Questionnaire, can be easily used by nurses in the clinical evaluation of asymptomatic and symptomatic CVD patients.

El riesgo elevado de eventos cardiovasculares fatales y no fatales está asociado con la alta prevalencia de enfermedad arterial periférica, cuya evaluación puede realizarse por medio del índice tobillo-brazo (ITB). El objetivo de este estudio fue demostrar que el ITB y el Cuestionario de Claudicación de Edimburgo son herramientas que pueden ser utilizadas por las enfermeras en la prevención y tratamiento de enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV). Se realizó un estudio transversal en pacientes de una clínica cardiovascular, aplicándose el Cuestionario de Claudicación de Edimburgo y realizándose la medición de cálculo del ITB (PAS tobillo/PAS braquial). Fueron incluidos 115 pacientes, la mayoría de sexo femenino (57,4%) con una edad media de 60,6 años ± 12,5 años. Los factores de riesgo más frecuentes fueron: la hipertensión arterial (64,3%), el sedentarismo (48,7%) y los antecedentes familiares (58,3%). El estudio demostró que el ITB alterado fue un hallazgo frecuente y el 42,6% con ITB anormal mostró claudicación intermitente. El método de evaluación del ITB asociado con el Cuestionario de Claudicación de Edimburgo, puede ser utilizado fácilmente por los enfermeros para la evaluación clínica de los pacientes sintomáticos y asintomáticos de ECV y para la prevención de eventos cardiovasculares.


O risco elevado de eventos cardiovasculares fatais e não fatais está associado à alta prevalência da doença arterial obstrutiva periférica, avaliada por meio do índice tornozelo-braquial (ITB). Objetivou-se demonstrar que o ITB e o Questionário de Claudicação de Edimburgo são ferramentas que podem ser utilizadas pelos enfermeiros na prevenção e no tratamento da doença cardiovascular (DCV). Realizou-se estudo transversal em pacientes de uma clínica cardiovascular. Aplicou-se o Questionário de Claudicação de Edimburgo e verificou-se a medida do ITB (PAS tornozelo/PAS braquial). Foram incluídos 115 pacientes, a maioria do sexo feminino (57,4%), com idade média de 60,6 ± 12,5 anos. Os fatores de risco mais prevalentes foram hipertensão arterial sistêmica (64,3%), sedentarismo (48,7%) e história familiar (58,3%). O ITB alterado foi um achado frequente e 42,6% dos pacientes com ITB anormal apresentaram claudicação intermitente. O método de avaliação do ITB, associado ao Questionário de Claudicação de Edimburgo, pode ser facilmente utilizado pelos enfermeiros para avaliação clínica de pacientes e prevenção de eventos cardiovasculares.
.