Inosine triphosphatase allele frequency and association with ribavirin-induced anaemia in Brazilian patients receiving antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C

Inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are strongly associated with protection against ribavirin (RBV)-induced anaemia in European, American and Asian patients; however, there is a paucity of data for Brazilian patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ITPA SNP (rs7270101/rs1127354) frequency in healthy and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients from Brazil and the association with the development of severe anaemia during antiviral therapy. ITPA SNPs were determined in 200 HCV infected patients and 100 healthy individuals by sequencing. Biochemical parameters and haemoglobin (Hb) levels were analysed in 97 patients who underwent antiviral therapy. A combination of AArs7270101+CCrs1127354 (100% ITPase activity) was observed in 236/300 individuals. Anaemia was observed in 87.5% and 86.2% of treated patients with AA (rs7270101) and CC genotypes (rs1127354), respectively. Men with AA (rs7270101) showed a considerable reduction in Hb at week 12 compared to those with AC/CC (p = 0.1475). In women, there was no influence of genotype (p = 0.5295). For rs1127354, men with the CC genotype also showed a sudden reduction in Hb compared to those with AC. Allelic distribution of rs7270101 and rs1127354 shows high rates of the genotypes AA and CC, respectively, suggesting that the study population had a great propensity for developing RBV-induced anaemia. A progressive Hb reduction during treatment was observed; however, this reduction was greater in men at week 12 than in women

International consensus on a complications list after gastrectomy for cancer

Background: Perioperative complications can affect outcomes after gastrectomy for cancer, with high mortality and morbidity rates ranging between 10 and 40%. The absence of a standardized system for recording complications generates wide variation in evaluating their impacts on outcomes and hinders proposals of quality-improvement projects. The aim of this study was to provide a list of defined gastrectomy complications approved through international consensus. Methods: The Gastrectomy Complications Consensus Group consists of 34 European gastric cancer experts who are members of the International Gastric Cancer Association. A group meeting established the work plan for study implementation through Delphi surveys. A consensus was reached regarding a set of standardized methods to define gastrectomy complications. Results: A standardized list of 27 defined complications (grouped into 3 intraoperative, 14 postoperative general, and 10 postoperative surgical complications) was created to provide a simple but accurate template for recording individual gastrectomy complications. A consensus was reached for both the list of complications that should be considered major adverse events after gastrectomy for cancer and their specific definitions. The study group also agreed that an assessment of each surgical case should be completed at patient discharge and 90 days postoperatively using a Complication Recording Sheet. Conclusion: The list of defined complications (soon to be validated in an international multicenter study) and the ongoing development of an electronic datasheet app to record them provide the basic infrastructure to reach the ultimate goals of standardized international data collection, establishment of benchmark results, and fostering of quality-improvement projects