Summary
Background
Entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) are first‐line long‐term monotherapy for treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. High virological relapse rates ...are found after cessation of either ETV or TDF in CHB patients.
Aim
To compare hepatitis B virus (HBV) relapse rates in CHB patients without cirrhosis who discontinued ETV or TDF.
Methods
A retrospective‐prospective study was conducted in 342 CHB patients (108 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive and 234 HBeAg‐negative) who received ETV and 165 (46 HBeAg‐positive, 119 HBeAg‐negative) who received TDF were recruited. All patients had post‐treatment follow‐up for at least 6 months. All fulfilled the stopping criteria of the Asia‐Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver of 2012.
Results
Patients who discontinued TDF had significantly higher rates and earlier times of virological and clinical relapse than those who discontinued ETV. This was also seen in propensity score (PS)‐matched HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative patients. Multivariate analysis showed that being in the TDF group was an independent factor for virological and clinical relapse in all patients and PS‐matched HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative patients. The rate of off‐therapy HBsAg loss was comparable between the ETV and TDF groups after 2‐3 years follow‐up. Clinical relapse tended to be more severe in the TDF group compared with the ETV group.
Conclusion
HBV relapse occurs sooner and is more severe after cessation of TDF than after cessation of ETV.
Background & Aims To compare the survival between surgical resection (SR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) ...very early/early stage. Methods Between 2002 and 2009, patients with newly diagnosed BCLC very early/early stage HCC who received SR or RFA were enrolled. Medical records were reviewed. The cumulative overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared. Results A total of 605 patients, including 143 very early (SR: 52; RFA: 91) and 462 early stages (SR: 208; RFA: 254) were enrolled. For very early stage, the 3- and 5-year OS rates were 98% and 91.5% for SR, and 80.3% and 72% for RFA, respectively ( p = 0.073). The 3- and 5-year DFS rates were 62.1% and 40.7% for SR, and 39.8% and 29.3% for RFA, respectively ( p = 0.006). Either multiple adjustment by Cox model or match analysis based on propensity score showed no significant difference in OS between the two groups. For early stage, the 3- and 5-year OS rates were 87.8% and 77.2% for SR, and 73.5% and 57.4% for RFA, respectively ( p = 0.001). The 3- and 5-year DFS rates were 59.9% and 50.8% for SR, and 28.3% and 14.1% for RFA, respectively ( p <0.001). After adjusting covariates, there was no significant difference in OS between the two groups. However, SR was superior to RFA in DFS. Conclusions For HCC patients in BCLC very early/early stage, there was no significant difference in OS between SR and RFA. However, SR yielded better DFS than RFA.
Summary
Background/Aims
To compare the rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss after discontinuation of entecavir versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in patients with chronic ...hepatitis B (CHB) without cirrhosis.
Methods
A total of 891 patients who received entecavir (n = 556) or TDF (n = 335) followed up post‐treatment for at least 12 months were retrospectively assessed. A total of 677 patients who had continued entecavir or TDF therapy for at least 4 years were enrolled as the continued group.
Results
Patients who discontinued TDF had higher rates of virological and clinical relapse and retreatment than patients who discontinued entecavir in both the HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative subgroups. In the entire discontinued cohort, the cumulative rates of HBsAg loss at 7 years were 22.6% and 35.4% in the entecavir and TDF groups respectively. Patients who discontinued TDF had significantly higher rates of HBsAg loss than patients who discontinued entecavir therapy in all (p = 0.019) and propensity score‐matched (p = 0.015) patients, especially among the subgroups who achieved a sustained response (p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed that TDF, longer treatment duration and lower HBsAg levels at end of treatment were independently associated with HBsAg loss in the entire discontinued group. The incidence of HBsAg loss was significantly higher in the discontinued group than in the continued group after propensity score matching (p < 0.001), including HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative patients.
Conclusions
Patients who discontinued TDF had significantly higher rates of HBsAg loss than patients who discontinued entecavir, especially among the subgroups without HBV relapse after cessation of therapy.
Comparision of HBsAg loss rates between patients who discontined entecavir and TDF therapy after PSM.
Background and Aims
Magnetic resonance imaging‐derived proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF) is the reference standard of hepatic steatosis assessment. This study evaluates usefulness of controlled ...attenuation parameter (CAP) in monitoring the clinically relevant outcome by MRI‐PDFF for non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.
Methods
NAFLD patients were enrolled prospectively. Instruction was given in lifestyle modifications with exercise and control of metabolic factors. MRI‐PDFF and CAP were performed at enrollment and follow‐up, with the diagnostic validity of CAP in monitoring clinically relevant outcome defined as a decline of ≥30% relative to baseline value by MRI‐PDFF.
