HCV-negative Patients (hcv-negative + patient)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Hepatitis C virus seropositivity in a South African Cohort of HIV co-infected, ARV naïve patients is associated with renal insufficiency and increased mortality,

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 9 2008
Raveen Parboosing
Abstract HIV is known to affect the epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis and natural history of HCV infection whilst studies on the effects of HCV on HIV have shown conflicting results and are confounded by the influence of intravenous drug use and antiretroviral therapy. This study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa where HIV is predominantly a sexually transmitted infection. Intravenous drug use is rare in this region and the study population was naïve to antiretroviral therapy. For this study, specimens from selected sentinel sites submitted to a central laboratory for routine HIV testing were screened for anti-HCV IgG antibodies. HIV positive HCV-positive patients were compared to HIV-positive HCV-negative patients in a subgroup of patients within this cohort in order to determine if HCV sero-prevalence was associated with clinical outcomes in a linked anonymous retrospective chart survey. The prevalence of HCV was 6.4% and that of HIV, 40.2% (n,=,1,937). There was a significantly higher prevalence of HCV among HIV infected patients as compared to HIV negative patients (13.4% vs. 1.73% respectively) (n,=,1,937, P,<,0.001). HCV-HIV co-infected patients had significantly increased mortality (8.3 vs. 21%) (n,=,162, P,<,0.02). A significant association was found between HCV serostatus and abnormal urea levels (15.4 vs. 7.3 mmol/L, n,=,134, P,<,0.001) and creatinine levels (252.2 vs. 144.4 µmol/L, n,=,134, P,<,0.01). This study has found that hepatitis C co-infection is more common in HIV positive individuals and is associated with an increased mortality and renal morbidity. J. Med. Virol. 80:1530,1536, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


The impact of hepatitis C virus infection on survival in dialysis patients: meta-analysis of observational studies

JOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 10 2007
F. Fabrizi
Summary., The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on mortality of patients receiving regular dialysis remains unclear. The assessment of the natural history of HCV in dialysis population is difficult because of the low progression of HCV-related liver disease over time and the reduced life expectancy in patients with end-stage renal disease. The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review of the published medical literature concerning the impact of HCV infection on the survival of patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. The relative risk of mortality was regarded as the most reliable outcome end-point. Study-specific relative risks were weighted by the inverse of their variance to obtain fixed- and random-effects pooled estimates for mortality with HCV across the published studies. We identified seven studies involving 11 589 unique patients on maintenance dialysis; two (29%) were case,control studies. Pooling of study results demonstrated that presence of anti-HCV antibody was an independent and significant risk factor for death in patients on maintenance dialysis. The summary estimate for adjusted relative risk (aRR) (all-cause mortality) was 1.34 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.13,1.59. Heterogeneity statistics, Ri = 0.48 (P -value by Q -test = 0.13). In a sensitivity analysis including only (n = 5) cohort studies, the pooled aRR was 1.38 (95% CI, 1.20,1.59); heterogeneity statistics Ri = 0.46. As a cause of death, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis were significantly more frequent among anti-HCV-positive than -negative dialysis patients. Our meta-analysis indicates that anti-HCV-positive patients on dialysis have an increased risk of mortality compared with HCV-negative patients. The excess risk of death in HCV-positive patients may be at least partially attributed to chronic liver disease with its attendant complications. [source]


Hepatitis C: Magnitude of the problem

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 10B 2002
Jorge Rakela MD
1End-stage liver disease associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has become the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States. 2Patients with end-stage liver disease caused by HCV may have such associated comorbidities as chronic alcoholism, steatosis, or coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus 1 or other hepatitis viruses. These comorbidities may accelerate disease progression. 3As chronic hepatitis C progresses to cirrhosis, the risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma increases; this poses difficult management problems. 4As patients who underwent transplantation for end-stage liver disease caused by HCV infection are followed up long term, it has become clear that patient and graft survival are decreased compared with HCV-negative patients or those with cholestatic liver disorders. 5Risk factors associated with a worse outcome after transplantation include host, viral, donor, and posttransplantation factors. 6Major challenges to be addressed in the future include delineation of the optimal antiviral therapy and how to handle the need to perform retransplantation on patients who develop graft dysfunction as a result of HCV recurrence. [source]


Detection of myxovirus resistance protein A in lichen planus lesions and its relationship to hepatitis C virus

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
O.G. Shaker
Summary Background, Lichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory disease of the skin and oral mucosa. Studies suggested that type I interferons (IFNs) could play an important role in the cytotoxic inflammation in LP. Type I IFNs stimulate the production of several IFN-induced proteins including myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA protein). The association of LP and chronic hepatitis C is well established, with variable prevalence rates among different populations. Many authors have considered hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a possible antigen for inducing cytotoxic immune response in LP. Objectives, To investigate the role of type I IFNs in LP through the detection of MxA protein, and to compare the expression of MxA protein between HCV-positive and HCV-negative patients with LP in an attempt to clarify the role of HCV in the pathogenesis of LP. Methods, The study included 33 skin biopsies from patients with LP and 10 control biopsies. MxA mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. HCV-specific antibodies were detected in patient sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results, Our analysis revealed a significantly higher level of MxA protein in all the LP skin biopsies compared with controls. The expression was significantly higher in HCV-positive patients than in HCV-negative patients. Conclusions, Type I IFNs play a role in the pathogenesis of LP, and HCV could induce LP through increasing the production of type I IFNs. [source]


Impact of in vivo complement activation and cryoglobulins on graft outcome of HCV-infected renal allograft recipients

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2004
Stefan M Weiner
Abstract:, Background:, Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia. Cryoglobulins can activate complement leading to vascular damage. We examined whether cryoglobulinemia and complement turnover is associated with HCV infection in renal transplant recipients and whether this has an adverse effect on graft outcome. Methods:, Sera and fresh plasma from 31 HCV-RNA-positive patients after renal transplantation (group I) were studied for cryoglobulins, complement hemolytic activity (CH50), and complement split product C3d. In total, 80 HCV-negative renal transplant recipients (group II) and 72 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C (group III) without renal transplantation served as controls. Results:, Cryoglobulins were detected in 45, 28, and 26% of the patients in group I, II, and III, respectively. A high cryocrit (>5%) was present only in patients of group III (p < 0.01%). Mean CH50 values were lower and C3d levels higher in HCV-positive patients (group I and III) compared with HCV-negative patients (p < 0.0001). Cryoglobulins were not associated with extrahepatic manifestations or graft dysfunction, except in five patients of group III demonstrating cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. HCV-positive renal transplant recipients with signs of complement activation showed a significantly greater increase of serum creatinine (0.88 ± 1.14 mg/dL) when compared with baseline than patients without complement activation (0.34 ± 0.37 mg/dL; p = 0.035). There was also a tendency toward a higher extent of proteinuria in patients with complement activation (1.38 ± 2.17 g/d vs. 0.50 ± 0.77 g/d; p = 0.25, NS). Conclusions:, Cryoglobulins are common in renal allograft recipients, but do not affect graft function. However, complement activation appears to be involved in chronic allograft dysfunction in HCV-infected recipients. [source]