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Biomedical subjects

Edna Strauss

Publications and source records attributed to Edna Strauss.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Quality of life in hepatitis C.

A number of different studies have shown a clear reduction in the quality of life of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver-disease patients. Quality of life can be assessed by means of both generic and specific instruments, depending on the aim of the study and the population being studied. The application of a specific instrument to patients with liver diseases provides a broader assessment of different parameters related to hepatic disorders. In hepatitis C, alterations such as the stigma of liver disease, concerns about the disease and symptoms of the disease could be demonstrated with this type of instrument. The impact of the diagnosis of hepatitis C, a potentially serious disease, and the presence of comorbidities such as alcohol and drugs may lead to lower quality of life. Longitudinal studies have proved that, following diagnosis, the stigma of liver disease becomes more apparent over time. Women report worse quality of life than men, supporting that gender differences in hepatitis are also important when assessing quality of life. Alterations in the quality of life of patients submitted to treatment are mainly related to the somatic side effects of Interferon and Ribavirin and are most noticeable in the first weeks of therapy. Early improvement in the quality of life of patients who become HCV-RNA negative suggests that the virus itself plays a biological role. There is no doubt that liver transplantation leads to an improvement in quality of life. Nevertheless, a major concern is the relapse of HCV, with the associated lower quality of life.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2006

Worse quality of life in volunteer blood donors with hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) encompasses many different aspects of health perceived by the individual, and its alterations in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been recently reported. The objective was to study a population of volunteer blood donors at different stages of HCV liver disease. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), a generic tool, was used to evaluated HRQOL. The SF-36 scores of HCV patients were compared with those of matched healthy blood donors and at the sixth month in those who were submitted to antiviral treatment. Sex, drug use, and alcohol consumption were also evaluated. A total of 120 HCV chronic carriers were divided into three groups: 1) patients with no indication for liver biopsy (n = 37); 2) patients submitted to liver biopsy with mild liver disease (n = 40); and 3) patients with moderate to severe liver disease submitted to interferon plus ribavirin treatment (n = 43). RESULTS: HCV patients had significantly lower SF-36 scores when compared with matched healthy blood donors. There was no correlation between SF-36 scores and history of intravenous and/or inhaled drug use or alcohol consumption. Women had lower SF-36 scores than men in six domains. At the sixth month of treatment, patients who continued to be positive for the presence of HCV RNA (nonresponders) had lower quality of life than those who became HCV RNA-negative. CONCLUSION: Healthy blood donors with HCV showed significantly reduced HRQOL that was more marked in women. The presence of the virus is one of the possible explanations for the reduced HRQOL.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a therapeutic update.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is one of the main infectious complications of cirrhosis and occurs in 8-30% of hospitalized patients with ascites. SBP is characterized by infection of the ascitic fluid (AF) in the absence of any primary focus of intra-abdominal infection. The main route by which the AF becomes infected is the hematogenous route. The pathogenic mechanism by which infection develops is bacterial translocation from the intestinal flora to the mesenteric lymph nodes and from there to the bloodstream. Contributing factors are an increased growth of Gram-negative aerobic bacilli in the jejunum, changes in the intestinal barrier and in addition factors which could reduce the local flow of blood. For clinical diagnosis, patients with SBP may present signs of peritoneal irritation and pain, together with changes in gastrointestinal motility, sometimes with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or ileus. Many patients, however, may not present any symptoms or signs as a result of the presence of SBP. Diagnostic paracentesis of the AF must be performed for every patient with cirrhosis, hospitalized with ascites. Laboratory diagnosis of SBP is carried out by polymorphonuclear count in the AF, together with a positive culture from the AF, which is characteristically monomicrobial. Escherichia coli has been the main bacterium isolated from AF as well as other Gram-negative bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family and Streptococcus genus. A more rapid diagnosis of SBP can be obtained via the use of leukocyte esterase, which is present in biological fluids and reacts with a component of the dipstick, changing its color. During the acute phase of SBP, antibiotics should be initiated promptly once the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of SBP has been made, before the result of AF culture. Cefotaxime or other third-generation cephalosporins have been considered the first-choice empirical antibiotics in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with SBP, and is efficacious in approximately 90% of cases. Broad-spectrum quinolones, which are almost completely absorbed after oral administration and diffuse rapidly through the AF, are currently used for oral treatment of uncomplicated SBP. Patients who have already had a previous episode of SBP, with a 69% probability of recurrence within a year, will benefit from prophylactic treatment. Cirrhotic patients with a high risk of SBP and other infections, such as those with gastrointestinal bleeding, also benefit from primary prophylaxis and norfloxacin has been used with success.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Clinical significance of elevated alanine aminotransferase in blood donors: a follow-up study.

