| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Busch, K., et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence and comorbidities of chronic hepatitis C: a nationwide population-based register study in Sweden
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 52:1, s. 61-68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of physician-diagnosed and registered chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and to estimate the reported frequencies of Charlson comorbidities compared with matched comparators from the general population. Materials and methods: Patients were identified according to ICD codes for CHC in the Swedish National Patient Register (1997-2013). Prevalence was estimated according to different patient identification algorithms and for different subgroups. Charlson comorbidities were ascertained from the same register and compared with age/sex/county of residence matched general population comparators. Results: A total of 34,633 individuals with physician-diagnosed CHC were alive in Sweden in 2013 (mean age, 49 years; 64% men), corresponding to a physician-diagnosed prevalence of 0.36%. The prevalence varied by case definition (0.22%-0.36%). The estimate dropped to 0.14% for monitored CHC disease (defined as >= 1 CHC-related visit in 2013). Overall, 41.3% of the CHC patients had >= 1 physician-registered Charlson comorbidity; the most common was liver diseases (22.1%). Compared with matched comparators from the general population (n = 171,338), patients with CHC had more physician-diagnosed and registered diseases such as chronic pulmonary disease (10.2% vs. 4.0%), diabetes (10.6% vs. 5.5%) and liver-related cancer (1.3% vs. 0.2%; all p<.01). No information on behavioural factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption or on-going illicit drug use, was available. Conclusion: The physician-diagnosed prevalence of CHC was slightly lower than previously reported estimates, and varied by case definition. The additional comorbidities observed in the CHC group should be taken into consideration, as these comorbidities add to the disease burden.
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| 3. |
- Dalgard, O., et al.
(författare)
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Sofosbuvir based treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 infections-A Scandinavian real-life study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Plos One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aims Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 infection with advanced liver disease has emerged as the most challenging to treat. We retrospectively assessed the treatment outcome of sofosbuvir (SOF) based regimes for treatment of HCV genotype 3 infections in a real life setting in Scandinavia. Methods Consecutive patients with chronic HCV genotype 3 infection were enrolled at 16 treatment centers in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Patients who had received a SOF containing regimen were included. The fibrosis stage was evaluated by liver biopsy or transient liver elastography. The following treatments were given according availability and local guidelines: 1) SOF + ribavirin (RBV) for 24 weeks, 2) SOF + daclatasvir (DCV) +/-RBV for 12-24 weeks, 3) SOF + pegylated interferon alpha (peg-IFN-a) + RBV for 12 weeks or 4) SOF/ledipasvir (LDV) + RBV for 12-16 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR) assessed at week 12 (SVR12) after end of treatment. Results We included 316 patients with a mean age of 55 years (range 24-79), 70% men, 49% treatment experienced, 58% with compensated cirrhosis and 12% with decompensated cirrhosis. In the modified intention to treat (mITT) population SVR12 was achieved in 284/311 91%) patients. Among 26 treatment failures, five had non-response, 3 breakthrough and 18 relapse. Five patients were not included in the mITT population. Three patients died from reasons unrelated to treatment and two were lost to follow-up. The SVR12 rate was similar for all treatment regimens, but lower in men (p = 0.042), and in patients with decompensated liver disease (p = 0.004). Conclusion We found that sofosbuvir based treatment in a real-life setting could offer SVR rates exceeding 90% in patients with HCV genotype 3 infection and advanced liver disease.
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| 4. |
- Grahn, Anna, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Imported case of lassa fever in Sweden with encephalopathy and sensorineural hearing deficit
- 2016
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Ingår i: Open Forum Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2328-8957. ; 3:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © The Author 2016.We describe an imported case of Lassa fever with both encephalopathy and bilateral sensorineural hearing deficit. Absence of fever during hospitalization, initially nonspecific symptoms, and onset of hearing deficit in a late stage of disease probably contributed to delayed diagnosis (14 days after admittance to hospital). The pathogenesis of neurological manifestations of Lassa fever is poorly understood and no specific treatment was given. A total of 118 personnel had close contact with the patient, but no secondary cases occurred. This case highlights the importance of considering Lassa fever as a differential diagnosis in patients with recent travel to endemic areas.
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| 5. |
- Hansen, J. F., et al.
(författare)
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PRO-C3: a new and more precise collagen marker for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 53:1, s. 83-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Detecting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis remains important in treatment and follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis C Infection (CHC). The aim of this study was to assess the ability of PRO-C3 to identify significant fibrosis (Ishak score3) and cirrhosis (Ishak score5) both as a single test and as a part of algorithms.Materials and methods: PRO-C3 was assessed in baseline samples from the NORDynamIC trial. 270 patients were stratified into groups according to baseline biopsy. Baseline APRI, FIB-4 and GUCI scores were available for comparison in 232 patients.Results: PRO-C3 increased with Ishak scores (p=.001). Area under the curve (AUC) for significant fibrosis was 0.75 (95% CI 0.68-0.81) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.68-0.84) for cirrhosis. FIB-4, APRI and GUCI had similar AUCs. In a PRO-C3 algorithm including age, platelet count, body mass index (BMI) and international normalised ratio (INR), the diagnostic efficacy improved to 0.85 (CI 0.80-0.89) and 0.90 (IQR 0.84-0.96) for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis, respectively.Conclusions: In our study, PRO-C3 was an independent predictor of fibrosis stage, and may play an important role in managing CHC patients.
