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Roser P, Brunstein M, Specka M, Timm J, Kühnhold S, Schifano F, Bonnet U, Scherbaum N. Knowledge of, and attitude towards, the treatment of hepatitis C in people who inject drugs. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:160. [PMID: 39198822 PMCID: PMC11351267 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-01068-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) as a curative treatment of hepatitis C have been available for several years and have replaced interferon-containing therapies. However, treatment rates of people who inject drugs (PWID) are declining in Germany, putting the elimination of hepatitis C by 2030 at risk. This study aimed at elucidating the knowledge of, and attitude towards, hepatitis C treatment in a clinical sample of PWID. METHODS Participants were recruited between February 2019 and October 2020 at two opioid agonist therapy (OAT) clinics and two in-patient drug detoxification wards. Based on the European Addiction Severity Index (Europ-ASI), a standardized interview focusing on: sociodemographic data, drug history, risky behavior, infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV, and previous experience with HCV treatment was carried out. In addition, participants filled in a questionnaire evaluating 13 statements relating to HCV treatment (right/wrong) and 15 statements on their personal 'pros and cons' views to start such a treatment assessed with the means of a 6-point Likert scale. RESULTS A total of 153 patients (average age 45 years, male 78%; 106 (69.3%) currently in opioid maintenance treatment, 47 (30.7%) currently admitted to an inpatient detoxification) with an opioid use disorder were investigated. All of them reported having injected drugs at least once in their lives; 97 participants (63.3%) stated that they had been previously diagnosed with HCV infection. Among them, 27/97 patients (27.8%) reported a previous treatment with interferon; 27/97 (27.8%) with DAAs; and 32/97 (33.0%) reported a currently active hepatitis C. Most patients knew about the availability and efficacy of DAAs. However, DAAs' low rate of side effects, their short treatment duration, and their replacement of interferon, were not correctly evaluated by up to 50.3% of patients. 25-40% of 32 patients with currently active hepatitis C prioritized handling of social and other medical issues, e.g., reduction of heroin use, over treatment of hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS Although current levels of risky behavior have reportedly been reduced by active PWID over the past few years, educational and motivational interventions to increase hepatitis C treatment uptake should address the gaps in patients' knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Roser
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR University Hospital Essen, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147, Essen, Germany
- Center for Addictive Disorders, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Medical Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mona Brunstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR University Hospital Essen, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Michael Specka
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR University Hospital Essen, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Jörg Timm
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Kühnhold
- Department of Addiction Medicine, LWL Hospital Warstein, Warstein, Germany
| | - Fabrizio Schifano
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Udo Bonnet
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR University Hospital Essen, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147, Essen, Germany
- Department of Mental Health, Evangelic Hospital Castrop-Rauxel, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Castrop-Rauxel, Germany
| | - Norbert Scherbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LVR University Hospital Essen, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstr. 174, 45147, Essen, Germany.
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O'Brien SF, Ehsani-Moghaddam B, Osmond L, Fan W, Goldman M, Drews SJ. Epidemiology of Hepatitis C over 28 years of monitoring Canadian blood donors: Insight into a low-risk undiagnosed population. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:2319. [PMID: 39192303 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19790-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. About 70% (50-80%) of infections become chronic and exhibit anti-HCV and HCV nucleic acid (NAT) positivity. Direct acting oral pan genotypic antiviral treatment became available in 2014 and was free for most Canadians in 2018. Clinical screening for HCV infection is risk-based. About 1% of Canadians have been infected with HCV, with 0.5% chronically infected (about 25% unaware) disproportionately impacting marginalized groups. Blood donors are in good health, are deferred for risks such as injection drug use and can provide insight into the low-risk undiagnosed population. Here we describe HCV epidemiology in first-time blood donors over 28 years of monitoring. METHODS All first-time blood donors in all Canadian provinces except Quebec (1993 to 2021) were analyzed. All blood donations were tested for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) and since late 1999 also HCV NAT. A case-control study was also included. All HCV positive donors (cases) since 2005 and HCV negative donors (1:4 ratio controls) matched for age, sex and location were invited to complete a risk factor interview. Separate logistic regression models for anti-HCV positivity and chronic HCV assessed the association between age cohort, sex, region and neighbourhood material deprivation and ethnocultural concentration. CASE control data were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS There were 2,334,238 donors from 1993 to 2021 included. Prevalence for anti-HCV was 0.33% (0.30,0.37) in 1993 and 0.07% (0.05,0.09) in 2021 (p < 0.0001). In 2021 0.03% (0.01,0.04) had chronic HCV. Predictors for both anti-HCV positivity and chronic HCV were similar, for chronic HCV were male sex (OR 1.8, 1.6,2.1), birth between 1945 and 1975 (OR 7.1, 5.9,8.5), living in the western provinces (OR 1.4, 1.2,1.7) and living in material deprived (OR 2.7, 2.1,3.5) and more ethnocultural concentrated neighbourhoods (OR 1.8, 1.3,2.5). There were 318 (35.4%) of chronic HCV positive and 1272 (39.6%) of controls who participated in case control interviews. The strongest risks for acquisition were injection drug use (OR 96.9, 22.3,420.3) and birth in a high prevalence country (OR 24.5, 11.2,53.6). CONCLUSIONS Blood donors have 16 times lower HCV prevalence then the general population. Donors largely mirror population trends and highlight the ongoing prevalence of untreated infections in groups without obvious risks for acquisition missed by risk-based patient screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila F O'Brien
- Epidemiology & Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada.
- School of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada.
| | - Behrouz Ehsani-Moghaddam
- Epidemiology & Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Centre for Studies in Primary Care, Department of Family Medicine, Queens University, 220 Bagot Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3G2, Canada
| | - Lori Osmond
- Epidemiology & Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
| | - Wenli Fan
- Epidemiology & Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
| | - Mindy Goldman
- Donation and Policy Studies, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Steven J Drews
- Microbiology, Canadian Blood Services, 8249-114 Street, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 118 Street & 86 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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3
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Iman K, Mirza MU, Sadia F, Froeyen M, Trant JF, Chaudhary SU. Pharmacophore-Assisted Covalent Docking Identifies a Potential Covalent Inhibitor for Drug-Resistant Genotype 3 Variants of Hepatitis C Viral NS3/4A Serine Protease. Viruses 2024; 16:1250. [PMID: 39205224 PMCID: PMC11359326 DOI: 10.3390/v16081250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistance-inducing mutations in Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coupled with genotypic heterogeneity has made targeting NS3/4A serine protease difficult. In this work, we investigated the mutagenic variations in the binding pocket of Genotype 3 (G3) HCV NS3/4A and evaluated ligands for efficacious inhibition. We report mutations at 14 positions within the ligand-binding residues of HCV NS3/4A, including H57R and S139P within the catalytic triad. We then modelled each mutational variant for pharmacophore-based virtual screening (PBVS) followed by covalent docking towards identifying a potential covalent inhibitor, i.e., cpd-217. The binding stability of cpd-217 was then supported by molecular dynamic simulation followed by MM/GBSA binding free energy calculation. The free energy decomposition analysis indicated that the resistant mutants alter the HCV NS3/4A-ligand interaction, resulting in unbalanced energy distribution within the binding site, leading to drug resistance. Cpd-217 was identified as interacting with all NS3/4A G3 variants with significant covalent docking scores. In conclusion, cpd-217 emerges as a potential inhibitor of HCV NS3/4A G3 variants that warrants further in vitro and in vivo studies. This study provides a theoretical foundation for drug design and development targeting HCV G3 NS3/4A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanzal Iman
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
| | - Muhammad Usman Mirza
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Fazila Sadia
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
| | - Matheus Froeyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - John F. Trant
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada;
| | - Safee Ullah Chaudhary
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 36000, Pakistan; (K.I.); (F.S.)
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Chen B, Iqbal U, Desai SK, Gries J, Verheyen E, Xie M, El Halabi M, Gaines S, Weisberg I. The role of treatment of hepatitis C with direct-acting antiviral agents on glycaemic control in diabetic patients: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. J Viral Hepat 2024. [PMID: 39046172 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies suggested that successful clearance of chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) by using direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents could improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes; however, some studies failed to identify this benefit. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of sustained virologic response (SVR) after treatment with DAA agents on glycemic control. Embase, Scopus and PubMed were searched through March 26th, 2023, for all studies evaluating whether eradication of HCV infection with DAAs is associated with an impact on glycemic control. Only studies with data on glycemic control, including haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting glucose, or Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), at least 12-week post-SVR were included. Sixteen studies met our eligibility criteria and were included in qualitative analysis. The mean HbA1c was 8.05% (95% CI: 7.79%-8.31%) before treatment and 7.19% (95% CI: 6.98%-7.39%) after treatment. There was a significant mean absolute reduction in HbA1c of 0.72% (95% CI: 0.52%-0.93%) with high heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 91.7%). The reduction in HbA1c remained significant in the subgroup analysis at 3 months follow up post SVR [0.74% (95% CI: 0.57%-0.91%)] and at least 6 months follow up [0.66% (95% CI: 0.23%-1.10%)]. We found a significant reduction in HbA1C after SVR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, reflecting better glycemic control with HCV eradication. This data highlights an important extrahepatic benefit of HCV eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Shivani K Desai
- Department of Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacob Gries
- Department of Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Mengdan Xie
- MetroHealth/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Sara Gaines
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ilan Weisberg
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, USA
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Stroffolini T, Stroffolini G. Prevalence and Modes of Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Historical Worldwide Review. Viruses 2024; 16:1115. [PMID: 39066277 PMCID: PMC11281430 DOI: 10.3390/v16071115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus infection affects over 58 million individuals and is responsible for 290,000 annual deaths. The infection spread in the past via blood transfusion and iatrogenic transmission due to the use of non-sterilized glass syringes mostly in developing countries (Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Egypt) but even in Italy. High-income countries have achieved successful results in preventing certain modes of transmission, particularly in ensuring the safety of blood and blood products, and to a lesser extent, reducing iatrogenic exposure. Conversely, in low-income countries, unscreened blood transfusions and non-sterile injection practices continue to play major roles, highlighting the stark inequalities between these regions. Currently, injection drug use is a major worldwide risk factor, with a growing trend even in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Emerging high-risk groups include men who have sex with men (MSM), individuals exposed to tattoo practices, and newborns of HCV-infected pregnant women. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy as a tool to eliminate infection by interrupting viral transmission from infected to susceptible individuals. However, the feasibility of this ambitious and overly optimistic program generates concern about the need for universal screening, diagnosis, linkage to care, and access to affordable DAA regimens. These goals are very hard to reach, especially in LMICs, due to the cost and availability of drugs, as well as the logistical complexities involved. Globally, only a small proportion of individuals infected with HCV have been tested, and an even smaller fraction of those have initiated DAA therapy. The absence of an effective vaccine is a major barrier to controlling HCV infection. Without a vaccine, the WHO project may remain merely an illusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Stroffolini
- Department of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giacomo Stroffolini
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Via Don A. Sempreboni, 5, 37024 Negrar, Verona, Italy
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Makovich Z, Radosavljevic I, Chapyala S, Handley G, Pena L, Mok S, Friedman M. Rationale for Hepatitis C Virus Treatment During Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in the Era of Novel Direct-Acting Antivirals. Dig Dis Sci 2024:10.1007/s10620-024-08541-3. [PMID: 38990268 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08541-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Untreated hepatitis C (HCV) infection in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can lead to worse outcomes. Traditionally, HSCT patients infected with HCV would wait until after immune reconstitution to receive HCV therapy, as the oncologic urgency of transplant would not allow time for a full preceding treatment course of HCV therapy. However, in the era of newer direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), we propose that concomitant treatment of HCV while undergoing HSCT is safe and feasible, while keeping in mind potential drug-drug interactions. METHODS A literature review was performed to summarize the available data on the impact of HCV on patients undergoing HSCT. Drug-drug interactions for DAA's and pertinent HSCT drugs were evaluated using Lexicomp online® and http://hep-druginteractions.org . RESULTS During HSCT, HCV appears to be a conditional risk factor for sinusoidal obstruction syndrome and a potential risk factor for graft versus host disease, both of which are associated with increased mortality. HCV reactivation and exacerbation may impact the use of chemotherapeutics, but available studies haven't shown impact specifically on HSCT. Limited case reports exist but demonstrate safe and effective use DAAs during HSCT. These, along with a drug-drug interaction review demonstrate agents such as sofosbuvir/velpatasvir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir are promising DAAs for use in HSCT. CONCLUSION HCV infection may worsen outcomes for patients undergoing HSCT. Concomitant treatment of HCV during HSCT using newer DAAs appears feasible and may improve patient morbidity and mortality, however large-scale studies are needed to further support this practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Makovich
- University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA.
