Prevalence of chronic HCV infection in EU/EEA countries in 2019 using multiparameter evidence synthesis

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)Background: Epidemiological data are crucial to monitoring progress towards the 2030 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination targets. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic HCV infection (cHCV) in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in 2019. Methods: Multi-parameter evidence synthesis (MPES) was used to produce national estimates of cHCV defined as: π = πrecρrec + πexρex + πnonρnon; πrec, πex, and πnon represent cHCV prevalence among recent people who inject drugs (PWID), ex-PWID, and non-PWID, respectively, while ρrec, ρex, and ρnon represent the proportions of these groups in the population. Information sources included the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) national operational contact points (NCPs) and prevalence database, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction databases, and the published literature. Findings: The cHCV prevalence in 29 of 30 EU/EEA countries in 2019 was 0.50% [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.46%, 0.55%]. The highest cHCV prevalence was observed in the eastern EU/EEA (0.88%; 95% CrI: 0.81%, 0.94%). At least 35.76% (95% CrI: 33.07%, 38.60%) of the overall cHCV prevalence in EU/EEA countries was associated with injecting drugs. Interpretation: Using MPES and collaborating with ECDC NCPs, we estimated the prevalence of cHCV in the EU/EEA to be low. Some areas experience higher cHCV prevalence while a third of prevalent cHCV infections was attributed to PWID. Further efforts are needed to scale up prevention measures and the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals, especially in the east of the EU/EEA and among PWID. Funding: ECDC.Peer reviewe

The immunohistochemical expression of GHRH-receptor/SV-1 variant in colon rectal

Hypothalamic growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) regulates the release of GH from the pituitary gland. The receptors for GHRH (GHRH-R) are expressed predominantly in the pituitary. Recent evidence demonstrates that splice variants of the GHRH receptor are also expressed in several nonpituitary tissues, both normal and tumoral, as well as in cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the splice variant 1 (SV-1) of GHRH-R in colorectal cancer (CRC). Seventy patients who underwent partial colectomy for CRC were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemical expression of SV-1 was studied in paraffin-embedded sections of patient tumor tissue. A cytoplasmic supranuclear expression of SV-1 was observed in CRC as well as in the normal colon mucosa. Tumor grade and pathological stage were negatively correlated with expression of SV-1 (P = 0.012 and P = 0.013, respectively). CRCs metastatic to the liver showed a lower expression of SV-1 than did primary tumors, but this difference was not statistically significant. Kaplan–Meier and Cox univariate survival analyses indicated an improved survival time in patients with high SV-1 compared with those with low GHRH-R expression, but this difference was not statistically significant. The immunohistochemical expression of SV-1 seems to be a favorable prognostic factor in CRC.Η υποθαλαμική εκλυτική ορμόνη της αυξητικής ορμόνης (GHRH), ρυθμίζει την απελευθέρωση της αυξητικής ορμόνης (GH) από την αδενοϋπόφυση. Οι υποδοχείς της GHRH (GHRH-R) εκφράζονται κυρίως στην υπόφυση. Τελευταία ερευνητικά δεδομένα αποδεικνύουν ότι splice variants του υποδοχέα της GHRH εκφράζονται επίσης σε αρκετούς ιστούς εκτός της υπόφυσης, τόσο φυσιολογικούς όσο και καρκινικούς, όπως επίσης και σε καρκινικές κυτταρικές σειρές. Η μελέτη αυτή στόχο είχε τη διερεύνηση της έκφρασης του splice variant 1 (SV-1) της GHRH-R στον καρκίνο του παχέος εντέρου. Σ’ αυτή τη μελέτη συμμετείχαν εβδομήντα ασθενείς που υποβλήθηκαν σε μερική κολεκτομή για καρκίνο παχέος εντέρου. Η ανοσοϊστοχημική έκφραση του SV-1 μελετήθηκε σε τομές παραφίνης των όγκων των παραπάνω ασθενών. Κυτταροπλασματική υπερπυρηνική έκφραση του SV-1 παρατηρήθηκε στον καρκίνο του παχέος εντέρου, καθώς και στο φυσιολογικό βλεννογόνο του παχέος εντέρου. Ο βαθμός διαφοροποίησης του όγκου και το παθολογοανατομικό στάδιο συσχετίστηκαν αρνητικά με την έκφραση του SV-1 (Ρ = 0.012 και Ρ = 0.013, αντίστοιχα). Τα καρκινώματα με ηπατικές μεταστάσεις έδειξαν χαμηλότερη έκφραση του SV-1 απ’ ότι έκαναν οι πρωτοπαθείς όγκοι, παρ’ όλο που στατιστικά η διαφορά αυτή δε θεωρείται σημαντική. Οι μονοπαραγοντικές αναλύσεις επιβίωσης Kaplan-Meier και Cox υπέδειξαν ένα βελτιωμένο χρόνο επιβίωσης σε ασθενείς με ψηλή έκφραση SV-1 σε σύγκριση με αυτούς με χαμηλή έκφραση GHRH-R, αλλά η διαφορά αυτή στατιστικά δε θεωρείται σημαντική. Η ανοσοϊστοχημική έκφραση του SV-1 φαίνεται να αποτελεί ένα ευνοϊκό προγνωστικό παράγοντα για τον καρκίνο του παχέος εντέρου

