Maria D Hernandez

Publications (3)17.68 Total impact

• Article: HIV/hepatitis C coinfection natural history and disease progression.

  Maria D Hernandez, Kenneth E Sherman
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  ABSTRACT: Up to one-third of HIV-infected patients is infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is now widely accepted that HIV accelerates the course of HCV-related chronic liver disease. The improved survival of HIV patients after successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a significant decline in HIV-related morbidity, and liver disease caused by HCV infection has emerged as a major threat to the survival of HIV patients. HIV/HCV coinfected patients have a more rapid progression to cirrhosis and its complications than HCV monoinfected patients. Even though the effect of HCV on HIV infection and disease progression is less clear, most advocate early anti-HCV treatment to reduce the risk of chronic liver disease. Recent studies support current recommendations to begin ART early in the course of HIV infection in order to limit progression of liver disease in coinfected patients. HIV coinfection has a negative impact on HCV pathogenesis, and despite increased risk of drug-related hepatotoxicity, successful response to ART might lessen progression of chronic liver disease and improve response to anti-HCV therapy. HIV infection affects rate of liver disease progression in those with HCV coinfection. Treatment of HIV may result in slower rates of progression and liver mortality.
  Current opinion in HIV and AIDS 11/2011; 6(6):478-82. · 4.75 Impact Factor
• Article: Efficacy of combination of N-acetylcysteine, gentamicin, and amphotericin B for prevention of microbial colonization of ventricular assist devices.

  Maria D Hernandez, Mohammad D Mansouri, Saima Aslam, Barry Zeluff, Rabih O Darouiche
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  ABSTRACT: We assessed the in vitro antimicrobial activity and the in vivo efficacy of dipping ventricular assist devices in a combination of N-acetylcysteine, gentamicin, and amphotericin B (NAC/G/A). Ventricular assist devices dipped in NAC/G/A exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in vitro and were less likely than undipped devices to become colonized with Staphylococcus aureus in a rabbit model.
  Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 01/2009; 30(2):190-2. · 3.67 Impact Factor
• Article: Presentation and outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma in HIV-infected patients: a U.S.-Canadian multicenter study.

  Norbert Bräu, Rena K Fox, Peiying Xiao, Kristen Marks, Zeenat Naqvi, Lynn E Taylor, Anita Trikha, Morris Sherman, Mark S Sulkowski, Douglas T Dieterich, [......], Maria D Hernandez, Mamta K Jain, Gajendra K Khatri, Richard K Sterling, Maurizio Bonacini, Catherine A Martyn, Ayse Aytaman, Josep M Llovet, Sheldon T Brown, Edmund J Bini
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  ABSTRACT: HIV-infected patients now live longer and often have complications of liver disease, especially with hepatitis B or C virus coinfection. Limited data are available on those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective analysis from 1992 to 2005 in 6 centers identified 63 HIV-infected HCC patients. Controls were 226 consecutive HIV-negative HCC patients from four sites. HIV-positive patients were younger than controls (52 vs. 64 years, p<0.001), more commonly had chronic hepatitis B or C (97% vs. 73%, p<0.001), were more frequently symptomatic (51% vs. 38%, p=0.048), had a higher median alfa-fetoprotein level (227 vs. 51 ng/ml, p=0.005), but a similar mean Child-Turcotte-Pugh score (7.0 vs. 7.5, p=0.05) and HCC staging score (Barcelona-Clínic-Liver-Cancer stages C+D in 50% vs. 58%, p=0.24). HCC developed faster in HIV/HCV-coinfected than in HCV-monoinfected patients (mean, 26 vs. 34 years after HCV infection, p=0.002). HIV-positive patients received proven therapy more often (48% vs. 31%, p=0.017), but median survival was similar (6.9 vs. 7.5 months, p=0.44). Independent factors predicting survival were symptomatic presentation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.437; p<0.001), any proven therapy (HR, 2.19; p<0.001), diagnosis after 01-Jan-2002 (HR, 1.52; p=0.010), Barcelona-Clínic-Liver-Cancer stages C+D (HR, 0.491; p<0.001), AST/ALT >or= 2.00 (HR, 0.597; p=0.001), AFP >or= 400 ng/mL (HR, 0.55, p=0.003), and platelets >or= 100,000/mm3 (HR, 0.651; p=0.012), but not HIV-serostatus (p=0.19). In HIV-infected patients without HCC therapy (n=33), median survival was longer with undetectable HIV RNA (<400 copies/mL) than with HIV viremia (6.5 vs. 2.6 months, p=0.013). HIV-positive HCC patients are younger and more frequently symptomatic and infected with HCV or HBV than HIV-negative patients. Tumor staging and survival are similar. In untreated patients, undetectable HIV RNA independently predicts better survival.
  Journal of Hepatology 10/2007; 47(4):527-37. · 9.26 Impact Factor