Faculty Opinions recommendation of Liver disease burden and required treatment expenditures for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Thailand: Implications for HCV elimination in the new therapeutic era, a population-based study.

SUMMARYThis study aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Mexican Americans living in South Texas. We tested plasma for the presence of HCV antibody from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC), a randomized, population-based cohort in an economically disadvantaged Mexican American community on the United States/Mexico border with high rates of chronic disease. A weighted prevalence of HCV antibody of 2·3% [n = 1131, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·2–3·4] was found. Participants with diabetes had low rates of HCV antibody (0·4%, 95% CI 0·0–0·9) and logistic regression revealed a statistically significant negative association between HCV and diabetes (OR 0·20, 95% CI 0·05–0·77) after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors. This conflicts with reported positive associations of diabetes and HCV infection. No classic risk factors were identified, but important differences between genders emerged in analysis. This population-based study of HCV in Mexican Americans suggests that national studies do not adequately describe the epidemiology of HCV in this border community and that unique risk factors may be involved.

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Position Paper on Treatment of Hepatitis C in Romania, 2017. Part One

Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases ◽

10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.262.rom ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 171-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Liana Gheorghe ◽

Ioan Sporea ◽

Speranţa Iacob ◽

Roxana Şirli ◽

Anca Trifan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Position Paper ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Fixed Dose ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

End Stage Liver Disease ◽

End Stage

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania, the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments became available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country.Methodology: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines. A list of items requiring attention has been created. These items were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus.Recommendations: We present here the first of the two parts of our Society’s recommendations for chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement was reached regarding the diagnostic tools, the assessment of severity and the up-dated therapy schedules.Conclusions: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other guidelines but are applied to the real-life conditions in this country.Abbreviations: DAAs: Direct-acting antivirals; DDIs: Drug-drug interactions; ESLD: End-stage liver disease; ESRD: End-stage renal disease; eGFR: Estimated glomerular filtration rate; EASL: European Association for the Study of the Liver; EMA: European Medicines Agency; FDA: US Food and Drug Administration; FDC: Fixed-dose combination; GT: Genotype; GRADE: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; LT: Liver transplantation; LLD: Lower limit of detection; MELD score: Mayo-Clinic End-Stage Liver Disease score; ANMDM: National Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices; PPIs: Proton pump inhibitors; PWID: People who inject drugs; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; RDT: Rapid diagnostic test; RAS: Resistance-associated substitution; SRGH: Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; SAE: serious adverse events; SPC: Summary of Product Characteristics; SVR: Sustained virologic response.

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Position Paper on Treatment of Hepatitis C in Romania 2017. Part Two

Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases ◽

10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.263.rom ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 309-317 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Liana Gheorghe ◽

Ioan Sporea ◽

Speranța Iacob ◽

Roxana Șirli ◽

Anca Trifan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Sustained Virologic Response ◽

Real Life ◽

Virologic Response ◽

Position Paper ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

End Stage Liver Disease ◽

End Stage

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania, the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments have become available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country.Methodology: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines. A list of items requiring attention was created and these were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus.Recommendations: We present here the second part of the Society’s recommendations for chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement between experts was reached regarding the therapy of the special categories of patients infected with HCV, complications and monitoring of the therapy, follow-up of the patients who reached sustained virologic response and re-treatment of the patients with therapy failure.Conclusions: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other guidelines but are applied to real-life conditions in Romania. Abbreviations: CKD: Chronic kidney disease; DAAs: Direct-acting antivirals; DDIs: Drug-drug interactions; ESDL: End-stage liver disease; FCH: Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis; GT: Genotype; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; LT: Liver transplantation; MELD score: Mayo-Clinic End-Stage Liver Disease score; PDC: Premature discontinuation; PWID: Persons who inject drugs; RASs: Resistance associated substitutions; RBV: Ribavirin; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; SAE: Serious adverse events; SRGH: Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; SVR: Sustained virologic response.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Statins decrease the risk of decompensation in hepatitis B virus- and hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis: A population-based study.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.727423169.793545260 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Tilman Sauerbruch

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

B Virus

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Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Village in Northeastern Romania—A Population-Based Screening—The First Step to Viral Micro-Elimination