The Immunohistochemical Expression of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Receptor Splice Variant 1 Is a Favorable Prognostic Marker in Colorectal Cancer

Hypothalamic growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) regulates the release of GH from the pituitary gland. The receptors for GHRH (GHRH-R) are expressed predominantly in the pituitary. Recent evidence demonstrates that splice variants of the GHRH receptor are also expressed in several nonpituitary tissues, both normal and tumoral, as well as in cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the splice variant 1 (SV-1) of GHRH-R in colorectal cancer (CRC). Seventy patients who underwent partial colectomy for CRC were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemical expression of SV-1 was studied in paraffin-embedded sections of patient tumor tissue. A cytoplasmic supranuclear expression of SV-1 was observed in CRC as well as in the normal colon mucosa. Tumor grade and pathological stage were negatively correlated with expression of SV-1 (P = 0.012 and P = 0.013, respectively). CRCs metastatic to the liver showed a lower expression of SV-1 than did primary tumors, but this difference was not statistically significant. Kaplan–Meier and Cox univariate survival analyses indicated an improved survival time in patients with high SV-1 compared with those with low GHRH-R expression, but this difference was not statistically significant. The immunohistochemical expression of SV-1 seems to be a favorable prognostic factor in CRC

Prevalence of chronic HCV infection in EU/EEA countries in 2019 using multiparameter evidence synthesis

Abstract: Background Epidemiological data are crucial to monitoring progress towards the 2030 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination targets. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic HCV infection (cHCV) in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in 2019. Methods Multi-parameter evidence synthesis (MPES) was used to produce national estimates of cHCV defined as: \u3c0 = \u3c0rec\u3c1rec + \u3c0ex\u3c1ex + \u3c0non\u3c1non; \u3c0rec, \u3c0ex, and \u3c0non represent cHCV prevalence among recent people who inject drugs (PWID), ex-PWID, and non-PWID, respectively, while \u3c1rec, \u3c1ex, and \u3c1non represent the proportions of these groups in the population. Information sources included the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) national operational contact points (NCPs) and prevalence database, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction databases, and the published literature. Findings The cHCV prevalence in 29 of 30 EU/EEA countries in 2019 was 0.50% [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.46%, 0.55%]. The highest cHCV prevalence was observed in the eastern EU/EEA (0.88%; 95% CrI: 0.81%, 0.94%). At least 35.76% (95% CrI: 33.07%, 38.60%) of the overall cHCV prevalence in EU/EEA countries was associated with injecting drugs. Interpretation Using MPES and collaborating with ECDC NCPs, we estimated the prevalence of cHCV in the EU/EEA to be low. Some areas experience higher cHCV prevalence while a third of prevalent cHCV infections was attributed to PWID. Further efforts are needed to scale up prevention measures and the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals, especially in the east of the EU/EEA and among PWID