Search results for "Minas"

Efficacy of an escalating dose regimen of pegylated interferon ?-2a plus ribavirin in the early phase of HCV reinfection after liver transplantation

2007

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of an escalating dose regimen of pegylated interferon alpha-2a (PEG-IFN(alpha-2a)) and ribavirin in the early phase of recurrent hepatitis C after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). In this prospective study, 26 patients transplanted for hepatitis C virus cirrhosis with recurrent hepatitis C were treated 3.4 +/- 3.6 months after OLT and compared with an untreated historical control. PEG-IFN(alpha-2a) was initiated as monotherapy, following stepwise dose escalation up to 180 mug/week and the addition of ribavirin up to 1200 mg/day or maximally tolerated doses for 48 weeks. In the intent-to-treat analysis, 38% showed an early virological response (EVR…

An internet-based approach for lifestyle changes in patients with NAFLD: Two-year effects on weight loss and surrogate markers

2018

Background & Aims Interventions aimed at lifestyle changes are pivotal for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and web-based programs might help remove barriers in both patients and therapists. Methods In the period 2010–15, 716 consecutive NAFLD cases (mean age, 52; type 2 diabetes, 33%) were treated in our Department with structured programs. The usual protocol included motivational interviewing and a group-based intervention (GBI), chaired by physicians, dietitians and psychologists (five weekly meetings, n = 438). Individuals who could not attend GBI entered a web-based intervention (WBI, n = 278) derived from GBI, with interactive games, learning tests, motivati…

Prevalence, predictors, and severity of lean nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients living with human immunodeficiency virus

2020

Abstract Background The burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is growing in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). NAFLD is associated with obesity; however, it can occur in normoweight (lean) patients. We aimed to investigate lean NAFLD in patients living with HIV. Methods We included patients living with HIV mono-infection from 3 prospective cohorts. NAFLD was diagnosed by transient elastography (TE) and defined as controlled attenuation parameter ≥248 dB/m, in absence of alcohol abuse. Lean NAFLD was defined when a body mass index was <25 kg/m2. Significant liver fibrosis was defined as TE ≥7.1 kPa. The presence of diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipid…

Tissue transglutaminase in HCV infection.

2003

Dynamics of liver stiffness by transient elastography in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection receiving direct-acting antiviral therapy-…

2020

The impact of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies on fibrosis regression remains uncertain. In the current study, we prospectively evaluated dynamics of liver stiffness by transient elastography (TE) in patients with chronic HCV infection receiving DAA-based treatment. Patients (260) were enrolled in the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R), a national multicentre real-world cohort. Liver stiffness (LS) was assessed at baseline, end of treatment (EOT) and 24 weeks after EOT (FU24) by TE. Biochemical, virological and clinical data were obtained in parallel. In patients with SVR, there was a significant improvement of LS between baseline (median [range], 8.6 [1.7-73.5] kPa) and FU24 (7.9 […

Mesenchymal stem cells display hepato-protective activity in lymphoma bearing xenografts.

2012

A disseminated model of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with prevalent liver metastasis was generated by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of EBV(+) B lymphoblastoid SKW6.4 in nude-SCID mice. The survival of SKW6.4 xenografts (median survival = 27 days) was significantly improved when hyaluronan scaffolds embedded with mesenchimal stem cells (MSC) were implanted in the abdominal area 4 days after SKW6.4 injection (median survival = 39.5 days). Mice implanted with MSC showed a significant improvement of hepatic functionality in lymphoma xenografts, as demonstrated by measurement of serum ALT/AST levels. Co-culture of MSC with lymphoma cells enhanced the release of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by MSC…

Clinical Utility of Midregional Proadrenomedullin in Patients with COVID-19

2021

Abstract Objective The aim of the study was to assess the role of midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in patients with COVID-19. Methods We included 110 patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Biochemical biomarkers, including MR-proADM, were measured at admission. The association of plasma MR-proADM levels with COVID-19 severity, defined as a requirement for mechanical ventilation or in-hospital mortality, was evaluated. Results Patients showed increased levels of MR-proADM. In addition, MR-proADM was higher in patients who died during hospitalization than in patients who survived (median, 2.59 nmol/L; interquartile range, 2.3–2.95 vs median, 0.82 nmol/L; interquartile range, 0.57–1.03; …

Distinct immune evasion in APOBEC ‐enriched, HPV ‐negative HNSCC

2020

Immune checkpoint inhibition leads to response in some patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Robust biomarkers are lacking to date. We analyzed viral status, gene expression signatures, mutational load and mutational signatures in whole exome and RNA-sequencing data of the HNSCC TCGA dataset (n = 496) and a validation set (DKTK MASTER cohort, n = 10). Public single-cell gene expression data from 17 HPV-negative HNSCC were separately reanalyzed. APOBEC3-associated TCW motif mutations but not total single nucleotide variant burden were significantly associated with inflammation. This association was restricted to HPV-negative HNSCC samples. An APOBEC-enriched, HPV-negat…

Loss-of-function maternal-effect mutations of PADI6 are associated with familial and sporadic Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with multi-locus imprinting…

2020

Abstract Background PADI6 is a component of the subcortical maternal complex, a group of proteins that is abundantly expressed in the oocyte cytoplasm, but is required for the correct development of early embryo. Maternal-effect variants of the subcortical maternal complex proteins are associated with heterogeneous diseases, including female infertility, hydatidiform mole, and imprinting disorders with multi-locus imprinting disturbance. While the involvement of PADI6 in infertility is well demonstrated, its role in imprinting disorders is less well established. Results We have identified by whole-exome sequencing analysis four cases of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with multi-locus imprintin…

Multifocal Biliary Cystadenocarcinoma of the Liver: CT and Pathological Findings

2006

Biliary cystadenocarcinoma is a rare tumor that originates from the hepatobiliary epithelium. Although this tumor can affect any portion of the biliary tree, intrahepatic location is more common. It is usually a slow growing tumor and often asymptomatic until it reaches a considerable size. The lesion is most often solitary and large when discovered; multiple lesions or metastases within the liver are very rare. A 63-year-old man was referred to our institute for weight loss, abdominal discomfort, worsening bulky symptoms in the right upper abdominal quadrant, and an increase in serum aminotransferases that had been present for several months. Spiral CT of the abdomen demonstrated two lesi…