Results
A total of 75 patients (male/female: 49/26, mean age: 53.2) were enrolled. Baseline MRI‐PDFF, CAP and liver stiffness was 14.4%, 300.2 dB/m and 6.5 kPa. In a median interval of 369 days, thirteen (17.3%) patients achieved clinically relevant outcome with decline of 46.7 dB/m by CAP, compared with increase of 5.1 in the other patients. In multivariate analysis, clinically relevant outcome was associated with changes (Δ) of CAP and glucose. Assessed by area under receiver operating curve, the performances of ΔCAP in predicting clinically relevant outcome were 0.815 and 0.808, and with the specificity of >90%, the ΔCAP cutoff was −46 dB/m and −15% relative to baseline value; sensitivity was 53.8% and 46.2% with negative predictive value of 90.3% and 88.9% respectively.
Conclusions
For NAFLD patients, CAP exhibited good performance in monitoring clinically relevant decline of hepatic steatosis in MRI‐PDFF. With the cutoffs of −46 dB/m or −15%, ΔCAP is useful in excluding clinical relevant outcome achievement.
This study investigated the ability of hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) to predict hepatitis B virus (HBV) relapse in HBeAg‐negative patients after cessation of entecavir therapy. A total of ...301 HBeAg‐negative patients without cirrhosis who had stopped entecavir therapy for at least 12 months were recruited. All patients fulfilled the stopping criteria proposed by the APASL 2012 guidelines. The five‐year cumulative rates of virological relapse, clinical relapse and HBsAg loss were 71.6%, 57.3% and 18.7%, respectively. Serum HBsAg at end of treatment (EOT) was an independent predictor of virological relapse, clinical relapse and HBsAg loss; an EOT HBsAg of 150 IU/ml was the optimal cut‐off value. The 5‐year virological relapse rates for patients with <150 and ≥150 IU/ml HBsAg at EOT were 43.3% and 82.2% (p < 0.001), clinical relapse rates were 32.3% and 66.3% (p < 0.001), and HBsAg loss rates were 46.1% and 5.2% (p < 0.001), respectively. A baseline HBcrAg of 4 IU/ml was the optimal cut‐off value for predicting HBV relapse. Among patients with an EOT HBsAg <150 IU/ml, the five‐year virological relapse rates for patients with baseline HBcrAg levels ≤4 and >4 log U/ml were 27.9% and 59.1% (p = 0.006) and the clinical relapse rates were 18% and 48.1% (p = 0.014), respectively. EOT HBcrAg was not a significant predictor of virological or clinical relapse after cessation of entecavir. In conclusion, the combination of an EOT HBsAg of 150 IU/ml and baseline HBcrAg of 4 log U/ml can effectively predict the risk of HBV relapse after stopping entecavir therapy.
Summary
Background
The impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on hepatitis is an interesting issue.
Aim
To evaluate the association of MetS and chronic viral hepatitis including hepatitis B virus (HBV) ...and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in southern Taiwan.
Methods
From 2004 to 2013, a series of community‐based health screenings for residents aged 40 and older were held in Tainan city. MetS was defined according to the Joint Scientific Statement. Cut‐offs of body‐mass index measures of 24 kg/m2 and 27 kg/m2 were used to stratify lean, overweight and obese subjects.
Results
We enrolled 180 359 participants; the prevalence of MetS was 30.1%, which was significantly associated with advanced age and female sex. There were 18 726 (10.4%) HBV, 13 428 (7.4%) HCV, 1337 (0.7%) HBV plus HCV (B+C) and 146 868 (81.5%) non‐HBV non‐HCV participants (NBNC). Prevalence rates of MetS in subjects with HBV, HCV, B+C and NBNC were 25.2%, 31.5%, 28.9% and 30.7% respectively (P < 0.001). There were 18.8% lean body, 35.4% overweight and 45.8% obese participants among 54 361 MetS subjects. Lean MetS subjects were older, had more diabetes, and had higher metabolic component levels, but lower alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase‐platelet ratio index levels compared with obese MetS subjects. HCV infection was positively associated with MetS (P < 0.001). However, HBV infection was inversely associated with MetS only among lean subjects (P = 0.002), but not among the general population.
Conclusions
This large population‐based study indicated that HCV infection was positively associated with MetS. However, HBV infection was inversely associated with MetS only among lean subjects.
A recent study from the United States reported that nearly 12% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) occurred in patients without cirrhosis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was the most ...common liver disease in these patients. We aim to evaluate the characteristics, etiologies, and outcomes of cases of non-cirrhotic HCC in East Asia, where there is a higher prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated non-cirrhotic HCC.
This retrospective study consecutively enrolled de novo HCC patients managed at our institution from 2011 to 2017. The presence of cirrhosis was assessed by histology; if histology was not available, it was assessed by image study.
