Renewed 2015 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Hepatitis C by Korean Association for the Study of the Liver; What Has Been Changed? - Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1 / 대한소화기학회지

The introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has markedly improved the sustained virological response (SVR) rates in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Currently, four classes of DAAs targeting three HCV proteins (NS3, NS5A, and NS5B) have been approved for treatment in many countries. Since drugs show advantages and disadvantages, use of a combination of two or more DAAs with different targets or addition of ribavirin in a difficult-to-treat patient shows an SVR rate of ~90% after 12 weeks of treatment or expanded treatment for 24 weeks. Various types of DAA are awaiting approval which will improve the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection. However, high costs, drug resistance and interactions between various drugs remain to be overcome. With further advances in the development of antiviral agents, it could be expected that in the near future, there will be DAAs that are affordable and cost effective, require shorter treatment duration, effective in a broad range of patients, and have less side effects and drug-drug interactions.

Resultados de un programa multidisciplinario para el control del hábito tabáquico / Results of a multidisciplinary program to quit smoking

Background: Therapies to quit smoking are based on counseling, psychological therapy (PT), nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion or varenidine. Aim: To report the results of a multidisciplinary program to quit smoking Material and Methods: Patients agedl8years or more, motivated to quit smoking were admitted in a program based in counseling and PT, with or without pharmacological therapy. They were assessed by telephone during one year offollow up. Patients with unstable psychiatric diseases were excluded. Results were considered as "successful" when patients maintained abstinence during the year offollow up. A logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with treatment success. Results: Between 2005 and 2011, 198 patients aged 45 ± 11 years (56% males), who smoked 31.5 ± 20.6 packages/year, were treated. Ofthese, 155 (78%) were treated with varenidine, 26 (13%) with bupropion and 17 (9%>) did not receive pharmacological therapy. One hundred sixty eightpatients completed the year offollow up. In 82 (49%>), treatment was successful and was negatively associated with a history of depression (odds ratio = 4 (95% confidence intervals 1.23-38.33). The main side effeets associated to varenidine and bupropion were nausea in 37 and 23%o, sleep disorders in 20 and 19%o and headache in 12 and 0%>, respectively Conclusions: A multidisciplinary program to quit smoking achieved a 49%> of abstinence during a year offollow up.

Tratamiento farmacológico del tabaquismo / Pharmacotherapy for tobbaco dependence

Currently, tobacco smoking is considered to be a chronic systemic disease that belongs to the group of addictions. Nicotine is the responsible substance of this dependence, producing a variety of disorders at the central nervous system, mainly through a raise of the dopamine levels. Tobacco dependence treatment has two main branches: psychosocial and pharmacological. Nicotine replacement therapy, Bupropion and Varenicline have been approved by the FDA as first-line treatments for nicotine dependence. There are some second-line drugs, such as Clonidine and Nortriptyline that have shown less efficacy and more adverse effects. Currently there are many other drugs in research, such as antinicotine vaccine and Rimonobant, that will probably be available for its use in the coming years. The current review analyzes the pharmacological choices existing today for treating tobacco dependence and those coming in the future.

Actualmente se considera que el tabaquismo es una enfermedad crónica sistémica, perteneciente al grupo de las adicciones. La nicotina es la sustancia responsable de esta dependencia, produciendo una serie de alteraciones en el SNC, principalmente mediante el aumento de dopamina. El tratamiento del tabaquismo incluye dos componentes: psicosocial y farmacológico. Hasta la actualidad, la FDA ha aprobado 3 medicamentos que han demostrado ser eficaces: Terapia de reemplazo de Nicotina, Bupropión y Vareniclina. Además existen drogas de segunda línea, como la Clonidina y Nortriptilina, menos eficaces y con mayores efectos adversos. Actualmente, hay muchos otros medicamentos en investigación, entre otros la Vacuna antinicotina y el Rimonobant, que probablemente estarán disponibles para su uso en los próximos años. En este artículo se analizan las alternativas farmacológicas existentes hoy en día para el tratamiento del tabaquismo y lo que podría venir en el futuro.

Unilateral dysphotopsia after bilateral intraocular lens implantation using the AR40e IOL model: case report

The authors report a recent complication during the postoperative period of cataract surgery. A patient was submitted to cataract surgery in both eyes with IOL implantation (Sensar®) inside the capsular bag. The postoperative period of right eye was uneventful, however, in the left eye the patient noted a dark shadow at the temporal visual field at the first postoperative week. This diagnosis was confirmed with the presence of a temporal scotoma revealed by the computerized visual field (first reported in this study) and also reducing the pupil area with miotic drops. The treatment of this complication was performed by using brimonidine tartrate and after 6 months this symptom completely disappeared as confirmed by the computerized visual field. The treatment should be based on reducing the pupil area with miotic drops and we also recommend to observe these cases until the 6th postoperative month before indicating an IOL exchange since the capsular edge that overlaps the IOL may opacify creating an optical barrier reducing or eliminating negative dysphotopsia.

