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Background: As the era of interferon-alpha (IFN)-based therapy for hepatitis C ends, long-term treatment outcomes are now being evaluated.Aim: To more fully understand the natural history of hepatitis C infection by following a multisite cohort of patients.Methods: Patients with chronic HCV were prospectively enrolled in 1999-2000 from 11 VA medical centers and followed through retrospective medical record review.Results: A total of 2211 patients were followed for an average of 8.5 years after enrollment. Thirty-one percent of patients received HCV antiviral therapy, 15 % with standard IFN/ribavirin only, 16 % with pegylated IFN/ribavirin, and 26.7 % of treated patients achieved sustained virologic response (SVR). Cirrhosis developed in 25.8 % of patients. Treatment nonresponders had a greater than twofold increase in the hazard of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, compared to untreated patients, whereas SVR patients were only marginally protected from cirrhosis. Nearly 6 % developed hepatocellular carcinoma, and 27.1 % died during the follow-up period. Treated patients, regardless of response, had a significant survival benefit compared to untreated patients (HR 0.58, CI 0.46-0.72). Improved survival was also associated with college education, younger age, lower levels of alcohol consumption, and longer duration of medical service follow-up-factors typically associated with treatment eligibility.Conclusions: As more hepatitis C patients are now being assessed for all-oral combination therapy, these results highlight that patient compliance and limiting harmful behaviors contribute a significant proportion of the survival benefit in treated patients and that the long-term clinical benefits of SVR may be less profound than previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies of the retreatment with consensus interferon (CIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who failed prior pegylated interferon alfa/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) have found quite variable efficacy and tolerability of this therapy. As such, CIFN/RBV use and efficacy in clinical practice were evaluated within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest national, integrated system for HCV care.Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) and patterns of CIFN/RBV use in the VA. Methods included retrospective review of national VA data in HCV-infected patients who had previously failed≥12 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV and were prescribed CIFN/RBV between October 1, 2003 and September 30, 2006.Results: A total of 597 patients met the study criteria. CIFN was primarily dosed as 15 mcg subcutaneously daily combined with standard doses of RBV. Mean treatment duration was 21 weeks; CIFN was discontinued within 4 weeks in 24%. Hematological growth factors were used in 49%. Post-treatment viral loads were available in 385 patients. SVR to CIFN/RBV was achieved in 11%, and was significantly higher in prior PEG-IFN/RBV relapsers compared with nonresponders (31% vs. 6%, respectively; P<0.0001). A 2-log10 or greater drop in HCV RNA after 24 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV was a predictor of subsequent SVR to CIFN/RBV.Conclusions: CIFN/RBV was used frequently in clinical practice for retreatment of PEG-IFN/RBV. In this setting, early treatment discontinuation was common. Overall SVR was low, although response was significantly better in prior PEG-IFN/RBV relapsers and those who had a 2-log(10) or greater decline than in nonresponders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed associations between indicators for moisture in office buildings and weekly, building-related lower respiratory and mucous membrane symptoms in office workers, using the U.S. EPA BASE data, collected in a representative sample of 100 U.S. office buildings. We estimated the strength of associations between the symptom outcomes and moisture indicators in multivariate logistic regression models as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), controlling for potential confounding factors and adjusting for correlation among workers in buildings. This analysis identified associations between building-related symptoms and several indicators of moisture or contamination in office buildings. One set of models showed almost a tripling of weekly building-related lower respiratory symptoms in association with lack of cleaning of the drip pans under air-conditioning cooling coils (OR [CI] = 2.8 (1.2-6.5)). Other models found that lack of cleaning of either drip pans or cooling coils was associated with increased mucous membrane symptoms (OR [CI] = 1.4 (1.1-1.9)). Slightly increased symptoms were also associated with other moisture indicators, especially mucous membrane symptoms and past water damage to building mechanical rooms (OR [CI] = 1.3 (1.0-1.7)). Overall, these findings suggest that the presence of moisture or contamination in ventilation systems or occupied spaces in office buildings may have adverse respiratory or irritant effects on workers. The analysis, however, failed to confirm several risks identified in a previous study, such as condition of drain pans or outdoor air intakes, and other hypothesized moisture risks. Studies with more rigorous measurement of environmental risks and health outcomes will be necessary to define moisture-related risks in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess racial/ethnic trends in surveillance data in four states--California, New York, Florida and Texas, identify structural barriers to and facilitators of access to HIV pharmaceuticals by individuals in Medicaid and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), and identify treatment education and outreach efforts responding to the needs of ethnic minority HIV patients., Methods: State surveillance and claims data were used to assess trends by race/ethnicity in AIDS cases and mortality as well as participation rates in Medicaid and ADAP. Key informant interviews with state program administrators and local clinic-based benefit eligibility workers were used to identify social and policy barriers to and facilitators of access to HIV drugs and state strategies for overcoming racial/ethnic disparities., Results: Racial/ethnic disparities in the reduction of AIDS-related mortality were identified in three of the four states studied. Policy barriers included Medicaid requirements for legal immigration status and residency, limits on Medicaid eligibility based on disability requirements, and state-imposed income and benefit limits on ADAP. Social barriers to accessing AIDS medications included lack of information, distrust of government, and HIV-related stigma. State strategies for overcoming disparities included contracting with community-based organizations for treatment education and outreach, the use of regional minority coordinators, and public information campaigns., Conclusions: State policies play a significant role in determining access to HIV drugs, and state policies can be used to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in pharmaceutical access. Overall, eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in access to HIV pharmaceuticals appears to be an achievable goal.