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Biochemical Improvement (biochemical + improvement)
Selected AbstractsShort Daily Dialysis (SDHD) Efficacy : Pilot Multicentric Study with Nine Patients from MadridHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2003G. Barril Interest in quotidian (daily) hemodialysis (HD) seems to be growing. Clinical data consistently showed improved quality of life, better control of blood pressure, less need for medications including erythropoietin (EPO) and better nutrition. We evaluate the SDHD efficacy in 9 patients in conventional HD (3 weekly sesions/4 hours), mean age 57,78 years range (33,75), 6 males and 3 females who needed increased dialysis efficiency by different medical indications: 5 cases with hypertensive miocardiopathy and severe LVH, 2 of them with EFLV 26% and 27%. 2 cases with ischemic cardiopathy symptoms, one of them with anger and restless dysnea with a non resvascularizable coronary lesion, and other with cardiac insufficiency episodes requiring hospitalization once a month. 1 patient with big body surface area and elevated phosphorus levels although without control, with conventional three times/week HD. 1 patient indication was made by 12 years on HD with multiple vascular accesses failed needing a Tessio cathéter being into infradialysis regimen for his malnutrition status. The schedule in all of them was 6 days per week sessions between 2.15 hrs till 3 hours depending of body surface area to obtain a weekly kt/v nearest to 4. HD session were realized in the Hospital (4 pts) or in satellite unit (5 pts) due to the characteristics of the patients. The time remaining in this schedule was between 5 months to 2 years and 9 months. All the patients showed clinical improvement, subjective and objective, since the first weeks of starting SDHD. Sleep symptoms were the first to improve. All patients showing good coping with this HD alternative. Blood pressure levels were controlled without need for antihypertensive drugs, although the dry weight increased significantly in all cases. Albumin serum levels increased as nutrition parameter, controlling also the osteodystrophy and phosphorus. In a patient the EFLV was normalized from 6 months (26%,50%) improving in other. Two patients could be included in Tx waiting list. Again, anemia improved and decreasing EPO was required. No vascular access (autologous AVF) malfunction was detected in relation to daily procedure. Conclusion: Our pilot experience shows a clinical and biochemical improvement in the patients and quality of life as well. Prospective studies to demonstrate the financial benefits of these modalities are needed. [source] Long-term efficacy and safety of adefovir dipivoxil for the treatment of hepatitis B e antigen,positive chronic hepatitis B,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Patrick Marcellin Treatment of 171 patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) 10 mg over 48 weeks resulted in significant histological, virological, serological, and biochemical improvement compared with placebo. The long-term efficacy and safety of ADV in a subset of these patients was investigated for up to 5 years. Sixty-five patients given ADV 10 mg in year 1 elected to continue in a long-term safety and efficacy study (LTSES). At enrollment, the 65 LTSES patients were a median 34 years old, 83% male, 74% Asian, 23% Caucasian, median baseline serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA 8.45 log10 copies/mL, and median baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 2.0 × upper limit of normal. At 5 years on study, the median changes from baseline in serum HBV DNA and ALT for the 41 patients still on ADV were 4.05 log10 copies/mL and ,50 U/L, respectively. HBeAg loss and seroconversion were observed in 58% and 48% of patients by end of study, respectively. Fifteen patients had baseline and end of follow-up liver biopsies; improvements in necroinflammation and fibrosis were seen in 67% and 60% of these patients, respectively. Adefovir resistance mutations A181V or N236T developed in 13 LTSES patients; the first observation was at study week 195. There were no serious adverse events related to ADV. Conclusion: Treatment with ADV beyond 48 weeks was well tolerated and produced long-term virological, biochemical, serological, and histological improvement. