Efficacy of peginterferon alpha-2a in combination with ribavirin in treatment of eldly patients with chronic hepatitis C / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical efficacy of PEG-Interferon alpha-2a combined with ribavirin in eldly chronic hepatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty patients with chronic hepatitis C were divided into treatment group and comparative group. The twenty eldly patients of treatment group receive peg-interferon alpha-2a 135-180 microg subcutaneous injection every week combined with ribavirin 600-1000 mg/d for 48 weeks, and twenty adult patients of control group receive peg-interferon 135-180 microg subcutaneous injection every week combined with ribavirin 800-1200 mg/d for 48 weeks. The rapid virological response (RVR) rate, early virological response (EVR) rate, end of treatment virological response (ETVR) rate, sustained virological response (SVR) rate, nonresponder rate, relapse rate and the side reaction was assessed, then to compare the differences between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The RVR rate, EVR rate, ETVR rate, SVR rate, nonresponder rate, relapse rate was 60%, 70%, 75%, 60%, 10%, 10% respectively, accordingly the rate in control group was 75%, 80%, 85%, 75%, 5%, 10%. The difference between the two group were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the rate of neutropenia was higher in treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the two groups in influenza-like side effect, anemia, thrombocytopenia and gastrointestinal side reaction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The eldly patients with Chronic Hepatitis C using general dose peg-IFNalpha-2a combined with lower dose ribavirin can still obtain the similar efficiency and excellent tolerance when the basic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and side effects were treated successfully.</p>

A clinical study on combined serum hepatic fibrosis-related markers and ultrasound parameters to diagnose hepatic fibrosis / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study attempted to explore the value of combining serum hepatic fibrosis-related markers and ultrasound parameters together on diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six serum markers and 8 ultrasound parameters were measured from 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B or cirrhosis. The results of the serum hepatic fibrosis-related markers and ultrasound in disease group were analyzed and compared with the findings of hepatic pathology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By filtrating,the group of platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) plus hyaluronic acid (HA) plus echo characteristics of liver parenchyma (LPEC) plus length of spleen (SL) had the highest Se and Spe, which were 90.7% and 85.4% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The advantageous combination of serum markers and ultrasound parameters can significantly improve Se and Spe, which is superior to any single serum index or ultrasound parameter. And it was a better non-invasive method for diagnosing hepatic fibrosis.</p>