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Biomedical subjects

G Dusheiko

Publications and source records attributed to G Dusheiko.

63 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Antibody to hepatitis C virus in multiply transfused patients with thalassaemia major.

Seventeen of 73 (23.3%) multiply transfused patients with thalassaemia major (age range, 1-39 years) tested positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Eleven of the 24 patients regularly transfused in countries outside Britain were anti-HCV seropositive; only six of the 49 regularly transfused in Britain were seropositive. The incidence of anti-HBs and anti-HBc was similar to that of anti-HCV in both the British and foreign patients. The anti-HCV seropositive patients showed significantly higher plasma aspartate aminotransferase activities (AST), mean (SD) 10.2 (70.3) U/l, and serum ferritin concentrations, 4067 (2708) micrograms/l, than the anti-HCV seronegative patients (AST, 33.9 (15.6) U/l; serum ferritin 2051 (2092) U/l), respectively. Among the 36 patients who had earlier undergone liver biopsy 10 of 21 with histological features of chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis, or both, were seropositive for anti-HCV whereas only one of 15 without histological evidence of chronic viral hepatitis was seropositive for anti-HCV. It is concluded that HCV is a major cause of chronic hepatitis in patients with thalassaemia major and is associated with raised AST activity and serum ferritin concentration compared with patients seronegative for anti-HCV.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Hepatitis B core and surface antigen expression in HBeAg and HBV DNA positive chronic hepatitis B: correlation with clinical and histological parameters.

The interrelationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatic injury and clinical activity in chronic HBV infection is incompletely understood. We have scored histologic activity, the expression of hepatitis B core (HBcAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and assessed HBV replication to correlate HBV antigen expression with histologic disease. Forty-seven formalin-fixed, percutaneous liver biopsies from HBeAg carriers were studied. Twenty-nine were Black, 16 Caucasian and two Oriental. Fifty-nine percent had chronic active, 35% chronic persistent hepatitis and 14% cirrhosis. None were positive for antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HBsAg and HBcAg in tissue were detected by immunochemical staining. Diffuse HBsAg staining was observed in 10/15 patients with CPH, but there was no correlation between histologic score and HBsAg expression. Intracytoplasmic HBcAg was observed in patients seroconverting to anti-HBe, but was also detected in patients with minimal hepatitis. An inverse correlation between histologic score and HBcAg expression was observed. HBcAg expression was more widespread in patients with CPH (mean 37%) than in CAH (mean 18%). A positive correlation was observed between serum aminotransferase concentrations and histologic score. Although no consistent pattern can be discerned, HBcAg expression and hepatic injury are frequently dissociated in patients with chronic HBV infection; complex host responses may determine the variable degree of disease activity and hepatic injury.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1987

Hepatocellular carcinoma: molecular biology, etiology and animal models.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs uncommonly in the United States and Western Europe, but is a relatively frequent neoplasm in sub-Saharan Africa, China, and the Far East. Environmental factors appear to determine the geographic clustering of the disease and to cause different spectrums of the disease in the high-incidence and low-incidence areas of the world.

Carcinogens↗
PubMed1983

Hepatitis B virus status of black women with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The reason why hepatocellular carcinoma occurs less frequently in women than in men is unknown. The possibility that differences in the hepatitis B virus status between men and women with this tumor might be important in this regard was investigated in 75 black women and 75 age- and ethnically-matched men with hepatocellular carcinoma. Prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen, core antibody alone, and total hepatitis B virus markers were not significantly different in the two sexes. It is concluded that women with hepatocellular carcinoma are just as likely as men to be, or to have been, infected with hepatitis B virus. Because the hepatitis B virus and contraceptive steroids might conceivably act as cocarcinogens, the age distribution of women with hepatocellular carcinoma was determined. Thirty-nine percent were of child-bearing age. Of these, 44% were positive for surface antigen and 17% for core antibody alone. Ninety percent of these women had one or more hepatitis B virus markers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Recurrent hypoglycemia associated with glutaric aciduria type II in an adult.

