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Publications (2)15.43 Total impact

  • Article: Sustained virological response prevents the development of insulin resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
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    ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with insulin resistance (IR), which is a condition known to influence the progression of liver fibrosis and the response to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin (RBV) therapy. We aimed to assess whether a sustained virological response (SVR) after antiviral therapy prevents the development of IR in the long term. Members of the Milan Safety Tolerability study cohort, who received PEG-IFNα2a/RBV or PEG-IFNα2b/RBV, underwent a homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) at the baseline and 24 months after treatment completion. For all patients (n = 431), a liver biopsy sample was scored for grading, staging (Ishak), and steatosis. At the baseline, IR (HOMA value > 2) was detected in 48 patients (12%), and it was associated with body weight (P = 0.03), an HCV load < 0.6 × 10(6) IU/L (P = 0.006), fibrosis staging ≥ 4 (P = 0.01), and moderate to severe steatosis (P = 0.03). IR did not influence the rates of end-of-treatment response (75% versus 69%, P = 0.4), SVR (63% versus 60%, P = 0.8), or relapse (19% versus 24%, P = 0.5). After treatment, IR developed in 49 of the 384 nondiabetic patients (14%). Although the mean baseline and posttreatment HOMA values were similar in SVR patients (1.11 ± 0.8 versus 1.18 ± 1.1, P = 0.25), patients experiencing treatment failure showed a significant increase in the mean HOMA value at the follow-up visit (1.20 ± 0.85 versus 1.49 ± 1.3, P = 0.007), and there was an increased rate of de novo IR in non-SVR patients versus SVR patients (17% versus 7%, P = 0.007). According to a logistic regression analysis, treatment failure (odds ratio = 2.81, 95% confidence interval = 1.39-5.67, P = 0.004) and a 10% body mass index increase (odds ratio = 6.42, 95% confidence interval = 1.69-24.3, P = 0.006) were significantly associated with the development of de novo IR. Conclusion: In nondiabetic patients with chronic HCV, the achievement of SVR with PEG-IFN and RBV prevents the development of de novo IR. (HEPATOLOGY 2012).
    Hepatology 05/2012; · 11.66 Impact Factor
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    Article: Implications of PNPLA3 polymorphism in chronic hepatitis C patients receiving peginterferon plus ribavirin.
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    ABSTRACT: Homozygosity for the PNPLA3 p.I148M polymorphism influences steatosis and fibrogenesis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). To evaluate the effect of p.148M/M on sustained virological response (SVR) and viral kinetics in patients who underwent antiviral therapy with peg-interferon and ribavirin, stratified according to viral genotype and fibrosis severity, and secondarily, the interaction with interleukin-28B ( IL28B ) genotype on liver damage. In this observational study, we considered 602 treatment-naïve consecutive patients from tertiary referral centres in Milan and Vienna [61% genotype 1 (G1), 30% advanced fibrosis, 33% IL28B rs12979860 CC]. The p.148M/M genotype, detected in 8% of patients, did not influence SVR in the overall series (P = 0.29), but it was associated with SVR (3/17, 17% vs. 56/121, 46%; P = 0.034) and complete early viral response (4/17, 23% vs. 68/121, 56%; P = 0.018) in G1/4 patients with advanced fibrosis. After adjustment for age, viral load, IL28B CC genotype, treatment dose, and steatosis, p.148M/M remained a predictor of SVR in G1/4 patients with advanced fibrosis (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.04-0.87). The p.148M/M genotype was associated with more advanced fibrosis in the overall series (P = 0.049), whereas the rs12979860 IL28B CC genotype only in patients negative for p.148M/M (P = 0.017), independently of age, BMI and alanine transaminase levels (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.01-2.27). PNPLA3 p.148M/M genotype was negatively associated with SVR and early viral kinetics independently of steatosis, albeit only in difficult-to-cure G1/4 patients with advanced fibrosis, whereas stratification for the p.148M/M PNPLA3 genotype unmasked an association between IL28B CC genotype and more severe liver fibrosis.
    Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 04/2012; 35(12):1434-42. · 3.77 Impact Factor