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Spaziante M, Taliani G, Marchetti G, Tavelli A, Lichtner M, Cingolani A, Cicalini S, Biliotti E, Girardi E, Antinori A, Puoti M, d’Arminio Monforte A, Cozzi-Lepri A. Impact of HCV Eradication on Lipid Metabolism in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: Data from ICONA and HepaICONA Foundation Cohort Study. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071402. [PMID: 34372608 PMCID: PMC8310285 DOI: 10.3390/v13071402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES HCV shows complex interactions with lipid metabolism. Our aim was to examine total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) changes in HIV/HCV coinfected patients, after achieving sustained virological response (SVR), according to different HCV genotypes and specific antiretroviral use. METHODS HIV/HCV coinfected patients, enrolled in the ICONA and HepaICONA cohorts, who achieved DAA-driven SVR were included. Paired t-tests were used to examine whether the pre- and post-SVR laboratory value variations were significantly different from zero. ANCOVA regression models were employed to estimate the causal effect of SVR and of PI/r use on lipid changes. The interaction between the effect of eradication and HCV genotype was formally tested. RESULTS six hundred and ninety-nine HIV/HCV coinfected patients were enrolled. After HCV eradication, a significant improvement in liver function occurred, with a significant decrease in AST, ALT, GGT, and total plasmatic bilirubin. TC and LDL-C significantly increased by 21.4 mg/dL and 22.4 mg/dL, respectively (p < 0.001), after SVR, whereas there was no evidence for a change in HDL-C (p = 0.45) and triglycerides (p = 0.49). Notably, the TC and LDL-C increase was higher for participants who were receiving darunavir/ritonavir, and the TC showed a more pronounced increase among HCV genotype 3 patients (interaction-p value = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS complex and rapid changes in TC and LDL-C levels, modulated by HCV genotype and PI/r-based ART combinations, occurred in HIV/HCV coinfected patients after SVR. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical impact of these changes on the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Spaziante
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Gloria Taliani
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Task Force Anti-COVID, AORN San Giuseppe Moscati, 83100 Avellino, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Giulia Marchetti
- ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Clinic of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (A.d.M.)
| | | | - Miriam Lichtner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, La Sapienza University, Polo Pontino, 04100 Latina, Italy;
| | - Antonella Cingolani
- Institute of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Stefania Cicalini
- HIV/AIDS Clinical Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Elisa Biliotti
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Enrico Girardi
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (E.G.)
| | - Andrea Antinori
- HIV/AIDS Clinical Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Massimo Puoti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, 20162 Milan, Italy;
| | - Antonella d’Arminio Monforte
- ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Clinic of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (G.M.); (A.d.M.)
| | - Alessandro Cozzi-Lepri
- Centre for Clinical Research, Epidemiology, Modelling and Evaluation (CREME), Institute for Global Health, UCL, London WC1N 1EH, UK;
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Plasma Inflammatory Biomarkers Associated with Advanced Liver Fibrosis in HIV-HCV-Coinfected Individuals. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17249474. [PMID: 33348839 PMCID: PMC7766690 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV and HCV coinfection leads to accelerated liver fibrosis, in which microbial translocation and systemic inflammation might play important roles. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to provide an extensive profile of the plasma microbial translocation and inflammation biomarkers associated with advanced liver fibrosis among HIV-HCV-coinfected patients. METHODS This cross-sectional study recruited 343 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) from a rural prefecture of Yunnan province in Southwest China. The plasma concentrations of sCD14 and 27 cytokines and chemokines were assayed and compared against advanced or mild levels of liver fibrosis. RESULTS Of the 343 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients, 188 (54.8%) had severe or advanced liver fibrosis (FIB-4 > 3.25). The patients with advanced liver fibrosis (FIB-4 > 3.25 vs. FIB-4 ≤ 3.25) had higher plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-basic), and Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Multivariable logistic regression models showed that advanced liver fibrosis was associated with an increased plasma level of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, IL-17, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, MCP-1, Eotaxin, and FGF-basic, with FGF-basic continuing to be positively and significantly associated with advanced liver fibrosis, after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.92; 95%CI: 1.32-2.81; p = 0.001). Plasma sCD14 was also significantly associated with advanced liver fibrosis (aOR = 1.13; 95%CI: 1.01-1.30; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS HIV-HCV-coinfected patients are living with a high prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis which coexists with a mixture of elevated plasma inflammation and microbial translocation biomarkers. The significant associations of advanced liver fibrosis with FGF-basic and sCD14 may reveal pathogenic mechanisms and potential clinical intervention targets for liver fibrosis in HCV-HIV coinfection.
