Transient elastography for the noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis: A multicentre Canadian study

BACKGROUND: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography (TE) is a promising tool for the noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis

Single-Dose Infliximab in Hepatitis C Genotype 1 Treatmentnaive Patients with High Serum Levels of Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha Does Not Influence the Efficacy of Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2B/Ribavirin Therapy

BACKGROUND: Serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels correlate negatively with hepatitis C virus (HCV) antiviral response

Outcomes of Chronic Hepatitis C Therapy in Patients Treated in Community Versus Academic Centres in Canada: Final Results of APPROACH (A Prospective Study of Peginterferon alfa-2a and Ribavirin at Academic and Community Centres in Canada)

BACKGROUND: In patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), it is not established whether viral outcomes or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) differ between individuals treated at academic or community centres

Clinical recommendations for the use of recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with hepatitis C virus being treated with ribavirin

Today, combination antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin (RBV) allows many patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) to achieve a sustained virological response, which is equivalent to cure. Data also support the clinical benefit of combination antiviral therapy in patients coinfected with HCV and HIV, and in patients who have received a liver transplant

Combination of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Peginterferon alpha-2a Increases Loss of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus rarely achieve loss of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with the standard of care. We evaluated HBsAg loss in patients receiving the combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and peginterferon alpha-2a (peginter-feron) for a finite duration in a randomized trial. METHODS: In an open-label, active-controlled study, 740 patients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly assigned to receive TDF plus peginterferon for 48 weeks (group A), TDF plus peginterferon for 16 weeks followed by TDF for 32 weeks (group B), TDF for 120 weeks (group C), or peginterferon for 48 weeks (group D). The primary end point was the proportion of patients with serum HBsAg loss at week 72. RESULTS: At week seventy-two, 9.1% of subjects in group A had HBsAg loss compared with 2.8% of subjects in group B, none of the subjects in group C, and 2.8% of subjects in group D. A significantly higher proportion of subjects in group A had HBsAg loss than in group C (P < .001) or group D (P = .003). However, the proportions of subjects with HBsAg loss did not differ significantly between group B and group C (P = .466) or group D (P = .883). HBsAg loss in group A occurred in hepatitis B e antigen-positive and hepatitis B e antigen = negative patients with all major viral genotypes. The incidence of common adverse events (including headache, alopecia, and pyrexia) and treatment discontinuation due to adverse events was similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly greater proportion of patients receiving TDF plus peginterferon for 48 weeks had HBsAg loss than those receiving TDF or peginterferon alone

Combination of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Peginterferon alpha-2a Increases Loss of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

BACKGROUND &amp; AIMS: Patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus rarely achieve loss of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with the standard of care. We evaluated HBsAg loss in patients receiving the combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and peginterferon alpha-2a (peginter-feron) for a finite duration in a randomized trial. METHODS: In an open-label, active-controlled study, 740 patients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly assigned to receive TDF plus peginterferon for 48 weeks (group A), TDF plus peginterferon for 16 weeks followed by TDF for 32 weeks (group B), TDF for 120 weeks (group C), or peginterferon for 48 weeks (group D). The primary end point was the proportion of patients with serum HBsAg loss at week 72. RESULTS: At week seventy-two, 9.1% of subjects in group A had HBsAg loss compared with 2.8% of subjects in group B, none of the subjects in group C, and 2.8% of subjects in group D. A significantly higher proportion of subjects in group A had HBsAg loss than in group C (P &lt; .001) or group D (P = .003). However, the proportions of subjects with HBsAg loss did not differ significantly between group B and group C (P = .466) or group D (P = .883). HBsAg loss in group A occurred in hepatitis B e antigen-positive and hepatitis B e antigen = negative patients with all major viral genotypes. The incidence of common adverse events (including headache, alopecia, and pyrexia) and treatment discontinuation due to adverse events was similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly greater proportion of patients receiving TDF plus peginterferon for 48 weeks had HBsAg loss than those receiving TDF or peginterferon alone