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| 6. |
- Isakov, V., et al.
(författare)
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Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for the treatment of HCV: excellent results from a phase-3, open-label study in Russia and Sweden
- 2019
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Ingår i: Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2374-4235 .- 2374-4243. ; 51:2, s. 131-139
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In both Russia and Sweden, the dominant hepatitis C virus (HCV) is genotype 1, but around one-third of patients have genotype 3 infection. For such countries, HCV genotype testing is recommended prior to therapy. An effective pangenotypic therapy may potentially eliminate the need for genotyping. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for 12 weeks in patients from Russia and Sweden. Methods: In an open-label, single-arm phase-3 study, patients could have HCV genotype 1-6 infection and were treatment-naive or interferon treatment-experienced. All patients received sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, once daily for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). Results: Of 122 patients screened, 119 were enrolled and treated. Overall, half (50%) were male, 18% had cirrhosis, and 24% had failed prior interferon-based therapy. In total, 66% of patients were infected with HCV genotype 1 (59% 1b and 7% 1a), 6% with genotype 2, and 29% with genotype 3. The overall SVR12 rate was 99% (118/119, 95% confidence interval 95-100%). One treatment-experienced patient infected with HCV genotype 3 experienced virologic relapse after completing treatment. The most common adverse events were headache (16%) and fatigue (7%). Serious adverse events were observed in four patients, but none were related to treatment. No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Conclusion: Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir as a pangenotypic treatment for 12 weeks was highly effective in patients from Russia and Sweden infected with HCV genotypes 1, 2, or 3. Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was safe and well-tolerated.
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| 7. |
- Karlsson, Miriam, et al.
(författare)
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Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 is associated with gallstone-related disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 54:10, s. 1269-1273
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is endemic in Northern Europe and despite a high seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies among blood donors (approximate to 17%), few clinical cases are notified in Sweden. Low awareness of hepatitis E and its possible symptoms may contribute to this discrepancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of acute HEV infection among hospital admitted patients with abdominal pain and elevated liver enzymes. Materials and methods: During 2016-2017, 148 adult patients with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > twice normal levels were prospectively enrolled at surgical wards at three Swedish hospitals. Serum samples were analyzed for HEV RNA as well as anti-HEV IgM and IgG, and medical records were reviewed. Results: Six (6/148, 4.1%) patients were HEV infected confirmed by detectable HEV RNA, but only one of these patients had detectable anti-HEV antibodies. Four of the HEV infected patients were diagnosed with gallstone-related disease: three with biliary pancreatitis and one with biliary colic. The remaining two were diagnosed with bowel obstruction and pancreatic malignancy. Four HEV strains were typed by sequencing to genotype 3. Conclusions: This study identified acute HEV3 infection in 4% of the patients with elevated liver enzymes admitted to a surgical ward. HEV infection was not the solitary disease leading to hospitalization, instead it was found to be associated with other surgical conditions such as gallstone-related disease including biliary pancreatitis. Additionally, HEV RNA might be the preferential diagnostic tool for detecting ongoing HEV infection.
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| 8. |
- Lagging, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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APOE ε4 is associated with younger age at ischemic stroke onset but not with stroke outcome
- 2019
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Ingår i: Neurology. - 1526-632X. ; 93:19, s. 849-853
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stroke outcome is determined by a complex interplay, where age and stroke severity are predominant predictors. Studies on hemorrhagic stroke indicate that APOE genotype is a predictor of poststroke outcomes,1,2 but results from studies on ischemic stroke are more conflicting.1,3 There is 1 study suggesting an influence of APOE genotype on age at ischemic stroke onset,4 and sex-specific effects on outcome have been reported.5 Taken together, there is a need for larger studies on APOE and ischemic stroke outcomes with integrated information on age, severity, and sex.The 3 common APOE alleles ε2, ε3, and ε4 can be separated by a combination of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs429358 and rs7412. Thus, associations with APOE alleles are not directly captured in a regular genome-wide association study (GWAS), where each SNP is investigated separately. We derived the 3 common APOE alleles and investigated the interplay between APOE, age at ischemic stroke onset, severity, sex, and outcome within a large international collaboration, the Genetics of Ischaemic Stroke Functional Outcome (GISCOME) network.
