Effects of Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir Therapy on Extrahepatic Manifestations in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Hepatitis C: Insights From a Nationwide Hepatitis C Virus Registry in Taiwan.

This study examines the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication through sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) treatment on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Utilizing data from the Taiwan HCV Registry, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 2180 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 695 of whom had T2DM. HbA1c levels significantly decreased in the diabetes group from 7.

Long-term risk of depression and the impact of risk factors among chronic hepatitis C patients after successful antiviral therapy: A nationwide real-world Taiwanese cohort (T-COACH).

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression. However, the impact of interferon (IFN)-based therapy, after achieving a sustained virologic response (SVR), on the long-term risk of depressive disorders remains unclear. Thus, we evaluated the incidence of new-onset depression and the impact of risk factors on patients with chronic hepatitis C following antiviral therapy.

Impact of Hepatitis C Virus Clearance on Cardiovascular Risk: A Real-World Experience From the Nationwide Taiwan Hepatitis C Virus Registry.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, the impact of interferon (IFN)-based therapy on cardiovascular outcomes remains unclear. This nationwide cohort study included 7411 patients with HCV from The Taiwanese Chronic Hepatitis C Cohort registry who received IFN-based therapy between 2003 and 2014. Patients were categorized into sustained virological response (SVR) (n = 5785) and non-SVR (n = 1676) groups.

Posttreatment FIB-4 score change predicts hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C patients: Findings from the Taiwan hepatitis C registry program.

Purpose: This study investigated whether Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score and its change can serve as predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection receiving direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).

Methods: This study identified 9679 patients who completed DAA treatment and achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) from the Taiwan Nationwide Real-World HCV Registry Program, and their risk of HCC was analyzed.

Results: Multivariable Cox regression analyses identified diabetes mellitus (DM), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, and FIB-4 score as independent predictors of HCC in both Model 1 (baseline) and Model 2 (SVR).

High-normal and abnormal alanine transaminase levels linked to increased risk of hepatoma following treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/purpose: The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. The association between HCC and ALT levels after interferon (IFN) or direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy is unclear.

Methods: Patients with CHC receiving antiviral therapy were included in two large-scale cohorts in Taiwan (T-COACH and TACR).

Early antiviral treatment with tenofovir alafenamide to prevent serious clinical adverse events in adults with chronic hepatitis B and moderate or high viraemia (ATTENTION): interim results from a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Current guidelines for chronic hepatitis B recommend antiviral therapy for individuals with non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B only if they have significant liver fibrosis or elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations. We aimed to assess the efficacy of early antiviral treatment in preventing serious liver-related adverse events in individuals with non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B and moderate or high viraemia but normal or mildly elevated ALT concentrations.

Methods: ATTENTION is an ongoing randomised controlled trial being conducted at 22 centres in South Korea and Taiwan.

Direct-acting antiviral therapy for patients with hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: A nationwide cohort study.

Background/aims: The survival benefit of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages B/C, remains largely uncertain. We aimed to explore the impact of DAA therapy on overall survival (OS) in HCC patients using a nationwide cohort study.

Methods: We utilized the nationwide Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL) HCV Registry (TACR) database to include all adults receiving a DAA therapy for HCV, excluding those with other viral infections, liver transplantation, non-HCC malignancies, and terminal-staged HCC.

Real-world efficacy and safety of universal 8-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with chronic hepatitis C with early chronic kidney disease or pre-end-stage renal disease: Insights from a nationwide hepatisis C virus registry in Taiwan.

An 8-week regimen of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir is recommended for treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). In alignment with the Taiwanese government's objective to eliminate hepatitis C by 2025, this study aimed to provide real-world evidence on the use of this regimen in treatment-naïve patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) by using data from the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver HCV Registry (TACR). CKD was defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 mL/min/1.

Clinical Relevancies of Sarcopenic Obesity in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD).

Aim: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is associated with adverse outcomes in diseased patients. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and risks associated with SO, with a focus on the impact of SO on cardiovascular risk in patients with MASLD.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with MASLD were prospectively enrolled.

Addition of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to Pre-DAA FIB-4 does not increase prediction value for de novo liver complications in hepatitis C.

Background And Aims: Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) achieve high sustained virologic response (SVR) in chronic hepatitis C patients; yet a proportion of patients still experience de novo liver complications after SVR. Identification of risk factors is clinically important. FIB-4 index is a useful noninvasive tool to assess fibrosis, while neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a biomarker for systemic inflammation.

Impact of HCV eradication by directly acting antivirals on glycemic indices in chronic hepatitis C patients -a nationwide Taiwan HCV registry.

Background/aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication using antiviral agents augments the metabolic profile. Changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in chronic hepatitis C patients who receive glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) remain elusive.

Methods: Data from 2417 patients treated with GLE/PIB from the Taiwan HCV Registry were analyzed, and pretreatment HbA1c levels were compared with 3-months after the-end-of treatment levels.

Benefits of Hepatitis C Viral Eradication: A Real-World Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) increases the risk of liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This nationwide cohort study assessed the effectiveness of viral eradication of CHC.

Methods: The Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C cohort and Taiwan hepatitis C virus (HCV) registry are nationwide HCV registry cohorts incorporating data from 23 and 53 hospitals in Taiwan, respectively.

Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Universal 8-Week Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir for Treatment-Naïve Patients from a Nationwide HCV Registry in Taiwan.

Introduction: Eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) is indicated for treatment-naïve (TN) patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with or without compensated cirrhosis. Given that the Taiwanese government is committed to eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2025, this study aimed to measure real-world evidence for TN patients using 8-week GLE/PIB in the Taiwan HCV Registry (TACR).

Methods: The data of patients with CHC treated with 8-week GLE/PIB were retrieved from TACR, a nationwide registry program organized by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL).

Multicenter evaluation of the safety and efficacy of selective internal radiation therapy with yttrium-90 resin microspheres in Taiwan: data from the RESIN registry.

Background And Aim: The REgistry of Selective Internal radiation therapy in AsiaNs (RESIN) was a multicenter, single-arm, prospective, observational study of Y resin microspheres in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) from Taiwan. RESIN is the first real-life clinical study of this therapy in an Asian cohort. Study objectives were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Y resin microspheres.

Dynamic change of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in patients with hepatitis C virus infection after achieving sustained virologic response with direct-acting antivirals.

Background: Information on the dynamics of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) among hepatitis C virus patients achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is limited.

Methods: We enrolled 1512 eligible participants in this prospective study. MASLD was defined by a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) of ≥248 dB/m utilizing vibration-controlled transient elastography in conjunction with presence of  ≥1 cardiometabolic risk factor.

Non-linear association between long-term air pollution exposure and risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) has become a global epidemic, and air pollution has been identified as a potential risk factor. This study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between ambient air pollution and MASLD prevalence.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, participants undergoing health checkups were assessed for three-year average air pollution exposure.

An algorithm for simplified hepatitis C virus treatment with non-specialist care based on nation-wide data from Taiwan.

Background: Both European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (AASLD-IDSA) guidelines recommend simplified hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment with pan-genotypic sofosbuvir/velpatasvir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for eligible patients. This observational study used real-world data to assess these regimens' safety in eligible patients and develop an algorithm to identify patients suitable for simplified treatment by non-specialists.

Methods: 7,677 HCV-infected patients from Taiwan Hepatitis C Registry (TACR) who received at least one dose of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, and fulfilled the EASL/AASLD-IDSA criteria for simplified treatment were analyzed.

Artificial intelligence predicts direct-acting antivirals failure among hepatitis C virus patients: A nationwide hepatitis C virus registry program.

Background/aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1-3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy.