Peter Ferenci

..To assess the relative impact of fatigue and subclinical cognitive brain dysfunction on the impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection...

..Although several promising oral agents have been identified and are currently in clinical development, it seems likely that pegylated interferon will remain the backbone of therapy for years to come...

..Patients with eRVR can be cured by an abbreviated treatment regime. Further modification and unification of response criteria are needed for the currently evaluated interferon-free treatment regimes...

..The recently described polymorphism in the region of the IL28B gene may help to select patients for abbreviated or extended treatment schedules...

..Various other combinations are investigated currently. Providing that phase 3 studies will confirm these exciting data, direct acting antivirals or host targets will replace peginterferon/ribavirin combination therapy...

..We aimed to evaluate whether 'severe' protein-truncating ATP7B mutations (SMs) are associated with low serum ceruloplasmin oxidase activities and an early age of onset when compared to missense mutations (MMs)...

..Recently, NOD2/CARD15 has been associated with a risk for CRC in some studies, which stemmed from ethnically diverse populations. Our aim was to identify common NOD2/CARD15 mutations in Hungarian patients with sporadic CRC...

..Direct-acting antiviral agents are expected to be approved in the near future and will be used in select patients with a peg-IFN plus ribavirin 'backbone'...

..Prediction of sustained virological response (SVR) during treatment would allow clinicians to identify patients most likely to benefit from therapy...

..Oral Silibinin (SIL) is widely used for treatment of hepatitis C, but its efficacy is unclear. Substantially higher doses can be administered intravenously (IV)...

..Treatment duration may be shortened in patients with undetectable HCV-RNA after 4 weeks of therapy, on the other hand slow virologic responders may benefit from prolonged treatment...

..High-dose PEG-IFN induction therapy did not enhance early or sustained virologic response rates compared with standard of care therapy...

....

..Data collected by a Foundation to help the victims enabled us to study the natural history of chronic hepatitis C in this cohort...

..A 5-fold increase of hepatic copper concentration is considered as the best available test for diagnosis of hepatic Wilson's disease (WD). However, the sensitivity and specificity of this test have never been fully investigated...

..Here, we review some of the complexities uncovered and controversies highlighted by the introduction of HCV protease inhibitors...

..Using a novel design, amantadine was studied in naïve genotype 1 patients treated in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD)/ribavirin...

..Knowledge of the differences in the worldwide distribution of particular mutations will help to design shortcuts for genetic diagnosis of WD...

..Alternatively, haplotype analysis can be used to address diagnostic dilemmas in differentiating heterozygote gene carriers and affected asymptomatic siblings...

..Initial treatment for symptomatic patients should include a chelating agent (penicillamine or trientine). Treatment of presymptomatic patients or maintenance therapy can also be accomplished with zinc...

....

..This prospective, randomized, controlled study tested whether non-responders or relapsers to interferon monotherapy also benefit from induction therapy...

..We associated IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917, along with serum levels of IP-10, with outcomes of patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC)...

..In this proof-of-concept study, ivSIL was tested in on-treatment non-responders to full-dose of pegylated interferon-α2a/ribavirin (standard of care [SOC])...

..Our aim was to investigate this approach in genotype 4 patients...

..Relapse rates are highest in patients with T/* genotype and are markedly higher in slow responders treated for 48 weeks compared with 72 weeks...

..The detectability of NS3-4--directed Th1 responses was associated with faster viremia clearance, was short-lived, and did not seem to be associated with the final treatment outcome...

..There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis, particularly on the impact of portal hypertension...

..CONCLUSION: The results suggest that when administered for 24 weeks with peginterferon alfa-2a, ribavirin doses of 400 and 800 mg/day produce equivalent outcomes in patients infected with HCV genotype 3...

..EPO is not a useful option for short-term support of platelet production during antiviral therapy...

..On the other hand, symptoms did not worsen on continued treatment. Therefore, the decision whether to continue or to stop the treatment when signs of ototoxicity appear is based on the clinical judgment of the treating physician...

..The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of these polymorphisms on insulin resistance (IR) in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C...

..We investigated the roles of polymorphisms rs12979860 and rs8099917 on the early virologic response of treatment-naïve patients...

..This study analyzes the impact of these IL28B polymorphisms on early treatment response (weeks 2 and 4) and SVR in HCV genotype 3 patients...

..8 (95% CI 1.4-5.7, p = 0.004). In conclusion, C282Y homozygotes carrying TGF-beta1 genotypes Arg/Pro and Pro/Pro are more likely to develop cirrhosis than those with genotype Arg/Arg...

..001). CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment liver iron concentration does not predict response to combination therapy in patients with CHC. In contrast, high baseline serum ferritin levels are predictors of poor response to antiviral therapy...

..Several treatments have been introduced but only L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) shows proven efficacy. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the effect of LOLA on postural control in cirrhotics...

..This metabolic effect is fully reversible after successful HCV-3a eradication. This unique property is not shared by other HCV genotypes...

..Specific markers for differentiation of nonalcoholic (NASH) from alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) are lacking. We investigated the role of routine laboratory parameters in distinguishing NASH from ASH...

..Patients with genetic hemochromatosis may be at risk for HCC, but limited information is available on the relationship of HCC and heterozygosity for the HFE gene mutations...

..This study assessed the impact of polymorphisms of the MPO (-463G/A) and the HO-1 promotors of Vienna (GT)n on the evolution of cirrhosis in patients with HHC...

..The predictive value of interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 (IP10) on treatment outcome has been described in HCV patients. Data on combining these predictors in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients are not available...

