0000000000539026
AUTHOR
V. Rizzo
Add-on peginterferon alfa-2a to nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy for Caucasian patients with hepatitis B ‘e’ antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B genotype D
Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) and peginterferon have complementary effects in chronic hepatitis B, but it is unclear whether combination therapy improves responses in genotype D-infected patients. We conducted an open-label study of peginterferon alfa-2a 180 μg/week added to ongoing NA therapy in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative, genotype D-infected patients with HBV DNA <20 IU/mL. The primary endpoint was proportion of patients with ≥50% decline in serum HBsAg by the end of the 48-week add-on phase. Seventy patients received treatment, 11 were withdrawn at week 24 for no decrease in HBsAg, and 14 withdrew for other reasons. Response rate (per-protocol population) was 67.4% (29/43) at…
Virological response and retention in care according to time of starting ART in Italy: data from the Icona Foundation Study cohort
Abstract Objectives To describe: (i) factors associated with rapid and delayed ART initiation; (ii) rates of 12 week virological response; and (iii) virologically controlled retention in care by 1 year from ART initiation according to timing of start in a real-life setting. Methods All individuals in the Icona cohort diagnosed with HIV in 2016–17 who initiated ART were grouped according to the time between HIV diagnosis and ART initiation: Group 1, ≤7 days; Group 2, 8–14 days; Group 3, 15–30 days; Group 4, 31–120 days; and Group 5, &gt;120 days. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with: (i) the probability of rapid (Group 1) and very delayed…
The impact of DAA-mediated HCV eradication on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte trajectories in HIV/HCV coinfected patients: Data from the ICONA Foundation Cohort
HCV infection has been hypothesized as a contributor of poor CD4+ recovery in patients living with HIV (PLWHIV). Aim of this study was to evaluate CD4+, CD8+ cells and CD4/CD8 ratio trends before and after HCV treatment with direct acting agents (DAA) in PLWHIV. HIV/HCV patients enrolled in ICONA and HepaICONA cohorts with HIV-RNA≤50 copies/ml who achieved a sustained viral response after DAA treatment were studied. A linear regression model was used to investigate CD4+, CD8+ and CD4/CD8 changes 12 months before and after DAA treatment. A total of 939 HIV/HCV patients were included, 225 (24.0%) female, median age: 53 years (IQR 50–56). At DAA initiation, CD4+ T cell count was <350 cells/…
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Continuum of Care in 11 European Union Countries at the End of 2016 Overall and by Key Population: Have We Made Progress?
Abstract Background High uptake of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is essential to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and related mortality; however, gaps in care exist. We aimed to construct the continuum of HIV care (CoC) in 2016 in 11 European Union (EU) countries, overall and by key population and sex. To estimate progress toward the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 target, we compared 2016 to 2013 estimates for the same countries, representing 73% of the population in the region. Methods A CoC with the following 4 stages was constructed: number of people living with HIV (PLHIV); proportion of PLHIV diagnosed; proportion of those diagnosed …
Early outcomes and complications following cardiac surgery in patients testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019: An international cohort study
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 represented a global emergency accounting for more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide.1 It has had an unprecedented influence on cardiac surgery internationally, resulting in cautious delivery of surgery and restructuring of services.2 Understanding the influence of COVID-19 on patients after cardiac surgery is based on assumptions from other surgical specialties and single-center studies. The COVIDSurg Collaborative conducted a multicenter cohort study, including 1128 patients, across 235 hospitals, from 24 countries demonstrating perioperative COVID-19 infection…