| | - Ivana Radosavljevic
- University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA
| | - Shreya Chapyala
- University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL, 33602, USA
| | - Guy Handley
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Luis Pena
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Shaffer Mok
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Mark Friedman
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
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7
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Ray CM, Panaccione R, Ma C. A practical guide to combination advanced therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:251-257. [PMID: 38662117 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000001033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To provide an overview of the current literature regarding the use of advanced combination therapy (ACT) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although the treatment of IBD has come a long way, many patients do not respond or will lose response to currently available treatments over time. ACT has been proposed as a model to create sustained remission in difficult-to-treat IBD patient populations. This review discusses the available literature supporting the use of ACT, followed by practical tips for applying this model of treatment to clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS Both observational and controlled evidence have demonstrated that there may be an increased benefit of ACT in specific IBD patient populations compared to advanced targeted immunomodulator (TIM) monotherapy. Additional data is required to understand how to best use combination TIMs and the long-term risks associated with this strategy. SUMMARY While the literature has demonstrated the potential for benefit in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the use of ACT is currently off-label and long-term controlled data is needed. The successful application of ACT requires careful consideration of both patient and disease profiles as well as close monitoring of treatment response and adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Remo Panaccione
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine
| | - Christopher Ma
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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8
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Mestareehi A. Global Gene Expression Profiling and Bioinformatics Analysis Reveal Downregulated Biomarkers as Potential Indicators for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:26075-26096. [PMID: 38911766 PMCID: PMC11191119 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Objective: The study aimed to elucidate the significance of CLEC4G, CAMK2β, SLC22A1, CBFA2T3, and STAB2 in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and their associated molecular biological characteristics. Additionally, the research sought to identify new potential biomarkers with therapeutic and diagnostic relevance for clinical applications. Methods and Materials: We utilized a publicly available high throughput phosphoproteomics and proteomics data set of HCC to focus on the analysis of 12 downregulated phosphoproteins in HCC. Our approach integrates bioinformatic analysis with pathway analysis, encompassing gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and the construction of a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Results: In total, we quantified 11547 phosphorylation sites associated with 4043 phosphoproteins from a cohort of 159 HCC patients. Within this extensive data set, our specific focus was on 19 phosphorylation sites displaying significant downregulation (log2 FC ≤ -2 with p-values < 0.0001). Remarkably, our investigation revealed distinct pathways exhibiting differential regulation across multiple dimensions, including the genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic levels. These pathways encompass a wide range of critical cellular processes, including cellular component organization, cell cycle control, signaling pathways, transcriptional and translational control, and metabolism. Furthermore, our bioinformatics analysis unveiled noteworthy insights into the subcellular localizations, biological processes, and molecular functions associated with these proteins and phosphoproteins. Within the context of the PPI network, we identified 12 key genes CLEC4G, STAB2, ADH1A, ADH1B, CAMK2B, ADH4, CHGB, PYGL, ADH1C, AKAP12, CBFA2T3, and SLC22A1 as the top highly interconnected hub genes. Conclusions: The findings related to CLEC4G, ADH1B, SLC22A1, CAMK2β, CBFA2T3, and STAB2 indicate their reduced expression in HCC, which is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Furthermore, the results of KEGG and GO pathway analyses suggest that these genes may impact liver cancer by engaging various targets and pathways, ultimately promoting the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. These results underscore the significant potential of CLEC4G, ADH1B, SLC22A1, CAMK2β, CBFA2T3, and STAB2 as key contributors to HCC development and advancement. This insight holds promise for identifying therapeutic targets and charting research avenues to enhance our understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aktham Mestareehi
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isra University, P.O. Box 22, Amman 11622, Jordan
- School
of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43202, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
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9
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Zakirova NF, Khomich OA, Smirnova OA, Molle J, Duponchel S, Yanvarev DV, Valuev-Elliston VT, Monnier L, Grigorov B, Ivanova ON, Karpenko IL, Golikov MV, Bovet C, Rindlisbacher B, Khomutov AR, Kochetkov SN, Bartosch B, Ivanov AV. Hepatitis C Virus Dysregulates Polyamine and Proline Metabolism and Perturbs the Urea Cycle. Cells 2024; 13:1036. [PMID: 38920664 PMCID: PMC11201506 DOI: 10.3390/cells13121036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an oncogenic virus that causes chronic liver disease in more than 80% of patients. During the last decade, efficient direct-acting antivirals were introduced into clinical practice. However, clearance of the virus does not reduce the risk of end-stage liver diseases to the level observed in patients who have never been infected. So, investigation of HCV pathogenesis is still warranted. Virus-induced changes in cell metabolism contribute to the development of HCV-associated liver pathologies. Here, we studied the impact of the virus on the metabolism of polyamines and proline as well as on the urea cycle, which plays a crucial role in liver function. It was found that HCV strongly suppresses the expression of arginase, a key enzyme of the urea cycle, leading to the accumulation of arginine, and up-regulates proline oxidase with a concomitant decrease in proline concentrations. The addition of exogenous proline moderately suppressed viral replication. HCV up-regulated transcription but suppressed protein levels of polyamine-metabolizing enzymes. This resulted in a decrease in polyamine content in infected cells. Finally, compounds targeting polyamine metabolism demonstrated pronounced antiviral activity, pointing to spermine and spermidine as compounds affecting HCV replication. These data expand our understanding of HCV's imprint on cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia F. Zakirova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Olga A. Khomich
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Olga A. Smirnova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Jennifer Molle
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Sarah Duponchel
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Dmitry V. Yanvarev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Vladimir T. Valuev-Elliston
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Lea Monnier
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Boyan Grigorov
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Olga N. Ivanova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Inna L. Karpenko
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Mikhail V. Golikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Cedric Bovet
- University Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland; (C.B.); (B.R.)
| | - Barbara Rindlisbacher
- University Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland; (C.B.); (B.R.)
| | - Alex R. Khomutov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Sergey N. Kochetkov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
| | - Birke Bartosch
- INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69434 Lyon, France; (J.M.); (L.M.); (B.G.); (B.B.)
| | - Alexander V. Ivanov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (N.F.Z.); (O.A.K.); (O.A.S.); (D.V.Y.); (V.T.V.-E.); (O.N.I.); (I.L.K.); (M.V.G.); (A.R.K.); (S.N.K.)
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10
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Okano H, Mukai K, Nishimura A. Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment for Acute Hepatitis C in Japanese Patients: Clinical Course and Outcomes. Cureus 2024; 16:e61724. [PMID: 38975535 PMCID: PMC11225539 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
We diagnosed six cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection at our hospital between October 2003 and December 2022. During the same period, we diagnosed 402 cases of chronic HCV infection and 636 cases of acute hepatic injury. Acute HCV infection cases accounted for 1.4% of all HCV infections and 0.9% of all acute hepatic injury cases. The acute HCV infection group was younger, had more severe hepatitis, and exhibited higher levels of bilirubinemia compared to the chronic HCV infection group. Two acute HCV infection cases achieved spontaneous viral clearance, while the remaining four cases progressed to chronic infection and were treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Liver enzyme elevation and liver function deterioration did not differ significantly between the acute HCV and other acute liver injury groups. Notably, DAA treatment was equally effective for acute and chronic HCV cases (75% vs. 90%, p = 0.34). Early DAA treatment in acute cases might contribute to interrupting viral transmission among high-risk populations, such as people who inject drugs or men who have sex with men. While there are currently no specific guidelines for acute HCV infection treatment in Japan, our findings suggest that DAA therapy should be initiated immediately following diagnosis. Further studies with larger patient cohorts are warranted to confirm these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Okano
- Gastroenterology, Suzuka General Hospital, Suzuka, JPN
| | - Katsumi Mukai
- Gastroenterology, Suzuka General Hospital, Suzuka, JPN
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11
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Tsang CA, Tonzel J, Symum H, Kaufman HW, Meyer WA, Osinubi A, Thompson WW, Wester C. State-Specific Hepatitis C Virus Clearance Cascades - United States, 2013-2022. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2024; 73:495-500. [PMID: 38814852 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7321a4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
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12
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Sallam M, Khalil R. Contemporary Insights into Hepatitis C Virus: A Comprehensive Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1035. [PMID: 38930417 PMCID: PMC11205832 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant global health challenge. Approximately 50 million people were living with chronic hepatitis C based on the World Health Organization as of 2024, contributing extensively to global morbidity and mortality. The advent and approval of several direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens significantly improved HCV treatment, offering potentially high rates of cure for chronic hepatitis C. However, the promising aim of eventual HCV eradication remains challenging. Key challenges include the variability in DAA access across different regions, slightly variable response rates to DAAs across diverse patient populations and HCV genotypes/subtypes, and the emergence of resistance-associated substitutions (RASs), potentially conferring resistance to DAAs. Therefore, periodic reassessment of current HCV knowledge is needed. An up-to-date review on HCV is also necessitated based on the observed shifts in HCV epidemiological trends, continuous development and approval of therapeutic strategies, and changes in public health policies. Thus, the current comprehensive review aimed to integrate the latest knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches, treatment options and preventive strategies for HCV, with a particular focus on the current challenges associated with RASs and ongoing efforts in vaccine development. This review sought to provide healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers with the necessary insights to address the HCV burden more effectively. We aimed to highlight the progress made in managing and preventing HCV infection and to highlight the persistent barriers challenging the prevention of HCV infection. The overarching goal was to align with global health objectives towards reducing the burden of chronic hepatitis, aiming for its eventual elimination as a public health threat by 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Roaa Khalil
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
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13
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De Greve H, Fioravanti A. Single domain antibodies from camelids in the treatment of microbial infections. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1334829. [PMID: 38827746 PMCID: PMC11140111 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1334829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to pose significant global health challenges. In addition to the enduring burdens of ailments like malaria and HIV, the emergence of nosocomial outbreaks driven by antibiotic-resistant pathogens underscores the ongoing threats. Furthermore, recent infectious disease crises, exemplified by the Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, have intensified the pursuit of more effective and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Among the promising options, antibodies have garnered significant attention due to their favorable structural characteristics and versatile applications. Notably, nanobodies (Nbs), the smallest functional single-domain antibodies of heavy-chain only antibodies produced by camelids, exhibit remarkable capabilities in stable antigen binding. They offer unique advantages such as ease of expression and modification and enhanced stability, as well as improved hydrophilicity compared to conventional antibody fragments (antigen-binding fragments (Fab) or single-chain variable fragments (scFv)) that can aggregate due to their low solubility. Nanobodies directly target antigen epitopes or can be engineered into multivalent Nbs and Nb-fusion proteins, expanding their therapeutic potential. This review is dedicated to charting the progress in Nb research, particularly those derived from camelids, and highlighting their diverse applications in treating infectious diseases, spanning both human and animal contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri De Greve
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Antonella Fioravanti
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Fondazione ParSeC – Parco delle Scienze e della Cultura, Prato, Italy
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14
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Kamili S, Wester C. Advancing Diagnosis of Current Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Key to Hepatitis C Elimination in the United States. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:S313-S315. [PMID: 38466750 PMCID: PMC11078305 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
More than 2 million adults have hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States, and new infections continue to increase. Without treatment, HCV infection can lead to advanced liver disease and death. Treatment is recommended for nearly everyone with hepatitis C, resulting in a cure in >95% of people treated and raising the possibility of hepatitis C elimination. Testing is the first step to accessing life-saving treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis C screening for all adults, all pregnant persons, and anyone with risk; yet about one-third of people with hepatitis C remain unaware of their infection. Testing begins with a hepatitis C antibody test, followed, when reactive, by a nucleic acid test to detect HCV RNA. This antibody-first, 2-step testing strategy misses early infections and can result in incomplete diagnoses. Advancements in hepatitis C diagnostics and the US regulatory landscape have created an opportunity to include viral-first testing strategies and improve hepatitis C diagnosis. This journal supplement features 8 articles detailing challenges and opportunities for improving hepatitis C diagnostics in support of advancing hepatitis C elimination in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleem Kamili
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carolyn Wester
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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15
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Pearlman BL. Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection and Decompensated Cirrhosis. Dig Dis Sci 2024; 69:1551-1561. [PMID: 38580885 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08393-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and decompensated cirrhosis are an important population for antiviral therapy yet under-represented in clinical trials. HCV direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies, unlike interferon-containing regimens, can be safely utilized in decompensated patients. Per guidelines from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), therapy of choice in HCV and decompensated cirrhosis is sofosbuvir, an HCV polymerase inhibitor, combined with a replication complex inhibitor (NS5A inhibitor) with or without ribavirin. Combination therapy with a HCV protease inhibitor and an NS5A inhibitor is effective in this population but is specifically not recommended in AASLD guidelines due to safety concerns. Important risk factors for further decompensation during DAA therapy are serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL, MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score > 14, or HCV genotype 3 infection. Although sustained virologic response (SVR) is achieved less often in patients with decompensated vs compensated cirrhosis, in clinical studies response rates are > 80%. Both Child-Turcotte-Pugh Class at baseline and viral genotype can affect these response rates. Achieving SVR lowers risk of mortality, but to a lesser extent than in individuals with compensated cirrhosis. Likewise, treating patients for HCV infection along with successful treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma improves risks of both liver-related and overall mortality. In fewer than one third of cases, treating transplant-eligible, HCV-infected patients pre-transplant enables their delisting from transplant wait lists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian L Pearlman
- Center for Hepatitis C, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, 285 Boulevard NE, Suite 525, Atlanta, GA, 30312, USA.
