Hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)share common mode of transmission and both are able to induce a chronic infection.Dual HBV/HCV chronic coinfection is a fairly frequent occurrence,especially in high end...Hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)share common mode of transmission and both are able to induce a chronic infection.Dual HBV/HCV chronic coinfection is a fairly frequent occurrence,especially in high endemic areas and among individuals at high risk of parenterally transmitted infections.The intracellular interplay between HBV and HCV has not yet been sufficiently clarified,also due to the lack of a proper in vitro cellular model.Longitudinal evaluation of serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA amounts has revealed that complex virological profiles may be present in coinfected patients.Dual HBV/HCV infection has been associated to a severe course of the liver disease and to a high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.Despite the clinical importance,solid evidence and clear guidelines for treatment of this special population are still lacking.This review summarizes the available data on the virological and clinical features as well as the therapeutic options of the dual HBV/HCV infection,and highlights the aspects that need to be better clarified.展开更多
Since molecules with direct-acting antiviral(DAA)became available,the landscape of the treatment of hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection has completely changed.The new drugs are extremely effective in eradicating infection...Since molecules with direct-acting antiviral(DAA)became available,the landscape of the treatment of hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection has completely changed.The new drugs are extremely effective in eradicating infection,and treatment is very well tolerated with a duration of 8-12 wk.This review aims to report the outstanding clinical benefits of DAA and to highlight their critical disadvantages,identifying some clinically relevant hot topics.First,do the rates of virological response remain as high when patients with more advanced cirrhosis are considered?Large studies have shown slightly lower but still satisfactory rates of response in these patients.Nevertheless,modified schedules with an extended treatment duration and use of ribavirin may be necessary.Second,does the treatment of HCV infection affect the risk of occurrence and recurrence of liver cancer?Incidence is reduced after viral eradication but remains high enough to warrant periodic surveillance for an early diagnosis.In contrast,the risk of recurrence seems to be unaffected by viral clearance;however,DAA treatment improves survival because of the reduced risk of progression of liver disease.Third,can HCV treatment also have favorable effects on major comorbidities?HCV eradication is associated with a reduced incidence of diabetes,an improvement in glycemic control and a decreased risk of cardiovascular events;nevertheless,a risk of hypoglycemia during DAA treatment has been reported.Finally,is it safe to treat patients with HCV/hepatitis B virus(HBV)coinfection?In this setting,HCV is usually the main driver of viral activity,while HBV replication is suppressed.Because various studies have described HBV reactivation after HCV clearance,a baseline evaluation for HBV coinfection and a specific follow-up is mandatory.展开更多
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends testing all human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)patients for hepatitis C virus(HCV).In resource-constrained contexts with low-to-intermediate HCV prevalence among HIV p...BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends testing all human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)patients for hepatitis C virus(HCV).In resource-constrained contexts with low-to-intermediate HCV prevalence among HIV patients,as in Cambodia,targeted testing is,in the short-term,potentially more feasible and cost-effective.AIM To develop a clinical prediction score(CPS)to risk-stratify HIV patients for HCV coinfection(HCV RNA detected),and derive a decision rule to guide prioritization of HCV testing in settings where‘testing all’is not feasible or unaffordable in the short term.METHODS We used data of a cross-sectional HCV diagnostic study in the HIV cohort of Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope in Phnom Penh.Key populations were very rare in this cohort.Score development relied on the Spiegelhalter and Knill-Jones method.Predictors with an adjusted likelihood ratio≥1.5 or≤0.67 were retained,transformed to natural logarithms,and rounded to integers as score items.CPS performance was evaluated by the area-under-the-ROC curve(AUROC)with 95% confidence intervals(CI),and diagnostic accuracy at the different cut-offs.For the decision rule,HCV coinfection probability≥1% was agreed as test-threshold.RESULTS Among the 3045 enrolled HIV patients,106 had an HCV coinfection.Of the 11 candidate predictors(from history-taking,laboratory testing),seven had an adjusted likelihood ratio≥1.5 or≤0.67:≥50 years(+1 point),diabetes mellitus(+1),partner/household member with liver disease(+1),generalized pruritus(+1),platelets<200×10^(9)/L(+1),aspartate transaminase(AST)<30 IU/L(-1),AST-to-platelet ratio index(APRI)≥0.45(+1),and APRI<0.45(-1).The AUROC was 0.84(95%CI:0.80-0.89),indicating good discrimination of HCV/HIV coinfection and HIV mono-infection.The CPS result≥0 best fits the test-threshold(negative predictive value:99.2%,95%CI:98.8-99.6).Applying this threshold,30%(n=926)would be tested.Sixteen coinfections(15%)would have been missed,none with advanced fibrosis.CONCLUSION The CPS performed well in the derivation cohort,and bears potential for other contexts of low-to-intermediate prevalence and little onward risk of transmission(i.e.cohorts without major risk factors as injecting drug use,men having sex with men),and where available resources do not allow to test all HIV patients as recommended by WHO.However,the score requires external validation in other patient cohorts before any wider use can be considered.展开更多