UNLABELLED: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation in blood donors can be related to many variables such as viral hepatitis, overweight and ethanol consumption. BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aims to define factors associated with ALT elevation in candidates for blood donation, to evaluate ALT levels during follow-up, and to establish a histological diagnosis of hepatic disease. METHODS: Alcoholism, obesity, drug-induced liver disease, diabetes, hemochromatosis and alpha 1-anti-trypsin deficiency were investigated in 119 subjects (113 males, six females, aged 33.4+/-8.4 years) who were hepatitis B surface antigen/anti-hepatitis C virus negative and had been rejected as blood donors as a result of elevated ALT (>1.5 times the upper normal limit (UNL) in two determinations). During follow-up, ALT was determined every 8 weeks and liver biopsy recommended in cases with persistently elevated ALT levels. RESULTS: Obesity (30.2%) and alcoholism (28.6%) were most frequently associated with ALT elevation and in 9.2% of cases no association was found. ALT levels decreased significantly, regardless of the associated factor. Liver histology in 40 patients showed steatosis (35%), steatohepatitis (30%), non-specific reactive hepatitis (12.5% of cases), normal liver (15% of cases) and alcoholic cirrhosis, hemochromatosis and non-specific portal fibrosis in three cases. CONCLUSION: ALT levels usually dropped during follow-up and although severe hepatic lesions can be found in asymptomatic blood donors, mild hepatic damage is the rule.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Different degrees of malnutrition and immunological alterations according to the aetiology of cirrhosis: a prospective and sequential study.

OBJECTIVES: In this work we investigated how immunological dysfunction and malnutrition interact in alcoholic and viral aetiologies of cirrhosis. METHODS: To investigate the matter, 77 cirrhotic patients divided in three aetiologies [Alcohol, HCV and Alcohol + HCV) and 32 controls were prospectivelly and sequentially studied. Parameters of humoral immunity (Components 3 and 4 of seric complement and immunoglobulins A M, G and E) and of cellular immunity (total leukocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood, T lymphocytes subpopulations, CD4+ and CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity), as well as nutritional parameters: anthropometric measures, serum albumin and transferrin were evaluated. RESULTS: Multiple statistical comparisons showed that IgM was higher in HCV group; IgG was significantly elevated in both HCV and Alcohol + HCV, whereas for the Alcohol group, IgE was found at higher titles. The analysis of T- lymphocytes subpopulations showed no aetiologic differences, but intradermic tests of delayed hypersensitivity did show greater frequency of anergy in the Alcohol group. For anthropometric parameters, the Alcohol +HCV group displayed the lowest triceps skinfold whereas creatinine--height index evaluation was more preserved in the HCV group. Body mass index, arm muscle area and arm fat area showed that differently from alcohol group, the HCV group was similar to control. CONCLUSION: Significant differences were found among the main aetiologies of cirrhosis concerning immunological alterations and nutritional status: better nutrition and worse immunology for HCV and vice-versa for alcohol.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Liver histology in co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV).

As little is known about liver histology in the co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV), HGV RNA was investigated in 46 blood donors with hepatitis C, 22 of them with liver biopsy: co-infection HCV / HGV (n = 6) and HCV isolated infection (n = 16). Besides staging and grading of inflammation at portal, peri-portal and lobular areas (Brazilian Consensus), the fibrosis progression index was also calculated. All patients had no symptoms or signs of liver disease and prevalence of HGV / HCV co-infection was 15.2%. Most patients had mild liver disease and fibrosis progression index, calculated only in patients with known duration of infection, was 0.110 for co-infection and 0.130 for isolated HCV infection, characterizing these patients as "slow fibrosers". No statistical differences could be found between the groups, although a lesser degree of inflammation was always present in co-infection. In conclusion co-infection HCV / HGV does not induce a more aggressive liver disease, supporting the hypothesis that HGV is not pathogenic.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis].

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis occurs in 30% of patients with ascites due to cirrhosis leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. The pathogenesis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is related to altered host defenses observed in end-stage liver disease, overgrowth of microorganisms, and bacterial translocation from the intestinal lumen to mesenteric lymph nodes. Clinical manifestations vary from severe to slight or absent, demanding analysis of the ascitic fluid. The diagnosis is confirmed by a number of neutrophils over 250/mm3 associated or not to bacterial growth in culture of an ascites sample. Enterobacteriae prevail and Escherichia coli has been the most frequent bacterium reported. Mortality rates decreased markedly in the last two decades due to early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment. Third generation intravenous cephalosporins are effective in 70% to 95% of the cases. Recurrence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is common and can be prevented by the continuous use of oral norfloxacin. The development of bacterial resistance demands the search for new options in the prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; probiotics are a promising new approach, but deserve further evaluation. Short-term antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for patients with cirrhosis and ascites shortly after an acute episode of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Ascites↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alcoholic hepatitis: bad prognosis due to concomitant bacterial infections].

