Percutaneous liver biopsy: a safe outpatient procedure?

Following the discovery of hepatitis C virus, more liver biopsies (LB) than before are being performed to assess the severity of liver disease. In this study, following the recommendations for outpatient LB made by the Patient Care Committee of the American Gastroenterological Association, we assessed the feasibility and benefits of LB performed as an outpatient versus inpatient procedure over the last 7 years in our centre. The study included 1,581 patients consecutively examined in our institute; all LBs were performed by a single operator with a 16-gauge needle using the Menghini technique, and in all cases the puncture site was determined using prebiopsy ultrasound. Liver lesions were c…

Anti-hepatitis A virus seroprevalence and seroconversion in a cohort of patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Abstract Background. Patients with chronic hepatitis C infected by hepatitis A virus have a substantial risk of fulminant hepatitis or death, while the course of hepatitis A virus is uncomplicated in most subjects with chronic hepatitis B. Aim. To evaluate the prevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies and the incidence of hepatitis A virus seroconversion in a nationwide sample of 530 patients with chronic hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C infection initially susceptible to this infection after a follow-up of some years. Results. The overall anti-hepatitis A virus prevalence was 85.7%, with no difference between males and females. By the age of 50 years, almost all patients were found to …

Randomised trial of two different daily doses of interferon-α versus classical therapy in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of two different daily doses of interferon-α (lymphoblastoid-IFNα-N1, Wellferon®) [IFNα] for 2 months, followed by the same dose on alternate days for up to 1 year, versus administration on alternate days for 1 year. Patients and methods: A non-blind, randomised study of outpatients with chronic hepatitis C at five centres in Sicily, Italy. Ninety-seven consecutive treatment-naïve patients [72 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection] with histological chronic hepatitis C were included in the study and randomised to receive IFNα subcutaneously: 5 million international units (MIU) daily for 2 months, followed by the same…

Safety and efficacy of peginterferon alpha 2a plus mycofenolatemofetile and peginterferon alpha 2a plus Ribavirin in unresponsive patients with chronic hepatitis C

Acetylcysteine therapy for chronic hepatitis C: are its effects synergistic with interferon alpha? A pilot study.

This trial reports the 6-month results of a pilot study using lymphoblastoid interferon alpha (IFNalpha) and acetylcysteine (N-acetylcysteine) separately and in combination in patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1b, who were nonresponders to previous treatment with recombinant IFNalpha alone.21 patients were randomly divided into three groups of seven each. Group A was treated with lymphoblastoid IFNalpha 6MU three times a week for 6 months; group B received the same schedule of lymphoblastoid IFNalpha as group A plus acetylcysteine 1200 mg/day per os in two administrations, and group C received only acetylcysteine 1200 mg/day per os in two administrations.Mean serum alanine aminotr…

Bone damage after chemotherapy for lymphoma: a real-world experience

AbstractBackgroundDespite recent improvements in survival due to advances in treatment, the quality of life of patients with lymphoma may be compromised by the long-term complications of chemotherapy and steroid therapy. Among these, a potentially relevant problem is bone loss and the development of fragility fractures.AimTo provide further evidence of clinical or subclinical skeletal complications in correlation with biological variables and markers of bone disease in patients with complete response to therapy.MethodA cross-sectional observational study was conducted on subjects diagnosed with lymphoma with subsequent antineoplastic treatment, disease status after therapy defined as comple…

Interferon-?? Alone versus Interferon-?? plus Ribavirin in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Not Responding to Previous Interferon-?? Treatment

Objective: To study the effects of monotherapy with leucocyte interferon-α (IFNα) versus IFNα + ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C who were nonresponders to previous courses of recombinant or lymphoblastoid IFNα. Design and setting: This was a nonblind randomised study of outpatients at 3 centres in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Patients and participants: We recruited 72 patients (48 males, 24 females), mean age 48.8 ± 6.6 years (range 31 to 63 years), with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C, predominantly genotype lb. Interventions: 24 patients (group A) received IFNα 6MU 3 times weekly for 6 months, and 48 patients (group B) received IFNα 6MU 3 times weekly + ribavirin 1200 mg/day fo…

Randomised Trial of Two Different Daily Doses of Interferon-α versus Classical Therapy in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of two different daily doses of interferon-α (lymphoblastoid-IFNα-N1, Wellferon®) [IFNα] for 2 months, followed by the same dose on alternate days for up to 1 year, versus administration on alternate days for 1 year. A non-blind, randomised study of outpatients with chronic hepatitis C at five centres in Sicily, Italy. Ninety-seven consecutive treatment-naive patients [72 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection] with histological chronic hepatitis C were included in the study and randomised to receive IFNα subcutaneously: 5 million international units (MIU) daily for 2 months, followed by the same dose on alternate days for up to…