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA.
- Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Kresevic S, Giuffrè M, Ajcevic M, Accardo A, Crocè LS, Shung DL. Optimization of hepatological clinical guidelines interpretation by large language models: a retrieval augmented generation-based framework. NPJ Digit Med 2024; 7:102. [PMID: 38654102 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01091-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Large language models (LLMs) can potentially transform healthcare, particularly in providing the right information to the right provider at the right time in the hospital workflow. This study investigates the integration of LLMs into healthcare, specifically focusing on improving clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) through accurate interpretation of medical guidelines for chronic Hepatitis C Virus infection management. Utilizing OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo model, we developed a customized LLM framework that incorporates retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and prompt engineering. Our framework involved guideline conversion into the best-structured format that can be efficiently processed by LLMs to provide the most accurate output. An ablation study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different formatting and learning strategies on the LLM's answer generation accuracy. The baseline GPT-4 Turbo model's performance was compared against five experimental setups with increasing levels of complexity: inclusion of in-context guidelines, guideline reformatting, and implementation of few-shot learning. Our primary outcome was the qualitative assessment of accuracy based on expert review, while secondary outcomes included the quantitative measurement of similarity of LLM-generated responses to expert-provided answers using text-similarity scores. The results showed a significant improvement in accuracy from 43 to 99% (p < 0.001), when guidelines were provided as context in a coherent corpus of text and non-text sources were converted into text. In addition, few-shot learning did not seem to improve overall accuracy. The study highlights that structured guideline reformatting and advanced prompt engineering (data quality vs. data quantity) can enhance the efficacy of LLM integrations to CDSSs for guideline delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Kresevic
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
- Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Mauro Giuffrè
- Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Milos Ajcevic
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Agostino Accardo
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lory S Crocè
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Dennis L Shung
- Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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17
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Davey S, Costello K, Russo M, Davies S, Lalani HS, Kesselheim AS, Rome BN. Changes in Use of Hepatitis C Direct-Acting Antivirals After Access Restrictions Were Eased by State Medicaid Programs. JAMA HEALTH FORUM 2024; 5:e240302. [PMID: 38578628 PMCID: PMC10998155 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are safe and highly effective for curing hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but their high cost led certain state Medicaid programs to impose coverage restrictions. Since 2015, many of these restrictions have been lifted voluntarily in response to advocacy or because of litigation. Objective To estimate how the prescribing of DAAs to Medicaid patients changed after states eased access restrictions. Design, Setting, and Participants This modified difference-in-differences analysis of 39 state Medicaid programs included Medicaid beneficiaries who were prescribed a DAA from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019. DAA coverage restrictions were measured based on a series of cross-sectional assessments performed from 2014 through 2022 by the US National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation. Exposure Calendar quarter when states eased or eliminated 3 types of DAA coverage restrictions: limiting treatment to patients with severe liver disease, restricting use among patients with active substance use, and requiring prescriptions to be written by or in consultation with specialists. States with none of these restrictions at baseline were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures Quarterly number of HCV DAA treatment courses per 100 000 Medicaid beneficiaries. Results Of 39 states, 7 (18%) eliminated coverage restrictions, 25 (64%) eased restrictions, and 7 (18%) maintained the same restrictions from 2015 to 2019. During this period, the average quarterly use of DAAs increased from 669 to 3601 treatment courses per 100 000 Medicaid beneficiaries. After states eased or eliminated restrictions, the use of DAAs increased by 966 (95% CI, 409-1523) treatment courses per 100 000 Medicaid beneficiaries each quarter compared with states that did not ease or eliminate restrictions. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this study suggest that there was greater use of DAAs after states relaxed coverage restrictions related to liver disease severity, sobriety, or prescriber specialty. Further reductions or elimination of these rules may improve access to a highly effective public health intervention for patients with HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Davey
- Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kevin Costello
- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Suzanne Davies
- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Hussain S. Lalani
- Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Aaron S. Kesselheim
- Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Benjamin N. Rome
- Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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18
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Frye K, Davis A, Darby R, McDaniel K, Quairoli K, Liu Z, Miller LS, Fluker SA. A contactless cure: Leveraging telehealth to improve hepatitis C treatment at a safety-net hospital. J Viral Hepat 2024; 31:176-180. [PMID: 38369695 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes significant mortality worldwide. HCV is highly curable but access to care is limited for many patients. The Grady Liver Clinic (GLC), a primary care-based HCV clinic, utilizes a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care for a medically underserved patient population in Atlanta, Georgia. The GLC added a telehealth option for HCV treatment at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the outcomes of utilizing telehealth in this population. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who initiated HCV treatment from March 2019 to February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and March 2020 to February 2021 (pandemic). Charts were abstracted for patient demographics and characteristics, treatment regimen, and treatment outcomes. Our primary outcome was HCV cure rate of the pre-pandemic compared to the pandemic cohorts and within the different pandemic cohort visit types. We performed an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis for all patients who took at least one dose of a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regardless of therapy completion, and a per-protocol (PP) analysis of those who completed treatment and were tested for HCV cure. SVR12 rates were >95% on ITT analysis, with no significant difference between pre-pandemic and pandemic cohorts. There was also no significant difference within the pandemic group when treatment was provided traditionally, via telehealth, or via a hybrid of these. Our findings support the use of telehealth as a tool to expand access to HCV treatment in a medically underserved patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krysta Frye
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrew Davis
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Kathryn McDaniel
- Department of Pharmacy, Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kristi Quairoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zhanxu Liu
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lesley S Miller
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shelly-Ann Fluker
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Androutsakos T, Tsantzali I, Karagiannakis DS, Flevari P, Iakovou D, Pouliakis A, Kykalos S, Doris S, Xyla V. Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection-Reversibility after HCV Eradication: A Single Center Study. Viruses 2024; 16:522. [PMID: 38675865 PMCID: PMC11054011 DOI: 10.3390/v16040522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by a variety of extra-hepatic manifestations; peripheral neuropathy (PN) is one of the most common, especially when mixed cryoglobulinemia (MCG) is present. The prevalence and risk factors of HCV-related PN in the absence of MCG are largely unknown. We conducted a prospective, single-center study, examining the prevalence and reversibility of HCV-associated neuropathy in the absence of MCG. Nerve fiber density in the epidermis was evaluated through skin biopsy and electroneurography (ENG) before HCV-treatment initiation and 1 year post sustained virological remission (SVR). Forty HCV-infected individuals (nine HIV co-infected) with no other neuron-harming factors were included; four other HCV mono- and three HIV co-infected individuals were excluded due to presence of diabetes, B12 insufficiency, or neurotoxic drugs. Twelve consecutive controls with no neuron-harming conditions were also recruited; eight more were excluded due to meeting exclusion criteria. Four patients had ENG signs of polyneuropathy (two with HCV mono- and two with HIV co-infection), while seven more (five with HCV mono- and two with HIV co-infection) had signs of mono-neuropathy, leading to PN prevalences of 22.5% and 44% for mono- and co-infection, respectively (p value 0.179). The two patients with HCV mono-infection and polyneuropathy and the one with ulnar nerve damage showed ENG improvement 1 year post SVR. Regarding intraepidermal nerve density, HCV infection, irrespective of HIV co-infection, was correlated with a lower intraepidermal neuron density that improved 1 year post SVR (p value 0.0002 for HCV and 0.0326 for HCV/HIV co-infected patients). PN is common in HCV infection; successful eradication of HCV leads to PN improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Androutsakos
- Department of Pathophysiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | - Ioanna Tsantzali
- Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Attikon” General University Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios S. Karagiannakis
- Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | - Pagona Flevari
- Centre of Excellence in Rare Haematological (Haemoglobinopathies) & Rare Metabolic (Gaucher Disease) Diseases, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | - Despoina Iakovou
- West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2QZ, UK;
| | - Abraham Pouliakis
- Second Department of Pathology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece;
| | - Stylianos Kykalos
- Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
| | - Stylianos Doris
- Neurology Department, Metropolitan General Hospital, 155 62 Athens, Greece;
| | - Vasileia Xyla
- Department of Pathophysiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece;
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20
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Zhang M, Htun NSN, Islam S, Sen A, Islam A, Neogi AK, Tripura R, Dysoley L, Perrone C, Chew R, Batty EM, Thongpiam W, Wongsantichon J, Menggred C, Zaman SI, Waithira N, Blacksell S, Liverani M, Lee S, Maude RJ, Day NPJ, Lubell Y, Peto TJ. Defining the hidden burden of disease in rural communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand: a cross-sectional household health survey protocol. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081079. [PMID: 38521526 PMCID: PMC10961499 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In low-income and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia, the burden of diseases among rural population remains poorly understood, posing a challenge for effective healthcare prioritisation and resource allocation. Addressing this knowledge gap, the South and Southeast Asia Community-based Trials Network (SEACTN) will undertake a survey that aims to determine the prevalence of a wide range of non-communicable and communicable diseases, as one of the key initiatives of its first project-the Rural Febrile Illness project (RFI). This survey, alongside other RFI studies that explore fever aetiology, leading causes of mortality, and establishing village and health facility maps and profiles, will provide an updated epidemiological background of the rural areas where the network is operational. METHODS AND ANALYSIS During 2022-2023, a cross-sectional household survey will be conducted across three SEACTN sites in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand. Using a two-stage cluster-sampling approach, we will employ a probability-proportional-to-size sample method for village, and a simple random sample for household, selection, enrolling all members from the selected households. Approximately 1500 participants will be enrolled per country. Participants will undergo questionnaire interview, physical examination and haemoglobin point-of-care testing. Blood samples will be collected and sent to central laboratories to test for chronic and acute infections, and biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Prevalences will be presented as an overall estimate by country, and stratified and compared across sites and participants' sociodemographic characteristics. Associations between disease status, risk factors and other characteristics will be explored. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study protocol has been approved by the Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee, National Research Ethics Committee of Bangladesh Medical Research Council, the Cambodian National Ethics Committee for Health Research, the Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Research Ethical Committee. The results will be disseminated via the local health authorities and partners, peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05389540.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiwen Zhang
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Shayla Islam
- Communicable Diseases Program, BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Aninda Sen
- Communicable Diseases Program, BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Akramul Islam
- Communicable Diseases Program, BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Rupam Tripura