Bacterial infections increase morbidity and mortality in cirrhosis. Our aim was to investigate whether in alcoholic hepatitis the development of bacterial infections was also a poor prognostic factor. In the retrospective evaluation of 681 hospitalized patients with liver disease, from a single center during a six-year period, 52 (7.5%) cases of alcoholic hepatitis were well documented, 73.1% by liver biopsy with histopathological analysis and the others by well characterized clinical-biochemical data. Males were predominant (ratio 3.3:1.0), mean age of 40 years and mean alcohol intake of 193 g/day. Major complications were: Hepatic encephalopathy (n=5), renal insufficiency (n=4) and digestive bleeding (n=3). Bacterial infections were found in 11 (21%) patients, distributed into: pulmonary (n=5), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (n=2), urinary (n=3) and dermatological (n=1). Early hospital death occurred in eight (15.4%) patients and comparative analysis between these and those who survived showed that poor prognostic factors were: presence of hepatic encephalopathy (p=0.012), total bilirubin > 20 mg% (p=0.012) and the presence of severe infections (pulmonary and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis) with statistical significance (p=0.004). In conclusion we have demonstrated that severe bacterial infections are poor prognostic factors for alcoholic hepatitis. Our recommendation, based on prophylaxis with antibiotics during digestive bleeding in cirrhosis and in acute hepatic insufficiency, is to extend this prophylaxis to alcoholic hepatitis, in its severe form, in order to prevent bacterial infections and early death.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bacterial infections associated with hepatic encephalopathy: prevalence and outcome.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a major sign of severe liver disease and the impact of associated bacterial infections should be better evaluated. A retrospective cohort of 333 patients with cirrhosis and HE was analyzed in three periods of time, from 1984 to 1998. Variance analysis, Wilcoxon, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical comparisons. Prevalence of bacterial infections decreased along the time (p = 0.0029). Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis -SBP- (37%) and urinary tract infection (30%) were the more frequent types of bacterial infections. Early death was significantly higher in HE with infection (46,47%) and the calculated RR was 2.047. Prognosis was worse in septicemia (79%) and respiratory tract infection (50%) and better in urinary tract infection (27%). SBP lethality was reduced from 70% to 38% (p = 0.062). In conclusion, lower prevalence of bacterial infections, in severe liver disease, was achieved in the last decade, but short-term prognosis remains bad, varying according to the type of bacterial infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcoholic intake predisposes to more interface hepatitis in chronic hepatitis C.

Progression of liver disease in chronic hepatitis C depends on several factors related to the host, virus and the environment which deserves further investigations. 120 candidates for blood donation with hepatitis C virus were divided into three groups according to alcohol intake: abstainers, light drinkers and heavy drinkers. Liver histopathology alterations, namely architectural staging, periportal and lobular inflammation as well as portal inflammatory infiltrate were graded from 0 to 4 and afterwards divided into light (0 to 2) and severe (3 to 4). There were more drinkers among men (83.5%) than among women (41.5%). Regarding the three groups, mild periportal inflammation was significantly related with abstainers and light drinkers groups whereas severe periportal inflammation was more predominant in heavy drinkers (p = 0.033). When we compared mild with severe histopathological alterations older age was significantly (p = 0.004) associated with severe fibrosis, periportal inflammation and portal inflammatory infiltrate. In relation to enzyme levels a significant difference in fibrosis and lobular activity was found for ALT, AST and GGT. Only AST was a marker of greater portal inflammatory infiltrate. Additionally, platelets were significantly lower in severe fibrosis and in periportal inflammation. Logistic regression analysis identified AST and platelets as independent predictors for severe fibrosis. In conclusion, a correlation was found between alcohol consumption and periportal inflammation. Fibrosis correlated with age, high enzymes levels and low platelets. AST and platelets were the best predictors for severe fibrosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A new insight into the differences among non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic patients using the liver disease quality of life instrument (LDQOL).

Our aims were to validate the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Liver Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire instrument (LDQOL1.0) and evaluate this tool in non-cirrhotic patients. METHODS: The LDQOL1.0 consists of the SF-36 generic measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and 12 disease-specific dimensions for patients with liver disease. The Brazilian Portuguese version instrument was administered to 103 patients with liver disease. Reliability was analyzed by studying the internal consistency of the individual disease- specific dimensions of the LDQOL, as well as by studying the test-retest reliability in a sub-group of 74 patients who completed the questionnaire on two occasions 1 to 2 weeks apart. Validity was analyzed by determining the instrument's ability to discriminate between groups of patients according to severity of the liver disease. RESULTS: Internal consistency in the disease- specific dimensions was good (CACs 0.66-0.94), as well as test-retest reliability in all dimensions (ICCs of 0.64-0.96) p<0.05. We found statistically significant differences in six domains when compensated cirrhotic patients, Child A, were compared with non-cirrhotic patients. We also found statistically significant differences when we compared cirrhotic patients evaluated assessed by Child-Pugh and Meld classifications. Patients with Child C and Meld>or=15 showed worse quality of life. Moderate ceiling and floor effects were found in some disease-specific dimensions. IN CONCLUSIONS: the Brazilian Portuguese version of the LDQOL 1.0 is very useful for measuring HRQOL in liver diseases.

Activities of Daily Living↗