HCV Negative (hcv + negative)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Type 2 diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma: A cohort study in high prevalence area of hepatitis virus infection,,

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
Mei-Shu Lai
This study aimed to elucidate the relationship of type 2 diabetes, other known risk factors, and primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in countries with a high prevalence of hepatitis infection. We followed a prospective cohort of 54,979 subjects who participated in the Keelung Community-Based Integrated Screening program between 1999 and 2002. A total of 5,732 subjects with type 2 diabetes cases were identified at enrollment on the basis of fasting blood glucose level, and a total of 138 confirmed HCC cases were identified either through two-stage liver cancer screening or linkage with the National Cancer Registry. The independent effect of type 2 diabetes on the incidence of HCC and the interaction between type 2 diabetes and hepatitis infection or lipids profile were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. After controlling for age, sex, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), smoking, and alcohol consumption, the association between type 2 diabetes and incidence of HCC (excluding 33 prevalent cases identified at enrollment) was modified by HCV status and cholesterol level. The associations were only statistically significant (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.08 [1.03-4.18]) for being HCV negative and for having hypercholesterolemia (adjusted HR = 2.81 [1.20-6.55]). These statistically significant findings remained even excluding cases of diabetes newly diagnosed at enrollment. In conclusion, in an area with a high prevalence of hepatitis virus infection, type 2 diabetes increases the risk of developing HCC in those who are HCV negative or have a high level of total cholesterol. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;43: 1295,1302.) [source]


Outcome Analysis of Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck and Hepatitis C Virus,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 10 2005
Jason Hunt MD
Abstract Objective/Hypothesis: Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global problem with over 170 million people infected. Recently, we have noticed that a large number of patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) have also been diagnosed with HCV. A review of the literature reveals little information concerning this patient population. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of SCCHN patients who have been exposed to HCV with naïve SCCHN patients. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: A retrospective chart review from June 1991 through December 2002 was performed to identify patients diagnosed with SCCHN who were screened for HCV. Patients were stratified into two groups (HCV positive and HCV negative). Data were recorded on patients for status of disease at last clinic visit, pretreatment serum albumin and hematocrit levels, and RNA quantities of HCV. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t test to compare serum albumin and hematocrit levels. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare outcomes. The log-rank test was used to determine significance. Cox regression was used to examine the association of prognostic predictor variables with overall survival and disease-free survival. Results: There was no difference noted in 5 year survival between hepatitis C positive and hepatitis C negative groups in overall outcomes (66.7% vs. 67.9%, P = 1.000) or 5 year disease-free survival (90.5% vs. 80.8%, P = .514). The two groups, HCV positive versus HCV negative, also had similar serum albumin levels (3.62 g/dL vs. 3.72 g/dL, P = .37) as well as serum hematocrit levels (42.9% vs. 41.0%, P = .12). Serum levels of hepatitis C RNA were obtained in seven patients, with only one being undetectable. The only prognostic predictor variable that was significantly associated with overall survival was age. None of the predictor variables were significantly associated with disease-free survival. Conclusion: Co-infection with HCV, although prevalent in the Veterans Administration Hospital population, did not affect patient outcome as defined by disease-free survival. Patients who were seropositive for HCV had comparable serum albumin levels as well as serum hematocrit when compared with HCV negative patients. [source]


The Influence of Induction Therapy on Graft and Patient Survival in Patients with and without Hepatitis C after Liver Transplantation

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 3 2010
D. K. Moonka
We used the United Network for Organ Sharing Database to determine the influence of antibody-based induction therapy on patient and graft survival in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients with and without hepatitis C (HCV). We identified all initial OLT patients with HCV serology. Patients were divided into four groups: HCV positive without induction (17 362), HCV positive with induction (3479), HCV negative without induction (20 417) and HCV negative with induction (4357). Both HCV positive and negative patients who received induction did better than those who did not. For HCV positive patients, 5-year patient survival was 70.8% versus 68.7% (p = 0.004) and graft survival was 65.2% versus 62.1% (p < 0.001). For HCV negative patients, 5-year patient survival was 78.8% versus 76.7% (p < 0.001) and graft survival was 74.0% versus 70.8% (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, induction was associated with improved patient (HR = 0.91: p = 0.024) and graft (HR = 0.88: p < 0.001) survival in HCV positive patients and improved patient (HR = 0.87: p = 0.003) and graft survival (HR = 0.87: p < 0.001) in HCV negative patients. The benefit of induction occurred early and largely dissipated when patients with death within a year were censored. The benefit of induction therapy appeared most pronounced in patients with renal insufficiency or on organ-perfusion support at transplant. [source]


HCV infective virions can be carried by human platelets

CELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION, Issue 6 2004
A. Pugliese
Abstract It has been previously demonstrated that platelets (PLTs) can bind and transport HIV-1 infectious virions. Hepatitis C virus (HCV),HIV-1 co-infection occurs frequently among users of illicit intravenous drugs, thereby increasing the severity of HIV disease and the evolution towards chronic active hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma of HCV-related hepatitis. In the present study we investigated whether or not PLTs can carry HCV, and studied the binding mechanisms. Purified PLTs, obtained from healthy donors, HCV negative and HIV negative, were adsorbed with HCV-containing serum and then employed to infect a THP-1 monocytoid cell line. Replication of HCV was observed as shown by positivity for the E2 antigen within THP-1 cells, by indirect immunofluorescence; moreover, HCV-RNA was detected in supernatants of THP-1 cells at day 7 post-incubation with HCV-adsorbed PLTs. The binding of HCV to PLTs seems to involve fibronectin (FN), as already shown in the case of HIV-1. Indeed, treatment with RGD (Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser), the key oligopeptide of FN binding, inhibits the ability of HCV to be carried by PLTs in infective forms; the same phenomenon occurs with Mabs to FN. Moreover the infection of THP-1 cells seems to increase FN surface expression, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence tests. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]