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lek Dysoley
- Cambodian National Malaria Control Program, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Carlo Perrone
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rusheng Chew
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M Batty
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | - Sazid Ibna Zaman
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Naomi Waithira
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stuart Blacksell
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marco Liverani
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Sue Lee
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University and Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard James Maude
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yoel Lubell
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thomas Julian Peto
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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21
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Ng M, Carrieri PM, Awendila L, Socías ME, Knight R, Ti L. Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Hospital-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 2024:3325609. [PMID: 38487594 PMCID: PMC10940031 DOI: 10.1155/2024/3325609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background People living with hepatitis C infection (HCV) have a significant impact on the global healthcare system, with high rates of inpatient service use. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have the potential to alleviate this burden; however, the evidence on the impact of HCV infection and hospital outcomes is undetermined. This systematic review aims to assess this research gap, including how DAAs may modify the relationship between HCV infection and hospital-related outcomes. Methods We searched five databases up to August 2022 to identify relevant studies evaluating the impact of HCV infection on hospital-related outcomes. We created an electronic database of potentially eligible articles, removed duplicates, and then independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Results A total of 57 studies were included. Analysis of the included studies found an association between HCV infection and increased number of hospitalizations, length of stay, and readmissions. There was less consistent evidence of a relationship between HCV and in-hospital mortality. Only four studies examined the impact of DAAs, which showed that DAAs were associated with a reduction in hospitalizations and mortality. In the 14 studies available among people living with HIV, HCV coinfection similarly increased hospitalization, but there was less evidence for the other hospital-related outcomes. Conclusions There is good to high-quality evidence that HCV negatively impacts hospital-related outcomes, primarily through increased hospitalizations, length of stay, and readmissions. Given the paucity of studies on the effect of DAAs on hospital outcomes, future research is needed to understand their impact on hospital-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Ng
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6Z 2A9
| | - Patrizia Maria Carrieri
- Faculté de Médecine, Aix Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin 13385, Marseille Cedex 5, France
| | - Lindila Awendila
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608-1081 Burrard St, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6Z 1Y6
| | - Maria Eugenia Socías
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9
| | - Rod Knight
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6Z 2A9
- École de Santé Publique de l'Université de Montréal, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3N 1X9
| | - Lianping Ti
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9
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22
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Mestareehi A, Abu-Farsakh N. Impact of Protein Phosphatase Expressions on the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:10299-10331. [PMID: 38463290 PMCID: PMC10918787 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The study was conducted to unveil the significance of protein phosphatases in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and its related molecular biological attributes as well as to discover novel potential biomarkers for therapeutic significance and diagnostic purposes that may benefit clinical practice. Analyzing a data set from 159 HCC patients using high-throughput phosphoproteomics, we examined the dysregulated expression of protein phosphatases. Employing bioinformatic and pathway analyses, we explored differentially expressed genes linked to protein phosphatases. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins database. We quantified a total of 11,547 phosphorylation sites associated with 4043 phosphoproteins from HCC patients. Within this data set, we identified 105 identified phosphorylation sites associated with protein phosphatases; 28 genes were upregulated and 3 were downregulated in HCC. Enriched pathways using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis encompassed oocyte meiosis, proteoglycans in cancer, the oxytocin signaling pathway, the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, the vascular smooth muscle, and the cAMP signaling pathway. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis highlighted pathways like mitogen-activated protein kinase, AMPK, and PI3K-Akt, indicating potential involvement in HCC progression. Notably, the PPI network identified hub genes, emphasizing their interconnections and potential roles in HCC. In our study, we found significantly upregulated levels of CDC25C, PPP1R13L, and PPP1CA, which emerge as promising avenues. This significant expression could serve as potent diagnostic and prognostic markers to enhance the effectiveness of HCC cancer treatment, offering efficiency and accuracy in patient assessment. The findings regarding protein phosphatases reveal their elevated expression in HCC, correlating with unfavorable prognosis. Moreover, the outcomes of gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses suggest that protein phosphatases may influence liver cancer by engaging diverse targets and pathways, ultimately fostering the progression of HCC. These results underscore the substantial potential of protein phosphatases as key contributors to HCC's development and advancement. This insight holds promise for identifying therapeutic targets and charting research avenues to enhance the comprehension of the intricate molecular mechanisms underpinning HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aktham Mestareehi
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isra University, P.O. Box 22, Amman 11622, Jordan
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
- School
of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43202, United States
| | - Noor Abu-Farsakh
- Department
of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Internal Medicine Department, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
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23
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Grebely J, Matthews S, Causer LM, Feld JJ, Cunningham P, Dore GJ, Applegate TL. We have reached single-visit testing, diagnosis, and treatment for hepatitis C infection, now what? Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2024; 24:177-191. [PMID: 38173401 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2023.2292645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Progress toward hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination is impeded by low testing and treatment due to the current diagnostic pathway requiring multiple visits leading to loss to follow-up. Point-of-care testing technologies capable of detecting current HCV infection in one hour are a 'game-changer.' These tests enable diagnosis and treatment in a single visit, overcoming the barrier of multiple visits that frequently leads to loss to follow-up. Combining point-of-care HCV antibody and RNA tests should improve cost-effectiveness, patient/provider acceptability, and testing efficiency. However, implementing HCV point-of-care testing programs at scale requires multiple considerations. AREAS COVERED This commentary explores the need for point-of-care HCV tests, diagnostic strategies to improve HCV testing, key considerations for implementing point-of-care HCV testing programs, and remaining challenges for point-of-care testing (including operator training, quality management, connectivity and reporting systems, regulatory approval processes, and the need for more efficient tests). EXPERT OPINION It is exciting that single-visit testing, diagnosis, and treatment for HCV infection have been achieved. Innovations afforded through COVID-19 should facilitate the accelerated development of low-cost, rapid, and accurate tests to improve HCV testing. The next challenge will be to address barriers and facilitators for implementing point-of-care testing to deliver them at scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Grebely
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Susan Matthews
- Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Louise M Causer
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jordan J Feld
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Philip Cunningham
- Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Gregory J Dore
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tanya L Applegate
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV, St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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24
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Wegener M, Brooks R, Speers S, Nichols L, Villanueva M. Implementing a Surveillance-Based Approach to Create a Statewide Viral Clearance Cascade for Hepatitis C Among People With HIV and HCV Coinfection in Connecticut. Public Health Rep 2024; 139:208-217. [PMID: 37232422 PMCID: PMC10851907 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231172173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Highly effective direct-acting antiviral medications have made it feasible to achieve elimination of hepatis C virus (HCV), including for people with HIV and HCV coinfection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidance for a laboratory surveillance-based HCV viral clearance cascade, which allows public health departments to track the outcomes of people with HCV based on the following steps: ever infected, virally tested, initial infection, and cured or cleared. We examined the feasibility of this approach among people with HIV and HCV coinfection in Connecticut. METHODS We matched an HIV surveillance database, which included cases from the enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System as of December 31, 2019, and the HCV surveillance database, the Connecticut Electronic Disease Surveillance System, to define a cohort of coinfected people. We used HCV laboratory results obtained from January 1, 2016, through August 3, 2020, to determine HCV status. RESULTS Of 1361 people who were ever infected with HCV as of December 31, 2019, 1256 (92.3%) received HCV viral testing, 865 of 1256 people tested (68.9%) were HCV infected, and 336 of 865 infected people (38.8%) were cleared or cured. People who had undetectable HIV viral loads at most recent HIV test (<200 copies/mL) were more likely than those with detectable HIV viral loads to achieve HCV cure (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS A surveillance-based approach that includes data based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HCV viral clearance cascade is feasible to implement, can help track population-level outcomes longitudinally, and can help identify gaps to inform HCV elimination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ralph Brooks
- School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Suzanne Speers
- Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Lisa Nichols
- School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Fluker SA, Darby R, McDaniel K, Quairoli K, Mbonu C, Kilakkathi S, Koumtouzoua S, Jagannathan R, Miller LS. Large-Scale, Primary Care-Based Hepatitis C Treatment in an Urban, Medically Underserved Patient Population. Public Health Rep 2024; 139:163-168. [PMID: 37232166 PMCID: PMC10851899 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231170205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a critical public health concern in the United States. HCV is highly curable, but access to care is limited for many patients. Primary care models can expand access to HCV care. The Grady Liver Clinic (GLC) is a primary care-based HCV clinic founded in 2002. During 20 years, using a multidisciplinary team, the GLC expanded its operations in response to advances in HCV screening and treatment. We describe the clinic model, patient population, and treatment outcomes of the clinic from 2015 through 2019. During this period, 2689 patients were seen in the GLC, and 77% (n = 2083) initiated treatment. Eighty-five percent (1779 of 2083) of patients who started treatment completed treatment and were tested for cure, and 1723 (83% of the total treated cohort, 97% of those tested for cure) were cured. Building on a successful primary care-based treatment model, the GLC dynamically responded to the changes in HCV screening and treatment guidelines, continually increasing access to HCV care. The GLC serves as a model of primary care-based HCV care that aims to achieve HCV microelimination in a safety-net health system. Our findings support the notion that for the United States to achieve elimination of HCV by 2030, generalists can and should provide HCV care, particularly in medically underserved patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly-Ann Fluker
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Kristi Quairoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Grady Health System, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Collins Mbonu
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sindhu Kilakkathi
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah Koumtouzoua
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ram Jagannathan
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Lesley S. Miller
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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26