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Risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV infection undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Rev Clin Esp 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rceng.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Barré T, Protopopescu C, Bani-Sadr F, Piroth L, Rojas Rojas T, Salmon-Ceron D, Wittkop L, Esterle L, Sogni P, Lacombe K, Chas J, Zaegel O, Chaix ML, Miailhes P, Serfaty L, Marcellin F, Carrieri MP. Elevated Fatty Liver Index as a Risk Factor for All-Cause Mortality in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Hepatitis C Virus-Coinfected Patients (ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH Cohort Study). Hepatology 2020; 71:1182-1197. [PMID: 31466125 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients are at high risk of metabolic complications and liver-related events, which are both associated with hepatic steatosis and its progressive form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a known risk factor for mortality. The fatty liver index (FLI), a noninvasive steatosis biomarker, has recently drawn attention for its clinical prognostic value, although its capacity to predict mortality risk in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients has never been investigated. Using a Cox proportional hazards model for mortality from all causes, with data from the French National Agency for Research on Aids and Viral Hepatitis CO13 HEPAVIH cohort (983 patients, 4,432 visits), we tested whether elevated FLI (≥60) was associated with all-cause mortality. APPROACH AND RESULTS After multiple adjustment, individuals with FLI ≥ 60 had almost double the risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.91 [1.17-3.12], P = 0.009), independently of the following factors: HCV cure (0.21 [0.07-0.61], P = 0.004), advanced fibrosis (1.77 [1.00-3.14], P = 0.05), history of hepatocellular carcinoma and/or liver transplantation (7.74 [3.82-15.69], P < 10-3 ), history of indirect clinical signs of cirrhosis (2.80 [1.22-6.41], P = 0.015), and HIV Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical stage C (2.88 [1.74-4.79], P < 10-3 ). CONCLUSIONS An elevated FLI (≥60) is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients independently of liver fibrosis and HCV cure. In the present era of nearly 100% HCV cure rates thanks to direct-acting antivirals, these findings encourage the more systematic use of noninvasive steatosis biomarkers to help identify coinfected patients with higher mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tangui Barré
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, Marseille, France.,ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Camelia Protopopescu
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, Marseille, France.,ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Firouzé Bani-Sadr
- Unité des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Reims, Hôpital Robert Debré, Reims, France.,Université Reims Champagne Ardenne, EA-4684/SFR CAP-SANTE, Reims, France
| | - Lionel Piroth
- Département d'infectiologie, CHU de Dijon, Inserm CIC 1432, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Teresa Rojas Rojas
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, Marseille, France.,ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Dominique Salmon-Ceron
- Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Linda Wittkop
- Université de Bordeaux, ISPED, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team MORPH3EUS, UMR 1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France.,Service d'information Médicale, CHU de Bordeaux, Pôle de santé publique, Bordeaux, France
| | - Laure Esterle
- Université de Bordeaux, ISPED, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Team MORPH3EUS, UMR 1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
| | - Philippe Sogni
- Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.,INSERM U1223, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Service d'Hépatologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Saint-Antoine Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, INSERM, UPMC Université de Paris 06, Institut Pierre Louis d'épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP UMRS 1136), Paris, France
| | - Julie Chas
- Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France
| | - Olivia Zaegel
- Service d'Immuno-Hématologie Clinique, Aix-Marseille Université, APHM Sainte-Marguerite, Marseille, France
| | - Marie-Laure Chaix
- Department of Virology, National Reference Centre for HIV, Denis Diderot-Paris 7 University, INSERM U941, APHP, Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Miailhes
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Lyon, France
| | - Lawrence Serfaty
- Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Hôpital Hautepierre, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, INSERM UMR 938, Université Paris Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Marcellin
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, Marseille, France.,ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Maria Patrizia Carrieri
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, Marseille, France.,ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
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Estrada V, Domingo P, Suarez-Lozano I, Gutiérrez F, Knobel H, Palacios R, Antela A, Blanco JR, Refoyo E. Risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV infection undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Rev Clin Esp 2019; 220:149-154. [PMID: 31690452 DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increased survival of patients with HIV infection thanks to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is accompanied by a higher rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We analysed the prevalence of the cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) and estimated the risk of CVD in a cohort of patients with HIV in Spain. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study of CRFs in the Spanish VACH cohort of patients with HIV who undergo ART. RESULTS The study assessed 15,559 patients with HIV (76% men; mean age, 46 years). Some 3.7% had experienced at least 1 CVD event. The prevalence of CRFs was high (hyperlipidaemia, 64%; tobacco use, 47%; arterial hypertension, 22%; and diabetes, 16%). According to the Framingham scale, 10.9% of the patients presented a high CVD risk, and 28.8% presented a moderate risk. Of the patients with a high CVD risk, 49% took protease inhibitors and 43% took abacavir. Fifty-three percent of the patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension took antihypertensive drugs, and 2.6% of the patients with diabetes took antidiabetic agents. CONCLUSIONS Classical CRFs are common in patients with HIV undergoing ART in Spain, and a large proportion of them have a moderate-high risk of CVD. Therefore, controlling the modifiable CRFs in patients with HIV should be improved, and the use of drugs with a better cardiovascular risk profile should be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Estrada
- Hospital Clínico San Carlos-IdiSSC, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
| | - P Domingo
- Hospital Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | | | - F Gutiérrez
- Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, España
| | - H Knobel
- Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España
| | - R Palacios
- Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, España
| | - A Antela
- Hospital Clínico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela, España
| | - J R Blanco
- Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, España
| | - E Refoyo
- Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España
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Sansom SE, Martin J, Adeyemi O, Burke K, Winston C, Markham S, Go B, Huhn G. Steatosis Rates by Liver Biopsy and Transient Elastography With Controlled Attenuation Parameter in Clinical Experience of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus/HCV Coinfection in a Large US Hepatitis Clinic. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz099. [PMID: 30968054 PMCID: PMC6451651 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Steatosis contributes to liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV coinfection. Liver biopsy (LB) is the reference standard for grading steatosis and staging fibrosis, yet recent advances in noninvasive modalities have largely supplanted LB, which may limit recognition of steatosis. We evaluated steatosis rates by LB and transient elastography (TE) with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) among HCV-infected and HIV/HCV-coinfected patients in a US clinic. Methods Patients with chronic HCV infection during pretreatment evaluation by LB (n = 421; December 2001 through May 2014) and TE with CAP (n = 1157; May 2016 through May 2017) were included. Fibrosis and steatosis rates by LB and TE with CAP were stratified by HCV versus HIV/HCV coinfection status. Results Steatosis was not reported in 26.1% of LBs. Moderate to severe steatosis (grade ≥S2) was detected more often with CAP than with LB (in 24.0% vs 11.4% of patients, respectively). Median CAP values were higher in patients with HCV monoinfection than in those with coinfection (230 vs 215.5 dB/m, respectively; P < .001). With TE, the rate of advanced fibrosis (values F3–F4) was higher in HCV monoinfection than in coinfection (25.9% vs 14.8%, respectively; P <.001). With both LB and TE, advanced fibrosis (F3–F4) was significantly associated with moderate to severe steatosis (S2–S3) in HCV monoinfection compared with HIV/HCV coinfection (33.3% vs 4.4%, respectively for LB [P = 0.003] and 36.0% vs 29.0% for TE [P = 0.008]). Conclusions In patients with chronic HCV undergoing liver fibrosis staging, steatosis was detected more often with CAP than LB, with median CAP values higher in HCV monoinfection than HIV/HCV coinfection. Steatosis severity may be increasing in the modern HCV treatment era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Sansom