2055 patients with HCC were enrolled in this study. Among them, 529 (25.7%) were non-cirrhotic. The non-cirrhotic patients were younger (60.9 vs. 62.5 years, p = 0.006), included a greater proportion of males (78.1% vs. 71.3%, p = 0.002), and had a lower body mass index (24.3 vs. 25.3 kg/m2, p<0.001) than the cirrhotic patients. Among the non-cirrhotic patients, HBV was the most common liver disease (49.0%). The patients with non-cirrhotic HCC had larger tumors (5.9 vs. 4.7 cm, p<0.001), underwent liver resection at a higher rate (66.0% vs. 17.4%, p<0.001), and had better overall survival than the cirrhotic HCC patients (median 5.67 vs. 2.83 years, p<0.001).
Nearly 26% of the HCCs occurred in patients without cirrhosis. HBV was the most common liver disease in these patients, and the survival was better in the non-cirrhotic patients than the cirrhotic patients.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) guidelines were updated in 2012, and a single large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) more than 5 cm was regarded as BCLC stage A rather than B in the ...updated version. In this study, we sought to re‐evaluate the outcomes of patients with HCC who underwent liver resection (LR) within (stage 0 and A) and beyond (stage B and C) the BCLC guideline recommendations of the updated BCLC staging system.
Methods
This retrospective study enrolled 774 consecutive patients with naïve HCC who underwent LR from 2011 to 2018 at our institution. The overall survival (OS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) of these patients were examined.
Results
Of the patients, 606 had BCLC stage 0 or A HCC, and 168 had BCLC stage B or C HCC. The 5‐year OS and RFS among the patients within the BCLC criteria for LR were 75.2% and 56.1%, respectively, vs 54.9% and 34.0%, respectively, among the patients beyond the BCLC criteria (P < .001). Alpha‐fetoprotein more than 400 ng/mL (hazard ratio = 2.06, 95% confidence interval, 1.31‐3.26, P = .002) was the only independent variable associated with recurrence among the patients beyond the BCLC criteria.
Conclusions
LR provided acceptable outcomes among selected patients with BCLC stage B and C HCC.
Summary
Background
Comparative long‐term efficacy of entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for prevention of disease progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among high‐risk ...patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)‐related compensated cirrhosis is controversial.
Aims
To compare the long‐term efficacy of ETV and TDF in HCC prevention in patients with CHB‐related cirrhosis, and to evaluate predictive risk factors for HCC development.
Methods
From January 2008 to March 2018, 894 treatment‐naïve patients with CHB‐related compensated cirrhosis on ETV or TDF were enrolled based on the longitudinal cohort study. Data were originally collected for 7.3 years of follow‐up or after the launch of TDF in 2011. Only the 5‐year cumulative incidence and risk factors of HCC were assessed.
Result
Total 678 and 216 patients received ETV and TDF, respectively. The cumulative risk of HCC at 1, 3 and 5 years of follow‐up was 1.6%, 11.3% and 18.7%, respectively, in the ETV group; and 0.9%, 6.7% and 10.7%, respectively, in the TDF group (P = 0.0305). Univariate and adjusted‐multivariable models revealed that platelet count, alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) varices were independent risk factors for HCC development. TDF resulted in risk of HCC development compared to ETV with adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of 0.66 (95% confidence interval CI:0.40, 1.08; P = 0.0971), 0.69 (95% CI: 0.42, 1.14; P = 0.1488) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.38, 1.14; P = 0.1407) under stepwise selection, propensity score adjustment, and propensity score matching multivariable models, respectively.
Conclusions
For treatment‐naïve patients with CHB‐related compensated cirrhosis with 5‐year follow‐up, after variable adjustments, propensity score approaches and subgroup analyses, TDF showed a lower rate of HCC development that did not reach statistical significance, compared to the ETV.
Curative resection is recommended for patient with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the prognosis is limited by high recurrence rate. This study was to investigate liver stiffness ...(LS) and metabolic factor in prediction of HCC recurrence for patients with early stage HCC who had undergone curative resection. Consecutive patients with suspicion of HCC who had undergone curative resection were prospectively enrolled. Transient elastography was performed to determine LS pre-operatively. The demographics, clinical characteristics and histological findings were recorded. All patients were followed up regularly until recurrence, death or last visit. Ninety-four patients with early stage HCC were enrolled. LS positively correlated with fibrosis stage (r = 0.666). In a median follow-up of 3.2 years, forty patients developed recurrences including 22 recurrences after 1-year post resection. The 5-year cumulative recurrence rate was 44.2%. LS was the independent factor associated with recurrence. Patients with LS > 8.5 kPa had higher 5-year cumulative recurrence rate (59.8% vs 25.1%, p = 0.007). For the prediction of recurrence after 1-year post resection, LS > 8.5 kPa (hazard ratio 2.72) and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) (hazard ratio 1.24) were independent factors in multivariate analysis. Those patients with both LS > 8.5 kPa and HOMA-IR > 2.3 had the highest recurrence rate after 1-year post resection.