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Wissel K, Vernazza P, Kuster S, Hensel-Koch K, Bregenzer A. Hepatitis C prevalence and cascade of care among patients in the decentralised opioid agonist therapy programme of the canton of St Gallen, Switzerland: a cross-sectional study. Swiss Med Wkly 2024; 154:3352. [PMID: 38579293 DOI: 10.57187/s.3352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To eliminate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, 90% of those infected must be diagnosed and 80% treated. In Switzerland, >40% of the estimated 32,000 infected people are still undiagnosed. In the canton of St Gallen, HCV prevalence and cascade of care have only been studied in the centralised opioid agonist therapy (OAT) setting (institutions), although about 80% of OAT patients are treated decentrally (general practitioner [GP] or pharmacy). AIM To describe HCV prevalence and cascade of care among patients in the decentralised OAT programme of the canton of St Gallen, Switzerland, and compare it to contemporaneous data from the centralised setting. METHODS For each patient receiving his/her OAT from a GP or pharmacy on 1 April 2021, the cantonal medical office sent a questionnaire to the prescribing GP. Patient characteristics, HCV antibody (Ab)/RNA screening uptake, HCV Ab/RNA prevalence and HCV treatment uptake were obtained and compared to those of patients of the Medizinisch-soziale Hilfsstelle 1 in St Gallen (centralised setting). RESULTS Of the 563 OAT patients under the care of 127 GPs, 107 patients from 41 GPs could be analysed (median age: 48 years [IQR: 40-56]; ongoing intravenous drug use: 25%; OAT provider: 66% GP, 34% pharmacy). HCV Ab screening uptake was 68% (73/107) with an HCV Ab prevalence of 68% (50/73) among those tested. Of the HCV Ab-positive patients, 84% (42/50) were HCV RNA-tested, among whom 57% (24/42) were viraemic. HCV treatment uptake was 83% (20/24), with 95% (19/20) achieving a sustained virological response. Non-uptake of HCV screening and treatment tended to be higher among patients receiving OAT at the pharmacy vs at the GP's office: 37% vs 26% (p = 0.245) for screening and 30% vs 7% (p = 0.139) for treatment. The proportion never HCV Ab-tested and the proportion of HCV Ab-positives never HCV RNA-tested was significantly higher in the decentralised compared to the centralised setting: 32% vs 3% (p <0.001) never Ab-tested and 16% vs 0% (p = 0.002) never RNA-tested. In contrast, HCV treatment uptake (83% vs 78%), sustained virological response rate (95% vs 100%) and residual HCV RNA prevalence among the HCV Ab-positive (12% vs 14%) were comparable for both settings. CONCLUSION In the decentralised OAT setting of the canton of St Gallen, HCV Ab prevalence is high. Since HCV Ab and RNA screening uptake are markedly lower than in the centralised setting, potentially >40% of patients with chronic HCV are not diagnosed yet. HCV screening in the decentralised setting needs improvement, e.g. by increasing awareness and simplifying testing. High HCV treatment uptake and cure rates are possible in centralised and decentralised settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pietro Vernazza
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Infection Prevention and Travel Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Kuster
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Infection Prevention and Travel Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrea Bregenzer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Infection Prevention and Travel Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
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Kam LY, Yeo YH, Ji F, Henry L, Cheung R, Nguyen MH. Treatment rates and factors associated with direct-acting antiviral therapy for insured patients with hepatitis C-related hepatocellular carcinoma - A real-world nationwide study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:350-360. [PMID: 37937485 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the inception of the interferon-free direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, guidelines as to who should receive this potentially curative treatment have evolved. Treatment with DAAs is now considered for all patients except for those considered moribund. AIM To determine the DAA treatment rate for patients with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS This was a retrospective study from January 2015 to March 2021 of a national sample of privately insured patients with HCV-related HCC using Optum's Clinformatics® Data Mart (CDM) Database - a large, de-identified, adjudicated claims database. RESULTS We identified 3922 patients with HCV-related HCC: 922 (23.5%) received DAA. Compared to untreated patients, DAA-treated patients were younger (65.2 ± 7.5 vs. 66.4 ± 7.5 years, p < 0.001), more frequently saw a gastroenterology/infectious disease (GI/ID) physician (41.2% vs. 34.2%), and had decompensated cirrhosis (56% vs. 53%, p = 0.001). In multivariable analysis, younger age (HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99, p < 0.001), GI/ID care (HR: 3.06, 95% CI: 2.13-4.51, p < 0.001), and having cirrhosis (compensated: HR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.18-2.21, p = 0.003; decompensated: HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.07-1.98, p = 0.02) were associated with receiving DAA treatment, but not sex, race, or ethnicity. DAA-treated patients had significantly higher 5-year survival than untreated patients (47.2% vs. 35.2%, p < 0.001). Following adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and HCC treatment, receiving DAA treatment was associated with lower mortality (aHR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.53-0.69, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION DAA treatment remains underutilised in insured patients with HCV-related HCC; fewer than one in four patients received treatment. Seeing a specialist and having decompensated cirrhosis were predictors for DAA treatment; additional efforts are needed to increase awareness of HCV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Y Kam
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Yee Hui Yeo
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Fanpu Ji
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Linda Henry
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Ramsey Cheung
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Mindie H Nguyen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA
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28
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Afshar K, Schonhoft E, Kozuch J, Kafi A, Yung G, Pollema T, Golts E, Aslam S. Using HCV-viremic organs for lung transplantation does not confer higher rejection rates compared to HCV-negative organs. Clin Transplant 2024; 38:e15260. [PMID: 38369851 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.15260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND National data demonstrate that hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected organ donors are increasingly being used in the US, including for lung transplantation. We aimed to assess whether there were any differences in the acute or chronic rejection rates at 1 year following lung transplantation from HCV-viremic versus uninfected donors. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all lung transplant recipients at our institution from April 1, 2017 to October 1, 2020 and then assessed various outcomes between those who received a transplant from HCV-viremic donors versus HCV-negative donors. Primary outcome was to determine if there was a higher incidence of acute and/or chronic allograft rejection when using HCV NAT+ lung donation. We carried out univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS We transplanted 135 patients during the study period, including 18 from HCV-viremic donors. Standard induction therapy with basiliximab and maintenance triple drug immunosuppression was utilized per UC San Diego protocol. All 17 patients receiving HCV-viremic organs developed acute HCV infection and were treated in the postoperative period with 12 weeks of direct acting antivirals (DAA). HCV genotypes included 1, 2, and 3. DAA used included glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (12), sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (1), and ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (2) with drug choice determined by patient's medical insurance coverage. Sustained virological response at 12 weeks after end of DAA therapy (SVR12), indicative of a cure, was achieved in all (100%) recipients. No recipient had a serious adverse event related to HCV infection. The lung transplant recipient (LTR) HCV-viremic donors had lower rates of clinically significant rejection (5.9% vs. 11% LTR HCV-nonviremic donors), and no chronic lung allograft dysfunction at 1 year (vs. 5.9% LTR HCV-nonviremic donors). One-year survival was 100% in the LTR HCV-viremic donors compared to 95.8% in the LTR HCV-nonviremic donors. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate the feasibility and success of using HCV NAT + donors with excellent results and without a higher incidence of rejection. Longer term follow-up and a larger sample size are needed to allow this to be a more widely accepted practice for lung transplant programs and payors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamyar Afshar
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Elizabeth Schonhoft
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Jade Kozuch
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Aarya Kafi
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Gordon Yung
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Travis Pollema
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Eugene Golts
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
| | - Saima Aslam
- Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, UC San Diego Lung Transplant Program, La Jolla, USA
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Parola M, Pinzani M. Liver fibrosis in NAFLD/NASH: from pathophysiology towards diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 95:101231. [PMID: 38056058 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, as an excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, results from chronic liver injury as well as persistent activation of inflammatory response and of fibrogenesis. Liver fibrosis is a major determinant for chronic liver disease (CLD) progression and in the last two decades our understanding on the major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the fibrogenic progression of CLD has dramatically improved, boosting pre-clinical studies and clinical trials designed to find novel therapeutic approaches. From these studies several critical concepts have emerged, starting to reveal the complexity of the pro-fibrotic microenvironment which involves very complex, dynamic and interrelated interactions between different hepatic and extrahepatic cell populations. This review will offer first a recapitulation of established and novel pathophysiological basic principles and concepts by intentionally focus the attention on NAFLD/NASH, a metabolic-related form of CLD with a high impact on the general population and emerging as a leading cause of CLD worldwide. NAFLD/NASH-related pro-inflammatory and profibrogenic mechanisms will be analysed as well as novel information on cells, mediators and signalling pathways which have taken advantage from novel methodological approaches and techniques (single cell genomics, imaging mass cytometry, novel in vitro two- and three-dimensional models, etc.). We will next offer an overview on recent advancement in diagnostic and prognostic tools, including serum biomarkers and polygenic scores, to support the analysis of liver biopsies. Finally, this review will provide an analysis of current and emerging therapies for the treatment of NAFLD/NASH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Parola
- Dept. Clinical and Biological Sciences, Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine - Royal Free Hospital, London, NW32PF, United Kingdom.
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Scialli A, Saab S, Salimian A, Bhattacharya D, Goodman-Meza D. Hepatitis C Treatment Among Primary Care and Specialty Providers: A Single Center Study, 2015 to 2022. J Prim Care Community Health 2024; 15:21501319241253521. [PMID: 38727179 PMCID: PMC11088289 DOI: 10.1177/21501319241253521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite national goals to eliminate Hepatitis C (HCV) and the advancement of curative, well-tolerated direct-acting antiviral (DAAs) regimens, rates of HCV treatment have declined nationally since 2015. Current HCV guidelines encourage treatment of HCV by primary care providers (PCPs). Payors have reduced restrictions to access DAAs nationally and in California however it remains unclear if the removal of these restrictions has impacted the proportion of PCPs prescribing DAAs at a health system level. Our objective was to examine the proportion of DAAs prescribed by PCPs and specialists and to describe the population receiving treatment in a single health system from 2015 to 2022. METHODS We examined the proportion of DAAs prescribed by PCPs and specialists and the population receiving treatment through a retrospective analysis of claims data in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health System from 2015 to 2022. We described number of prescriptions for HCV medication prescribed by PCPs and specialists by year, medication type, and physician specialty. We also described numbers of prescriptions by patient demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS A total of 1515 adult patients received a prescription for HCV medication through the UCLA Health System between 2015 and 2022. The proportion of patients receiving prescriptions for PCPs peaked at 19% in 2016, yet decreased to 5.7% in 2022, an average of 13% across all years. Median age of patients receiving treatment was 60 years old, and 56% of patients receiving HCV treatment had commercial insurance as their primary payer. CONCLUSIONS HCV treatment declined from 2015 to 2022 among specialists and PCPs in our health system. Older patients comprised the majority of patients receiving treatment, suggesting a need for novel approaches to reach patients under 40, an age group with significant increases in HCV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sammy Saab
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Pfleger Liver Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related death and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The predominant cause of HCC is shifting from viral to nonviral causes, in parallel with the high global prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and increasing alcohol consumption in many countries. There have been promising recent advances in the treatment of all stages of HCC; however, improvements in early detection, increased utilization of HCC surveillance, and equitable access to HCC therapies are needed to curb increases in HCC mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E Rich
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5959 Harry Hines Boulevard, Professional Office Building 1, Suite 4.420G, Dallas, TX 75390-8887, USA.