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| 9. |
- Lagging, Martin, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Grazoprevir plus peginterferon and ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection: a randomized trial
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Viral Hepatitis. - : Wiley. - 1352-0504. ; 23:2, s. 80-88
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Grazoprevir (MK-5172, Merck & Co., Inc.) is a selective inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4a protease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of grazoprevir at doses of 25-100mg/day in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV). In this randomized, dose-ranging, multicentre trial, treatment-naive adults with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection received once-daily grazoprevir 25mg, 50mg or 100mg plus PEG-IFN/RBV for 12weeks. Patients with quantifiable HCV RNA (25IU/mL) at week 4 received an additional 12weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response (HCV RNA <25IU/mL 12weeks after completing therapy [SVR12]). Eighty-seven patients were randomly assigned and received 1 dose of therapy. Median time to undetectable HCV RNA was 16days in the 100-mg arm and 22days in the 25- and 50-mg arms. All patients except one had HCV RNA undetectable or unquantifiable at week 4 and received 12weeks of therapy. SVR12 was achieved by 13 of 24 (54.2%), 21 of 25 (84.0%) and 23 of 26 (88.5%) patients in the 25-, 50- and 100-mg arms, respectively (per-protocol analysis). Three patients discontinued as a result of nonserious adverse events (AEs) and three patients experienced serious AEs. Transaminase elevations occurred in two patients (one each in the 25- and 100-mg arms). Conclusion: These data support further study of the grazoprevir 100-mg dose. Phase 3 studies of grazoprevir 100mg in combination with elbasvir are currently ongoing (NCT01710501; protocol P038).
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| 10. |
- Lagging, Martin, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection for adults and children: updated Swedish consensus guidelines 2017
- 2018
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Ingår i: Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2374-4235 .- 2374-4243. ; 50:8, s. 569-583
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: Following the approval of two new therapeutic combinations within the European Union in 2017, the former Swedish recommendations for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection from 2016 were deemed in need of updating. Materials and methods: An expert meeting to this end was held in Stockholm, Sweden in October 2017. Results and conclusions: An interferon-free combination of direct-acting antiviral agents is now recommended for all patients with chronic HCV infection, regardless of liver fibrosis stage, in order to limit morbidity and spread of the disease. An extended discussion of treatment for people who inject drugs in order to diminish transmission is included.
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| 11. |
- Lagging, Martin, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection for adults and children: Updated Swedish consensus recommendations.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Infectious diseases (London, England). - : Informa UK Limited. - 2374-4243 .- 2374-4235. ; 48:4, s. 251-261
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In a recent expert meeting, Swedish recommendations for the treatment of HCV infection were updated. An interferon-free combination of direct-acting antiviral agents was recommended as the first line standard-of-care treatment for chronic HCV infection. Interferon-based therapy should be considered as a second line option after an individual benefit-risk assessment. Treatment is strongly recommended for HCV infected patients with bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis (Metavir stages F3-4), before and after liver transplantation, and in the presence of extra-hepatic manifestations. Additionally, patients with moderate liver fibrosis (stage F2) as well as women in need of in vitro fertilisation should be prioritised for therapeutic intervention. Treatment indications for people who inject drugs, children, chronic kidney disease and HIV co-infection are also discussed.
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| 12. |
- Lagging, Martin, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: updated Swedish Guidelines 2016.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Infectious diseases (London, England). - : Informa UK Limited. - 2374-4243 .- 2374-4235. ; 49:8, s. 561-575
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a recent expert meeting, Swedish recommendations for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were updated. An interferon-free combination of direct-acting antiviral agents is considered and indicated for all patients with chronic HCV infection, but the ability to treat all is limited primarily by high cost of medication. The group of patients prioritized for therapeutic intervention has been extended to also include fertile women desiring to become pregnant. A more thorough discussion of treatment for people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in order to diminish transmission is included, and the clinical significance of baseline NS5A resistance associated variants (RAVs), also known as resistance associated substitutions (RASs), for the treatment of HCV genotype 1a or 3 infection is discussed.
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| 13. |
- Lawitz, Eric, et al.
