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99% Pegasys Respond |
The first study
evaluating the long-term effectiveness of PEGASYSâ, peginterferon
alfa-2a (40KD), a promising new hepatitis C treatment, has found that
99% of patients remain viral free when examined two to three years
later. |
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Although few prospective long-term survival and
health care cost studies are available for hepatitis C, it has been
possible to estimate the life-long economic impact of the disease for
both the individual patient and for the U.S. population with chronic
hepatitis B. Lifetime health care costs for a patient with chronic
hepatitis B has been estimated at $65,000 in the absence of liver
transplantation. For the 150,000 HBV carriers with significant liver
damage, the lifetime health care costs in the U.S. have been estimated
to be $9 billion. Assuming an estimated survival of 25 years, the annual
health care costs for the affected U.S. population with chronic
hepatitis B is $360 million. Based on the same economic analysis,
treatment of chronic hepatitis B with interferon is projected to
increase life expectancy by about three years and reduce the aggregate
health care costs. |
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Atlas of Liver Pathology: Vascular Alterations in the Liver |
Diseases Affecting the Vasculature of the Liver
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Biopsychosocial Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients
With Chronic Hepatitis C |
In 94 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C
attending a liver center, HRQOL was assessed by the Medical Outcome
Study Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) and by the German version of
the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire. The predictive effect on HRQOL
of disease-related worries measured by the worry subscale of the Chronic
Liver Disease Questionnaire, psychiatric comorbidity (defined by at
least one Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale German Version Score
11), the Child-Pugh score in case of cirrhosis, interferon therapy, and
active medical comorbidities was assessed by a multiple regression
analysis. |
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Britain says it will pay hepatitis C victims
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Thousands of Britons infected with the hepatitis C
virus as a result of contaminated blood products and transfusions are to
receive compensation, Health Secretary John Reid said on Friday.
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Culprits identified in Hepatitis B Liver Damage |
Injecting antibodies to
two rogue chemokines implicated in the chronic disease phase of
Hepatitis B infection, which follows the initial acute response, blocks
much of the secondary inflammation in the liver, claim US immunologists.
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Diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C |
Set of
guidelines and methods of treatment for each of the various
classifications of HCV |
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Difference between PEG and Pegasys |
The two pegylated
versions of interferon alfa are not identical by RockyRacoon (WebMD),
6/2/00 09:48:35 The two pegylated versions of interferon alfa are not
identical by Harvey S. Bartnof, MD FDA approval for two pegylated
versions of interferon alfa * are expected this year.
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Disruption of Plasma Melatonin in Liver Cirrhosis |
To assess the 24 hr
plasma melatonin profile as a marker of the output rhythm from the
circadian clock and to study sleep diaries as reflection of subjective
sleep quality in patients with liver cirrhosis |
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Do You Think It's Related? |
Over the past six
years, similar questions have been posed to me by hepatitis C patients
thousands of times. Too often, their doctors tell them their symptoms
and other medical conditions are not related to hepatitis C, which
causes frustration and confusion for patients. The fact that so many
patients report similar symptoms and that a multitude of research has
shown a remarkable number of Hepatitis C Virus patients with other
conditions, makes it clear that there is more to the relation between
these conditions than just coincidence. |
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Evidence-Based Management of Hepatitis C: A Clinician’s Guide to
Pegylated Interferons |
The hepatitis C
story is an ongoing tale of discovery, with the chapters on viral
pathogenesis, patient risk stratification, and treatment constantly in
need of revision. This brief symposium review highlights several key
areas of current interest in the diagnosis and management of chronic
hepatitis C infection |
482 kb pdf |
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Experimental drugs block Hepatitis C Virus |
New experimental