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Lo CC, Chuang WL, Kuo HT, Chen WM, Qin A, Tsai CY, Huang YW, Chen CY. A therapeutic dose and its pharmacokinetics of ropeginterferon Alfa-2b for hepatitis C treatment. J Formos Med Assoc 2024; 123:55-61. [PMID: 37666718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Ropeginterferon alfa-2b is a novel mono-pegylated proline-interferon. Its biweekly dosing schema has demonstrated tolerability and clinical efficacy for treating chronic hepatitis in previous clinical studies. This trial evaluates the pharmacokinetics of 400 μg ropeginterferon alfa-2b in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and provides the data to support the clinical utility of ropeginterferon alfa-2b at 400 μg. METHODS Seventeen patients with chronic HCV genotype 2 were enrolled to receive a single injection of 400 μg ropeginterferon alfa-2b plus 14-day treatment of ribavirin. Pharmacokinetics, safety, and HCV RNA reduction/clearance were assessed. RESULTS Tmax was 154.003 h and T1/2 was 114.273 h. The Cmax was 29.823 ng mL-1. AUClast was 9364.292 h∗ng mL-1 and AUCinf was 11084.317 h∗ng mL-1. All adverse events were mild or moderate, and there were no serious adverse events. A 1000-fold reduction in the geometric mean of HCV RNA was observed 14 d after the single injection of ropeginterferon alfa-2b. Two patients achieved clearance of HCV RNA, and the other five patients had HCV RNA levels lower than 200 IU mL-1. CONCLUSION Ropeginterferon alfa-2b at 400 μg led to PK exposures associated with safety and notable clinical activity in patients with chronic HCV. This study suggests that ropeginterferon alfa-2b at 400 μg is an acceptable dosing regimen for treating chronic HCV and also provides supporting data for the clinical use of ropeginterferon alfa-2b at a higher starting dose for other indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Chu Lo
- Department of Internal Medicine, St. Martin De Porres Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Long Chuang
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatitis Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Tao Kuo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center - Yongkang, Tainan, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ming Chen
- Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Albert Qin
- Medical Research and Clinical Operations, PharmaEssentia Corporation, Taiwan
| | - Chan-Yen Tsai
- Medical Research and Clinical Operations, PharmaEssentia Corporation, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wen Huang
- Medical Research and Clinical Operations, PharmaEssentia Corporation, Taiwan; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chi-Yi Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
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Munekage F, Yoh T, Ogiso S, Kato T, Nam NH, Nagai K, Uchida Y, Ito T, Ishii T, Hatano E. Trends in long-term outcomes of patients with HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy: A comparison before and after introduction of direct-acting antivirus therapy. Ann Gastroenterol Surg 2024; 8:133-142. [PMID: 38250678 PMCID: PMC10797833 DOI: 10.1002/ags3.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds The success of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy provides a cure for patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, outcomes after hepatectomy for HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after DAA introduction remain poorly studied. Methods Patients who underwent R0/R1 hepatectomy for HCV-associated HCC were retrospectively analyzed. Two time periods were defined: Pre-DAA (2007-2011, December 2013 was defined as the end of follow-up) and Post-DAA groups (2014-2018, December 2020 was defined as the end of follow-up). Propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were performed to highlight the effect of DAA therapy. Results A total of 155 patients with HCV-associated HCC were included in this study (Pre-DAA group, n = 103 and post-DAA group, n = 52). In the Post-DAA group, DAA therapy was performed in 26 patients (50.0%), and all of these patients achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) (preoperative SVR, n = 7; postoperative SVR, n = 19). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding surgical settings and tumor pathology. There was no significant difference in the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (61.1% and 64.8%, pre- and post-DAA group, respectively, p = 0.441); meanwhile, the 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate in the post-DAA group was better than the pre-DAA group (21.1% and 40.2%, p = 0.073) with a trend toward significance. After PSM except for the postoperative SVR status, there were no significant differences in OS (p = 0.586) and RFS (p = 0.888). Conclusions This study showed that survival outcomes were not changed in hepatectomized cases of HCV-associated HCC before and after the introduction of DAA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Munekage
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Tomoaki Yoh
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Satoshi Ogiso
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Takuya Kato
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Nguyen Hai Nam
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Nagai
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Yoichiro Uchida
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Takamichi Ishii
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
| | - Etsuro Hatano
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University Kyoto Japan
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Falade-Nwulia O, Kelly SM, Amanor-Boadu S, Nnodum BN, Lim JK, Sulkowski M. Hepatitis C in Black Individuals in the US: A Review. JAMA 2023; 330:2200-2208. [PMID: 37943553 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.21981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance In the US, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is 1.8% among people who are Black and 0.8% among people who are not Black. Mortality rates due to HCV are 5.01/100 000 among people who are Black and 2.98/100 000 among people who are White. Observations While people of all races and ethnicities experienced increased rates of incident HCV between 2015 and 2021, Black individuals experienced the largest percentage increase of 0.3 to 1.4/100 000 (367%) compared with 1.8 to 2.7/100 000 among American Indian/Alaska Native (50%), 0.3 to 0.9/100 000 among Hispanic (200%), and 0.9 to 1.6/100 000 among White (78%) populations. Among 47 687 persons diagnosed with HCV in 2019-2020, including 37 877 (79%) covered by Medicaid (7666 Black and 24 374 White individuals), 23.5% of Black people and 23.7% of White people with Medicaid insurance initiated HCV treatment. Strategies to increase HCV screening include electronic health record prompts for universal HCV screening, which increased screening tests from 2052/month to 4169/month in an outpatient setting. Awareness of HCV status can be increased through point-of-care testing in community-based settings, which was associated with increased likelihood of receiving HCV test results compared with referral for testing off-site (69% on-site vs 19% off-site, P < .001). Access to HCV care can be facilitated by patient navigation, in which an individual is assigned to work with a patient to help them access care and treatments; this was associated with greater likelihood of HCV care access (odds ratio, 3.7 [95% CI, 2.9-4.8]) and treatment initiation within 6 months (odds ratio, 3.2 [95% CI, 2.3-4.2]) in a public health system providing health care to individuals regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay compared with usual care. Eliminating Medicaid's HCV treatment restrictions, including removal of a requirement for advanced fibrosis or a specialist prescriber, was associated with increased treatment rates from 2.4 persons per month to 72.3 persons per month in a retrospective study of 10 336 adults with HCV with no significant difference by race (526/1388 [37.8%] for Black vs 2706/8277 [32.6%] for White patients; adjusted odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.8-1.3]). Conclusions and Relevance In the US, the prevalence of HCV is higher in people who are Black than in people who are not Black. Point-of-care HCV tests, patient navigation, electronic health record prompts, and unrestricted access to HCV treatment in community-based settings have potential to increase diagnosis and treatment of HCV and improve outcomes in people who are Black.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sharon M Kelly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | | | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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Christensen KT, Pierard F, Bonsall D, Bowden R, Barnes E, Florence E, Ansari MA, Nguyen D, de Cesare M, Nevens F, Robaeys G, Schrooten Y, Busschots D, Simmonds P, Vandamme AM, Van Wijngaerden E, Dierckx T, Cuypers L, Van Laethem K. Phylogenetic Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Infections in a Large Belgian Cohort Using Next-Generation Sequencing of Full-Length Genomes. Viruses 2023; 15:2391. [PMID: 38140632 PMCID: PMC10747466 DOI: 10.3390/v15122391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in Western countries is primarily perpetuated by the sub-populations of men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID). Understanding the dynamics of transmission in these communities is crucial for removing the remaining hurdles towards HCV elimination. We sequenced 269 annotated HCV plasma samples using probe enrichment and next-generation sequencing, obtaining 224 open reading frames of HCV (OR497849-OR498072). Maximum likelihood phylogenies were generated on the four most prevalent subtypes in this study (HCV1a, 1b, 3a, 4d) with a subsequent transmission cluster analysis. The highest rate of clustering was observed for HCV4d samples (13/17 (76.47%)). The second highest rate of clustering was observed in HCV1a samples (42/78 (53.85%)) with significant association with HIV-positive MSM. HCV1b and HCV3a had very low rates of clustering (2/83 (2.41%) and (0/29)). The spread of the prevalent subtype HCV1b appears to have been largely curtailed, and we demonstrate the onwards transmission of HCV1a and HCV4d in the HIV-positive MSM population across municipal borders. More systematic data collection and sequencing is needed to allow a better understanding of the HCV transmission among the community of PWID and overcome the remaining barriers for HCV elimination in Belgium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper T. Christensen
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - Florian Pierard
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - David Bonsall
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK;
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Rory Bowden
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK;
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Eric Florence
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium;
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - M. Azim Ansari
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Dung Nguyen
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Mariateresa de Cesare
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Frederik Nevens
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.N.); (G.R.)
| | - Geert Robaeys
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.N.); (G.R.)
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences—LCRC, UHasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Yoeri Schrooten
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dana Busschots
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences—LCRC, UHasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Peter Simmonds
- Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Anne-Mieke Vandamme
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eric Van Wijngaerden
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Tim Dierckx
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - Lize Cuypers
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristel Van Laethem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Almutawakel S, Halleck F, Dürr M, Grittner U, Schrezenmeier E, Budde K, Althoff CE, Hamm B, Sack I, Fischer T, Marticorena Garcia SR. Shear Wave Elastography for Assessing Liver Stiffness in HCV-Infected Kidney Transplant Recipients after Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment: A Comparative Study with Magnetic Resonance Elastography. J Clin Med 2023; 12:7547. [PMID: 38137615 PMCID: PMC10743898 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12247547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to hepatic fibrosis. The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has substantially improved sustained virological response (SVR) rates. In this context, kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are of particular interest due to their higher HCV infection rates and uncertain renal excretion and bioavailability of DAAs. We investigated liver stiffness after DAA treatment in 15 HCV-infected KTRs using ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in comparison with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). KTRs were treated with DAAs (daclatasvir and sofosbuvir) for three months and underwent SWE at baseline, end of therapy (EOT), and 3 (EOT+3) and 12 months (EOT+12) after EOT. Fourteen patients achieved SVR12. Shear wave speed (SWS)-as a surrogate parameter for tissue stiffness-was substantially lower at all three post-therapeutic timepoints compared with baseline (EOT: -0.42 m/s, p < 0.01; CI = -0.75--0.09, EOT+3: -0.43 m/s, p < 0.01; CI = -0.75--0.11, and EOT+12: -0.52 m/s, p < 0.001; CI = -0.84--0.19), suggesting liver regeneration after viral eradication and end of inflammation. Baseline SWS correlated positively with histopathological fibrosis scores (r = 0.48; CI = -0.11-0.85). Longitudinal results correlated moderately with APRI (r = 0.41; CI = 0.12-0.64) but not with FIB-4 scores (r = 0.12; CI = -0.19-0.41). Although higher on average, SWE-derived measurements correlated strongly with MRE (r = 0.64). In conclusion, SWE is suitable for non-invasive therapy monitoring in KTRs with HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Almutawakel
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Fabian Halleck
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Dürr
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Schrezenmeier
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Klemens Budde
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian E. Althoff
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Bernd Hamm
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Ingolf Sack
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Thomas Fischer
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
| | - Stephan R. Marticorena Garcia
- Department of Radiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (S.A.)