(författare)
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Efficacy and safety of 12 weeks versus 18 weeks of treatment with grazoprevir (MK-5172) and elbasvir (MK-8742) with or without ribavirin for hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection in previously untreated patients with cirrhosis and patients with previous null response with or without cirrhosis (C-WORTHY) : a randomised, open-label phase 2 trial
- 2015
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Ingår i: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 385:9973, s. 1075-1086
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: There is a high medical need for an interferon-free, all-oral, short-duration therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) that is highly effective across diverse patient populations, including patients with cirrhosis or previous null response to pegylated interferon (peginterferon) plus ribavirin (PR-null responders). We aimed to assess the efficacy, safety, and effective treatment duration of grazoprevir (an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor) combined with elbasvir (an HCV NS5A inhibitor) with or without ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection with baseline characteristics of poor response.METHODS: The C-WORTHY trial is a randomised, open-label phase 2 trial of grazoprevir plus elbasvir with or without ribavirin; here we report findings for two cohorts of previously untreated patients with cirrhosis (cohort 1) and those with previous PR-null response with or without cirrhosis (cohort 2) enrolled in part B of the study. Eligible patients were adults aged 18 years or older with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection and HCV RNA concentrations of 10 000 IU/mL or higher in peripheral blood. We randomly assigned patients to receive grazoprevir (100 mg daily) and elbasvir (50 mg daily) with or without ribavirin for 12 or 18 weeks. Randomisation was done centrally with an interactive voice response system; patients and study investigators were masked to treatment duration up to week 12 but not to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving HCV RNA less than 25 IU/mL at 12 weeks after end of treatment (SVR12), assessed by COBAS TaqMan version 2.0. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01717326.FINDINGS: We describe findings for 253 patients enrolled in cohort 1 (n=123) or cohort 2 (n=130). In cohort 1, we randomly assigned 60 patients to the 12-week regimen (31 with ribavirin and 29 with no ribavirin) and 63 to the 18-week regimen (32 with ribavirin and 31 with no ribavirin); in cohort 2, we randomly assigned 65 patients to the 12-week regimen (32 with ribavirin and 33 with no ribavirin) and 65 to the 18-week regimen (33 with ribavirin and 32 with no ribavirin. High SVR12 rates were achieved irrespective of the use of ribavirin or extension of the treatment duration from 12 to 18 weeks; SVR12 rates ranged from 90% (95% CI 74-98; 28/31; cohort 1, 12 weeks, ribavirin-containing) to 100% (95% CI 89-100; 33/33; cohort 2, 18 weeks, ribavirin-containing). Among patients treated for 12 weeks with grazoprevir plus elbasvir without ribavirin, 97% (95% CI 82-100, 28/29) of patients in cohort 1 and 91% (76-98, 30/33) of patients in cohort 2 achieved SVR12. Adverse events reported in more than 10% of patients were fatigue (66 patients, 26% [95% CI 21-32]), headache (58 patients, 23% [95% CI 18-29]), and asthenia (35 patients, 14% [95% CI 10-19]).INTERPRETATION: Treatment with grazoprevir plus elbasvir, both with and without ribavirin and for both 12 and 18 weeks' treatment duration, showed high rates of efficacy in previously untreated patients with cirrhosis and previous PR-null responders with and without cirrhosis. These results support the phase 3 development of grazoprevir plus elbasvir.FUNDING: Merck & Co, Inc.
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| 14. |
- Lawitz, E., et al.
(författare)
-
Efficacy and safety of 12 weeks versus 18 weeks of treatment with grazoprevir (MK-5172) and elbasvir (MK-8742) with or without ribavirin for hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection in previously untreated patients with cirrhosis and patients with previous null response with or without cirrhosis (C-WORTHY): a randomised, open-label phase 2 trial
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Lancet. - : Elsevier BV. - 0140-6736. ; 385:9973, s. 1075-1086
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background There is a high medical need for an interferon-free, all-oral, short-duration therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) that is highly effective across diverse patient populations, including patients with cirrhosis or previous null response to pegylated interferon (peginterferon) plus ribavirin (PR-null responders). We aimed to assess the efficacy, safety, and effective treatment duration of grazoprevir (an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor) combined with elbasvir (an HCV NS5A inhibitor) with or without ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection with baseline characteristics of poor response. Methods The C-WORTHY trial is a randomised, open-label phase 2 trial of grazoprevir plus elbasvir with or without ribavirin; here we report findings for two cohorts of previously untreated patients with cirrhosis (cohort 1) and those with previous PR-null response with or without cirrhosis (cohort 2) enrolled in part B of the study. Eligible patients were adults aged 18 years or older with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection and HCV RNA concentrations of 10 000 IU/mL or higher in peripheral blood. We randomly assigned patients to receive grazoprevir (100 mg daily) and elbasvir (50 mg daily) with or without ribavirin for 12 or 18 weeks. Randomisation was done centrally with an interactive voice response system; patients and study investigators were masked to treatment duration up to week 12 but not to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving HCV RNA less than 25 IU/mL at 12 weeks after end of treatment (SVR12), assessed by COBAS TaqMan version 2.0. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01717326. Findings We describe findings for 253 patients enrolled in cohort 1 (n=123) or cohort 2 (n=130). In cohort 1, we randomly assigned 60 patients to the 12-week regimen (31 with ribavirin and 29 with no ribavirin) and 63 to the 18-week regimen (32 with ribavirin and 31 with no ribavirin); in cohort 2, we randomly assigned 65 patients to the 12-week regimen (32 with ribavirin and 33 with no ribavirin) and 65 to the 18-week regimen (33 with ribavirin and 32 with no ribavirin. High SVR12 rates were achieved irrespective of the use of ribavirin or extension of the treatment duration from 12 to 18 weeks; SVR12 rates ranged from 90% (95% CI 74-98; 28/31; cohort 1, 12 weeks, ribavirin-containing) to 100% (95% CI 89-100; 33/33; cohort 2, 18 weeks, ribavirin-containing). Among patients treated for 12 weeks with grazoprevir plus elbasvir without ribavirin, 97% (95% CI 82-100, 28/29) of patients in cohort 1 and 91% (76-98, 30/33) of patients in cohort 2 achieved SVR12. Adverse events reported in more than 10% of patients were fatigue (66 patients, 26% [95% CI 21-32]), headache (58 patients, 23% [95% CI 18-29]), and asthenia (35 patients, 14% [95% CI 10-19]). Interpretation Treatment with grazoprevir plus elbasvir, both with and without ribavirin and for both 12 and 18 weeks' treatment duration, showed high rates of efficacy in previously untreated patients with cirrhosis and previous PR-null responders with and without cirrhosis. These results support the phase 3 development of grazoprevir plus elbasvir.