Before the introduction of combined highly active antiretroviral therapy, a positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serological status represented an absolute contraindication for solid organ transplant (SOT). The...Before the introduction of combined highly active antiretroviral therapy, a positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serological status represented an absolute contraindication for solid organ transplant (SOT). The advent of highly effective combined antiretroviral therapy in 1996 largely contributed to the increased demand for SOT in HIV-positive individuals due to increased patients’ life expectancy associated with the increasing prevalence of end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Nowadays, liver failure represents a frequent cause of mortality in the HIV-infected population mainly due to coinfection with hepatitis viruses sharing the same way of transmission. Thus, liver transplantation (LT) represents a reasonable approach in HIV patients with stable infection and ESLD. Available data presently supports with good evidence the practice of LT in the HIV-positive population. Thus, the issue is no longer “whether it is correct to transplant HIV-infected patients”, but “who are the patients who can be safely transplanted” and “when is the best time to perform LT”. Indeed, the benefits of LT in HIV-infected patients, especially in terms of mid- and long-term patient and graft survivals, are strictly related to the patients’ selection and to the correct timing for transplantation, especially when hepatitis C virus coinfection is present. Aim of this article is to review the pros and cons of LT in the cohort of HIV infected recipients.展开更多
文摘Hepatitis B virus(HBV)and hepatitis C virus(HCV)share common mode of transmission and both are able to induce a chronic infection.Dual HBV/HCV chronic coinfection is a fairly frequent occurrence,especially in high endemic areas and among individuals at high risk of parenterally transmitted infections.The intracellular interplay between HBV and HCV has not yet been sufficiently clarified,also due to the lack of a proper in vitro cellular model.Longitudinal evaluation of serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA amounts has revealed that complex virological profiles may be present in coinfected patients.Dual HBV/HCV infection has been associated to a severe course of the liver disease and to a high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.Despite the clinical importance,solid evidence and clear guidelines for treatment of this special population are still lacking.This review summarizes the available data on the virological and clinical features as well as the therapeutic options of the dual HBV/HCV infection,and highlights the aspects that need to be better clarified.
文摘Since molecules with direct-acting antiviral(DAA)became available,the landscape of the treatment of hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection has completely changed.The new drugs are extremely effective in eradicating infection,and treatment is very well tolerated with a duration of 8-12 wk.This review aims to report the outstanding clinical benefits of DAA and to highlight their critical disadvantages,identifying some clinically relevant hot topics.First,do the rates of virological response remain as high when patients with more advanced cirrhosis are considered?Large studies have shown slightly lower but still satisfactory rates of response in these patients.Nevertheless,modified schedules with an extended treatment duration and use of ribavirin may be necessary.Second,does the treatment of HCV infection affect the risk of occurrence and recurrence of liver cancer?Incidence is reduced after viral eradication but remains high enough to warrant periodic surveillance for an early diagnosis.In contrast,the risk of recurrence seems to be unaffected by viral clearance;however,DAA treatment improves survival because of the reduced risk of progression of liver disease.Third,can HCV treatment also have favorable effects on major comorbidities?HCV eradication is associated with a reduced incidence of diabetes,an improvement in glycemic control and a decreased risk of cardiovascular events;nevertheless,a risk of hypoglycemia during DAA treatment has been reported.Finally,is it safe to treat patients with HCV/hepatitis B virus(HBV)coinfection?In this setting,HCV is usually the main driver of viral activity,while HBV replication is suppressed.Because various studies have described HBV reactivation after HCV clearance,a baseline evaluation for HBV coinfection and a specific follow-up is mandatory.