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9060651 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 651

Author(s):

Laura Huiban ◽

Carol Stanciu ◽

Cristina Maria Muzica ◽

Tudor Cuciureanu ◽

Stefan Chiriac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Antiviral Treatment ◽

Population Based ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

World Health ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Virus Eradication ◽

Tertiary Center

(1) Background: The World Health Organization adopted a strategy for the Global Health Sector on Viral Hepatitis in 2016, with the main objective of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and risk factors in a Romanian village using population-based screening as part of the global C virus eradication program. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective study from March 2019 to February 2020, based on a strategy as part of a project designed to educate, screen, treat and eliminate HCV infection in all adults in a village located in Northeastern Romania. (3) Results: In total, 3507 subjects were invited to be screened by rapid diagnostic orientation tests (RDOT). Overall, 2945 (84%) subjects were tested, out of whom 78 (2.64%) were found to have positive HCV antibodies and were scheduled for further evaluation in a tertiary center of gastroenterology/hepatology in order to be linked to care. In total, 66 (85%) subjects presented for evaluation and 55 (83%) had detectable HCV RNA. Of these, 54 (98%) completed antiviral treatment and 53 (99%) obtained a sustained virological response. (4) Conclusions: The elimination of hepatitis C worldwide has a higher chance of success if micro-elimination strategies based on mass screening are adopted.

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Identification of Keratin 23 as a Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Host Factor in the Human Liver

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8060610 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 610 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Volker Kinast ◽

Stefan L. Leber ◽

Richard J. P. Brown ◽

Gabrielle Vieyres ◽

Patrick Behrendt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Ectopic Expression ◽

Host Factor ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Structural Support ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Inducible Protein

Keratin proteins form intermediate filaments, which provide structural support for many tissues. Multiple keratin family members are reported to be associated with the progression of liver disease of multiple etiologies. For example, keratin 23 (KRT23) was reported as a stress-inducible protein, whose expression levels correlate with the severity of liver disease. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a human pathogen that causes chronic liver diseases including fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, a link between KRT23 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has not been reported previously. In this study, we investigated KRT23 mRNA levels in datasets from liver biopsies of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and in primary human hepatocytes experimentally infected with HCV, in addition to hepatoma cells. Interestingly, in each of these specimens, we observed an HCV-dependent increase of mRNA levels. Importantly, the KRT23 protein levels in patient plasma decreased upon viral clearance. Ectopic expression of KRT23 enhanced HCV infection; however, CRIPSPR/Cas9-mediated knockout did not show altered replication efficiency. Taken together, our study identifies KRT23 as a novel, virus-induced host-factor for hepatitis C virus.

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Testing for Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Adults Aged ≥18 in the United States, 2013-2017

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/00333549211047236 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003335492110472

Author(s):

Hope King ◽

J. E. Soh ◽

William W. Thompson ◽

Jessica Rogers Brown ◽

Karina Rapposelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

The United States ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

High School Education ◽

Related Risk ◽

Hcv Testing

Objective Approximately 2.4 million people in the United States are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The objective of our study was to describe demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, liver disease–related risk factors, and modifiable health behaviors associated with self-reported testing for HCV infection among adults. Methods Using data on adult respondents aged ≥18 from the 2013-2017 National Health Interview Survey, we summarized descriptive data on sociodemographic characteristics and liver disease–related risk factors and stratified data by educational attainment. We used weighted logistic regression to examine predictors of HCV testing. Results During the study period, 11.7% (95% CI, 11.5%-12.0%) of adults reported ever being tested for HCV infection. Testing was higher in 2017 than in 2013 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.18-1.36). Adults with ≥some college were significantly more likely to report being tested (aOR = 1.60; 95% CI, 1.52-1.69) than adults with ≤high school education. Among adults with ≤high school education (but not adults with ≥some college), those who did not have health insurance were less likely than those with private health insurance (aOR = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68-0.89) to get tested, and non–US-born adults were less likely than US-born adults to get tested (aOR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.87). Conclusions Rates of self-reported HCV testing increased from 2013 to 2017, but testing rates remained low. Demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and liver disease–related risk factors may affect HCV testing rates among adults. HCV testing must increase to achieve hepatitis C elimination targets.

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