..The aim of the study was to compare the clinical outcome of additional percutaneous ethanol instillation (PEI) against no further treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving hormonal treatment with long-acting octreotide...

..IFN therapy appears only needed in patients who fail to clear the virus within 35 days after onset of symptoms. By this approach, IFN therapy was not necessary in two thirds of patients with acute hepatitis C...

..3%) patients. CONCLUSION: Treatment with standard interferon-alpha2b/ribavirin could be of benefit in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia however, a vigilant monitoring of these high risk patients is mandatory...

..Thus, the applicability of the results of controlled studies has to be tested in a "real-world" setting...

..The clinical symptoms and age at onset of Wilson's disease (WD) are highly variable. This study investigated patients who became symptomatic at >40 years of age...

..Patients who become HCV-RNA negative after 4 weeks have the best chance of achieving an SVR. The rapidity of viral elimination may be a useful guide to tailoring the length of treatment in patients with an EVR...

..The aim of this study was to evaluate seminal parameters and ribavirin and HCV-RNA concentrations in seminal fluid and serum prior to and during antiviral treatment...

..This does not result in an alteration of global platelet function as assessed by the PFA-100, because elevated vWF-Antigen levels might compensate for the acquired defect...

....

....

....

..Our data suggest that microchimerism does not play a significant role in the development of PBC...

..Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon (IFN)-alpha often has hematotoxic effects. We evaluated the effects of acute vs. chronic and standard vs. pegylated IFN-alpha on hematopoiesis...

..None of the 100 healthy controls carried the mutation. We describe a novel mutation in the ATP7B gene, occurring in patients originated from a distinct geographical area in Austria associated with a variable course of the disease...

....

..We investigated whether the severity of organ failure was associated with intracranial hypertension and evaluated the correlation between NH(3) and pNH(3) and grade of hepatic encephalopathy...

..While hepatic pathology of homozygous carriers of the C282Y mutation of the HFE haemochromatosis gene is well defined, the impact of the C282Y/H63D compound heterozygous carrier state is unknown...

..This article reviews the various patient and viral factors that help predict response to various interferon-based therapies, ranging from interferon alone to the new pegylated interferons...

..Immunotherapeutic approaches hold promise to prolong survival in selected patients with advanced HCC who respond by enhanced tumor immunogenicity...

..Furthermore, limitations of currently available quantitative assays will be discussed...

..abstract:..

..Overall this consensus statement accounts for the major advances in the management of hepatitis B and significantly changes clinical management of patients with hepatitis B in Austria...

..Liver biopsy is the standard method for diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, but is invasive and carries some risk of morbidity...

..This study tested the hypothesis of a subclinical cognitive dysfunction in HCV-infected patients...

..Presence of liver disease, neurologic symptoms, and Kayser-Fleischer corneal rings are the hallmarks of the disease...

....

..This patient met all diagnostic criteria for paraneoplastic pemphigus and is, to our knowledge, the first report of a case associated with hepatocellular carcinoma...

..No adefovir-associated resistance mutations of viral DNA were detected. Ongoing studies investigate combination therapy with lamivudine or IFN...

..As mutations in exons 4e, 8, and 12 were only found in association with SNP5, this variant may have allowed selection pressure to arise...

....

..In addition, while more specific research is needed, olfactory dysfunction may serve as a subclinical indicator of hepatic encephalopathy...

..Beyond these well defined diseases, functional impairments of transport proteins may predispose to non-genetic diseases ranging from intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy to neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease...

..However, little knowledge exists about its use for the treatment of internal fistulas in CD. We present our experience with infliximab in this situation...

..After the meeting, a preliminary draft of a consensus report was mailed to all active participants and their comments were incorporated in the final text...

..Finally, the need for a careful evaluation of the newer neuroimaging modalities for the diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy was stressed...

..This case report suggests that coeliac disease should also be considered in patients with unexplained severe acute liver disease and that abdominal ultrasound may be a helpful step to obtain to the correct diagnosis...

..The aim of the present study was to investigate this schedule in the era of pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin...

..Here, we discuss the importance of baseline predictors of response and the emerging concept of response-guided therapy in genotype 1 and 4 patients...

..The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of genetic testing for diagnosis of the disease in a large cohort (n=109) from Hungary...

..In conclusion, patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and treated with peginterferon alpha-2a/ribavirin sustained a RVR 24% of the time. This portends an 89% probability of a SVR after 24 weeks of treatment...

..Our objective was to establish the role of the functional polymorphisms of GSTP1 (codon 105 Ile-->Val) and MnSOD (codon 16 of precursor protein Ala-->Val) on the evolution of cirrhosis in patients with HHC and CHC...

..To determine common NOD2/CARD15 mutations and TLR4 D299G polymorphism in Hungarian patients with CD...

..Randomized controlled studies are needed to establish the efficacy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin in patients who have undergone OLT...

..Testing of only serum or plasma specimens underestimates the true circulating HCV load and leads to an overestimation of antiviral response rates...

..2% and sensitivity of 88.2% in diagnosing Wilson's disease (WD). We have re-evaluated this test. Ninety-eight subjects were studied at presentation...

..The H1069Q point mutation is frequent in Hungarian patients with WD and appears to have originated from a single founder in Eastern Europe. In contrast, mutations in exons 8, 13, 15, and 18 are uncommon in Hungarian WD patients...

..A polymorphism at 472 bp of the coding sequence could be confirmed. CONCLUSION: The MURR1 gene plays no role in the pathogenesis of Wilson disease patients with normal serum ceruloplasmin levels...