ABSTRACT
Intravenous drug addiction (IVD) is an unfrequent risk factor in Argentina, representing less than 10% of patients (pts) with chronic HCV infection seen in our Unit. In order to study the genotypes (Gt) in IVD and compare them with a non drug addicted control population, 68 pts with a history of IVD were enrolled in this study and compared with 68 non drug addict (NDA) pts with chronic HCV, with similar age and gender distribution. In all pts a liver biopsy was performed. Genotyping was done by INNO LiPA (Innogenetics, Belgium). Mean age in both groups was 35 +/- 7.8 years and 50 were males. No difference was observed between both groups in the prevalence of Gt1a, Gt2a/c and in those with mixed infections. The prevalence of Gt1b in IVD was 19.1% and in NDA 38.2% (p = 0.0228). A highly significant difference was also observed in the prevalence of Gt3a, of 42.6% in IVD and only 11.8% in NDA (p = 0.0001). Gt1a was the second most frequent genotype in IVD pts (26.5%). Simultaneous HIV infection was present in 8 IVD pts (11.8%) and in none of NDA group. Liver biopsies showed a higher prevalence of mild chronic hepatitis in NDA (57.3%) than in IVD (32.4%) (p = 0.0058). Severe chronic hepatitis with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was more frequent in the Gt3 of the group with IVD when compared with Gt3 of the NDA group. It can be concluded that in accordance with other geographical areas, Gt3a is far more prevalent in intravenous drugs addicts than in the general population in Argentina where Gt1b is more frequent. Mild forms of chronic hepatitis are less frequent in IVD. In spite of the relatively small group with HCV co-infection with HIV, it seems important to note that 2/8 (25%) showed severe hepatitis C or cirrhosis.
Subject(s)
Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/complications , Adult , Age Factors , Argentina/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Female , Genotype , Hepatitis C, Chronic/epidemiology , Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology , Humans , Male , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Intravenous drug addiction (IVD) is an unfrequent risk factor in Argentina, representing less than 10
of patients (pts) with chronic HCV infection seen in our Unit. In order to study the genotypes (Gt) in IVD and compare them with a non drug addicted control population, 68 pts with a history of IVD were enrolled in this study and compared with 68 non drug addict (NDA) pts with chronic HCV, with similar age and gender distribution. In all pts a liver biopsy was performed. Genotyping was done by INNO LiPA (Innogenetics, Belgium). Mean age in both groups was 35 +/- 7.8 years and 50 were males. No difference was observed between both groups in the prevalence of Gt1a, Gt2a/c and in those with mixed infections. The prevalence of Gt1b in IVD was 19.1
and in NDA 38.2
(p = 0.0228). A highly significant difference was also observed in the prevalence of Gt3a, of 42.6
in IVD and only 11.8
in NDA (p = 0.0001). Gt1a was the second most frequent genotype in IVD pts (26.5
). Simultaneous HIV infection was present in 8 IVD pts (11.8
) and in none of NDA group. Liver biopsies showed a higher prevalence of mild chronic hepatitis in NDA (57.3
) than in IVD (32.4
) (p = 0.0058). Severe chronic hepatitis with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was more frequent in the Gt3 of the group with IVD when compared with Gt3 of the NDA group. It can be concluded that in accordance with other geographical areas, Gt3a is far more prevalent in intravenous drugs addicts than in the general population in Argentina where Gt1b is more frequent. Mild forms of chronic hepatitis are less frequent in IVD. In spite of the relatively small group with HCV co-infection with HIV, it seems important to note that 2/8 (25
) showed severe hepatitis C or cirrhosis.
ABSTRACT
Five cases (four females, one male) of ketoconazole-related liver damage are presented, two of whom died. All patients received ketoconazole (400 mg/day) for various mycoses. In the four women the first signs of hepatotoxicity appeared after four weeks of therapy. One fatal case developed massive necrosis with fulminant liver failure and the other, submassive necrosis. In four cases cholestasis was a prominent finding. Biochemical evidence of biliary stasis may persist for several months, as occurred in the three surviving patients of our series. The two fatal cases continued receiving the drug in spite of its adverse effects. Consequently, repeated evaluation is recommended to detect early signs of liver environment.
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/adverse effects , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury , Ketoconazole/adverse effects , Adult , Aged , Fatal Outcome , Female , Humans , Liver/pathology , Liver Diseases/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , NecrosisABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers are found with high frequency in immunocompromised individuals. In order to find out if this is also true for the hepatitis C virus (HCV), we have analyzed a group (G.1) of 46 patients (pts.) with Down syndrome, situation known to be associated with immunodepression G. 1. We compared them with a G. of 310 mentally retarded pts. without Down syndrome G. 2 and without evidence of immunological disfunction. All of them were studied for infection with HBV. All pts. in G. 1 and G. 2 were also tested for HCV. The pts. have been hospitalized in a specialized medical institution for mentally retarded on a long term basis and were followed during 1 year. Finally G 3 was composed of 5454 voluntary blood donors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In all pts. search for HBV infection markers (anti-HBc, HBsAg, HBeAg by EIA test and HBV-DNA by nucleic acids hybridization) were performed. Search for HCV markers was done by a second generation EIA kit (Abbott Hepatitis C (rDNA) (Antigen). RESULTS: HBsAg was found to be positive in 12/46 (26%) of G. I and 25/310 (8%) of G. II (p < 0.001). HBeAg was positive in 8/12 (67%) of G. I and in 2/25 (8%) of G. II (p < 0.001). All HBeAg positive pts. had elevated values of DNA-HBV. In G. I, 4/12 (33%) pts. lost HBeAg during the observation period, one of them remained HBV-DNA positive and none become HBsAg negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
