0000000000523684
AUTHOR
Federico Tremolada
Serum antibodies to thymus epithelial cells in non-A, non-B and cryptogenic chronic liver disease
Antibodies against thymus epithelial cells (anti-TEC) and the basal cell layer (BCLA) of squamous epithelia have been described in association with HDV-related chronic liver disease (CLD). Data are lacking on their presence during nAnB virus infection. Sera from 51 patients with nAnB post-transfusion hepatitis, including acute and chronic cases diagnosed during a prospective study on candidates for cardiac surgery, and 167 with various forms of CLD were tested for the presence of anti-TEC and BCLA using indirect immunofluorescence on human thymus and rat forestomach sections. Both antibodies mainly occurred in nAnB, HDV and cryptogenic CLD (anti-TEC: 51%, 47% and 42%; BCLA: 29%, 38% and 31%…
Hepatitis C virus genotypes: distribution and clinical significance in patients with cirrhosis type C seen at tertiary referral centres in Europe
The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and clinical significance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in European patients with compensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis C (Child class A) seen at tertiary referral centres. HCV genotypes were determined by genotype-specific primer PCR in 255 stored serum samples obtained from cirrhotics followed for a median period of 7 years. Inclusion criteria were biopsy-proven cirrhosis, absence of complications of cirrhosis and exclusion of all other potential causes of chronic liver disease. The proportion of patients with types 1b, 2, 3a, 1a, 4 and 5 were 69%, 19%, 6%, 5%, 0.5% and 0.5%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier 5-year risk of hepatocel…
Effectiveness of interferon alfa on incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensation in cirrhosis type C
Background/Aims: The role of interferon alfa treatment in improving morbidity endpoints in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection is currently under debate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of interferon in preventing hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensation in cirrhosis type C. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 329 consecutive Caucasian patients with cirrhosis followed for a mean period of 5 years at seven tertiary care university hospitals. Inclusion criteria were biopsy-proven cirrhosis, anti-HCV positivity, abnormal serum aminotransferase levels and absence of complications of cirrhosis. Results: The yearly incidence of hepatocellula…