Treatment with C1 inhibitor concentrate in abdominal pain attacks of patients with hereditary angioedema

BACKGROUND: Abdominal edema attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema are often extremely painful, associated with vomiting and diarrhea, and have a high potential for causing recurrent disability of the patient.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Intraindividual comparison of retrospective data in 75 hereditary angioedema patients comprising 4,834 abdominal attacks treated with C1 inhibitor concentrate versus 17,444 untreated abdominal attacks.
RESULTS: The mean duration of abdominal attacks was 92.0 hours (SD, 40.8 hr) when untreated compared to 39.9 hours (SD, 30.0 hr) when treated. Patients reported a mean maximal pain score of 8.6 (SD, 1.7; range, 1-10) for untreated attacks compared to 4.5 (SD, 2.9) when treated. Vomiting occurred in 83.3 percent of untreated attacks and in 6.0 percent of treated attacks, respectively. Diarrhea was reported in 41.8 percent of untreated attacks and in 11.0 percent of treated attacks, whereas cardiovascular collapse due to hypovolemia was observed in 3.5 percent of untreated attacks versus 0.1 percent in treated attacks. Mean time to relief of symptoms was 53.5 minutes when treated early compared to 114 minutes when treatment was delayed. No drug-related adverse or serious adverse events were observed as far as the injections were performed correctly.
CONCLUSION: C1 inhibitor concentrate is highly effective and safe in treating abdominal attacks in patients suffering from hereditary angioedema.     

Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis GB virus type C/hepatitis G virus in Spanish patients with chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection.

The nucleotide sequence of hepatitis GB virus type C (HGBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) NS3/helicase and 5'-untranslated regions from 23 Spanish patients were analyzed to assign the HGV isolates one of the proposed HGBV-C/HGV genotypes. The analysis of the evolutionary distance frequency showed that the distances among all sequences in NS3/helicase region were distributed around a single peak of 0.20, suggesting that all included sequences belonged to the same HGBV-C/HGV genotype. By contrast, in the 5'-untranslated region, all the distances corresponding to our sequences and those of the HGBV-C/HGV types 2 and 3 were distributed around a major peak of 0.03. The remaining distances corresponding to the HGBV-C/HGV type 1 sequences were distributed around a minor peak of 0.11. The phylogenetic tree and pairwise comparison of evolutionary distances among the 5'-untranslated region of the infected patients and each HGBV-C/HGV genotype demonstrated that our HGBV-C/HGV isolates belonged to subtype 2a (17/23; 78%) and 2b (5/23; 22%). No relation was found between HGBV-C/HGV subtype and hepatitis B or C virus infection.     

Immunoreactive precipitation of C1 inhibitor protein from plasma of normal subjects and of patients with hereditary angioedema after isoelectric focusing

C1-inhibitor is an acid glycoprotein, isoelectric point 3.5-3.6. Plasma of some patients with a variant form of hereditary angioedema contains high levels of functionless C1-inhibitor-albumin complex with an isoelectric point at 4.5-4.6. Therapy with Danazol, which increases C1-inhibitor levels, does not modify the isoelectric focusing pattern of such protein in patients with hereditary angioedema.     

Hepatitis C virus and GBV-C/hepatitis G virus in Argentine patients with porphyria cutanea tarda

To investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) and GBV-C/hepatitis G virus (HGV) genotype prevalence among HCV-infected porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) patients, 19 HCV-infected patients with associated PCT were studied. A control group of 53 age-matched HCV-infected patients without associated PCT was selected. Eighteen of the 19 serologically positive HCV-PCT patients showed HCV RNA in serum. Genotype 1b was the most prevalent among both HCV-PCT patients (72.2%; 13/18) and age-matched HCV controls (50.9%; 27/53). Such different genotypic prevalence failed to reach statistical significance (chi(2) with Yates' correction, p = 0.19). The single HCV-PCT patient without detectable HCV RNA was also infected with genogroup 3 GBV-C/HGV. This GBV-C/HGV RNA prevalence (5.3%) among HCV-PCT patients is not statistically different from that observed among Argentine blood donors (5.5%; 11/200). To our knowledge, these results show for the first time the molecular epidemiology of both HCV and GBV-C/HGV associated to PCT in America.     

Viral kinetics in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with the serine protease inhibitor BILN 2061

We analysed viral kinetics from a 2-day treatment with BILN 2061, a serine protease inhibitor of hepatitis C virus, in patients chronically infected with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus. The efficiency (E), describing inhibition of viral production, was above 99.45% in all patients with minor or moderate fibrosis receiving doses of 200mg and 500 mg twice daily and larger than in previous studies for interferon-based treatments. However, epsilon was slightly smaller in patients with cirrhosis given 200mg and markedly smaller in patients given 25 mg. Estimates of viral clearance and infected-cell loss support conclusions on these rates and on treatment mechanisms from previous studies on interferon-alpha-based treatments.     

