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Partial Splenic Embolization for the Treatment of Hypersplenism in Cirrhotic HIV/HCV Patients Prior to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin
- Source :
- Antiviral Therapy; August 2004, Vol. 9 Issue: 6 p1027-1030, 4p
- Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- Partial splenic embolization (PSE), a non-surgical treatment for hypersplenism, has also been reported to improve hepatic function. As severe thrombocytopaenia or leukopaenia contraindicate the use of combined therapy with pegylated interferons (PEG-IFNs) and ribavirin (RBV) in HCV-related cirrhosis, we evaluated, from July 2002 to October 2003, the safety and effectiveness of PSE as a procedure to allow therapy for HCV in three Child-Pugh class B cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism and HIV co-infection. HCV genotypes were 1b (n=2) and 3a (n=1). Severe thrombocytopaenia (in all) and leukopaenia (in two) precluded therapy for HCV. PSE was successfully performed in all with a mean infarcted area of 80%, leading to a significant increase in platelet and leukocyte counts that allowed therapy with weight-adjusted RBV and PEG-IFN-a-2b (patients 1 and 3) or 180 µg of PEG-IFN-a-2a (patient 2) 8 weeks after the procedure. Moderate pain, well controlled with conservative measures, followed PSE in 100% of cases, but during follow-up (mean 422 days) there were no infectious complications or liver decompensation episodes. Although preliminary, these results suggest the potential role of PSE in HIV/HCV-cirrhotic subjects with hypersplenism as a procedure to allow the use of combined PEG-IFN and RBV.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13596535
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Antiviral Therapy
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- ejs57468026
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/135965350400900605