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Quinn G, Ali RO, Zhang GY, Hill K, Townsend E, Umarova R, Chakraborty M, Ahmad MF, Gewirtz M, Haddad J, Rosenzweig S, Rampertaap S, Schoenfeld M, Yang S, Koh C, Levy E, Kleiner DE, Etzion O, Heller T. Non-selective dampening of the host immune response after hepatitis C clearance and its association with circulating chemokine and endotoxin levels. Liver Int 2023; 43:2701-2712. [PMID: 37752797 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has revolutionized treatment for the hepatitis C virus (HCV). While DAA therapy is common, little is known about the intrahepatic immunological changes after sustained virologic response (SVR). We aim to describe transcriptional alterations of the gut microbiome and the liver after SVR. METHODS Twenty-two HCV patients were evaluated before and 9 months after 12 weeks of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment. All achieved SVR. A liver biopsy, portal blood (direct portal vein cannulation), peripheral blood and stool samples were obtained. RNA-seq and immunofluorescent staining were performed on liver biopsies. RNA-seq and 16S rRNA metagenomics were performed on stool. RESULTS Differential expression within liver transcription showed 514 downregulated genes (FDR q < .05; foldchange > 2) enriched in inflammatory pathways; of note, GO:0060337, type 1 IFN signalling (p = 8e-23) and GO:0042742, defence response to bacterium (p = 8e-3). Interestingly, microbial products increased in the portal blood and liver after SVR. Due to the increase in microbial products, the gut microbiome was investigated. There was no dysbiosis by Shannon diversity index or Bacteroides/Firmicutes ratio. There was a differential increase in genes responsible for bacterial lipopolysaccharide production after SVR. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in the antiviral interferon pathway expression was expected after SVR; however, there was an unanticipated decrease in the transcription of genes involved in recognition and response to bacteria, which was associated with increased levels of microbial products. Finally, the alterations in the function of the gut microbiome are a promising avenue for further investigation of the gut-liver axis, especially in the context of the significant immunological changes noted after SVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Quinn
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Rabab O Ali
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Grace Y Zhang
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kareen Hill
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Elizabeth Townsend
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Regina Umarova
- Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Moumita Chakraborty
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Maleeha F Ahmad
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Meital Gewirtz
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - James Haddad
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sergio Rosenzweig
- Immunology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Shakuntala Rampertaap
- Immunology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan Schoenfeld
- NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Shanna Yang
- NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Koh
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Elliot Levy
- Center for Interventional Oncology, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - David E Kleiner
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ohad Etzion
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Theo Heller
- Translational Hepatology Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Kumari S, Kessel A, Singhal D, Kaur G, Bern D, Lemay-St-Denis C, Singh J, Jain S. Computational identification of a multi-peptide vaccine candidate in E2 glycoprotein against diverse Hepatitis C virus genotypes. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:11044-11061. [PMID: 37194293 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2212777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is estimated to affect nearly 180 million people worldwide, culminating in ∼0.7 million yearly casualties. However, a safe vaccine against HCV is not yet available. This study endeavored to identify a multi-genotypic, multi-epitopic, safe, and globally competent HCV vaccine candidate. We employed a consensus epitope prediction strategy to identify multi-epitopic peptides in all known envelope glycoprotein (E2) sequences, belonging to diverse HCV genotypes. The obtained peptides were screened for toxicity, allergenicity, autoimmunity and antigenicity, resulting in two favorable peptides viz., P2 (VYCFTPSPVVVG) and P3 (YRLWHYPCTV). Evolutionary conservation analysis indicated that P2 and P3 are highly conserved, supporting their use as part of a designed multi-genotypic vaccine. Population coverage analysis revealed that P2 and P3 are likely to be presented by >89% Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules from six geographical regions. Indeed, molecular docking predicted the physical binding of P2 and P3 to various representative HLAs. We designed a vaccine construct using these peptides and assessed its binding to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) by molecular docking and simulation. Subsequent analysis by energy-based and machine learning tools predicted high binding affinity and pinpointed the key binding residues (i.e. hotspots) in P2 and P3. Also, a favorable immunogenic profile of the construct was predicted by immune simulations. We encourage the scientific community to validate our vaccine construct in vitro and in vivo.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Kumari
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Amit Kessel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Divya Singhal
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Gurpreet Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - David Bern
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Claudèle Lemay-St-Denis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PROTEO, The Québec Network for Research on Protein, Function, Engineering and Applications, Québec, QC, Canada
- CGCC, Center in Green Chemistry and Catalysis, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jasdeep Singh
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Sahil Jain
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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Gallo P, Di Francesco S, De Vincentis A, Terracciani F, Picardi A, Incalzi RA, Vespasiani-Gentilucci U. Prevalence of anti-hepatitis C positivity in a nursing home: a hitherto unrecognized submerged population. J Hosp Infect 2023; 142:132-133. [PMID: 37478912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- P Gallo
- Clinical Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy.
| | - S Di Francesco
- Internal Medicine Unit, University Hospital 'A. Gemelli' IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - A De Vincentis
- Internal Medicine Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - F Terracciani
- Clinical Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - A Picardi
- Clinical Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - R A Incalzi
- Internal Medicine Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
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Zhang M, Jin W, Tian Y, Zhu H, Zou N, Jia Y, Jiang L, Huang J, Hu Y, Luo Q. Cancer Burden Variations and Convergences in Globalization: A Comparative Study on the Tracheal, Bronchus, and Lung (TBL) and Liver Cancer Burdens Among WHO Regions from 1990 to 2019. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2023; 13:696-724. [PMID: 37639192 PMCID: PMC10686938 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00144-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer and liver cancer are the leading and third causes of cancer death, respectively. Both lung and liver cancer are with clear major risk factors. A thorough understanding of their burdens in the context of globalization, especially the convergences and variations among WHO regions, is useful in precision cancer prevention worldwide and understanding the changing epidemiological trends with the expanding globalization. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) and WHO Global Health Observatory (GHO) database were analyzed to evaluate the burden metrics and risk factors of trachea, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer and liver cancer. Western Pacific Region (WPR) had the highest age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) for both liver cancer (11.02 [9.62-12.61] per 100,000 population) and TBL cancer (38.82 [33.63-44.04] per 100,000 population) in 2019. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for liver and TBL cancer elevated with the increasing sociodemographic index (SDI) level, except for liver cancer in WPR and TBL cancer in European Region (EUR). Region of the Americas (AMR) showed the biggest upward trends of liver cancer age-standardized rates (ASRs), as well as the biggest downward trends of TBL cancer ASRs, followed by Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Alcohol use and smoking were the leading cause of liver and TBL cancer death in most WHO regions. Variances of ASRs for liver and TBL cancer among WHO memberships have been decreasing during the past decade. The homogenization and convergence of cancer burdens were also demonstrated in different agegroups and sexes and in the evolution of associated risk factors and etiology. In conclusion, our study reflects the variations and convergences in the liver and lung cancer burdens among the WHO regions with the developing globalization, which suggests that we need to be acutely aware of the global homogeneity of the disease burden that accompanies increasing globalization, including the global convergences in various populations, risk factors, and burden metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwei Zhang
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiqiu Jin
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongda Zhu
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningyuan Zou
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunxuan Jia
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Long Jiang
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Huang
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yingjie Hu
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qingquan Luo
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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Pauly MD, Ganova-Raeva L. Point-of-Care Testing for Hepatitis Viruses: A Growing Need. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2271. [PMID: 38137872 PMCID: PMC10744957 DOI: 10.3390/life13122271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral hepatitis, caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), or hepatitis E virus (HEV), is a major global public health problem. These viruses cause millions of infections each year, and chronic infections with HBV, HCV, or HDV can lead to severe liver complications; however, they are underdiagnosed. Achieving the World Health Organization's viral hepatitis elimination goals by 2030 will require access to simpler, faster, and less expensive diagnostics. The development and implementation of point-of-care (POC) testing methods that can be performed outside of a laboratory for the diagnosis of viral hepatitis infections is a promising approach to facilitate and expedite WHO's elimination targets. While a few markers of viral hepatitis are already available in POC formats, tests for additional markers or using novel technologies need to be developed and validated for clinical use. Potential methods and uses for the POC testing of antibodies, antigens, and nucleic acids that relate to the diagnosis, monitoring, or surveillance of viral hepatitis infections are discussed here. Unmet needs and areas where additional research is needed are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lilia Ganova-Raeva
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA;
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Li H, Yang S, Cao D, Wang Q, Zhang S, Zhou Y, Liu D, Yang R, Cui L, Zhu Z. A new double-antigen sandwich test based on the light-initiated chemiluminescent assay for detecting anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies with high sensitivity and specificity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1222778. [PMID: 38076452 PMCID: PMC10704264 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1222778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a new double-antigen sandwich test that is based on the light-initiated chemiluminescent assay (LiCA®) for detecting anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV) in comparison to Architect®. Methods Analytical characteristics and diagnostic performance were tested using seroconversion panels and large pools of clinical samples. Positive results were validated by the strip immunoblot assay (RIBA) and HCV RNA. Results Repeatability and within-lab imprecision of LiCA® anti-HCV were 1.31%-3.27%. The C5-C95 interval was -5.44%-5.03% away from C50. LiCA® detected seroconversion in an average of 28.9 days and showed a mean of 3.7 (p = 0.0056) days earlier than Architect®. In a pool of 239 samples with known HCV genotypes 1 to 6, both assays correctly detected all subjects. In 16,305 clinical patient sera, LiCA® detected 4 false-negative (0.25‰) and 14 false-positive (0.86‰) anti-HCV cases, while Architect® recorded 6 false-negative (0.37‰) and 138 false-positive (8.46‰) subjects, respectively. Compared to Architect®, LiCA® presented a significantly better performance in specificity (99.91% vs. 99.14%, n = 16,018, p < 0.0001), positive predictive value (95.29% vs. 67.06%, n = 419, p < 0.0001), and overall accuracy (99.89% vs. 99.12%, n = 16,305, p < 0.0001), while no significant difference in sensitivity (98.61% vs. 97.91%, n = 287, p = 0.5217) and negative predictive value (99.98% vs. 99.96%, n = 15,886, p = 0.3021) was seen. An S/Co value of 3.28 was predicted to be the threshold with a positivity ≥95% for the LiCA® anti-HCV assay. Conclusion LiCA® anti-HCV is a precise and fully automatic chemiluminescent assay with superior sensitivity and specificity. The assay can be used as a valuable tool to supplement the diagnosis of HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haicong Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Cao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianying Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyu Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ruifeng Yang
- Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Liyan Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoqin Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
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Dawe J, Hughes M, Christensen S, Walsh L, Richmond JA, Pedrana A, Wilkinson AL, Owen L, Doyle JS. Evaluation of a person-centred, nurse-led model of care delivering hepatitis C testing and treatment in priority settings: a mixed-methods evaluation of the Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project, 2020-2022. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2289. [PMID: 37985979 PMCID: PMC10662700 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17066-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Australia has experienced sustained reductions in hepatitis C testing and treatment and may miss its 2030 elimination targets. Addressing gaps in community-based hepatitis C prescribing in priority settings that did not have, or did not prioritise, hepatitis C testing and treatment care pathways is critical. METHODS The Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project delivered a nurse-led outreach model of care servicing hepatitis C priority populations in the community through the Tasmanian Statewide Sexual Health Service, supported by the Eliminating Hepatitis C Australia partnership. Settings included alcohol and other drug services, needle and syringe programs and mental health services. The project provided clients with clinical care across the hepatitis C cascade of care, including testing, treatment, and post-treatment support and hepatitis C education for staff. RESULTS Between July 2020 and July 2022, a total of 43 sites were visited by one Clinical Nurse Consultant. There was a total of 695 interactions with clients across 219 days of service delivery by the Clinical Nurse Consultant. A total of 383 clients were tested for hepatitis C (antibody, RNA, or both). A total of 75 clients were diagnosed with hepatitis C RNA, of which 95% (71/75) commenced treatment, 83% (62/75) completed treatment and 52% (39/75) received a negative hepatitis C RNA test at least 12 weeks after treatment completion. CONCLUSIONS Providing outreach hepatitis C services in community-based services was effective in engaging people living with and at-risk of hepatitis C, in education, testing, and care. Nurse-led, person-centred care was critical to the success of the project. Our evaluation underscores the importance of employing a partnership approach when delivering hepatitis C models of care in community settings, and incorporating workforce education and capacity-building activities when working with non-specialist healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Dawe
