Background and objectives: The severity of liver disease among hepatitis C patients on hemodialysis is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical, biochemical, and liver histologic characteristics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hemodialysis patients and in those with normal renal function.Design, setting, participants, & measurements: A case-control study was carried out with 36 HCV patients on hemodialysis and 37 HCV patients with normal renal function matched for gender, age at infection, and estimated time of infection.Results: HCV patients on hemodialysis had lower levels of alanina aminotransferase and lower viral load. Hepatic fibrosis was significantly higher in the patients with normal renal function (73%) than in hemodialysis patients (47.2%, P < 0.025); the same was observed for inflammatory activity (control group 59.5% versus hemodialysis patients 27.7%, P ‫؍‬ 0.003). In addition, the risk of tissue inflammation was four times lower in hemodialysis patients (odds ratio ‫؍‬ 0.23, P < 0.004), and severe inflammatory activity on biopsy was the only independent risk factor for fibrosis (P < 0.001).Conclusions: The lower biochemical and inflammatory activities observed in hemodialysis patients suggest that hemodialysis and uremia may have a protective role against progression of the disease caused by HCV.

Objective: To evaluate epidemiological, clinical and prognostic characteristics of children with biliary atresia.Methods: Data regarding portoenterostomy, liver transplantation (LTx), age at last follow-up and survival were collected from the records of patients followed up in six Brazilian centers and compared regarding decades of surgery.Results: Of 513 patients, 76.4% underwent portoenterostomy [age: 60-94.7 (82.6±32.8) days] and 46.6% underwent LTx. In 69% of cases, LTx followed portoenterostomy, whereas in 31% of cases LTx was performed as the primary surgery. Patients from the Northeast region underwent portoenterostomy later than infants from Southern (p = 0.008) and Southeastern (p = 0.0012) Brazil, although even in the latter two regions age at portoenterostomy was higher than desirable. Over the decades, LTx was increasingly performed. Overall survival was 67.6%. Survival increased over the decades (1980s vs. 1990s, p = 0.002; 1980s vs. 2000s, p < 0.001; 1990s vs. 2000s, p < 0.001). The 4-year postportoenterostomy survival, with or without LTx, was 73.4%, inversely correlated with age at portoenterostomy (80, 77.7, 60.5% for ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 days, respectively). Higher survival rates were observed among transplanted patients (88.3%). The 4-year native liver survival was 36.8%, inversely correlated with age at portoenterostomy (54, 33.3, 26.6% for ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 days, respectively). Conclusions:This multicenter study showed that late referral for biliary atresia is still a problem in Brazil, affecting patient survival. Strategies to enhance earlier referral are currently being developed aiming to decrease the need for liver transplantation in the first years of life. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86(6):473-479:Biliary atresia, portoenterostomy, hepatic, surgery, diagnosis, differential, prognosis. ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar as características epidemiológicas, clínicas e prognósticas de crianças com atresia biliar. Os pacientes da região Nordeste foram submetidos a portoenterostomia mais tardiamente do que as crianças das regiões Sul (p = 0,008) e Sudeste (p = 0,0012), embora, mesmo nas duas últimas regiões, a idade no momento da portoenterostomia tenha sido superior ao desejável. Ao longo das décadas, houve aumento progressivo do número de TxH realizados. A sobrevida global foi de 67,6%. A sobrevida aumentou nas últimas décadas (anos 1980 versus 90, p = 0,002; anos 1980 versus 2000, p < 0,001; anos 1990 versus 2000, p < 0,001). A sobrevida de 4 anos pós-portoenterostomia, com ou sem TxH, foi de 73,4%, inversamente correlacionada à idade no momento da portoenterostomia (80, 77,7, 60,5% para ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 dias, respectivamente). Os pacientes transplantados apresentaram taxas de sobrevida mais elevadas (88,3%). A sobrevida de 4 anos com fígado nativo foi de 36,8%, inversamente correlacionada à idade no momento da portoenterostomia (54, 33,3, 26,6% para ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 dias, respectivamente). Método Conclusões:Este estudo multicêntrico demonstrou que o encaminhamento tardio das crianças portad...

seleccionados para ser publicados por los países integrantes durante el año 2012 Biliary atresia: the Brazilian experience eliSa de carvalho 1 , Jorge luiz doS SantoS 2 , themiS reverbel da Silveira 2 , carloS oScar Kieling 3 , luciana rodrigueS Silva 4 , gilda Porta 5 , irene Kazue miura 5 , adriana maria alveS de tommaSo 6 , maria Ângela bellomo brandão 6 , alexandre rodrigueS ferreira 7 , JoSé roberto de deuS macêdo 8 , JoSé tenório de almeida neto 8. gruPo de eStudoS em hePatologia Pediátrica do braSil

Objective: To evaluate epidemiological, clinical and prognostic characteristics of children with biliary atresia.Methods: Data regarding portoenterostomy, liver transplantation (LTx), age at last follow-up and survival were collected from the records of patients followed up in six Brazilian centers and compared regarding decades of surgery.Results: Of 513 patients, 76.4% underwent portoenterostomy [age: 60-94.7 (82.6±32.8) days] and 46.6% underwent LTx. In 69% of cases, LTx followed portoenterostomy, whereas in 31% of cases LTx was performed as the primary surgery. Patients from the Northeast region underwent portoenterostomy later than infants from Southern (p = 0.008) and Southeastern (p = 0.0012) Brazil, although even in the latter two regions age at portoenterostomy was higher than desirable. Over the decades, LTx was increasingly performed. Overall survival was 67.6%. Survival increased over the decades (1980s vs. 1990s, p = 0.002; 1980s vs. 2000s, p < 0.001; 1990s vs. 2000s, p < 0.001). The 4-year post-portoenterostomy survival, with or without LTx, was 73.4%, inversely correlated with age at portoenterostomy (80, 77.7, 60.5% for ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 days, respectively). Higher survival rates were observed among transplanted patients (88.3%). The 4-year native liver survival was 36.8%, inversely correlated with age at portoenterostomy (54, 33.3, 26.6% for ≤ 60, 61-90, > 90 days, respectively). Conclusions:This multicenter study showed that late referral for biliary atresia is still a problem in Brazil, affecting patient survival. Strategies to enhance earlier referral are currently being developed aiming to decrease the need for liver transplantation in the first years of life.

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