Transmission of serologically silent hepatitis B virus along with hepatitis C virus in two cases of posttransfusion hepatitis

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related DNA sequences in blood from three blood donors and two transfusion recipients who developed posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH). In the first case, the sole donor was positive for antibody to hepatitis B surface (HBs) and core (HBc) antigens and had elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, while the recipient had no HBV serologic markers. Both the donor and the recipient had serologic markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and were found positive for HBV DNA and HCV RNA sequences by PCR. The second case involved two donors and one recipient. Serologic tests for conventional HBV markers were negative in all three individuals, but one of the donors had elevated ALT. HBV DNA sequences were detected by PCR in the serum of the recipient and of the donor with high ALT, but not in the serum of the donor with normal ALT. Anti-HCV was detected in the serum of the recipient and of the suspect donor but not in that of the donor with normal ALT. The sequences amplified in the S region and determined after cloning of PCR products for both donor-recipient pairs were indistinguishable from each other and identical to the sequence of the major HBV subtype of adw in the first case and ayw in the second case. Furthermore, for the second case, an identical single-point mutation was found in both the donor and the recipient. These data confirm the transmission of conserved HBV sequences together with HCV in posttransfusion NANBH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Removal of hepatitis C virus by G-1 beads in sera from patients with chronic hepatitis C

Recently, a new method of extracorporeal granulocyte depletion apheresis has been developed to treat inflammatory systemic diseases using an Adacolumn (Japan Immunoresearch Laboratories, Takasaki, Japan) that is filled with acetate cellulose beads (G-1 beads) to adsorb the granulocytes. We examined whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) is adsorbed after incubation of the Adacolumn with the sera from patients with HCV-RNA-positive chronic hepatitis C. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 10 patients with chronic hepatitis C, whose levels of HCV RNA were greater than 800 kIU/ml were examined. The serum was incubated with 500 G-1 beads in a syringe at 37 degrees C for 1 h. After removal of the serum, the beads were washed with RNase-free water. The G-1 beads were removed from the syringe after centrifugation. RNA was extracted from 200 microl of the wash waste and from 10, 50, 100 and 200 beads, respectively, using TRIZol regent. Detection of HCV RNA was performed using the nested PCR method. RESULTS: HCV RNA was detected from as few as 10 G-1 beads. HCV RNA was not detected from waste fluid collected after the last wash from any of the patients. Further, HCV RNA was detected in the initial waste fluid after the 37 degrees C incubation with serum in all of the patients. Since HCV RNA was detected on the G-1 beads, but not from the last washing solution in the current examination, these results suggest that the G-1 beads adsorbed HCV RNA. CONCLUSIONS: Our in vitro study confirmed that G-1 beads adsorbed HCV; therefore, apheresis using a column filled with G-1 beads may reduce the HCV RNA load in the blood of patients with chronic hepatitis C.     

Long-term follow-up of HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection treated with interferon-based therapies

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is frequent among HIV-infected patients. Clearance of serum HCV RNA 6 months after discontinuing HCV therapy is generally interpreted as a cure of HCV infection in HIV-negative subjects. However, the occurrence of liver complications (including hepatocellular carcinoma) and/or HCV relapses in coinfected patients when followed for long periods of time after HCV therapy is not well known. METHODS: All HIV-infected patients who had been treated for chronic hepatitis C at our institution and had a minimum follow-up of 6 months after discontinuing therapy were retrospectively analysed. They had received one of three HCV treatment modalities: IFN monotherapy, IFN plus ribavirin (RBV) or pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus RBV. RESULTS: A total of 351 patients were retrospectively analysed. Sustained virological response (SVR) to HCV therapy had been reached by 77 (22%) of them: 22/119 (18.5%) with IFN monotherapy, 17/106 (16%) with IFN plus RBV and 38/126 (30.2%) with PEG-IFN plus RBV. Considering the HCV genotypes, SVR had been reached by 19/184 (10.3%) of patients with genotype 1, 54/138 (39.1%) with genotypes 2 or 3, and 4/29 (13.8%) of those with genotype 4. Within a total of 4466 patient-months follow-up (mean of 58 months), none of the 77 patients with SVR showed HCV-RNA rebounds, elevations in liver enzymes potentially linked to HCV, development of hepatocellular carcinoma or episodes of decompensated cirrhosis. In contrast, all 274 patients who did not reach SVR with HCV therapy showed evidence of persistent serum HCV RNA and 90% of them showed liver enzyme elevations during a total of 15344 patient-months follow-up (mean of 56 months). Moreover, 11 (4%) developed clinical complications of liver cirrhosis and two of them died of end-stage liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: HCV replication and HCV-related liver disease seem to be permanently halted in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients showing HCV-RNA clearance 6 months after completing any kind of IFN-based therapy. In contrast, complications of liver disease due to persistent HCV infection continue to occur in non-responders. The role of maintenance HCV therapy should be explored in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.     

