Thursday, October 25, 2018

Curing hepatitis C reduces the risk of cardiovascular events

Liz Highleyman
Published: 25 October 2018
Several studies have found that people with hepatitis C are more prone to developing cardiovascular conditions such as coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, myocardial infarction and stroke; however, other studies have not seen this association.

A growing body of evidence shows that HCV treatment can help reverse this increased risk. A recent study from France, for example, found that curing hepatitis C reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in people with compensated cirrhosis. But again, some large studies from the interferon era did not see a similar benefit. 

On This Blog
A collection of current research articles on ailments related to HCV
Article directory on the extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C.

The following study investigated the prevalence of early signs of cardiovascular damage in patients with HCV cirrhosis. Is such damage reversible following treatment with DAAs? 

Full-text article available online @ Medscape, or purchase article, here

A Prospective Study
Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Oct;48(7):740-749. doi: 10.1111/apt.14934. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Subclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with HCV cirrhosis before and after treatment with direct antiviral agents: a prospective study.
Novo G1, Macaione F1, Giannitrapani L2, Minissale MG2, Bonomo V1, Indovina F1, Petta S3, Soresi M2, Montalto G2, Novo S1, Craxi A3, Licata A2,3.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Cirrhosis is associated with morpho-functional cardiovascular alterations.

AIMS: 
To detect early features of cardiovascular damage in HCV-compensated cirrhotic patients using myocardial deformation indices and carotid arterial stiffness, and, further, to evaluate their short-term behaviour after HCV eradication with direct antiviral agents (DAAs).

METHODS: 
Thirty-nine consecutive patients with HCV cirrhosis, without previous cardiovascular events, were studied and matched for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors to 39 controls without liver or cardiovascular disease. Patients and controls underwent a baseline echocardiographic evaluation including global longitudinal strain and ultrasound scan of carotid arteries. HCV-cirrhotics were reassessed by echocardiography and carotid ultrasound after obtaining sustained virological response (SVR) on DAAs.

RESULTS: 
HCV-cirrhotics showed at baseline a significantly reduced global longitudinal strain compared to controls -18.1 (16.3-20.5) vs -21.2 (20.4-22.3), P < 0.001. They also had a significantly higher pulse wave velocity 8.6 (7.7-9.1) m/s vs 6.6 (6.0-7.1) m/s, P = 0.0001, and β-stiffness index 12.4 (11.1-13.5) vs 8.6 (8.0-9.2) P = 0.0001. At multiple regression analysis, diabetes and HCV cirrhosis were independent predictors of global longitudinal strain. All HCV-cirrhotic patients had SVR on DAAs. Follow-up available in 32 of 39 (82%) at 9 (8-10) months showed a significant improvement of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (P = 0.01) and lateral E' velocity compared to baseline (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: 
HCV-cirrhotics show a significant rate of subclinical cardiac and vascular abnormalities. At a time when their survival is less linked to progression of liver disease, due to viral eradication on DAAs, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality may take a significant role.
Continue to full-text: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/902665
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