Picolinic Acid in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: A Preliminary Report

Macrophage activation seems to be a feature of chronic liver diseases. Picolinic acid (PA) as a macrophage secondary signal causes the activation of interferon-gamma- (IFN-γ-) prime macrophage and triggers cytokine-driven inflammatory reactions. The rationale for seeking increased PA formation in chronic viral hepatitis is based on the involvement of activated macrophages in chronic viral hepatitis-associated inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine serum PA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, taking into account the presence of diabetes. We assessed PA and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) as a marker of inflammation in 51 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC), both with and without diabetes and 40 controls. Compared with the controls, the patients with CHC showed a significant increase in plasma concentrations of PA and hsCRP (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, resp.). The values of PA and hsCRP were more elevated in patients with diabetes than without diabetes (both P < 0.01). The positive relationships were between PA and hsCRP levels (P < 0.05) and the presence of diabetes (P < 0.001). We documented that significant elevation in serum PA levels is associated with diabetes prevalence and increased inflammatory response reflected in hsCRP levels in CHC patients

Genome Wide Association Study Identifies Genetic Variants Associated With Early And Sustained Response To (Peg)Interferon In Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: The GIANT-B Study

(Peg)interferon ((Peg)IFN) therapy leads to response in a minority of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Host genetic determinants of response are therefore in demand

Direct acting antivirals therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with hepatitis C virus

The estimated number of people with active hepatitis C virus infection worldwide is about 70 million. The estimated number of people with active hepatitis C virus infection worldwide is about 70 million. Approximately 30% of infected individuals develop cirrhosis, whilst some develop liver cancer, the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Currently available treatments, high-efficacy antiviral agents mostly short-term (8-12 weeks) and pangenotypic, have efficacy rates of over 96%. Some patients, especially those with cirrhosis, develop primary liver cancer even after effective hepatitis C virus treatment. In order to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma early, patients at risk should be enrolled in a surveillance program

Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection and related to markers of oxidative stress and inflammation

Inflammation and oxidative stress have been reported in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection, but their influence on ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels and diabetes prevalence remains unknown. Sixty-three CHC patients, 28 with diabetes, and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Circulating levels of oxidative stress markers [Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine- advanced glycation end products (CML-AGEs) and advanced oxidation protein products-(AOPPs)], pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were assessed. Compared with the controls, the CHC patients with diabetes showed a significant increase in plasma concentrations of IMA, AOPPs, interleukin-6 and hsCRP (P < 0.05). The values of IMA and hsCRP were more elevated in patients with diabetes than without diabetes (both P < 0.01). The positive relationships were found between hsCRP and presence of diabetes, IMA (both P < 0.01) and AOPP levels (P < 0.05). CML-AGEs did not show any significant correlation with IMA, markers of inflammation and presence of diabetes. In conclusion, we have documented significant elevation in plasma levels of IMA and AOPPs in CHC patients. In addition, circulating IMA was associated with inflammation markers and diabetes prevalence. This observation suggests a relationship between IMA and inflammation in CHC patients with diabetes, which may represent one of the mechanisms involved in the accelerated atherosclerosis in this population

Increased Circulating Advanced Oxidation Protein Products and High-Sensitive Troponin T in Cirrhotic Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C: A Preliminary Report

Aim. To investigate the relationship between advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) and myocardial injury by comparing the selected biomarker for detecting myocardial injury [high-sensitive troponin T (hs-TnT)] in patients with chronic HCV infection. Methods and Results. Eighty-eight patients with cirrhosis and 40 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Circulating levels of AOPPs-albumin (the ratio of AOPPs to albumin content), hs-TnT, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were assessed. Compared with healthy controls, the cirrhotic patients with chronic HCV infection had higher levels of AOPPs-albumin, which were associated with increased hs-TnT. When the presence of ascites was considered, the plasma levels of AOPPs-albumin were higher, as well as TNF-α. AOPPs-albumin positively correlated with hs-TnT level in all cirrhotic patients with chronic HCV infection and this correlation was stronger in decompensated cirrhotic patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the independent factors associated with the presence of ascites were high AOPPs-albumin levels and elevated hs-TnT levels. Conclusion. The simultaneous monitoring of plasma AOPPs and hs-TnT can be helpful for the alterations in myocardial function control in cirrhotic patients with chronic HCV infection

