BACKGROUND Non-invasive procedures such as acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) shear-wave elastography are currently used for the assessment of liver fibrosis. In the course of chronic hepatitis C, significant liver fibrosis or cirrhosis develops in approximately 25% of patients, which is a negative predictor of antiviral treatment response. Cirrhosis can be prevented by successful ...

Background: The response rates and duration of peginterferon alpha (PEG-IFN-a) and ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4, the prevalent genotype in the Middle East and Africa, are poorly documented. Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of 24, 36, or 48 weeks of PEG-IFN-a-2b and ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4. Methods: In this prospective, rando...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS A proportion of liver transplanted patients with recurrent chronic hepatitis have a sustained virological response to combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin. However, the long term benefit of antiviral therapy with regard to hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA clearance remains unknown in patients with HCV recurrence. This study examined the long term biochemical, virolo...

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C is far from ideal and presents several adverse events. Among such events, there is the depressive episode that can even lead to treatment discontinuity. OBJECTIVE Analyze the incidence of depressive episodes in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon (I...

Background and objective: A proportion of liver transplanted patients with recurrent chronic hepatitis have a sustained virological response to combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin. However, the long term benefit of antiviral therapy with regard to hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA clearance remains unknown in patients with HCV recurrence. This study examined the long term biochemical, ...

INTRODUCTION Hepatitis C virus reinfection occurs universally after liver transplantation with accelerated cirrhosis rates of up to 30% within 5 years after liver transplantation. Management of hepatitis C virus reinfection is complicated by drug interactions and pre-treatment. Dual antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin only reaches sustained virological response rates of ap...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; and liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to estimate hepatitis C virus disease progression and the burden of disease from a nationwide perspective. METHODS Using a model developed to forecast hepatitis C virus disease progression and the number of cases at each stage of liver disease; h...

Background: Egypt represents the highest prevalence of HCV worldwide. Identifying Predictive factors for response to antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection especially those with genotype 4 may provide information to optimize and/or individualize the treatment of HCV genotype 4 infected patients, thus improving antiviral response. Aim: To analyze the data fr...