Os autores relatam uma complicação no período pós-operatório relativamente recente na cirurgia de catarata. Trata-se de paciente que foi submetido à cirurgia de catarata bilateral não simultânea com implante sacular da lente intra-ocular (Sensar®). O pós-operatório do olho direito evoluiu sem nenhuma queixa, entretanto, no olho esquerdo o paciente referiu a presença de uma sombra em campo visual temporal na primeira semana de pós-operatório sendo diagnosticado disfotopsia negativa após exclusão de outras causas oculares, principalmente retinianas. Este diagnóstico foi confirmado com a presença de um escotoma temporal na campimetria visual computadorizada (relatado na literatura pela primeira vez neste estudo) e também com a redução medicamentosa do tamanho da pupila. Seu tratamento foi realizado com a administração de tartarato de brimonidina e após 6 meses o sintoma desapareceu sendo também documentado com o campo visual (ausência de escotoma). A disfotopsia negativa deve ser tratada visando reduzir a área pupilar e observar por pelo menos 6 meses antes de indicar a troca do lente intra-ocular, uma vez que a cápsula anterior que cobre a LIO pode opacificar criando uma barreira óptica reduzindo ou eliminando esta complicação.

Efficacy of brimonidine 0.2 per cent as adjunctive therapy to beta-blockers: a comparative study between POAG and CACG in Asian eyes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety profile of brimonidine as adjunctive therapy to beta-blockers between primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and chronic angle closure glaucoma (CACG) in Asian eyes. DESIGN: Three-months, open-label, prospective study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three patients (35 eyes) with POAG and 25 patients (39 eyes) with CACG were enrolled in the study. INTERVENTION: Patients with POAG or CACG post iridectomy whose IOP was inadequately controlled with topical beta-blocker monotherapy were included. Then, brimonidine 0.2 per cent was added twice daily in both groups. Study visit occurred at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed in all visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Efficacy was determined by reduction in IOP from baseline and tolerability was assessed by reports of adverse events. RESULTS: After 3 months of brimonidine adjunctive treatment, the mean (+/- SEM) IOP reduction were 4.37+/-0.34 mmHg (19.4%) in POAG and 4.54+/-0.37 mmHg (20.1%) in CACG (p= 0.741). No serious ocular or systemic adverse event was reported. CONCLUSION: Brimonidine was well tolerated, efficacious and provided additive IOP reduction in POAG and CACG.

Neuroprotective agents in acute ischemic stroke.

The concept of neuroprotection relies on the principle that delayed neuronal injury occurs after ischemia. The phenomenon of the "ischemic cascade" has been described, and each step along this cascade provides a target for therapeutic intervention. A wide variety of drugs have been studied in humans. Ten classes of neuroprotective agents have reached phase III efficacy trials but have shown mixed results. They included calcium channel antagonists, NMDA receptor antagonists, lubeluzole, CDP-choline, the free radical scavenger tirilazad and ebselen, enlimomab, GABA agonist clomethiazole, the sodium channel antagonist fosphenytoin, magnesium, glycine site antagonist GV150526 and piracetam. Furthermore, the mechanisms that underlie the development of focal ischemic injury continue to be discovered, opening new therapeutic perspective for neuroprotection that might clinically be applicable in the future.

Efeito da brimonidina na circulaçäo retrobulbar em pacientes com glaucoma: estudo com doppler colorido / Effect of brimonidine on the retrobulbar circulation in glaucomatous patients: study with color doppler

Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do tartarato de brimonidina a 0,2 por cento tópico, ins-tilado de 12/12 horas, na circulaçäo retrobulbar em pacientes portadores de glaucoma. Métodos: Foram estudados os 2 olhos de 16 pacientes portadores de glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto e glaucoma crônico de ângulo estreito com iridotomia. Usando o Doppler colorido foram avaliados: velocidade sistólica máxima, velocidade diastólica final e índice de resistência das artéria central da retina, artéria ciliar posterior curta temporal e artéria oftálmica. As avaliaçöes foram feitas antes e depois do uso da brimonidina. Resultados: O tartarato de brimonidina a 0,2 por cento aumentou significativamente a velocidade sistólica máxima (28,24 para 34,23 cm/seg) e velocidade diastólica final (6,62 para 8,10 cm/seg) no olho direito e reduziu o índice de resistência (0,75 para 0,71) no olho esquerdo da artéria oftálmica. Conclusäo: O tartarato de brimonidina 0,2 por cento 2x/dia aumentou significativamente a velocidade sistólica máxima e velocidade diastólica final e reduziu índice de resistência da artéria oftálmica de pacientes glaucomatosos. Este efeito sugere que a brimonidina pode beneficiar pacientes glaucomatosos com insuficiência vascular na cabe-ça do nervo óptico.