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;48:750,758.) [source] Adefovir dipivoxil: review of a novel acyclic nucleoside analogueINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 9 2004M. Danta Summary Adefovir dipivoxil (ADF) is a novel acyclic nucleoside analogue that has recently been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). Adefovir was initially assessed at higher doses for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, in these studies, nephrotoxicity proved a dose-limiting side effect. Large randomised controlled studies have recently shown that ADF results in histological, virological and biochemical improvement in both hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic HBV. While the rate of HBeAg seroconversion at 1 year (12%) was lower than both lamivudine and interferon, this increases with prolonged treatment. The clinical improvements occurred without serious side effects or the development of resistance at the dose of 10 mg daily, in treatment trials of up to 2 years, although resistance has now been observed. In addition, the drug is efficacious in HBV/HIV co-infection and hepatitis B-infected liver transplant recipients, particularly in those who have developed lamivudine resistance. ADF can be added as a treatment option to existing treatment options (interferon-alpha and lamivudine) and assumes a role in the ongoing management of chronic HBV. The optimal use of ADF as either a monotherapy or as part of combination therapy requires further assessment. [source] Open-label pilot study of folic acid in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitisLIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2007Phunchai Charatcharoenwitthaya Abstract: Background/Aims: Folate deficiency disturbs hepatic methionine metabolism and promotes the development of steatohepatitis in animal models. Our aims were (1) to determine the safety and efficacy of folic acid treatment in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) on changes in liver biochemistries, and (2) to investigate the presence of subclinical folate deficiency in this population. Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven NASH were treated with folic acid 1 mg/day for 6 months. Liver enzymes and adverse events were monitored every 3 months until completion. Results: Ten patients (one male and nine females) with a median age of 54 years were enrolled in this study. At baseline, the median steatosis grade was 2 (range 1,3), the median necroinflammatory grade was 1 (1,3), and the median fibrosis stage was 2 (0,4). The median level of red cell folate was 526 ng/ml (range 99,708); the normal level was 268,616 ng/ml. One compensated cirrhotic patient had folate deficiency. No serious adverse events occurred. After 6 months of therapy, no significant reductions in serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase levels (60±25 vs. 54±29, P=0.5 and 86±29 vs. 83±42, P=0.6, respectively), were observed. Serum levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and prothrombin time remained in the normal range during treatment in all patients. Conclusion: Six months of therapy with folic acid at a dose of 1 mg/day, although safe and well tolerated, does not lead to a significant biochemical improvement in patients with NASH. In a small number of patients, folate deficiency was present in only a cirrhotic patient. [source] Partial splenic embolization and peg-IFN plus RBV in liver transplanted patients with hepatitis C recurrence: safety, efficacy and long-term outcomeCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 3 2010Rafael Bárcena Bárcena R, Moreno A, Foruny JR, Blázquez J, Graus J, Riesco JM, Blesa C, García-Hoz F, Sánchez J, Gil-Grande L, Nuño J, Fortún J, Rodriguez-Sagrado MA, Moreno A. Partial splenic embolization and peg-IFN plus RBV in liver transplanted patients with hepatitis C recurrence: safety, efficacy and long-term outcome. Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 366,374. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract:,Background:, There is limited information on the long-term outcome in liver transplant (LT) subjects undergoing partial splenic embolization (PSE) prior to full dose pegylated interferon/ribavirin (peg-IFN/RBV). Methods:, Retrospective review of eight LT subjects after PSE and antiviral therapy. Results:, Baseline platelets and neutrophils were <50 000 cells/mL and <1000 cells/mL in 75% and 50%. Mean splenic infarction volume was 85 ± 13%. PSE produced major complications in three (37.5%): recurrent sterile netrophilic ascites and renal insufficiency (n = 2), and splenic abscess (n = 1). Full-dose peg-IFN/RBV was started in seven (87.5%), with two early withdrawals (28.6%) despite early virological response (toxicity and infection); both subjects died. Anemia led to RBV dose-adjustment in six (86%), with human recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) use in four (57%). No peg-IFN adjustments or granulocyte-colonies stimulating factor were needed. Two patients reached sustained virological response (SVR) (28.6%). Two non-responders maintained prolonged therapy with biochemical/histological improvement. After a median follow-up of 151 wk, we observed significant improvements in hematological parameters, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, international normalized ratio, and prothrombin activity. Conclusions:, Extensive PSE after LT produced significant morbidity (37.5%). Peg-IFN/RBV was completed in five out of seven (71%), with SVR in two (28.6%). RBV adjustement due to anemia was high despite EPO use. Only patients able to complete or maintain antiviral therapy survived, with long-term significant benefits in hematological parameters and liver function tests. [source] | ||||||||||