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| 15. |
- Mellgren, A., et al.
(författare)
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High seroprevalence against hepatitis E virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532. ; 88, s. 39-45
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is endemic in Europe. Superinfection with HEV in patients with underlying chronic liver disease can cause hepatic decompensation leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Objectives: The prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies was investigated in 204 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and different stages of fibrosis. Results: The median age of the patients was 55 years (IQR 40-62 years); 126 (62%) were men. Ninety-eight (48%) patients had a METAVIR fibrosis stage F2 or higher. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was 30% (62/204), which was significantly higher than among Swedish blood donors (17%, p < 0.01). The prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies was associated with higher age (OR 1.08 (1.05-1.11); p < 0.01). It was also higher for patients with a prior history of blood transfusion (48%) as compared to intravenous drug use (IDU; 26%) as the risk factor for acquisition of the HCV infection (OR 2.72 (1.2-6.19); p <0.02). The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was also significantly higher in patients with significant fibrosis, i.e. >= F2 (38%; OR 2.04 (1.11-3.76); p = 0.02) and/or neoplasm (72%; OR 7.27 (2.46-21.44); p < 0.01). Conclusions: When adjusted for age, the prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies was significantly higher in patients with previous or current malignant liver disease compared to blood donors. The lack of significant correlation between HCV and HEV infections indicate low level of transmission of HEV by IDU. HEV infections warrant more attention, especially in patients with preexisting liver disease. (C) 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
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| 16. |
- Norder, Helene, et al.
(författare)
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Diagnostic Performance of Five Assays for Anti-Hepatitis E Virus IgG and IgM in a Large Cohort Study.
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Journal of clinical microbiology. - 1098-660X. ; 54:3, s. 549-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Determination of anti-hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) antibodies is still enigmatic. There is no gold standard, and results obtained with different assays often diverge. Herein, five assays were compared for detection of anti-HEV IgM and IgG. Serum samples from 500 Swedish blood donors and 316 patients, of whom 136 had suspected HEV infection, were analyzed. Concordant results for IgM and IgG with all assays were obtained only for 71% and 70% of patients with suspected hepatitis E, respectively. The range of sensitivity for anti-HEV detection was broad (42% to 96%); this was reflected in the detection limit, which varied up to 19-fold for IgM and 17-fold for IgG between assays. HEV RNA was analyzed in all patients and in those blood donors reactive for anti-HEV in any assay, and it was found in 26 individuals. Among all of the assays, both anti-HEV IgG and IgM were detected in 10 of those individuals. Twelve had only IgG and, in 7 of those 12, IgG was only detected with the two most sensitive assays. Three of the HEV-RNA-positive samples were negative for anti-HEV IgM and IgG in all assays. With the two most sensitive assays, anti-HEV IgG was identified in 16% of the blood donor samples and in 66% of patients with suspected HEV infection. Because several HEV-RNA-positive samples had only anti-HEV IgG without anti-HEV IgM or lacked anti-HEV antibodies, analysis for HEV RNA may be warranted as a complement in the laboratory diagnosis of ongoing HEV infection.
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| 17. |
- Nyström, Kristina, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Inosine Triphosphate Pyrophosphatase Dephosphorylates Ribavirin Triphosphate and Reduced Enzymatic Activity Potentiates Mutagenesis in Hepatitis C Virus
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Virology. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0022-538X .- 1098-5514. ; 92:19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A third of humans carry genetic variants of the ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) gene (ITPA) that lead to reduced enzyme activity. Reduced ITPase activity was earlier reported to protect against ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia and to diminish relapse following ribavirin and interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3 infections. While several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the antiviral actions of ribavirin, details regarding the mechanisms of interaction between reduced ITPase activity and ribavirin remain unclear. The in vitro effect of reduced ITPase activity was assessed by means of transfection of hepatocytes (Huh7.5 cells) with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against ITPA or a negative-control siRNA in the presence or absence of ribavirin in an HCV culture system. Low ribavirin concentrations strikingly depleted intracellular GTP levels in HCV-infected hepatocytes whereas higher ribavirin concentrations induced G-to-A and C-to-U single nucleotide substitutions in the HCV genome, with an ensuing reduction of HCV RNA expression and HCV core antigen production. Ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) was dephosphorylated in vitro by recombinant ITPase to a similar extent as ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, and reducing ITPA expression in Huh 7.5 cells by siRNA increased intracellular levels of RTP in addition to increasing HCV mutagenesis and reducing progeny virus production. Our results extend the understanding of the biological impact of reduced ITPase activity, demonstrate that RTP is a substrate of ITPase, and may point to personalized ribavirin dosage according to ITPA genotype in addition to novel antiviral strategies. IMPORTANCE This study highlights the multiple modes of action of ribavirin, including depletion of intracellular GTP and increased hepatitis C virus mutagenesis. In cell culture, reduced ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) enzyme activity affected the intracellular concentrations of ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) and augmented the impact of ribavirin on the mutation rate and virus production. Additionally, our results imply that RTP, similar to ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, is dephosphorylated in vitro by ITPase.
