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ABSTRACT Background Chronic hepatic disease is associated with osteoporosis, osteopenia or osteomalacia. Osteoporosis and fractures due to bone fragility present high prevalences and are more frequent in patients with liver cirrhosis than in the general population. The search for a diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis in this population may allow early intervention and modify unfavorable outcomes. Objective To know the prevalence of osteopenia or osteoporosis and of fracture due to bone fragility in individuals with liver cirrhosis, the associated risk factors, and its compromise in their quality of life (QoL). Methods Observational, transversal study performed with 71 liver cirrhosis patients of the Hepatology Service of the Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal, Brasília, DF, Brazil, between July 2017 and December 2018. The patients were submitted to bone densitometry (DXA) of the lumbar spine and of the femoral neck, to x-ray of the lumbosacral spine and to the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) for the evaluation of quality of life (QoL). The Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) major was calculated for patients >50 years old. The analyses were performed for the evaluation of the risk factors associated with lumbosacral spine fracture. Results The majority (62%) of the 71 evaluated patients was diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia on DXA. Of the 44 patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis, 52.3% were female, with a mean age of 62.6±9.51 years old, with the majority (72.7%) being Child A, cirrhotics of alcoholic etiology (36.4%), and with an intermediate QoL according to the CLDQ (3.3). Regarding the patients with lumbosacral spine fracture, the mean age was 61.6±11.1 years old, 60% were female, most of them Child A (66.7%), of alcoholic etiology (46.7%), and with an intermediary QoL according to the CLDQ (3.5). The presence of osteopenia and/or osteoporosis was associated with lumbosacral fracture (P<0.001), without correlation with the other analyzed variables: age, body mass index, gender, presence and absence of ascites, Child-Pugh classification, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus serum concentration, cirrhosis etiology and FRAX major. Conclusion The prevalence of hepatic osteodystrophy was high, and the occurrence of lumbosacral spine fracture was more associated with osteoporosis and/or osteopenia among the cirrhotic patients studied. The QoL was intermediate and with no differences between cirrhotics with and without fracture.
RESUMO Contexto A doença hepática crônica associa-se com osteoporose, osteopenia ou osteomalácia. A osteoporose e as fraturas por fragilidade óssea têm altas prevalências e são mais frequentes em pacientes com cirrose hepática do que na população geral. A busca por osteopenia e osteoporose nesta população pode permitir a intervenção precoce e modificar os desfechos desfavoráveis. Objetivo Conhecer a prevalência de osteopenia ou osteoporose e de fraturas por fragilidade óssea em portadores de cirrose hepática, fatores de risco associados e seu comprometimento na qualidade de vida. Métodos Estudo observacional e transversal realizado com 71 pacientes portadores de cirrose hepática do Serviço de Hepatologia do Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal, Brasília, DF, Brasil, no período de julho de 2017 a dezembro de 2018. Os pacientes foram submetidos à densitometria óssea de coluna lombar e colo de fêmur, raio-x de coluna lombo sacra e ao questionário Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ, na sigla em inglês) para avaliação de qualidade de vida. Foi calculado o escore de Fracture Risk Assessment Tool "FRAX Maior" nos pacientes >50 anos. As análises foram realizadas para a avaliação dos fatores de risco associados à fratura de coluna lombo sacra. Resultados Dos 71 pacientes avaliados, a maioria (62%) foi diagnosticada com osteoporose ou osteopenia à densitometria. Dos 44 portadores de osteopenia ou osteoporose, 52,3% eram do sexo feminino, com idade média de 62,6±9,51 anos, sendo a maioria (72,7%) Child A, cirróticos de etiologia alcoólica (36,4%) e com qualidade de vida intermediária ao CLDQ (3,3). Dos pacientes com fratura de coluna lombo sacra, a média de idade foi de 61,6±11,1 anos, 60% eram do sexo feminino, a maioria Child A (66,7%), de etiologia alcoólica (46,7%), e apresentaram qualidade de vida intermediária ao CLDQ (3,5). A presença de osteopenia e/ou osteoporose esteve associada à fratura lombo sacra (P<0,001), sem correlação com as demais variáveis analisadas: idade, índice de massa corporal (IMC), gênero, presença e ausência de ascite, classificação de Child-Pugh, concentrações séricas de vitamina D, cálcio e fósforo, etiologia da cirrose e "FRAX maior". Conclusão A prevalência de osteodistrofia hepática foi elevada, e a ocorrência de fratura de coluna lombo sacra esteve mais associada à osteoporose e/ou osteopenia entre cirróticos estudados. A qualidade de vida se mostrou intermediária e sem diferença entre cirróticos com e sem fratura.
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BACKGROUND AND AIM: The durability of the sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C after treatment and the ideal follow-up time for these patients remains undefined. The objective of the study was to evaluate the durability of the virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C followed up for at least 12 months after SVR at HCFMRP-USP. METHODS: The study was conducted on 174 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with different antiviral regimens who had achieved SVR. Qualitative serum HCV-RNA was determined by the commercial kit (COBAS AMPLICOR HCV, v2.0). RESULTS: There was predominance of male (73 percent) with a mean age of 45.6 ± 10 years. Liver cirrhosis was present in 16.1 percent of the study subjects. Mean follow-up time after SVR was 47 months (12-156 months). Twenty-two patients received monotherapy with interferon; 94 received interferon plus ribavirin, and 58 received pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. A total of 134 patients (77.0 percent) received one treatment course, 29 (16.7 percent) received two courses, and 11 (6.3 percent) received three courses. The distribution of HCV genotypes was: genotype 1 (40.2 percent), genotype 3 (40.8 percent) and genotype 2 (10.3 percent). Genotype was undetermined in 8.7 percent of cases. None of the 174 patients had recurrence of HCV infection. Two cirrhotic patients developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with SVR there was no recurrence of HCV infection or evidence of liver disease progression in any patient followed up for a mean of 47 months after SVR, except for patients with advanced hepatic disease before treatment, who may develop HCC despite SVR. Therefore, one can assume that SVR is associated with long term good prognosis.