compounds may help the body fight off hepatitis C, researchers said
Thursday. The research, done by separate teams in the United States and
Canada, also led to new discoveries about how the body fights off
infection. |
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Exploring the Liver |
This through-the-skin
biopsy method makes it possible to get tissue via the laparoscope
(intra-abdominal telescope), or from the inside of the liver via a
guided catheter threaded through the jugular vein, or through the skin
with added accuracy using ultrasound or MRI guidance. A recent article
from Harvard in the New England Journal of Medicine retraces these liver
biopsy historical steps that I have lived through |
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology |
Description of Liver
Disease |
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Gene Therapy may hold key to Hepatitis B |
Gene therapy that
targets liver cells can halt hepatitis B infection in mice, a new study
shows. |
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HCV On-Treatment Virologic Monitoring: Impact on Treatment Decisions |
PowerPoint
Presentation |
Pdf 382v kb |
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HCV-To Treat or Not to Treat? That is the Question... |
The difficult
question of if and when to treat those infected with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
can be evaluated from a myriad of perspectives, including public health
concerns, risk/benefit in corrections, legal issues, ethical issues, and
personal physician-patient responsibility |
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Hepatitis B Virus infection: A comprehensive immunization strategy to
eliminate transmission in the US-Draft (Large paper-increase download time) |
This
document updates the immunization strategy to eliminate hepatitis B
virus transmission in the US, which was published in 1991 and expanded
in 1995. The document also updates technical information on HBV
vaccination of infants, children, adolescents, and adults. |
2209 kb pdf |
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Hepatitis C: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Treatment |
PowerPoint
Presentation |
620 kb |
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Hepatitis C: Facts for
Today, hope for tomorrow |
PowerPoint
Presentation |
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Hepatitis C infection and injection drug use: The role of hepatologists
in evolving treatment efforts |
The
majority of incident infections with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are
acquired through injection drug use practices. For most injection drug
users, drug use occurred in the past. However, drug addiction is a
chronic disease with a continuing possibility of former drug users'
relapsing back to drug use. Injection drug users, both current and
reformed, are at risk for HCV and other infectious diseases, and they
commonly display co-morbidities associated with drug use, such as
psychiatric illnesses. |
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Hepatitis C Management |
Effective treatment
rests importantly on recognition of the attributes that influence
disease progression; they include host factors such as age, obesity,
comorbidities (eg, chronic renal failure, coinfection with human
immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), and others. Viral properties such as
genotype play an important role in treatment choices and outcomes. A
thorough understanding of the pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of the
agents used in treatment and management of side effects is also
important. |
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Hepatitis C-new Test |
A study presented at
this year's 51st American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD)
meeting reported on results using a new Hepatitis C (Hepatitis C Virus)
test which utilizes a cutting-edge molecular diagnostics technology
called transcription mediated amplification (TMA). |
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Hepatitis C vs. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE |
So-called "traditional
medicine" did not exist as we know it before the early1920's. Also known
as "allopathic" medicine, it is adversary based. It "wages war" on
bacteria, viruses and misunderstood processes in the body, and sometimes
even the body itself |
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Hepatitis C-Post-exposure Treatment |
Report on post-exposure
management |
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Hepatitis C Symptoms-Imagined or Real |
What is it about
hepatitis C that makes so many of us complain about symptoms such as
fatigue, nausea, body aches and pains, loss of appetite, and mood
swings? Are they real or imagined? |
16
kb pdf |
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Hepatitis B report |
Hepatitis B is a global
health concern despite the availability of a vaccine. Although vaccines