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| 18. |
- Nyström, Kristina, et al.
(författare)
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Inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase dephosphorylates ribavirin triphosphate and reduced enzymatic activity potentiates mutagenesis in hepatitis C virus
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Virology. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0022-538X .- 1098-5514. ; 92:19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A third of humans carry genetic variants of the ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) gene (ITPA) that lead to reduced enzyme activity. Reduced ITPase activity was earlier reported to protect against ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia and to diminish relapse following ribavirin and interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3 infections. While several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the antiviral actions of ribavirin, details regarding the mechanisms of interaction between reduced ITPase activity and ribavirin remain unclear. The in vitro effect of reduced ITPase activity was assessed by means of transfection of hepatocytes (Huh7.5 cells) with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against ITPA or a negative-control siRNA in the presence or absence of ribavirin in an HCV culture system. Low ribavirin concentrations strikingly depleted intracellular GTP levels in HCV-infected hepatocytes whereas higher ribavirin concentrations induced G-to-A and C-to-U single nucleotide substitutions in the HCV genome, with an ensuing reduction of HCV RNA expression and HCV core antigen production. Ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) was dephosphorylated in vitro by recombinant ITPase to a similar extent as ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, and reducing ITPA expression in Huh 7.5 cells by siRNA increased intracellular levels of RTP in addition to increasing HCV mutagenesis and reducing progeny virus production. Our results extend the understanding of the biological impact of reduced ITPase activity, demonstrate that RTP is a substrate of ITPase, and may point to personalized ribavirin dosage according to ITPA genotype in addition to novel antiviral strategies. IMPORTANCE This study highlights the multiple modes of action of ribavirin, including depletion of intracellular GTP and increased hepatitis C virus mutagenesis. In cell culture, reduced ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) enzyme activity affected the intracellular concentrations of ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) and augmented the impact of ribavirin on the mutation rate and virus production. Additionally, our results imply that RTP, similar to ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, is dephosphorylated in vitro by ITPase.
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| 19. |
- Nyström, Kristina, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Ribavirin: Pharmacology, multiple modes of action and possible future perspectives
- 2019
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Ingår i: Future Virology. - : Future Medicine Ltd. - 1746-0794 .- 1746-0808. ; 14, s. 153-160
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- © 2019 2019 Martin Lagging. Ribavirin is a unique guanosine analog with broad-spectrum activity against many RNA and DNA viruses. In addition to its mutational properties, ribavirin exerts extensive perturbation of cellular and viral gene expression. Furthermore, recent advances indicate that the impact of ribavirin on divergent cellular and viral pathways may be concentration dependent. This review aims at providing an overview of the pharmacology and multiple modes of action of ribavirin as well as pointing to possible novel future uses.
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| 20. |
- Razavi, H., et al.
(författare)
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Hepatitis C virus prevalence and level of intervention required to achieve the WHO targets for elimination in the European Union by 2030: a modelling study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-1253. ; 2:5, s. 325-336
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the European Union (EU), treatment and cure of HCV with direct-acting antiviral therapies began in 2014. WHO targets are to achieve a 65% reduction in liver-related deaths, a 90% reduction of new viral hepatitis infections, and 90% of patients with viral hepatitis infections being diagnosed by 2030. This study assessed the prevalence of HCV in the EU and the level of intervention required to achieve WHO targets for HCV elimination. Methods We populated country Markov models for the 28 EU countries through a literature search of PubMed and Embase between Jan 1, 2000, and March 31, 2016, and a Delphi process to gain expert consensus and validate inputs. We aggregated country models to create a regional EU model. We used the EU model to forecast HCV disease progression (considering the effect of immigration) and developed a strategy to acehive WHO targets. We used weighted average sustained viral response rates and fibrosis restrictions to model the effect of current therapeutic guidelines. We used the EU model to forecast HCV disease progression (considering the effect of immigration) under current screening and therapeutic guidelines. Additionally, we back-calculated the total number of patients needing to be screened and treated to achieve WHO targets. Findings We estimated the number of viraemic HCV infections in 2015 to be 3 238 000 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2 106 000-3 795 000) of a total population of 509 868 000 in the EU, equating to a prevalence of viraemic HCV of 0.64% (95% UI 0.41-0.74). We estimated that 1 180 000 (95% UI 1 003 000-1 357 000) people were diagnosed with viraemia (36.4%), 150 000 (12 000-180 000) were treated (4.6% of the total infected population or 12.7% of the diagnosed population), 133 000 (106 000-160 000) were cured (4.1%), and 57 900 (43 900-67 300) were newly infected (1.8%) in 2015. Additionally, 30 400 (26 600-42 500) HCV-positive immigrants entered the EU. To achieve WHO targets, unrestricted treatment needs to increase from 150 000 patients in 2015 to 187 000 patients in 2025 and diagnosis needs to increase from 88 800 new cases annually in 2015 to 180 000 in 2025. Interpretation Given its advanced health-care infrastructure, the EU is uniquely poised to eliminate HCV; however, expansion of screening programmes is essential to increase treatment to achieve the WHO targets. A united effort, grounded in sound epidemiological evidence, will also be necessary.
