Seyyed Mohammad Miri; Heidar Sharafi; Shima Salimi; Farah Bokharaei-Salim; Bita Behnava; Maryam Keshvari; Pegah Karimi Elizee; Hosein Keyvani; Seyed Moayed Alavian
Volume 19, Issue 5 , May 2017, , Pages 1-7
Abstract
Background: Sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegylated-interferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)- infected patients could be predicted by detection of serum HCV RNA whereas detection of HCV RNA in other reservoirs such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for prediction ...
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Background: Sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegylated-interferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)- infected patients could be predicted by detection of serum HCV RNA whereas detection of HCV RNA in other reservoirs such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for prediction of treatment response is still a mystery.Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the prediction of SVR by detection of HCV RNA in PBMCs or serum in patients during treatment.Methods: In a cohort study (2011 to 2014), 100 chronic HCV patients at Tehran Hepatitis Center were treated with PegIFN and RBV. Serum HCV RNA level was measured at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks during treatment and at 24 weeks after termination of treatment. Meanwhile, HCV RNA was evaluated in PBMCs at weeks 4, 12, and 24 during the treatment.Results: Out of 100 patients treated in this study, 91 completed the course of treatment. Most patients were young males infected with HCV genotype 1. Cirrhosis and previous history of treatment was found in 16.5% and 26.5% of patients. Sustained virologic response was achieved in 65 (71.4%) patients. Among baseline parameters, only female gender was significantly associated with SVR. Undetectable serum HCV RNA at week 4 (OR = 4.74) and week 12 (OR = 11.63) of treatment predicted SVR rate while the same was not true for detection of serum HCV RNA at week 24 of treatment. Moreover, detection of HCV RNA in PBMCs at weeks 4 and 12 of treatment was not associated with the rate of SVR, while absence of HCV RNA in PBMCs at week 24 of treatment was associated with SVR (OR = 4.55).Conclusions: Detection of HCV RNA in PBMCs, especially at week 24 of treatment with PegIFN and RBV, could be considered as an additional marker for prediction of treatment response. It is recommended to assess HCV on-treatment kinetic in PBMCs of patients treated with direct-acting antiviral agents for prediction of treatment response.
Razie Salesi; Asieh Salesi; Faraidoon Haghdoost; Seyed Moayed Alavian
Volume 19, Issue 1 , January 2017, , Pages 1-2
Abstract
Migraine, defined as a recurrent unilateral pulsatile headache, which is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, phonophobia, and photophobia, is a major cause of chronic headaches. It has been ranked the eight most disabling disorder, and its prevalence is higher in females (17% vs. 6%) (1)
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Migraine, defined as a recurrent unilateral pulsatile headache, which is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, phonophobia, and photophobia, is a major cause of chronic headaches. It has been ranked the eight most disabling disorder, and its prevalence is higher in females (17% vs. 6%) (1)
Mehran Babanejad; Neda Izadi; Alireza Rai; Shabboo Sohrabzadeh; Seyed Moayed Alavian; Alireza Zangeneh
Volume 19, Issue 1 , January 2017, , Pages 1-9
Abstract
Context: Infections caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) pose a major challenge to the public health and also results in high mortality and morbidity rates in different parts of the world, especially in children. This study performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies ...
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Context: Infections caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) pose a major challenge to the public health and also results in high mortality and morbidity rates in different parts of the world, especially in children. This study performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies conducted during the years 2000-16 to clarify the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in children and adolescents younger than 16 years of age in EMRO and Middle Eastern (E and M) countries.Evidence Acquisition: Scientific databases including PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Persian databases were searched for relevant articles published from January 1, 2000 to October 31, 2016. Based on the results of homogeneity tests (a significant homogeneity test and a large I2 value) a random effects model was used to aggregate the collected data and calculate the pooled prevalence estimates.Results: We included 20 articles in our meta-analysis. The pooled HBsAg prevalence in children of E and M countries was 2.73% (95% CI: %1.73% - 3.72%). The prevalence rates in the EMRO and Middle Eastern countries were 1.85% (95% CI: 1.27% - 2.43%) and 2.66% (95% CI: 1.31% - 4.01%), respectively. The prevalence rates amongst children in nations considered in more than one study were 0.81% (95% CI: 0% - 1.74%) in Iran, 2.64% (95% CI: 1.63% - 3.64%) in Pakistan, and 5.83% (95% CI: 2.99% - 8.67%) in Turkey.Conclusions: Based on the world health organization classification of HBV prevalence, intermediate HBsAg prevalence rates were detected in children of E and M countries during 2000 - 2016. Nevertheless, the prevalence rates were low in several included countries in mentioned regions.