for hepatitis B and hepatitis A are available, they are often not
administered to at-risk individuals |
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Hepatitis C Informational |
Critical issues in
the treatment and management of Chronic Hepatitis C |
1,114 kb pdf |
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Hepatitis C-Who should get treated |
When Fran Kee learned he
had been infected with the hepatitis C virus, he decided to start the
grueling, yearlong treatment process, even though doctors said he could
wait. His blood tests showed extremely low levels of the virus, and all
but one of his liver enzyme readings were normal. |
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Hepatitis C-Current & Future Treatment |
Interferon alfa-2b, 3
million units tiw, plus ribavirin, 1000 to 1200 mg daily for 6 to 12
months, has shown an improvement of 2-fold or more for all measures of
efficacy when compared with interferon monotherapy. In the next year,
treatment of chronic hepatitis C will involve pegylated interferons,
either alone or in combination with ribavirin. Therapy in 3 to 5 years
will likely be multidrug combinations, including inhibitors of the
hepatitis C virus (Hepatitis C Virus) protease, helicase, or polymerase,
with the aim of reducing serum levels or eradicating Hepatitis C Virus
RNA. |
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Hepatitis Report: |
The patient who has a
liver disease wants (or needs) to know about the natural history of the
disorder so as to plan for the future. The patient should be informed
regarding the likely consequences, important milestones, major
complications, and available therapies, all given with a large measure
of compassion and sensitivity. |
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Hepatofugal Flow in the Portal Venous System: Pathophysiology, Imaging
Findings, and Diagnostic Pitfalls |
Hepatofugal flow (ie,
flow directed away from the liver) is abnormal in any segment
of the portal venous system and is more common than
previously believed. Hepatofugal flow can be demonstrated at
angiography, Doppler ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance
imaging, and computed tomography (CT). The current understanding
of hepatofugal flow recognizes the role of the hepatic artery
and the complementary phenomena of arterioportal and portosystemic
venovenous shunting. Detection of hepatofugal flow is clinically
important for diagnosis of portal hypertension, for determination
of portosystemic shunt patency and overall prognosis in patients
with cirrhosis, as a potential pitfall at invasive arteriography
performed to evaluate the patency of the portal vein, and as
a contraindication to specialized imaging procedures (ie,
transarterial hepatic chemoembolization and CT during
arterial portography). Hepatofugal flow is generally
diagnosed at Doppler US without much difficulty, but
radiologists should beware of pitfalls that can impede
correct determination of flow direction in the portal venous
system. |
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High-Dose Interferon Alpha-2b Prevents Chronic Hepatitis C |
Early treatment of acute
hepatitis C with a relatively short, high-dose regimen of interferon
alpha-2b prevents the development of chronic infection in most patients,
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HIV and Hepatitis C-Coinfection Information Brochure |
Complications from
hepatitis C are becoming one of the most important medical issues facing
HIV positive individuals |
17
kb pdf |
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How to Enroll in a Drug Study |
There are several ways
in which patients and their physicians can learn of clinical trials in
which they may want to take part |
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In a first, USC scientists show how Hepatitis C dodges medicinal
firepower |
“Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb…It creates tremendous social and
health pressure, and is one of the most important infectious diseases in
this country.” |
175 kb pdf |
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Incidence of seroconversion to hepatitis C |
To estimate the rate of
seroconversion to positivity for hepatitis C antibody in repeat blood
donors in England and to describe the probable routes of infection in
these donors. |
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Overcoming Barriers to Prevention, Care, and Treatment of hepatitis C in
Illicit Drug Users |
Injection drug users
constitute the largest group of persons infected with the hepatitis C
virus in the united States, and most new infections occur in IDUs. The
prevalence of HCV antibody in most studies of older IDUs is 80%-90%, and
uninfected IDUs generally become infected at rates of 10%-20%/year |
124 kb pdf |
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Physicians in the Management of Patients With Hepatitis C |
Approximately 4 million
Americans are infected with the hepatitis C virus (Hepatitis C Virus).