Optimizing outcomes in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4

Currently, many decisions for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are based on genotype, which is the most significant baseline predictor of response to therapy; however, it has become increasingly apparent that fixed treatment durations might not be appropriate for all patients. The use of on-treatment predictors such as rapid virological response (RVR) at week 4 and early virological response (EVR) at week 12 can be used to predict the likelihood of achieving a sustained virological response (SVR), helping to tailor treatment to the individual. Until now, EVR has been defined as achieving either undetectable HCV RNA (< 50 IU/ml) or a > 2 log drop in HCV RNA, but still detectable, at week 12. However, rates of SVR in patients achieving an EVR are heterogeneous. It has recently been suggested that by subdividing EVR into RVR (< 50 IU/ml at week 4), complete EVR (HCV RNA < 50 IU/ml at week 12) or partial EVR (HCV RNA > 2 log drop in HCV RNA but still detectable [> 50 IU/ml] at week 12), it might be possible to further improve the prediction of patients likely to achieve an SVR and may allow for tailoring of treatment duration. Genotype 1 and 4 patients achieving an RVR have high rates of SVR and may be candidates for shorter treatment duration. Patients with a complete EVR achieve high SVR rates with the current treatment duration of 48 weeks, whereas patients achieving a partial EVR have lower rates of SVR and could benefit from treatment intensification to 72 weeks. Here, we discuss the importance of baseline predictors of response and the emerging concept of response-guided therapy in genotype 1 and 4 patients.     

福建省慢性丙型肝炎患者丙型肝炎病毒基因分型的分析

目的观察福建省慢性丙型肝炎患者基因型分布特点以及与患者性别、年龄、丙型肝炎病毒（HCV） RNA 之间的关系。方法应用反转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和 SANGER 测序法对155例慢性丙型肝炎患者的HCV 进行基因分型。结果在155例标本中,HCV 基因1型占55．48％,基因2型占18．71％,基因3型13．51％,基因6型12．26％,未见基因4、5型;男女慢性 HCV 感染均以1型为主要基因型,在其他基因型中,男性3型、6型多于2型,女性则以2型为主,差异有统计学意义（P ＜0．05）;基因2型平均年龄为（49岁）,3型平均年龄为（35岁）,差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。结论福建地区 HCV 基因型以1b 型为主,其次是2a 型,未见基因4、5型;基因2型的感染者平均年龄较基因3型大。     

Persistent infection mechanism of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus differs from that of hepatitis C virus

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the deduced amino acid sequence of the envelope 2 (E2) region of the GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) were analyzed to investigate whether or not the region contributes to persistent infection with the virus. METHODS: Eight patients with acute hepatitis C and 1 patient with acute hepatitis of unknown etiology were included in the study. GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected in 6 patients, including the patient with hepatitis of unknown origin. The nucleotide sequence of the E2 region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and GBV-C/HGV was determined by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products in 5 patients with HCV infection and in 6 patients with GBV-C/HGV infection twice during the period of early infection and several months or years later in each patient. RESULTS: The mean substitution rate of the deduced amino acid sequence in the E2 region was over 100 times lower (p < 0.001) in GBV-C/HGV (0.01 +/- 0.04/month/100 sites) than in HCV (2.4 +/- 1.7/month/100 sites). The amino acid sequence of the loop domain of GBV-C/HGV-E2 did not change in any of the 6 patients. On the other hand, the sequence of the hypervariable region of HCV-E2 changed remarkably (5.9 +/- 4.3/month/100 sites). No amino acid substitution in the loop domain was observed in 7 additional patients who showed persistent GBV-C/HGV viremia for more than 2 years. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that changes in the amino acid sequence of the E2 region are not involved in the mechanism of persistent GBV-C/HGV infection.     

