67 research outputs found
Hepatitis B, C and Delta virus infections in Albanian patients with chronic liver disease: evaluation of possible changes during the last 10 years
No full textObjective and methods The prevalence of viral hepatitis markers and of alcohol intake was evaluated in 106 and 99 Albanian patients with the diagnosis of viral and/or alcoholic chronic liver disease who were consecutively admitted to the University Hospital Center of Tirana, during 1995 and 2005, respectively. Results A slight decrease in HBsAg (78 vs. 70%) and HBeAg (18 vs. 12%) prevalences were observed in patients admitted to the hospital during 2005 compared with those admitted during 1995, respectively. In both periods of time, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (genotype D) tested positive in all HBsAg-positive patients and in 36% of HBsAg-negative patients. Anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence (mainly observed after 30 years of age) was 14 versus 11 %; anti-hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) prevalence (more frequently present in young age group patients) was 9 versus 7% during 1995 and 2005, respectively. Among patients who reported alcohol intake, alcoholic liver disease (HBsAg and anti-HCV negative) was diagnosed in 35 and in 57% of patients admitted during 1995 and 2005, respectively (P=0.05). Conclusion In Albanian patients with chronic liver disease, we have found that: (i) HBV remained the most important aetiologic factor of chronic liver disease; HDV and HCV prevalences were still low, (ii) in HBsAg-positive patients, HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis prevailed, (iii) in HBsAg-negative patients, HBV DNA prevalence was high, (iv) during the last decade, an increased prevalence of alcohol intake in the aetiology of chronic liver disease was observed. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 22:167-171 (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) antibody and the possible association with chronic liver disease: a case-control study in Albania
No full textClinical and molecular characterization of chronic hepatitis B in Albania: a country that is still highly endemic for HBV infection
No full textHepatitis B markers and vaccination-induced protection rate among Albanian pregnant women in Greece
No full textHepatitis B has long been a serious public health problem both in Greece and in Albania. In the February 2009 issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology, Resuli et al presented the interesting epidemiological data concerning hepatitis B virus infection in Albania. The results of this study were discussed and several data from our similar research were provided. © 2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved
Hepatitis B, C and Delta virus infections in Albanian patients with chronic liver disease: evaluation of possible changes during the last 10 years
No full textHearing evaluation in patients with chronic renal failure
No full textObjective: To evaluate hearing threshold and the severity of hearing loss at different frequencies in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), and to analyze the role of duration of disease on hearing threshold in patients of CRF by measuring pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE).
Methods: There were analysed 61 subjects (122 ears) from which 12 were patients starting hemodialise (A), 24 subjects were patients undergoing hemodialise over a year (B), 15 subjects were patients undergoing conservative treatment (C) and 10 controls (D). We did hearing evaluation by testing them using tympanometry, PTA and DPOAEs. Other parameters (blood pressure, body weight, blood chemistries) were also evaluated.
Results: It was found a severe high-frequency hearing loss among patients with CRF comparing to the control group. Duration on haemodialysis treatment does not seem to have a significant impact on the incidence of hearing loss, although the method of treatment may influence the impact of the disease on hearing. Hearing loss among patients with CRF seemed to deteriorate further a year after the first evaluation.
Conclusions: DPOAE raised the percentages of detection of SNHL indicating that it is a better technique than the conventional PTA for evaluation of hearing acuity
Hepatitis B remains a major health priority in Western Balkans: results of a 4-year prospective Greek-Albanian collaborative study
No full textOBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To report on the results of two projects on chronic hepatitis B in Western Balkans lead by Ioannina, Northwest Greece and Tirana, Albania. METHODS: In two prospective projects, HEPAGA I and HEPAGA II which lasted 4 years. In HEPAGA I, serum samples from 410 Albanians were tested for HBV. In HEPAGA II, health care consumption was recorded in hospitalized patients with chronic hepatitis B. RESULTS: HEPAGA I showed that 11.89% of the Albanians was HBsAg(+) and only 21.19% had HBV immunoprotection. HEPAGA II study included 101 patients. There was a significant difference in hospitalization costs per patient between centers. The Greek patients were significantly older (p=0.027) and there was a significant correlation between age >50 years and hospitalization costs (p=0.035). In Greece, hospitalization costs, number of patients admitted and number of hospitalization days per patient were in a remarkable position compared to other causes of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The HEPAGA I study showed a decrease in the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in Albania compared to that of the previous decade. The HEPAGA II study demonstrated that health care consumption due to HBV infection is still an important determinant of the overall health consumption in Western Balkans.Eur J Intern Me
971 poster RADIOTHERAPY AND DISEASE-FREE SURVIVAL FOR PATIENTS WITH DESMOID TUMORS: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE
No full textSafety and Efficacy of Liraglutide in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and End-Stage Renal Disease:An Investigator-Initiated, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blinded, Parallel Group, Randomized Trial
No full textOBJECTIVE: To evaluate parameters related to safety and efficacy of liraglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease (ESRD).RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with type 2 diabetes and ESRD and 23 control subjects with type 2 diabetes and normal kidney function were randomly allocated to 12 weeks of double-blinded liraglutide (titrated to a maximum dose of 1.8 mg) or placebo treatment (1:1) injected subcutaneously once daily as add on to ongoing antidiabetic treatment. Dose-corrected plasma trough liraglutide concentration was evaluated at the final trial visit as the primary outcome measure using a linear mixed model.RESULTS: Twenty patients with ESRD (1:1 for liraglutide vs. placebo) and 20 control subjects (1:1) completed the study period. Dose-corrected plasma trough liraglutide concentration at the final visit was increased by 49% (95% CI 6-109, P = 0.02) in the group with ESRD compared with the control group. Initial and temporary nausea and vomiting occurred more frequently among liraglutide-treated patients with ESRD compared with control subjects (P < 0.04). Glycemic control tended to improve during the study period in both liraglutide-treated groups as assessed by daily blood glucose measurements (P < 0.01), and dose of baseline insulin was reduced in parallel (P < 0.04). Body weight was reduced in both liraglutide-treated groups (-2.4 ± 0.8 kg [mean ± SE] in the group with ESRD, P = 0.22; -2.9 ± 1.0 kg in the control group, P = 0.03).CONCLUSIONS: Plasma liraglutide concentrations increased during treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and ESRD, who experienced more gastrointestinal side effects. Reduced treatment doses and prolonged titration period may be advisable.</p
- …
