BACKGROUND & AIMS: The existence of a direct pathogenic link between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and myocardial injury has not been confirmed. We investigated the association between myocardial conditions and HCV in patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis using thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. METHODS: In 217 consecutive cases of chronic HCV infection without overt heart disease, we performed electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, serum tests on myocardial injury and thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. Myocardial injury was confirmed by severity score (SS), which was calculated as the sum of thallium-201 perfusion defect scores. SS was followed prior to and after interferon (IFN) therapy in 200 patients with chronic hepatitis C. RESULTS: An abnormal ECG was found in 9% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C. Abnormal SS was found in 87% of the chronic hepatitis C patients. Independent factors related to higher pretreatment SS were histology activity index score, serum HCV RNA titer, and indocyanine green disappearance rate. After IFN therapy, SS was improved in patients with sustained virologic response. Among relapsers, SS improved at the initial disappearance of HCV RNA, but it worsened with the reappearance of HCV RNA. SS in non-viral responders did not change with IFN therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial perfusion defects were found in 87% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C and improved with viral eradication with IFN therapy.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: The existence of a direct pathogenic link between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and myocardial injury has not been confirmed. We investigated the association between myocardial conditions and HCV in patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis using thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. METHODS: In 217 consecutive cases of chronic HCV infection without overt heart disease, we performed electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, serum tests on myocardial injury and thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. Myocardial injury was confirmed by severity score (SS), which was calculated as the sum of thallium-201 perfusion defect scores. SS was followed prior to and after interferon (IFN) therapy in 200 patients with chronic hepatitis C. RESULTS: An abnormal ECG was found in 9% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C. Abnormal SS was found in 87% of the chronic hepatitis Cpatients. Independent factors related to higher pretreatment SS were histology activity index score, serum HCV RNA titer, and indocyanine green disappearance rate. After IFN therapy, SS was improved in patients with sustained virologic response. Among relapsers, SS improved at the initial disappearance of HCV RNA, but it worsened with the reappearance of HCV RNA. SS in non-viral responders did not change with IFN therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial perfusion defects were found in 87% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C and improved with viral eradication with IFN therapy.
Authors: Alison L Bailey; Saif Al-Adwan; Eliea Sneij; Nicholas Campbell; Matthew E Wiisanen Journal: Curr Cardiol Rep Date: 2021-04-06 Impact factor: 2.931
Authors: Luigi E Adinolfi; Rosa Zampino; Luciano Restivo; Amedeo Lonardo; Barbara Guerrera; Aldo Marrone; Fabio Nascimbeni; Anna Florio; Paola Loria Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2014-04-07 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Adeel A Butt; Peng Yan; Kara W Chew; Judith Currier; Kathleen Corey; Raymond T Chung; Ashfaq Shuaib; Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra; Javed Butler; Matthew S Freiberg Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2017-08-15 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Theoni Kanellopoulou; Alexandra Alexopoulou; Flora N Kontopidou; Polydoros Konstantinides; George V Papatheodoridis Journal: Ann Gastroenterol Date: 2016 Apr-Jun