Zakażenie SARS-CoV-2: etiopatogeneza, obraz kliniczny, aktualne możliwości postępowania terapeutycznego – doświadczenia własne

Currently, the scenario of a self-contained disappearance of the epidemic (as it was in the case of SARS) is no longer taken into consideration, whilst the SARS-CoV-2 virus will stay with us forever, similarly to other coronaviruses or flu. It is quite likely that periodical exacerbations of the epidemics – their growth and decrease – depend on many factors, which comprise, among others, the approval of the restrictions by the society or the manner in the epidemiological supervision is carried out and whether it is consistent. We must be ready for about 18–24 months of a high activity of COVID-19 with periodic active hot spots in many world regions. This requires efficient health services and the access to efficacious medication. Without an effective prophylactic vaccine, it seems that we will not be able to prevent the spread of the pandemicObecnie, niestety, nie jest już brany pod uwagę samoistny zanik epidemii (jak w SARS), a wirus SARS-CoV-2 pozostanie z nami na stałe, podobnie jak inne koronawirusy czy grypa. Wysoce prawdopodobne okresowe zaostrzenia epidemii – ich wzrost i spadek – zależą od wielu czynników. Należą do nich akceptacja restrykcji przez społeczeństwo czy sposób nadzoru epidemiologicznego i konsekwencje w tym nadzorze. Musimy się przygotować na ok. 18–24 miesiące wysokiej aktywności COVID-19 z okresowymi aktywnymi hot spots w różnych regionach świata. Wymaga to sprawnej służby medycznej i dostęp­ności leków. Bez skutecznej szczepionki profilaktycznej wygląda na to, że nie damy rady zapobiec szerzeniu się tej choroby

Elevated advanced oxidation protein products levels in patients with liver cirrhosis

Serum concentrations of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) and glycation end products (AGEs) were assessed with respect to functional compromise of liver, as determined by the Child-Pugh and MELD scores. Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh B and C) exhibited significantly higher serum concentrations of AOPPs than both patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A) and controls. The levels of plasma AGEs in all liver cirrhotic patients were higher when compared with those with the controls and this difference was statistically significant. Plasma total antioxidant status of the patients was significantly lower than that of controls. Significant positive correlations between AOPPs level and the MELD score and between the oxidative stress index and the MELD score were found in all patients with liver cirrhosis. Altered AOPPs levels in decompensated patients may influence the potency of oxidative stress and the progression of liver disease

Advanced oxidation protein products and inflammatory markers in liver cirrhosis: a comparison between alcohol-related and HCV-related cirrhosis

Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are protein markers of oxidative stress with pro-inflammatory properties that accumulated in liver cirrhosis. In the present study, we investigated the association between chronic inflammatory response triggered by AOPPs and the severity of liver disease as assessed by the Child-Pugh score. Plasma concentrations of AOPPs and inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were measured in 41 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, 43 patients with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis (ALC), and in 30 age and sex matched controls. In comparison with controls, AOPPs were increased in HCV-related compensated (Child-Pugh A) and decompensated (Child-Pugh B-C) cirrhosis and in alcohol-related compensated cirrhosis. AOPPs level positively correlated with Child-Pugh score in alcohol-related cirrhosis but not in HCV-related cirrhosis and the correlation with the indices of chronic inflammation was stronger in ALC. In turn, AOPPs in HCV-related cirrhosis was related to inflammation to a lesser extent, but a significant correlation with antioxidant defense could be noted. In summary, liver cirrhosis was associated with increased formation of AOPPs, which differed between alcohol-related and HCV-related cirrhosis with respect to the relationship between AOPPs and antioxidant defense, stage of liver cirrhosis, and inflammatory response. The significant correlation between AOPPs accumulation and indices of chronic inflammation, more specifically TNF-α, suggests that oxidative stress may be a mediator of chronic inflammatory state in the early stage of alcohol-related cirrhosis