OBJECTIVE To describe the epidemiological and genotypic profile of chronic hepatitis B infection in Northern Portugal. METHODS This survey comprised 358 subjects with positive serology for hepatitis B antigen for at least six months, recruited from specialist appointments in two hospitals in Northern Portugal between 2008 and 2009. Data were obtained from patient files, laboratory tests perfo...

Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are important worldwide problems. It is believed that 300 million people have been exposed to hepatitis B.' In Europe, based on a carrier rate in blood donors of 0 O/% and a population of 400 million, it is estimated that four million have been exposed to hepatitis C. Hepatocellular cancer is estimated to have an incidence of between 250 ...

Chronic liver disease is characterized by inflammation and fibrosis. Angiogenesis which leading to new vasculature may have prognostic value in disease progression. This study examined the implication of 5-lipoxygenase pathway and angiogenic factors in hepatic fibrosis progression and whether, the inhibition of arachidonic acid cascade product (cysteinyl leukotrienes) can represent a potential ...

BACKGROUND: Biochemical markers for liver fibrosis (FibroTest) and necroinflammatory features (ActiTest) are an alternative to liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Our aim was to assess the inter-laboratory variability of these tests, and their 6 components (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase, alpha2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, and total bil...

AIM To evaluate the efficiency of the treatment with Peginterferon alfa 2a 180 mcg/week, 48 weeks in patients with chronic hepatitis or compensated liver cirrhosis HDV and predictive factors of response to treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Prospective study that enrolled 50 patients with chronic hepatitis or compensated cirrhosis HDV between the 1st of January 2011 - 3st of December 2011. The d...

Since the licensing of lamivudine in 1999, the treatment of chronic hepatitis B has been revolutionized by the introduction of oral nucleoside and nucleotide analogues (NAs), which act as inhibitors of the HBV polymerase. The effectiveness of the first of these substances was limited by incomplete response and resistance development in many patients, but today, highly potent substances are avai...

Aim & Background: The mechanism of steatosis in Hepatitis C virus infection is multifactorial; therefore, it is complex and unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of methylentetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms on the course of chronic hepatitis C virus infection and the development of steatosis due to hepatitis C virus. Methods: This study included 109 p...

BACKGROUND/AIMS To evaluate the association between insulin resistance and hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 104 chronic hepatitis C patients were included in this non-interventional, open-label, observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study conducted at 20 gastroenterology clinics in Turkey. The primary end point was the correlation b...

AIM Liver biopsy (LB) is often essential for the diagnosis and staging of chronic viral hepatitis. The aim of our paper was to establish if the size of the biopsy needle influences the number of portal tracts obtained through LB. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective study on 596 echoassisted percutaneous LBs performed in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Timisoara...

Gastric mucosal damage by iron pills is often reported. However, iron pill aspiration is uncommon. Oxidation of the impacted iron pill causes bronchial mucosal damage that progresses to chronic bronchial inflammation, necrosis, endobronchial stenosis and rarely, perforation. We reported a case of a 92-year-old woman with chronic productive cough and significant left-sided atelectasis. Bronchosc...