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois.,Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jonathan Martin
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois.,Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Oluwatoyin Adeyemi
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois.,Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | | | - Sara Markham
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Benjamin Go
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gregory Huhn
- Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, Chicago, Illinois.,Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
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Infection by HTLV-1 Is Associated With High Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines in HIV-HCV-Coinfected Patients. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2018; 77:230-234. [PMID: 29084047 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) share the same routes of infection, making coinfection by these viruses a frequent finding in endemic areas. However, there is scarce information on the clinical/immunological consequences of triple infection. Coinfection by HTLV-1 is able to modulate cytokine's production in patients with HIV, but there are no data on the immune response of HIV-HCV-HTLV-1-infected patients. METHODS We compared the plasma levels of 25 different cytokines in patients with HIV-HCV, according to their serostatus to HTLV-1 infection. Eligible patients should be on stable highly active antiretroviral therapy and have undetectable HIV-1 plasma viral load for, at least, 12 months. Cytokines levels were also evaluated by CD4 cells count, rates of sustained virological response (SVR) to previous HCV treatment, frequency of spontaneous HCV clearance, and HCV/IFN-λ3 genotypes. RESULTS Twenty-five patients (15 coinfected by HIV and HCV, 10 coinfected by HIV, HCV, and HTLV-1) were evaluated. Among the triply infected group, 3 had undetectable HCV viremia (spontaneous clearance). All but one remaining patients were previously treated for HCV, with similar SVR rates (∼29%). Cytokines levels did not differ per HCV/IFN-λ3 genotypes, mean CD4 cells count, age, sex, or SVR. However, patients coinfected by HTLV-1 showed significantly higher levels of IL-1b, IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, RANTES, and interferon-induced protein 10 (IP-10) than HIV-HCV-coinfected ones. Patients presenting HCV spontaneous clearance had the highest levels of cytokines. CONCLUSIONS Coinfection by HTLV-1 increases the plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines of patients with HIV-HCV and can influence the outcomes of coinfected patients.
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Primary Biliary Cholangitis: advances in management and treatment of the disease. Dig Liver Dis 2017; 49:841-846. [PMID: 28546061 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Primary Biliary Cholangitis, previously known as Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, is a rare disease, which mainly affects women in their fifth to seventh decades of life. It is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by a progressive damage of interlobular bile ducts leading to ductopenia, chronic cholestasis and bile acids retention. Even if the disease usually presents a long asymptomatic phase and a slow progression, in many patients it may progress faster toward cirrhosis and its complications. The 10year mortality is greater than in diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus/Hepatitis C Virus coinfection and breast cancer. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the only treatment available today, but even if effective in counteracting the disease progression for the majority of patients, in approximately 40% is not able to decrease effectively the alkaline phosphatase, a surrogate marker of disease activity. Recently, obeticholic acid received the European Medicines Agency conditional approval, as add on treatment in patients non responders or intolerant to ursodeoxycholic acid. The present paper illustrates the opinion of a working group, composed by clinical pharmacologists, gastroenterologists/hepatologists with specific expertise on Primary Biliary Cholangitis and patient associations, on the state of the art and future perspectives of the disease management. The agreement on the document was reached through an Expert Meeting.
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