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| 21. |
- Rembeck, Karolina, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of IL28B, ITPA and PNPLA3 genetic variants on therapeutic outcome and progression of hepatitis C virus infection
- 2015
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Ingår i: Pharmacogenomics. - : Future Medicine Ltd. - 1462-2416 .- 1744-8042. ; 16:10, s. 1179-1188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic HCV infection comprises a broad spectrum of liver disease, ranging from no or minimal activity to active hepatitis that in time may progress to severe liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma if left untreated. This review describes the impact of genetic variants of interleukin 28B (IL28B; also known as interferon-lambda 3), inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) and patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) on therapeutic outcome and liver disease severity in HCV-infected patients.
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| 22. |
- Skoglund, Catarina, et al.
(författare)
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No need to discontinue hepatitis C virus therapy at the time of liver transplantation.
- 2019
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Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Direct antiviral agents (DAA) has dramatically improved the therapy outcome of hepatitis C-virus (HCV) infection, both on the waiting-list and post liver transplantation (LT). DAA are generally well-tolerated in patients with mild to moderate liver and kidney failure, but some DAAs are contraindicated in patients with severe dysfunction of these organs. Today there are few studies of peri-LT DAA use and treatment is commonly discontinued at the time of LT. We report here our experience of DAA therapy given continuously in the perioperative LT period in a real-life setting in Sweden.In total 10 patients with HCV-cirrhosis, with or without hepatocellular carcinoma, and a median age of 60.5 years (range, 52-65) were treated with DAAs on the waiting list for LT, and continued in the early postoperative period without any interruption, on the basis of not having reached a full treatment course at the time of LT. Sofosbuvir and a NS5A inhibitor with or without ribavirin, or sofosbuvir and ribavirin only, were given. The distribution of genotypes was genotype 1 and 3, in 4 and 6 patients, respectively. Six of the 10 patients had previously been treated with IFN-based therapy.There were no adverse events leading to premature DAA discontinuation. All recipients achieved a sustained viral response 12 weeks after end-of-treatment (SVR12). At the time of LT the median MELD-score was 16.5 (range 7-21), CTP-score 9.0 (range 5-10), creatinine 82.5 μmol/L (range 56-135, reference 60-105), bilirubin 33 μmol/L (range 16-79, reference 5-25) and PK-INR 1.5 (range 1.1-1.8). The median duration of DAA therapy was 60 days (range 18-132) pre-LT, 54 days post-LT (range 8-111 days) and in total 15.5 weeks (range 12-30 weeks).Interferon-free DAA therapy of HCV-infection given in the immediate pre- and post-operative LT period is safe, well-tolerated and yields high SVR rates.
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| 23. |
- Soderholm, J., et al.
(författare)
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Lower risk of multiple sclerosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a nationwide population-based registry study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459. ; 266:9, s. 2208-2215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurological disease that causes demyelination. The etiology is unknown, but patients with a previous viral infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus, have been shown to be at a higher risk of developing MS. In contrast, people living with HIV have a lower risk of developing MS. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) mainly infects the liver, but patients with HCV can experience several extrahepatic manifestations and studies have shown an association with several autoimmune conditions such as neuropathy and myelitis. The present study aimed to investigate the risk of MS in patients with chronic HCV infection compared with matched comparators. Methods Patients were identified using the nationwide Swedish inpatient (2001-2013) and outpatient care registers (2001-2013) for HCV (B18.2) and MS (G35) according to the International Classification of Diseases-10. Up to five comparators (matched on age/sex/place of residency) were drawn from the general population for each HCV patient. Follow-up started at the first HCV visit from 2001 and the patients' accrued person-time until death, emigration or 31 December 2013. Risk of MS diagnosis was calculated as standardized incidence ratio (SIR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results HCV patients were at lower risk of MS diagnosis (SIR 0.37; 95% CI 0.26-0.50). The incidence of MS during the study in the HCV cohort was 0.087% compared with 0.27% in the matched comparator cohort. Conclusion Surprisingly, these data suggest HCV patients to have a lower risk of MS diagnosis.
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| 24. |
- Vasanthakumar, A., et al.