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of anti-HCV (hepatitis C virus antibodies) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients and staff members. DESIGN: Fifty-nine serum samples were collected and tested by an enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV. Records and past history of blood transfusion and hemodialysis were reviewed. Results were analyzed using the Fisher's exact test. SETTING: A medical college-operated teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-two patients and 7 staff members from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital CAPD unit were studied. RESULTS: Anti-HCV prevalence in patients and staff were 15.4% and 0%. A history of maintenance hemodialysis was associated with a higher prevalence of anti-HCV (33.3% versus 5.9% without hemodialysis, p = 0.015). The prevalence of anti-HCV did not increase with longer CAPD duration. Among those with an episode of hepatitis, higher prevalence of anti-HCV was observed (57.1% versus 8.9% without hepatitis, p = 0.0073). CONCLUSION: HCV is an important agent of hepatitis in CAPD patients. The risk of HCV infection among CAPD staff members is negligible. CAPD offers better control of HCV infection among patients with end-stage renal failure.     

拉米夫定治疗慢性乙型肝炎患者乙型肝炎病毒YMDD变异的研究

目的探讨拉米夫定治疗1年后慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）患者发生YMDD基序变异的状况及其检测方法。方法采用荧光定量PCR法检测血清HBV DNA含量，荧光PCR法和变性高效液相色谱法检测HBV YMDD基序变异。结果61例CHB患者经过拉米夫定治疗1年后，40例（65．6％）HBV DNA阴转；在21例HBV DNA阳性患者中，10例为YMDD野生型，11例出现YMDD基序变异，变异率达18．0％（11／61）。在11例基序变异中，完全变异7例（63．6％），部分变异4例（36．4％）。在完全变异型中，YIDD变异型5例，YVDD变异型2例；在部分变异型中，YIDD变异型3例，YVDD变异型1例。结论CHB患者拉米夫定治疗1年后，出现较高的YMDD基序变异率。利用荧光PCR法结合变性高效液相色谱法检测基序变异，经济便捷，可作为CHB患者YMDD基序变异的常规监测。     

Evolution of resistant M414T mutants among hepatitis C virus replicon cells treated with polymerase inhibitor A-782759

Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon cells with any single specific anti-HCV inhibitor in vitro leads to a rapid selection of resistant mutants. However, the source and the kinetic evolution of these resistant mutants during treatment are poorly understood. In this study we developed allele-specific real-time PCR assays for quantitative detection of the M414T mutant that was selected by a number of benzothiadiazine HCV polymerase inhibitors. Low levels of preexisting M414T mutants were detected in both 1b-con1 (0.22%) and 1b-N (0.18%) subgenomic replicon cell lines, as well as in 6 of 15 HCV RNA isolated from the sera of treatment-naive HCV-infected patients ranging from 0.11 to 0.60%. The proportion of M414T mutants in replicons rapidly increased in a dose-dependent manner upon treatment with benzothiadiazine inhibitor A-782759. After 4 days of treatment, 2.5, 26, or 60% of the replicon population contained M414T mutants with the use of A-782759 at 1x, 10x, or 100x its 50% effective concentration, respectively. In addition, the short 4-day treatment resulted in significant changes in inhibitor susceptibility in the replicon cells. Our results indicated that the resistant mutant preexisted as a minor population in replicon cells and that the mutant was selected within days of treatment with the inhibitor. The findings from this study suggested that early application of combination therapy of an HCV-specific inhibitor with interferon-based regimens or other classes of available inhibitors will be necessary to avoid quick viral rebound or treatment failure.     

维持性血液透析患者乙、丙型肝炎病毒感染情况及原因分析

目的:调查维持性血液透析患者在长期血透治疗过程中乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)和丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)的感染情况并分析其原因,以达到进一步采取预防措施,防止血透患者感染HBV和HCV。方法:收集2003年5月在本院行维持性血液透析半年以上者共99例,调查其血透史及输血史,检查其血清HBV标志物(HBV鄄M)和HCV抗体(抗鄄HCV)情况,并与患者初始血透治疗前该指标比较,分析血透中HBV、HCV感染发生情况及原因。结果:①初始血透治疗前99例患者中抗鄄HBs阳性51例,HBV鄄M全阴性者48例;2003年5月51例抗鄄HBs阳性者仍保持不变,但48例HBV鄄M全阴性者中13例各HBV相关抗体出现,占27.1%,其余35例HBV鄄M仍为全阴性;13例出现HBV抗体的患者接受血透治疗平均为3.5年,9例有输血史,与35例仍为HBV鄄M全阴性者相比无显著差异。②初始血透治疗前99例患者中抗鄄HCV阳性2例,抗鄄HCV阴性者97例;2003年5月上述患者中新增抗鄄HCV阳性51例,新增感染者与未感染者相比,血透治疗的时间显著较长(P<0.01),有输血史的患者亦显著增加(P<0.05)。结论:与普通人群相比血透患者感染HBV的危险性相当大;血透患者中存在着较高的HCV感染率,可能与HCV有较大的变异性导致对传染源的诊断遗漏以及丙型肝炎传播途径的多样性有关。