RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with interferon-based therapy has been shown to be less effective in Hispanics when compared to other populations. A pilot clinic was established at the University of Puerto Rico for the treatment of HCV in the government-insured population. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes and treatment response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in treatment-naive patients enrolled at this government-sponsored clinic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken to investigate the treatment outcomes with weight based peg-interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin in patients with chronic HCV enrolled in the pilot clinic during 2003-2005. Descriptive statistics were reported. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviations. Frequency distributions and percents were used for categorical variables. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA. RESULTS: A total of 155 patients (105 males and 50 females) with mean age of 42 years started treatment; 79 (51%) patients had HCV genotype 1. Completion of treatment was achieved by 59 patients (38.1%), of whom end of treatment response (ETR) was observed in 30 (50.9%), representing 19.4% of the intention-to-treat population (ITT). Sustained viral response (SVR) was achieved in 17 (28.8%) patients who completed treatment, resulting in 11% (17/155) SVR by ITT. The only significant predictor of SVR was treatment onset within 5 years of the diagnosis of HCV (p = 0.026). Although no association was found between HCV genotype and SVR (p = 0.192), those patients with HCV genotypes 2 and 3 were more likely to complete treatment (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: SVR to pegylated interferon and ribavirin seems to be lower than expected in our population. The high rate of incomplete treatment surpasses previously reported rates in U.S. Latinos and Caucasians. Further studies should explore reasons for lower response and higher treatment discontinuation in our population.
Assuntos
Antivirais/uso terapêutico , Hepatite C Crônica/tratamento farmacológico , Hispânico ou Latino , Interferon-alfa/uso terapêutico , Polietilenoglicóis/uso terapêutico , Ribavirina/uso terapêutico , Adolescente , Adulto , Feminino , Programas Governamentais , Instalações de Saúde , Humanos , Interferon alfa-2 , Masculino , Área Carente de Assistência Médica , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Porto Rico , Proteínas Recombinantes , Estudos Retrospectivos , Resultado do Tratamento , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To review the experience with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis surgery for ulcerative colitis at the University Hospital. BACKGROUND: As many as 40 of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 75 with Crohn's disease (CD) require some surgery for their disease. The number of patients referred to our clinics for evaluation and management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has risen in the past seven years. A multidisciplinary IBD service has been created at the University Hospital for the care of these patients, leading to a dramatic increase in the number of surgeries performed for IBD. Over the past decade the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has emerged as the procedure of choice in most patients with ulcerative colitis requiring total colectomy for management of their disease. Even though the procedure is associated with a considerable morbidity rate, it has become very popular since it avoids the need for a permanent stoma and presumably rids the patient of disease and subsequent cancer risk. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were identified as having IPAA for ulcerative colitis between 1993-2000. Indications for surgery were intractability and toxic megacolon. Complications were pouchitis in 11/25 (44), anastomotic stricture in 6/25 (24), small bowel obstruction in 4/25 (16), and pouch failure in 2/25 (8). Other complications included wound abscess in 1/25 (4), and sexual dysfunction in 1/25 (4) patients. There was no mortality; the patients' quality of life was rated as greatly improved in 14 of 17 patients interviewed (82.4) and 16 of 17 said they would recommend the surgery to others (94.1). CONCLUSIONS: The results of IPAA surgery, morbidity, mortality, and patient satisfaction in our series were similar to other centers around the world.