Repeated episodes of hypoglycemia accompanied by elevated serum concentrations of free fatty acid without ketosis, fatty infiltration of the liver, hepatic dysfunction, and proximal myopathy in a 19-year-old woman, prompted us to analyze her urine for organic acids. Greatly increased quantities of glutaric acid, ethylmalonic acid, dicarboxylic acids with six to 10 carbons, and isovalerylglycine were consistently found in her urine. The ability of cultured skin fibroblasts from the patient to oxidize [1(-14)C]butyrate and [2(-14)C]lysine was reduced. These urinary and in vitro findings indicated defective activity of several acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenases, including glutaryl, isovaleryl, and butyryl coenzyme A dehydrogenases -- establishing a diagnosis of glutaric aciduria Type II. Carnitine concentrations in the skeletal muscle and liver were moderately reduced, but carnitine deficiency was considered a secondary biochemical abnormality. Although glutaric aciduria Type II has previously been described only in a neonate, the disease must be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypoglycemia in adults.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Natural history of hepatitis B virus infection in renal transplant recipients--a fifteen-year follow-up.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers were measured in 83 immunosuppressed renal transplant patients who were followed for periods of 2 to 15 years. Sixty-nine patients were negative for HBsAg before transplantation, of whom 14 were positive for anti-HBs. The remaining 14 patients were HBsAg positive prior to transplantation. Eighteen patients were identified as being HBsAg positive during the follow-up period. Four patients acquired primary type B hepatitis; one died of submassive hepatic necrosis and the remaining three became chronic HBV carriers with positive HBeAg, DNA polymerase, and HBV DNA. Several patterns of HBV expression were observed in HBsAg-positive patients. Four patients were HBsAg, HBeAg, DNA polymerase, and HBV DNA positive prior to transplantation, and these markers persisted. Reactivation of HBV replication occurred in eight patients, seven of whom were HBsAg positive and HBeAg and anti-HBe negative originally; one patient was anti-HBc positive. A single patient was HBsAg and anti-HBe positive and remained so for 22 months. The remaining previously HBsAg-positive patient is currently HBsAg negative. These serological data suggest that reactivation of HBV replication or continued hepatitis B virion replication occurs as commonly or more commonly than de novo infection in renal transplant recipients. The presence of HBeAg in serum predisposes to long-term Dane particle expression in immunosuppressed patients, whereas anti-HBe-positive carriers may not always be susceptible to reactivation of HBV replication despite immunosuppression.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant leukocyte interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

We have investigated the efficacy of a relatively prolonged course of recombinant leukocyte interferon treatment in 14 chronic HBsAg-, HBeAg-, hepatitis B virus DNA- and DNA polymerase-positive carriers. alpha-Interferon was administered for 9 weeks. Six of 14 treated carriers have a sustained loss of HBeAg, hepatitis B virus DNA and DNA polymerase. Four subsequently lost HBsAg (28.5%). Elevated pretreatment SGPT concentrations, histologic chronic active hepatitis, an exacerbation of chronic hepatitis with an increase in SGPT concentrations in the last weeks of treatment and possibly recent onset of the carrier state was associated with complete inhibition of viral replication. None of 11 matched, untreated HBsAg-, HBeAg-, hepatitis B virus DNA- and DNA polymerase-positive carriers monitored during the same period lost HBsAg. The effect of recombinant leukocyte interferon may require an appropriate host-immune response. The efficacy of recombinant leukocyte interferon therapy is restricted, but it may be of benefit in a proportion of carriers, if these carriers can be precisely identified.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitation of HCV RNA in liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver HCV RNA has been quantitated in few studies and the feasibility and the role of this parameter in the evaluation of patients with chronic HCV hepatitis still warrant study. Our aim was to determine the concentrations of HCV RNA in the liver of chronic HCV patients and to correlate the results with serum viral load. We also studied the relation of levels of HCV RNA in the liver with serum aminotransferases levels and with the presence of cirrhosis. METHODS: Twenty patients (14 males, aged 28 to 61 years) were studied. Twelve were infected by HCV type 1, six by type 3 and one by type 5. Percutaneous liver biopsy samples were obtained from 14 patients, and the remainder from liver explant in patients undergoing OLT. Twelve had chronic hepatitis and eight cirrhosis. HCV RNA levels were determined by bDNA. RESULTS: HCV RNA levels below the detection limit were found in one liver and in five serum samples. HCV RNA (mean +/- SD) was 2.1 x 10(8) +/- 2.2 x 10(8) Eq/gm in the liver and 94 x 10(5) +/- 93 x 10(5) Eq/mL in serum, with a significant correlation between these values (r = 0.89; P < 0.0001). Serum HCV RNA levels were significantly lower (P = 0.001) in cirrhotic than in chronic hepatitis patients, while the groups did not differ in liver HCV RNA levels. No correlation was observed between liver or serum HCV RNA and serum ALT or AST. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitation of HCV RNA is possible even in small liver samples. Although average levels are more than one log higher than those observed in serum, hepatic concentrations correlate with those observed in serum. The application of this technology to monitoring antiviral therapy and understanding the pathogenesis of the disease remains to be determined.

Adult↗