Increased frequencies of human Th-17 CD4+ T-cells and decreased T-regulatory cells in patients with early and advanced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Dysregulation of immune responses may influence the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Our recent data suggest the role of Th17-related cytokines in fibrosis advancement in MASLD. Herein, we aimed to analyze T-regulatory and Th17-producing T-lymphocytes by flow cytometry with respect to MASLD progression.

Prevalence of hepatitis D virus in chronic hepatitis B patients: findings from Poland.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B/hepatitis D virus (HBV/HDV) co-infections in eastern Poland.

Materials/methods: We included consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) in the study, in whom we performed anti-HDV assays verified by molecular testing.

Results: The analysed population consisted of 398 patients, predominantly male with a median age of 50 years, 58.

Association between 25(OH)D levels and clinical outcomes in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2: a cross-sectional study.

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that caused one of the most significant pandemics in the modern world. Although vaccination and treatment options have advanced, understanding host-related factors influencing disease severity remains critical, especially in the context of emerging variants and long-term complications. Since the beginning, numerous research studies have been conducted to better understand the mechanisms contributing to the severe onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Sex-related differences in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs.

Background: Sex is one of the known factors influencing the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the natural course of the disease.

Aim: To evaluate sex-related differences in the characteristics and outcomes of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in HCV-infected patients.

Methods: The study included consecutive 9457 women and 9529 men, treated with DAA for chronic HCV infection from July 2015 to the end of 2023 whose data were collected in the nationwide multicenter retrospective Epiter-2 project.

Response to therapy with direct antiviral drugs in HCV-infected patients with diabetes.

The clinical and metabolic interactions between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus (DM) are well documented. The study aimed to compare HCV-infected patients with and without DM. The analysis included 18,968 patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) between 2015 and 2023, whose data were collected retrospectively.

Cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in liver diseases.

Cannabinoids are biologically active substances acting feedback-coupled CB1 and CB2 receptors. Their expression in myofibroblasts and liver endothelial cells is reported to be elevated in chronic liver diseases. The effect of CB1 receptor stimulation is to increase fibrosis and inflammatory activity in the liver by stimulating stellate cells, while activation of the CB2 receptor results in inhibition of fibrosis.

The Role of Chemotactic Cytokines in Tick-Borne Encephalitis.

In tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), the central nervous system (CNS) is infiltrated by a mixed leukocyte population contributing both to the infection control and the immune-mediated pathology. To elucidate the roles of chemotactic cytokines in this process, we measured concentrations of 25 cytokines in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) simultaneously with total CSF leukocyte count (pleocytosis) and leukocyte subpopulation counts in 103 TBE patients. We created models describing the dependence of pleocytosis and clinical severity on cytokine concentrations.

The Factors Associated with the Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Tick-Borne Encephalitis.

The pathogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) pathology in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) remains unclear. We attempted to identify mediators of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in human TBE in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 100 TBE patients. CSF albumin quotient (Q) was calculated as a measure of BBB impairment.

Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infections Among Patients of Ukrainian Origin During the Influx of War Refugees to Poland.

The wave of wartime migration from Ukraine has raised a number of concerns about infectious diseases, the prevalence of which is higher in Ukraine than in host countries, with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection being one of them. Our analysis aimed to assess the percentage of HCV-infected Ukrainian refugees under care in Polish centers providing antiviral diagnosis and therapy, to evaluate their characteristics and the effectiveness of treatment with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The analysis included patients of Polish and Ukrainian nationality treated for HCV infection between 2022 and 2024 in Polish hepatology centers.

Effectiveness of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide.

Aim Of The Study: To assess the real-life efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) in HIV/HCV- positive patients treated with bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/FTC/TAF).

Material And Methods: Patients were evaluated in terms of their baseline biochemical characteristics, which included platelet count, serum creatinine and bilirubin levels, alanine transaminase (ALT) activity, international normalized ratio (INR) and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score.The efficacy endpoint was the achievement of a sustained virologic response at posttreatment week 12 (SVR12), defined as undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks after the scheduled end of therapy.

Loss to follow-up of patients after antiviral treatment as an additional barrier to HCV elimination.

Background: Eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is a goal set by the World Health Organization. This has become possible with the introduction of highly effective and safe direct-acting antivirals (DAA) but limitations remain due to undiagnosed HCV infections and loss of patients from the cascade of care at various stages, including those lost to follow-up (LTFU) before the assessment of the effectiveness of the therapy. The aim of our study was to determine the extent of this loss and to establish the characteristics of patients experiencing it.

The assessment of usefulness of cytokines and other soluble mediators as the predictors of sequalae development in various forms of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of cytokines and other soluble mediators in differentiation between severe and mild course of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) as well as the predictor of sequalae development.

Material And Methods: 122 patients (mean age 47.66 ± 14.

The Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C in Patients Active Malignancies.

Background: Over the past years, the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) revolutionized chronic hepatitis C treatment. We aimed to characterize and assess treatment efficacy in three specific groups of patients treated with DAAs: those with active solid malignant tumors (SMTs), hematological diseases (HDs) and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

Methods: A total of 203 patients with active oncological disease (SMT = 61, HD = 67, HCC = 74) during DAA treatment in 2015-2020 selected from the EpiTer-2 database were analyzed retrospectively and compared to 12,983 patients without any active malignancy.