文摘BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends testing all human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)patients for hepatitis C virus(HCV).In resource-constrained contexts with low-to-intermediate HCV prevalence among HIV patients,as in Cambodia,targeted testing is,in the short-term,potentially more feasible and cost-effective.AIM To develop a clinical prediction score(CPS)to risk-stratify HIV patients for HCV coinfection(HCV RNA detected),and derive a decision rule to guide prioritization of HCV testing in settings where‘testing all’is not feasible or unaffordable in the short term.METHODS We used data of a cross-sectional HCV diagnostic study in the HIV cohort of Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope in Phnom Penh.Key populations were very rare in this cohort.Score development relied on the Spiegelhalter and Knill-Jones method.Predictors with an adjusted likelihood ratio≥1.5 or≤0.67 were retained,transformed to natural logarithms,and rounded to integers as score items.CPS performance was evaluated by the area-under-the-ROC curve(AUROC)with 95% confidence intervals(CI),and diagnostic accuracy at the different cut-offs.For the decision rule,HCV coinfection probability≥1% was agreed as test-threshold.RESULTS Among the 3045 enrolled HIV patients,106 had an HCV coinfection.Of the 11 candidate predictors(from history-taking,laboratory testing),seven had an adjusted likelihood ratio≥1.5 or≤0.67:≥50 years(+1 point),diabetes mellitus(+1),partner/household member with liver disease(+1),generalized pruritus(+1),platelets<200×10^(9)/L(+1),aspartate transaminase(AST)<30 IU/L(-1),AST-to-platelet ratio index(APRI)≥0.45(+1),and APRI<0.45(-1).The AUROC was 0.84(95%CI:0.80-0.89),indicating good discrimination of HCV/HIV coinfection and HIV mono-infection.The CPS result≥0 best fits the test-threshold(negative predictive value:99.2%,95%CI:98.8-99.6).Applying this threshold,30%(n=926)would be tested.Sixteen coinfections(15%)would have been missed,none with advanced fibrosis.CONCLUSION The CPS performed well in the derivation cohort,and bears potential for other contexts of low-to-intermediate prevalence and little onward risk of transmission(i.e.cohorts without major risk factors as injecting drug use,men having sex with men),and where available resources do not allow to test all HIV patients as recommended by WHO.However,the score requires external validation in other patient cohorts before any wider use can be considered.
文摘Before the introduction of combined highly active antiretroviral therapy, a positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serological status represented an absolute contraindication for solid organ transplant (SOT). The advent of highly effective combined antiretroviral therapy in 1996 largely contributed to the increased demand for SOT in HIV-positive individuals due to increased patients’ life expectancy associated with the increasing prevalence of end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Nowadays, liver failure represents a frequent cause of mortality in the HIV-infected population mainly due to coinfection with hepatitis viruses sharing the same way of transmission. Thus, liver transplantation (LT) represents a reasonable approach in HIV patients with stable infection and ESLD. Available data presently supports with good evidence the practice of LT in the HIV-positive population. Thus, the issue is no longer “whether it is correct to transplant HIV-infected patients”, but “who are the patients who can be safely transplanted” and “when is the best time to perform LT”. Indeed, the benefits of LT in HIV-infected patients, especially in terms of mid- and long-term patient and graft survivals, are strictly related to the patients’ selection and to the correct timing for transplantation, especially when hepatitis C virus coinfection is present. Aim of this article is to review the pros and cons of LT in the cohort of HIV infected recipients.
