AIM： To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus. METHODS： Hepatitis B surface antigen （HBsAg）, anti-HCV an...AIM： To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus. METHODS： Hepatitis B surface antigen （HBsAg）, anti-HCV and anti-human immunodeficiency virus （HIV） seroprevalence, HBV DNA, HCV RNA and HCV genotyping among soldiers from Turkey （group Ⅰ ）, civil blood donors from Northern Cyprus （group Ⅱ ）, and soldier candidates from Northern Cyprus （group Ⅲ） were studied and compared to one another. In total, 17 545 cases （13 546 males and 3999 females with a mean age of 34.5 ± 10.3 year, group Ⅰ = 11234, group Ⅱ = 5057, and group Ⅲ = 1254） were included into the study. RESULTS： Among all cases, HBsAg positivity rates were 2.46%, anti-HCV was 0.46% and anti-HIV was 0.00%. HBV DNA was 2.25%, HCV RNA was 0.33% in all groups. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.16% in group Ⅰ, 3.00% in group Ⅱ and 2.71% in group Ⅲ. There was a significant difference between group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ （χ^2= 6.11, P = 0.047 〈 0.05）. Anti-HCV positivity rates were 0.45% in group Ⅰ, 0.45% in group Ⅱ, and 0.56% in group Ⅲ. Genotypes of HCV were 1b and 1a in group Ⅰ, 1b, 1a and 2 in group Ⅱ, and tb, 1a in group Ⅲ. HBsAg carrier rates were 2.20% in females and 2.53% in males. Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.38% in females and 0.48% in males. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.53% in individuals younger than 50, and 1.47% in older than 50. There was a significant difference between the two groups （χ^2 =23.48, P = 0.001） CONCLUSION： Prevalences of HBsAg, HCV and HIV infections in Northern Cyprus population are similar to those of Turkey.展开更多
AIM. To evaluate health-related quality of life （HRQOL） in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C （CH-C）, and the impact of antiviral treatment. METHODS： Short Form 36 （SF-36） Health-related Quality of Life ...AIM. To evaluate health-related quality of life （HRQOL） in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C （CH-C）, and the impact of antiviral treatment. METHODS： Short Form 36 （SF-36） Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaires to interview CH-C patients, and age- and sex-matched control subjects at outpatient clinics of a medical center in Taiwan were used. Data were transformed to scores for comparisons of eight major SF-36 domains. We also enrolled consecutive CH-C patients who completed one course of antiviral treatment （interferon α with ribavirin）, and measured the HRQOL before, at the 12m wk of treatment, at the end of treatment, and at mo 6, after stopping the treatment to evaluate the impact of antiviral treatment. RESULTS： A total of 371 outpatients were enrolled, including 182 with CH-C and 189 age- and sex-matched subjects without CH-C. CH-C subjects had obviously lower educational status （P〈0.01）. Mean scores of domains in general health, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, vitality, and mental health of the SF-36 were significantly lower in subjects with CH-C than those without CH-C （P〈0.05）. In an analysis of 47 CH-C patients who received and completed the whole course of antiviral treatment, mean scores of all domains were significantly lower at wk 12 of treatment compared to baseline. The scores returned to pretreatment values by the end of treatment, but were significantly increased at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. Among the 47 CH-C patients, 21 had sustained responses and 26 had nonsustained responses to antiviral treatment. Compared to pretreatment values, subjects with sustained responses had significantly lower social functioning scores at wk 12 of treatment, and scores for all SF-36 domains returned to pretreatment values, and increased significantly at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. For non-sustained virological responders, scores of all SF-36 domains significantly decreased at wk 12 of treatment, and did not increase significantly by the end of treatment, or at mo 6 after stopping the treatment when compared to the pretreatment values. CONCLUSION： HRQOL in CH-C patients is significantly impaired in most SF-36 domains. Antiviral treatment impaired HRQOL of CH-C subjects during early treatment, mainly in non-sustained virological responders, and improved at mo 6 after stopping the treatment, mainly in sustained virological responders.展开更多
AIM:To estimate the amount of apoptosis among healthy HBsAg carriers,patients with chronic HBV infection treated wibh lamivudine and patients with chronic HCV infection treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin.Acti...AIM:To estimate the amount of apoptosis among healthy HBsAg carriers,patients with chronic HBV infection treated wibh lamivudine and patients with chronic HCV infection treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin.Activity of apoptosis was evaluated by serum sFas/sFasL concentration measurement. Moreover dependence between apoptosis and HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA levels was studied. METHODS:Eighty-six persons were included into study:34 healthy HBsAg carders,33 patients with chronic HBV infecl^on and 19 patients with chronic HCV infection.Serum levels of sFas/sFasL were measured by ELISA assay.HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were measured by RT-PCR assay.Levels of sFas/sFasL were determined before and 2 and 12 wk after therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C infection. HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA was detected before treatment and 6 mo after treatment. RESULTS:Twenty-four (71%) healthy HBsAg carders showed HBV-DNA over 10~5/mL,which was comparable to the patients with chronic hepatitis B.independently from HBV-DNA levels, the concentration of sFas among healthy HBsAg carders was comparable to healthy persons.Among patients with chronic hepatitis B and C,the concentration of sFas was significantly higher in comparison to healthy HBsAg carriers and healthy persons.In chronic hepatitis B patients the concentration of sFas was decreased during lamivudine treatment.Among chronic hepatitis C patients the concentration of sFas was increased during IFN alpha and ribavirin treatment,sFasL was not detected in control group.Furbhermore sFasL occurred more frequently in chronic hepatitis C patients in comparison to chronic hepatitis B patients. CONCLUSION:There are no correlations between apoptosis and HBV-DNA levels.However ther is an association between apoptosis and activity of inflammation in patients with chronic HBV infection.Apoptosis can be increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C by effective treatment which may be a result of apoptosis stimulation by IFN-α.展开更多