Real-world experience with direct-acting antiviral therapy in HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 50 million people worldwide with around 242,000 deaths annually, mainly due to complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Portal hypertension (PH) caused by cirrhosis leads to severe consequences, including esophageal varices (EV). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in patients with and without EV.

Sustained Virological Response After Early Discontinuation of Hepatitis C Treatment.

To date, the effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) discontinued before 4 weeks has not been analysed in routine clinical practice. The study aimed to determine whether such a short therapy will enable achieving a sustained virological response under real-world experience. The study population of 97 patients who discontinued DAA therapy and had data enabling analysis of patient and disease characteristics, and assessment of treatment effectiveness was selected from 16,815 patients registered in the EpiTer-2 database.

Differential Inflammatory Responses in Adult and Pediatric COVID-19 Patients: Implications for Long-Term Consequences and Anti-Inflammatory Treatment.

BACKGROUND COVID-19 manifests with varying degrees of severity across different age groups; adults typically experience more severe symptoms than children. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), known for their role in tissue remodeling and immune responses, may contribute to the pathophysiological disparities observed between these groups. We sought to delineate differences in serum MMP profiles between adult and pediatric COVID-19 patients, assess the influence of anti-inflammatory treatment on MMP levels, and examine potential implications for long-term consequences.

Real-world effectiveness of genotype-specific and pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals in HCV-infected patients with renal failure.

Aim Of The Study: The aim is to summarize the effectiveness and safety of genotype-specific and pangenotypic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments in patients with renal failure.

Material And Methods: In the EpiTer-2 database, which includes data from 22 hepatology centers in Poland, 593 patients with HCV infection and kidney failure were identified. According to KDIGO 2022, they fulfilled the criteria of chronic kidney disease.

Real-life effectiveness of antiviral therapy for HCV infection with pangenotypic regimens in HIV coinfected patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the real-life efficacy of pangenotypic antivirals in HIV-HCV-positive patients.

Research Design And Methods: The analysis included 5650 subjects who were treated with pangenotypic anti-HCV drugs: 5142 were HCV-positive and 508 were HIV-HCV-positive.

Results: Patients with HCV-monoinfection were older ( < 0.

Effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antivirals in the therapy of HCV-infected elderly people.

Background: The introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with their effectiveness and safety has revolutionized the approach to treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Nevertheless, elderly patients have often been excluded from clinical trials, so the results of real-world studies are particularly important in the context of the geriatric population. The study aimed to analyze the effectiveness and safety of antiviral DAA treatment in HCV-infected patients over the age of 65, with notable inclusion of those over the age of 85.

Direct-acting antivirals in women of reproductive age infected with hepatitis C virus.

Eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the population of women of reproductive age is important not only for the health of women themselves but also for the health of newborns. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of this goal by analysing the effectiveness of contemporary therapy in a large cohort from everyday clinical practice along with identifying factors reducing therapeutic success. The analysed population consisted of 7861 patients, including 3388 women aged 15-49, treated in 2015-2022 in 26 hepatology centres.

Treatment of the most difficult-to-cure hepatitis C virus-infected population with sofosbuvir / velpatasvir.

Introduction: Pangenotypic therapies for infections with hepatitis C virus (HCV), although universal and highly effective, entail a risk of treatment failure.

Objectives: Our study aimed to identify the population of HCV‑infected patients most difficult to cure with the sofosbuvir / velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) regimen.

Patients And Methods: The effectiveness of the SOF/VEL regimen with a possible addition of ribavirin (RBV) was evaluated in populations known to be less responsive to treatment, and then in a population characterized by the combination of all factors impairing effectiveness, comprising patients treated with this regimen in the EpiTer‑2 multicenter retrospective study.

Does a detectable HCV RNA at the end of DAA therapy herald treatment failure?

Background & Aims: The study aimed to assess the phenomenon of achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients with detectable ribonucleic acid (RNA) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) at the end of treatment (ET) with direct-acting antivirals (DAA), find how this is affected by the type of regimen, and how patients experiencing this differed from non-responders with detectable HCV RNA at the ET.

Methods: The study included all consecutive patients with detectable HCV RNA at the ET selected from the EpiTer-2 database, a retrospective national multicentre project evaluating antiviral treatment in HCV-infected patients in 2015-2023.

Results: Of the 16106 patients treated with IFN-free regimens with available HCV RNA assessment at the ET and at follow-up 12 weeks after treatment completion (FU), 1253 (7.

Pangenotypic triple double therapy in HCV-infected patients after prior failure of direct-acting antivirals.

Aim Of The Study: Despite the excellent effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, still a few percent of patients fail therapy. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of triple vs double rescue treatment in such a population.

Material And Methods: The study included all consecutive DAA-experienced patients retreated with pangenotypic options from the EpiTer-2 database, a retrospective national multicenter real-world project evaluating antiviral treatment in HCV-infected patients in 2015-2023.

Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Direct-Acting Antivirals in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and Epilepsy: An Epi-Ter-2 Study in Poland.

Introduction: In Poland, active HCV infection affects between 0.4 and 0.5% of the population, i.