(författare)
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Reduced ITPase activity and favorable IL28B genetic variant protect against ribavirin-induced anemia in interferon-free regimens
- 2018
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Ingår i: Plos One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Genetic variants of inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) that confer reduced ITPase activity are associated with protection against ribavirin(RBV)-induced hemolytic anemia in peginterferon(IFN)/RBV-based treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patients with reduced ITPase activity showed improved treatment efficacy when treated with IFN/RBV. In addition, a genetic polymorphism near the IL28B gene is associated with an improved response to IFN/RBV treatment. RBV has been an important component of IFN-containing regimens, and is currently recommended in combination with several IFN-free regimens for treatment of harder to cure HCV infections. To evaluate whether genetic variations that reduce ITPase activity impact RBV-induced anemia in IFN-free/RBV regimens In this study, genetic analyses were conducted in the PEARL-IV trial to investigate the effect of activity-reducing ITPA variants as well as IL28B polymorphism on anemia, platelet (PLT) counts, and virologic response in HCV genotype1a-infected patients treated with the direct acting antiviral (DAA) regimen of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir RBV. Reduction in ITPase activity and homozygosity for the IL28Brs12979860 CC genotype protected against RBV-induced anemia. In patients receiving RBV, reduced ITPase activity was associated with reduced plasma RBV concentration and higher PLT counts. ITPase activity had no impact on response to DAA treatment, viral kinetics, or baseline IP-10 levels. Our study demonstrates that genetics of ITPA and IL28B may help identify patients protected from RBV-induced anemia when treated with IFN-free regimens. Our work demonstrates for the first time that IL28B genetics may also have an impact on RBV-induced anemia. This may be of particular significance in patients with difficult-to-cure HCV infections, such as patients with decompensated cirrhosis where RBV-containing regimens likely will continue to be recommended.
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| 25. |
- Waldenström, Jesper, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Chronic hepatitis E infection with an emerging virus strain in a heart transplant recipient successfully treated with ribavirin: a case report.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of medical case reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1752-1947. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the last decade hepatitis E infections have been recognized as a health problem in high-income countries, where hepatitis E virus genotype 3 is endemic. The infection is often self-limiting, but may develop into chronic infection in immunocompromised patients, especially in solid organ recipients. If these patients or patients with underlying liver disease get hepatitis E infection, they may develop liver failure and cirrhosis. Hepatitis E virus is occasionally found in blood products and transfusion transmission has been reported. We present the first case of chronic hepatitis E infection in a heart transplant recipient in Sweden.
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| 26. |
- Waldenström, Jesper, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Randomized Trial Evaluating the Impact of Ribavirin Mono-Therapy and Double Dosing on Viral Kinetics, Ribavirin Pharmacokinetics and Anemia in Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Infection
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this pilot study (RibaC), 58 hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infected treatment-naive patients were randomized to (i) 2 weeks ribavirin double dosing concomitant with pegylated interferon-alpha (pegIFN-alpha), (ii) 4 weeks ribavirin mono-therapy prior to adding pegIFN-alpha, or (iii) standard-of-care (SOC) ribavirin dosing concurrent with pegIFN-alpha. Four weeks of ribavirin mono-therapy resulted in a mean 0.46 log(10) IU/mL HCV RNA reduction differentially regulated across IL28B genotypes (0.89 vs. 0.21 log(10) IU/mL for CC and CT/TT respectively; P = 0.006), increased likelihood of undetectable HCV RNA week 4 after initiating pegIFN-alpha and thus shortened treatment duration (P < 0.05), and decreased median IP-10 concentration from 550 to 345 pg/mL (P < 0.001). Both experimental strategies impacted on ribavirin concentrations, and high levels were achieved after one week of double dosing. However, by day 14, double dosing entailed a greater hemoglobin decline as compared to SOC (2.2 vs. 1.4 g/dL; P = 0.03). Conclusion: Ribavirin down-regulates IP-10, and may have an antiviral effect differently regulated across IL28B genotypes.
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| 27. |
- Waldenström, Jesper, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Short interferon and ribavirin treatment for HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection: NORDynamIC trial and real-life experience
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 51:3, s. 337-343
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Interferon-free therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is costly, and therefore patients with advanced fibrosis are prioritized. Although coupled with considerable side effects, a large proportion of genotype 2/3 infected patients achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) following interferon-based therapy. The present study evaluates experimental clinical trial and verifying real-life data with the aim of identifying patients with a high likelihood of favorable outcome following short interferon-based treatment. Material and methods: The impact of established response predictors, e.g. age, ITPA and IL28B genetic variants, IP-10, liver histopathology and early viral kinetics on outcome was evaluated among HCV genotype 2/3 infected patients enrolled in the NORDynamIC trial. Similarly outcome was evaluated among Finnish and Swedish real-life genotype 2/3 infected patients treated for 12-16 weeks in accordance with national guidelines. Results: In the NORDynamIC trial, age <40 years or achieving HCV RNA<1000 IU/mL day 7 were highly predictive of favorable outcome following 12 weeks therapy. Among 255 Finnish real-life patients below the age of 40 years treated for 12 weeks with interferon and ribavirin, 87% of HCV genotype 2 and 79% of genotype 3 infected patients achieved SVR, and among 117 Swedish real-life patients treated for 12-16 weeks, 97% of HCV genotype 2 and 94% of genotype 3 infected achieved SVR. Conclusions: Short interferon-based therapy offers a high likelihood of achieving SVR for selected HCV genotype 2/3 infected patients, and is an acceptable option given that a thorough discussion of the side effects is provided prior to initiation.
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