Evaluation of serum levels and significance of soluble CD40 ligand in screening patients with hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

The study's objective was to evaluate the clinical significance of sCD40L in HCV- associated hepatocellular carcinoma [HCV-HCC] patients. Sera concentration of circulating sCD40L and IL-10 were assayed using ELISA in 30 HCV positive patients with HCC, 30 HCV-positive patients with liver cirrhosis and 30 age-matched healthy volunteers with negative anti-HCV-Ab as a control group. Serum sCD40Lshowed statistically-significant high levels in HCV-HCC patients compared to HCV-cirrhotic patients and normal controls [P < 0.001]. Serum sCD40L had higher diagnostic value in HCC patients compared with serum AFP. High sensitivity and specificity of sCD40L was observed compared to AFP [90%, 86.7% and 83% and 80% respectively]. Significant positive correlation was detected between serum sCD40L and IL-10[r = 0.85 P < 0.001], AFP [r = 0.62 P < 0.05] and tumour staging [r = 0.5 P < 0.05]. The study concluded that sCD40L is a valuable diagnostic tool in early diagnosis and screening for HCV and HCC as well as routine follow up of HCV cirrhosis patients. Assessment of serum IL-10 levels in HCV patients may provide a possible predictive marker for disease progression

Clinical assessment of acyclovir treatment of herpes genitalis

Orally administered acyclovir has been given to 60 patients with genital herpes; 20 experiencing a first attack and 40 patients with recurrent attacks. All the patients were followed up for one year for the clinical assessment of the treatment. In both primary and recurrent infections, acyclovir significantly reduced the severity of clinical symptoms, time to crusting and complete healing and new lesion formation compared with the controls. The treatment of recurrent infections, however, was not reported to show as good a result as by primary infection. No toxicity was observed as very few patients had insignificant side effects e.g. diarrhoea. The frequency of recurrence [number of recurrences per year] to acyclovir treated patients is significantly lower than in controls [P < 0.05]. The mean time to the next clinical recurrence is also significantly longer in acyclovir recipients than in controls. Oral acyclovir is thus effective and well tolerated in patients with herpes genitalis, though it does not prevent recurrences. The effects of acyclovir on the clinical picture of herpes genitals is discussed