Most patients with hepatitis C have no symptoms until
cirrhosis is established. Thus, initial diagnosis and management
of hepatitis C rely on primary care physicians identifying and
screening high-risk individuals. |
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Patients paying larger percentage for Medical Costs |
Faced with "rapidly
rising" prescription drug spending, which is climbing at about 15% per
year, employers and insurers have increasingly shifted the costs to
patients, who "may soon pay even more," |
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Quick Treatment for Hepatitis C cured if caught early |
Quick treatment after
infection can almost always cure hepatitis C, a condition that causes
between 8,000 and 10,000 deaths in the United States each year,
according to a study released Monday. |
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Researcher Says Disease Will Strain the State's Hospitals and Transplant
Units |
While new cases of
infection will decline in the future, Dr. Davis and colleagues predict
that more people who already have HCV infection will experience
progression of liver disease -- to cirrhosis and hepatocellular
carcinoma, for example. Chronic HCV is the most common indication for
liver transplantation in the U.S., affecting 50 percent of all patients
receiving liver transplants. And, the disease frequently recurs
following liver transplantation, sometimes leading to cirrhosis and
liver failure a second time. |
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Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
Infection and HCV-Related Chronic Disease |
These
recommendations are an expansion of previous recommendations for the
prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that focused on
screening and follow-up of blood, plasma, organ, tissue, and semen
donors (CDC, Public Health Service inter-agency guidelines for screening
donors of blood, plasma, organs, tissues, and semen for evidence of
hepatitis B and hepatitis C. MMWR 1991; 40 (No.RR-41); 1-17). The
recommendations in this report provide broader guidelines for a)
preventing transmission of HCV; b) identifying, counseling, and testing
persons at risk for HCV infection; and c) providing, appropriate medical
evaluation and management of HCV-infected persons. Based on currently
available knowledge, these recommendations were developed by CDC staff
members after consultation with experts who met in Atlanta during July
15-17, 1998. This report is intended to serve as a resource for
health-care professionals, public health officials, and organizations
involved in the development, delivery, and evaluation of prevention and
clinical services. |
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Sharing of Drug Preparation Equipment as a Risk Factor for Hepatitis C |
This study investigated
the sharing of drug preparation equipment as a possible route of
hepatitis C virus (Hepatitis C Virus) transmission. |
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Statistics and meaning of normal ALTs with Hepatitis C Virus+ |
This article contains
discussion of several published studies which look at Hepatitis C Virus
positive individuals with normal ALTs (liver function test) and the
relationship between ALT levels and Hepatitis C Virus disease
progression. Whether or not such individuals should initiate Hepatitis C
Virus treatment is discussed. |
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Subject Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Drug |
Patients being treated
for the hepatitis C virus -- a blood-borne disease that attacks the
liver -- now can learn earlier than ever before if they are likely to
benefit from an investigational drug therapy. |
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TAKING A CHANCE AT LIFE: ASSESSING THE BENEFITS AND DETRIMENTS OF
HEPATITIS C TREATMENT TO DETERMINE WHEN IT IS MOST REWARDING TO UNDERGO
TREATMENT |
Deciding when to undergo treatment for Hepatitis C through an assessment
of the benefits and detriments |
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Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: Current Status |
The Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) was developed
in the 1980s for treatment of complications of portal hypertension.
Once it was shown that the shunt could be place with relative ease, TIPS
was rapidly applied to the treatment of many of the complications of
portal hypertension. |
255 kb pdf |
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Treatment options for Hepatitis B non-responders |
Thus, a large number
of untreated patients with HBeAg-positive CHB are left with severe liver
necroinflammation which persists for several years and results in an
increased likelihood of progression of liver damage to advanced stages
of fibrosis, cirrhosis and even development of hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC), the most dire consequence in the natural history of CHB. |
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Treatment denied to inmates |
In mid September, 1998 I
became ill: fatigued and weak, I thought I'd caught a bug. By late
January, 1999 I'd been diagnosed as suffering from chronic hepatitis C
and was taken out of the prison to see a gastroenterologist at a local
hospital. |
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Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C |
Chronic infection with
the hepatitis C virus is extremely prevalent, averaging 1% to 2% of the
world population. Fortunately, recognition of potential risk factors,
changes in patterns of using injected drugs, and improved safety of the
blood supply have led to a dramatic decline in the incidence of new
hepatitis C virus infections in recent years. |
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Treatment of Hepatitis after Kidney Transplant |
This patient is the
classic patient with acute hepatitis due to Hepatitis C Virus infection.
The most important thing we need to know is the timing. It looks as if
she clearly was negative before transplantation and now is positive by
both virologic and enzymatic evaluation; therefore, she meets the
criteria for acute hepatitis |
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Treatment of Hepatitis B |
Hepatitis B remains a
major worldwide public health problem. Globally, there are 350 million
carriers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vs 370 million carriers of the
hepatitis C virus (Hepatitis C Virus). In the United States, 4.0 million
persons are positive for Hepatitis C Virus antibodies and 2.7 million of
these individuals are chronic carriers |
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