文摘AIM： To compare the prevalence of hepatitis viral markers among soldiers from Turkey, blood donors from Northern Cyprus, and soldiers from Northern Cyprus. METHODS： Hepatitis B surface antigen （HBsAg）, anti-HCV and anti-human immunodeficiency virus （HIV） seroprevalence, HBV DNA, HCV RNA and HCV genotyping among soldiers from Turkey （group Ⅰ ）, civil blood donors from Northern Cyprus （group Ⅱ ）, and soldier candidates from Northern Cyprus （group Ⅲ） were studied and compared to one another. In total, 17 545 cases （13 546 males and 3999 females with a mean age of 34.5 ± 10.3 year, group Ⅰ = 11234, group Ⅱ = 5057, and group Ⅲ = 1254） were included into the study. RESULTS： Among all cases, HBsAg positivity rates were 2.46%, anti-HCV was 0.46% and anti-HIV was 0.00%. HBV DNA was 2.25%, HCV RNA was 0.33% in all groups. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.16% in group Ⅰ, 3.00% in group Ⅱ and 2.71% in group Ⅲ. There was a significant difference between group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ （χ^2= 6.11, P = 0.047 〈 0.05）. Anti-HCV positivity rates were 0.45% in group Ⅰ, 0.45% in group Ⅱ, and 0.56% in group Ⅲ. Genotypes of HCV were 1b and 1a in group Ⅰ, 1b, 1a and 2 in group Ⅱ, and tb, 1a in group Ⅲ. HBsAg carrier rates were 2.20% in females and 2.53% in males. Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.38% in females and 0.48% in males. HBsAg positivity rates were 2.53% in individuals younger than 50, and 1.47% in older than 50. There was a significant difference between the two groups （χ^2 =23.48, P = 0.001） CONCLUSION： Prevalences of HBsAg, HCV and HIV infections in Northern Cyprus population are similar to those of Turkey.
基金Supported by the National Science Council, Taiwan, China, NSC 89-2314-B-010-475
文摘AIM. To evaluate health-related quality of life （HRQOL） in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C （CH-C）, and the impact of antiviral treatment. METHODS： Short Form 36 （SF-36） Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaires to interview CH-C patients, and age- and sex-matched control subjects at outpatient clinics of a medical center in Taiwan were used. Data were transformed to scores for comparisons of eight major SF-36 domains. We also enrolled consecutive CH-C patients who completed one course of antiviral treatment （interferon α with ribavirin）, and measured the HRQOL before, at the 12m wk of treatment, at the end of treatment, and at mo 6, after stopping the treatment to evaluate the impact of antiviral treatment. RESULTS： A total of 371 outpatients were enrolled, including 182 with CH-C and 189 age- and sex-matched subjects without CH-C. CH-C subjects had obviously lower educational status （P〈0.01）. Mean scores of domains in general health, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, vitality, and mental health of the SF-36 were significantly lower in subjects with CH-C than those without CH-C （P〈0.05）. In an analysis of 47 CH-C patients who received and completed the whole course of antiviral treatment, mean scores of all domains were significantly lower at wk 12 of treatment compared to baseline. The scores returned to pretreatment values by the end of treatment, but were significantly increased at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. Among the 47 CH-C patients, 21 had sustained responses and 26 had nonsustained responses to antiviral treatment. Compared to pretreatment values, subjects with sustained responses had significantly lower social functioning scores at wk 12 of treatment, and scores for all SF-36 domains returned to pretreatment values, and increased significantly at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. For non-sustained virological responders, scores of all SF-36 domains significantly decreased at wk 12 of treatment, and did not increase significantly by the end of treatment, or at mo 6 after stopping the treatment when compared to the pretreatment values. CONCLUSION： HRQOL in CH-C patients is significantly impaired in most SF-36 domains. Antiviral treatment impaired HRQOL of CH-C subjects during early treatment, mainly in non-sustained virological responders, and improved at mo 6 after stopping the treatment, mainly in sustained virological responders.
文摘AIM:To estimate the amount of apoptosis among healthy HBsAg carriers,patients with chronic HBV infection treated wibh lamivudine and patients with chronic HCV infection treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin.Activity of apoptosis was evaluated by serum sFas/sFasL concentration measurement. Moreover dependence between apoptosis and HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA levels was studied. METHODS:Eighty-six persons were included into study:34 healthy HBsAg carders,33 patients with chronic HBV infecl^on and 19 patients with chronic HCV infection.Serum levels of sFas/sFasL were measured by ELISA assay.HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were measured by RT-PCR assay.Levels of sFas/sFasL were determined before and 2 and 12 wk after therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C infection. HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA was detected before treatment and 6 mo after treatment. RESULTS:Twenty-four (71%) healthy HBsAg carders showed HBV-DNA over 10~5/mL,which was comparable to the patients with chronic hepatitis B.independently from HBV-DNA levels, the concentration of sFas among healthy HBsAg carders was comparable to healthy persons.Among patients with chronic hepatitis B and C,the concentration of sFas was significantly higher in comparison to healthy HBsAg carriers and healthy persons.In chronic hepatitis B patients the concentration of sFas was decreased during lamivudine treatment.Among chronic hepatitis C patients the concentration of sFas was increased during IFN alpha and ribavirin treatment,sFasL was not detected in control group.Furbhermore sFasL occurred more frequently in chronic hepatitis C patients in comparison to chronic hepatitis B patients. CONCLUSION:There are no correlations between apoptosis and HBV-DNA levels.However ther is an association between apoptosis and activity of inflammation in patients with chronic HBV infection.Apoptosis can be increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C by effective treatment which may be a result of apoptosis stimulation by IFN-α.
