Racial Difference in HCV Interferon Response Emerges Early
[read article]
April 13, 2009
The results of a new study suggest that early differences in interferon-induced antiviral activity may explain why hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy is usually less successful in blacks than in whites. This difference may be apparent within just one day of treatment initiation. ...[read article]
Persistent Hepatitis B Infection Associated With Gene Variants in Asian Populations
[read article]
April 10, 2009
A genomewide association study in Japanese and Thai populations has found an association between the risk of developing chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and variants at 2 gene loci in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system — the major histocompatibility complex in humans. ...[read article]
Nitazoxanide Added to Treatment of Hepatitis C
[read article]
March 30, 2009
In patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 4, adding nitazoxanide to peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin improves the virologic response rates, new research shows , In the study, patients treated with the three-drug combination achieved a sustained virologic response rate of 79%, compared with a rate of onl...[read article]
Telbivudine Better Than Lamivudine for Chronic Hepatitis B
[read article]
March 20, 2009
As a treatment for chronic hepatitis B, telbivudine produces a better therapeutic response than does lamivudine in both HBeAg-positive and -negative patients, according to 2-year follow-up data from the GLOBE trial.......[read article]
B Vitamin Supplementation Lowers Risk for Hyperhomocysteinemia in Patients With Celiac Disease
[read article]
March 18, 2009
Dietary supplementation with B vitamins reduces homocysteine levels in patients with celiac disease, according to a study published in the February 28 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology......[read article]
FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Peginterferon-Based Combination Therapy for Chronic HCV
[read article]
March 13, 2009
Schering-Plough Corporation announced yesterday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an expanded indication for peginterferon-based combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.....[read article]
Human Genome Hepatitis C Drug Disappoints, Shares Crash
[read article]
March 11, 2009
Human Genome Sciences' drug to treat chronic hepatitis C - Albuferon -- met the main goal in a late-stage trial, but failed to show better efficacy compared to the standard-of-care, raising questions about the drug's adoption and sending shares crashing to an all-time low....[read article]
Rimonabant Reduces Liver Fat Content in Abdominally Obese Patients
[read article]
March 10, 2009
The results of the ADAGIO-Lipids trial show that rimonabant significantly improves cardiovascular and metabolic risk markers, and reduces both intra-abdominal fat and liver fat content, in patients with abdominal obesity....[read article]
Hepatitis C Outbreak Reported at New York Dialysis Center
[read article]
March 06, 2009
From 1999 through 2008, nine patients treated at a hemodialysis unit in New York City were found to be infected with hepatitis C virus, according to findings published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report ...[read article]
Clinical Gastroenterology And Hepatology
[read article]
FEB 25, 2009
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute journal, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is the medical journal with the most impact on the field of clinical medicine, according to a recent analysis of Essential Science ...[read article]
Sleep Apnea Linked To The Progression Of Liver Disease
[read article]
FEB 24, 2009
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Bariatric Surgery Clinic have found that the chronic intermittent hypoxia that often characterizes Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a common form of SDB, is independently linked to the progression of liver disease ...[read article]
Obese Patients Face Longer Waits for Liver Transplantation
[read article]
FEB 22, 2009
Obese patients face prolonged waiting times for liver transplantation, reflecting a possible "reluctance to transplant obese patients," according to a report in the November issue of the Annals of Surgery...[read article]
A Rigorous Method For Liver Biopsy
[read article]
FEB 21, 2009
Liver biopsy is still considered the gold standard for grading, staging and "stad-ging" the chronic liver disease. In addition, it remains a primary source for acquiring new knowledge on the liver pathology. Demand for precise evaluations of the fibrosis and inflammatory...[read article]
Human Genome Sciences Announces Initiation Of Phase 2b Trial Of Albuferon(R) Dosed Monthly In Chronic Hepatitis C
[read article]
FEB 20, 2009
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) announced that Novartis has initiated dosing in a Phase 2b trial that will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Albuferon(R) (albinterferon alfa-2b) administered monthly in ...[read article]
Common Hepatitis C Treatment Less Effective In Hispanics Than Whites, Study Finds
[read article]
FEB 19, 2009
The standard hepatitis C treatment appears to be less effective in Hispanics than in whites, likely because of unknown biological differences, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Miami Herald reports...[read article]
Liver Transplants Safe With Elderly Donors
[read article]
FEB 18, 2009
Advanced donor age, per se, does not adversely affect recipient or graft survival after liver transplantation, according to a report in the December Journal of the American College of Surgeons...[read article]
Cerebrovascular Complications May Accompany Orthotopic Liver Transplantation
[read article]
FEB15, 2009
Chinese researchers report a 3.0% incidence of cerebrovascular complications in a series of patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation...[read article]
Link Between Transplanted Fatty Livers And Worse Prognosis For Patients With HCV
[read article]
FEB16, 2009
A new study suggests that patients with hepatitis C (HCV) who need a liver transplant should not receive an organ with high levels of fatty deposits (a.k.a. hepatic steatosis). HCV recurrence was more frequent and earlier among those transplanted with such livers....[read article]
Pancreatic Cancer Risk May Be Increased By Hepatitis C
[read article]
FEB 12, 2009
A new study shows that infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases a person's risk for a highly fatal cancer of the biliary tree, the bile carrying pathway between the liver and pancreas. This finding is in the January issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley...[read article]