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Megan Hughes
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | - Louisa Walsh
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Louise Owen
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Zhang H, Quadeer AA, McKay MR. Direct-acting antiviral resistance of Hepatitis C virus is promoted by epistasis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7457. [PMID: 37978179 PMCID: PMC10656532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42550-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) provide efficacious therapeutic treatments for chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, emergence of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) can greatly affect treatment outcomes and impede virological cure. While multiple DRMs have been observed for all currently used DAAs, the evolutionary determinants of such mutations are not currently well understood. Here, by considering DAAs targeting the nonstructural 3 (NS3) protein of HCV, we present results suggesting that epistasis plays an important role in the evolution of DRMs. Employing a sequence-based fitness landscape model whose predictions correlate highly with experimental data, we identify specific DRMs that are associated with strong epistatic interactions, and these are found to be enriched in multiple NS3-specific DAAs. Evolutionary modelling further supports that the identified DRMs involve compensatory mutational interactions that facilitate relatively easy escape from drug-induced selection pressures. Our results indicate that accounting for epistasis is important for designing future HCV NS3-targeting DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zhang
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ahmed Abdul Quadeer
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Matthew R McKay
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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McCrary LM, Roberts KE, Bowman MC, Castillo B, Darling JM, Dunn C, Jordan R, Young JE, Schranz AJ. Inpatient Hepatitis C Treatment Coordination and Initiation for Patients Who Inject Drugs. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:3428-3433. [PMID: 37653211 PMCID: PMC10682347 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08386-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With hepatitis C (HCV) incidence rising due to injection drug use, people who inject drugs (PWID) are a priority population for direct-acting antivirals (DAA). However, significant barriers exist. At our institution, hospitalized PWID were screened for HCV but not effectively linked to care. AIM To improve retention in HCV care among hospitalized PWID. SETTING Quaternary academic center in the Southeast US from August 2021 through August 2022. PARTICIPANTS Hospitalized PWID with HCV. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION E-consultation-prompted care coordination and HCV treatment with outpatient telehealth. PROGRAM EVALUATION Care cascades were constructed to assess retention and HCV treatment, with the primary outcome defined as DAA completion or sustained virologic response after week 4. Of 28 patients, 11 started DAAs inpatient, 8 initiated outpatient, and 9 were lost to follow-up or transferred care. Overall, 82% were linked to care and 52% completed treatment. For inpatient initiators, 73% achieved the outcome. Of non-inpatient initiators, 71% were linked to care, 53% started treatment, and 36% achieved the outcome. DISCUSSION Inpatient HCV treatment coordination, including DAA initiation, and telehealth follow-up, was feasible and highly effective for hospitalized PWID. Future steps should address barriers to inpatient DAA treatment and expand this model to other similar patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Madeline McCrary
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Kate E Roberts
- Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
| | | | - Briana Castillo
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jama M Darling
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christine Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robyn Jordan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jane E Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Asher J Schranz
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Imai K, Takai K, Unome S, Miwa T, Hanai T, Suetsugu A, Shimizu M. FIB‑4 index and NAFLD fibrosis score are useful indicators for screening high‑risk groups of non‑viral hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Clin Oncol 2023; 19:80. [PMID: 37719044 PMCID: PMC10502796 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2023.2676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-viral hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tends to appear in non-cirrhotic livers, rendering it difficult to screen for a high-risk group. The present study aimed to identify the most suitable indicator for screening high-risk groups of non-viral HCC. A total of 190 patients with non-viral HCC, including 126 with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), were enrolled in the present study. A total of two cut-off values, for low and high levels of fibrosis, were set for each of the indicators, including the Child-Pugh score (CPS; 6 and 7), platelet counts (15.8 and 10x104/µl), albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score (-2.60 and -2.27), fibrosis 4 index (FIB-4 index; 1.30 and 2.67) and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS; -1.455 and 0.675). The ratio of the number of patients who fell outside the cut-off value for all patients was defined as the overlooking rate. The overlooking rates of CPS, platelet counts, ALBI score, FIB-4 index and NFS for the low fibrosis cut-off value were 41.0, 48.9, 35.8, 4.2 and 5.8%, respectively. When performing analysis limited to the NAFLD cases, those of the FIB-4 index and NFS were 4.8 and 6.3%, respectively. Those for the high fibrosis cut-off value were 79.5, 73.2, 62.6, 30.0 and 37.4%, respectively. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that the cut-off values of ≥1.30 for the FIB-4 index or ≥-1.455 for the NFS may be used to screen high-risk groups of HCC among patients with non-viral hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Imai
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Koji Takai
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Shinji Unome
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Takao Miwa
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Hanai
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Atsushi Suetsugu
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Masahito Shimizu
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
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Chooramani G, Samal J, Rani N, Singh G, Agarwal R, Bajpai M, Kumar M, Prasad M, Gupta E. Performance evaluation of NeuMoDx 96 system for hepatitis B and C viral load. World J Virol 2023; 12:233-241. [PMID: 37970568 PMCID: PMC10642378 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v12.i4.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load (VL) estimation is essential for the management of both HBV and HCV infections. Due to a longer turnaround time for VL estimation, many patients drop out from the cascade of care. To achieve the global goals of reducing morbidity and mortality due to HBV/HCV and moving towards their elimination by 2030, molecular diagnostic platforms with faster and random (i.e. single sample) access are needed. AIM To evaluate the performance of the recently launched NeuMoDx 96 random access system with the conventional COBAS®AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan system for HBV and HCV VL estimation. METHODS Archived once-thawed plasma samples were retrieved and tested on both platforms. Correlation between the assays was determined by linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. The study included samples from 186 patients, 99 for HBV of which 49 were true infected HBV cases (hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis B core antibody, and HBV DNA-positive) and 87 for HCV assay in which 39 were true positives for HCV infection (anti-HCV and HCV RNA-positive). RESULTS The median VL detected by NeuMoDx for HBV was 2.9 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.0-4.3) log10 IU/mL and by COBAS it was 3.70 (IQR: 2.28-4.56) log10 IU/mL, with excellent correlation (R2 = 0.98). In HCV, the median VL detected by NeuMoDx was 4.9 (IQR: 4.2-5.4) log10 IU/mL and by COBAS it was 5.10 (IQR: 4.07-5.80) log10 IU/mL with good correlation (R2 = 0.96). CONCLUSION The overall concordance between both the systems was 100% for both HBV and HCV VL estimation. Moreover, no genotype-specific bias for HBV/HCV VL quantification was seen in both the systems. Our findings reveal that NeuMoDx HBV and HCV quantitative assays have shown overall good clinical performance and provide faster results with 100% sensitivity and specificity compared to the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagan Chooramani
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Jasmine Samal
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Nitiksha Rani
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Gaurav Singh
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Reshu Agarwal
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Meenu Bajpai
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Hepatology, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Manya Prasad
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Ekta Gupta
- Department of Clinical Virology, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, New Delhi 110070, India
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Aaron A, Zhong H, Hiebert L, Zhuo Y, Adee M, Paraschiv A, Stratulat S, Ward JW, Chhatwal J. Hepatitis C Elimination in Moldova Is Feasible and Cost-Saving: A Modeling Study. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:S189-S197. [PMID: 37703345 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Moldova, an upper-middle-income country in Eastern Europe, is facing a high burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Our objective was to assist the National Agency of Public Health of Moldova in planning to achieve the World Health Organization's HCV elimination goals by 2030. METHODS This study adapted a previously developed microsimulation model to simulate the HCV epidemic in Moldova from 2004 to 2050. Model outcomes included temporal trends in HCV infection, prevalence, mortality, and total cost of care, including screening and treatment. We evaluated scenarios that could eliminate HCV by 2030. RESULTS Multiple strategies could lead to HCV elimination in Moldova by 2030. A realistic scenario of a 20% annual screening and 80% treatment rate would require 2.75 million individuals to be screened and 65 000 treated by 2030. Compared to 2015, this program will reduce HCV incidence by 98% and HCV-related deaths by 72% in 2030. Between 2022 and 2030, this strategy would cost $17.5 million for HCV screening and treatment. However, by 2050, the health system would save >$85 million compared to no investment in elimination efforts. CONCLUSIONS HCV elimination in Moldova is feasible and can be cost saving, but requires resources to scale HCV screening and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Aaron
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Huaiyang Zhong
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Lindsey Hiebert
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Yueran Zhuo
- College of Business, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi
| | - Madeline Adee
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California
| | - Angela Paraschiv
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology Discipline, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Silvia Stratulat
- Department of Epidemiological Surveillance of HIV Infection and Viral Hepatitis, National Agency for Public Health, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - John W Ward
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Jagpreet Chhatwal
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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49
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Gordon SC, Kaushik A, Chastek B, Anderson A, Yehoshua A. Characteristics associated with receipt of treatment among patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus. J Viral Hepat 2023; 30:756-764. [PMID: 37377165 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Although current guidelines recommend that nearly all patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection receive treatment, a substantial proportion remain untreated. We conducted an administrative claims analysis to provide real-world data on treatment patterns and characteristics of treated versus untreated patients among individuals with HCV in the United States. Adults with an HCV diagnosis from 01 July 2016 through 30 September 2020 and continuous health plan enrolment for 12 months before and ≥1 month after the diagnosis date were identified in the Optum Research Database. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between patient characteristics and the rate of treatment. Of 24,374 patients identified with HCV, only 30% initiated treatment during follow-up. Factors associated with increased rate of treatment included younger age versus age 75+ (hazard ratio [HR] 1.50-1.83 depending on age group), commercial versus Medicare insurance (HR 1.32), and diagnosis by a specialist versus a primary care physician (HR 2.56 and 2.62 for gastroenterology and infectious disease or hepatology, respectively) (p < .01 for all). Several baseline comorbidities were associated with decreased rate of treatment, including psychiatric disorders (HR 0.87), drug use disorders (HR 0.85) and cirrhosis (HR 0.42) (p < .01 for all). These findings highlight existing HCV treatment inequities, particularly among older patients and those with psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders or chronic comorbidities. Targeted efforts to increase treatment uptake in these populations could mitigate a considerable future burden of HCV-related morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart C Gordon
- Henry Ford Health System and Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | | | - Amy Anderson
- Optum Life Sciences, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA
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50
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Lu M, Salgia R, Li J, Trudeau S, Rupp LB, Wu T, Daida YG, Schmidt MA, Gordon SC. Dynamic risk assessment for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Viral Hepat 2023; 30:746-755. [PMID: 37415492 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) is a primary cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although antiviral treatment reduces risk of HCC, few studies quantify the impact of treatment on long-term risk in the era of direct-acting antivirals (DAA). Using data from the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, we evaluated the impact of treatment type (DAA, interferon-based [IFN], or none) and outcome (sustained virological response [SVR] or treatment failure [TF]) on risk of HCC. We then developed and validated a predictive risk model. 17186 HCV patients were followed until HCC, death or last follow-up. We used extended landmark modelling, with time-varying covariates and propensity score justification and generalized estimating equations with a link function for discrete time-to-event data. Death was considered a competing risk. We observed 586 HCC cases across 104,000 interval-years of follow-up. SVR from DAA or IFN-based treatment reduced risk of HCC (aHR 0.13, 95% CI 0.08-0.20; and aHR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.65); DAA SVR reduced risk more than IFN SVR (aHR 0.29, 95% CI 0.17-0.48). Independent of treatment, cirrhosis was the strongest risk factor for HCC (aHR 3.94, 95% CI 3.17-4.89 vs. no cirrhosis). Other risk factors included male sex, White race and genotype 3. Our six-variable predictive model had 'excellent' accuracy (AUROC 0.94) in independent validation. Our novel landmark interval-based model identified HCC risk factors across antiviral treatment status and interactions with cirrhosis. This model demonstrated excellent predictive accuracy in a large, racially diverse cohort of patients and could be adapted for 'real world' HCC monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Lu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Reena Salgia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sheri Trudeau
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Loralee B Rupp
- Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Trueman Wu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Yihe G Daida
- Center for Integrated Health Care Research, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Mark A Schmidt
- Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Stuart C Gordon
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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