Category Archives: AMM 2012, Volume 58, Number 3

Relationship Between Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus and the Progression to Cirrhosis in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Colțescu Camelia1, Doffoel M1, Habersetzer F1, Oltean G2, Copotoiu Ruxandra3, Georgescu D4, Bățagă Simona4

1 Department of Hepato-gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
2 Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Clinic 1, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureş, Romania
3 Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mures, Romania
4 Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Clinic 1, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureş, Romania

Objective: To assess the influence of the identified genotype on the stage of liver fibrosis at hepatitis C identification and at the 5 years follow up.
Methods: In our retrospective study we enrolled 126 patients with Hepatitis C admitted to the Gastroenterology Unit at the Nouvel Hopital Civil in Strasbourg, France between October 2006 and December 2011. All patients had detectable serum HCV-RNA and had not been transplanted during the 5 years surveillance period. The data collected were analyzed with GraphPad Prism Demo for descriptive and inferential statistics and with StatMate2Demo for power analysis.
Results: In our retrospective study we enrolled 126 patients. Genotype distribution was as follows: genotype 1a, n=23 (18.25%); genotype 1b, n=48 (38.10%); genotype 2, n=17 (13.50%); genotype 3, n=18 (14.29%) and genotype 4, n=20 (15.86%). Fibrosis at diagnosis and follow up was not influenced by the genotype (odds ratio ranging from 0.395 to 5.147 but with a 95% CI below 1), except genotype 1b (odds ratio 2.093 [1.008; 4.348] at follow up).
Conclusions: There is no association between a particular HCV genotype and the fibrosis stage as defined by transient elastography.

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Glycyrrhiza glabra and Glycyrrhiza echinata — Sources of Low Hemotoxic Saponins

Canciu-Dobrea Carmen1, Kaycsa Adriana2, Dehelean Cristina3, Şoica Codruţa4, Antal Diana1

1 Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, “V. Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara
2 Department of Biochemistry, “V. Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara
3 Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “V. Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara
4 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “V. Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara

Introduction: Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (licorice) is one of the most used medicinal plats as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, sweetener, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antimycotic or anti-tumor agent. In our country G. echinata (Russian licorice) is the dominant species of the Glycyrrhiza genus. Several substitution cases were reported between G. glabra and G. echinata in the last years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface-active properties, related to the potential toxicity of Russian licorice, using the medicinal species G. glabra as standard. Material and method: Tests were performed according to the methods described by valid Pharmacopoeias. The foam index was identified (FI), followed by the evaluation of haemolysis capacity. A spectrophotometric method, more sensitive than the haemolytic index (HI) was used to determine the 50% haemolytic dose (HD50) of the two vegetal products, ammoniacal glycyrrhizate and G. echinata saponins.
Results: Glycyrrhiza echinata (FI 400; HD50 = 9153±210 μg/ml), G. glabra (FI 250, HD50 = 12382±172 μg/ml) and the tested saponins (ammoniacal glycyrrhizin HD 50 = 63.25±1.4 µg/ml and G. echinata saponins HD50 = 42.5±1.2 μg/ml), had low haemolytic capacity.
Conclusions: The surface-active properties of the tested vegetal products and substances do not create an impediment when using small amounts of the product, creating the perspective of new research on the use of saponins isolated from G. glabra and G. echinata as possible ingredients in parenteral formulation.

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Effects of Generic Medicines Containing Losartan on Health Care Budget in Hungary 2007–2010

Berényi K, Szabó I, Horváth T, Ember I

Institute of Public Health Medicine, University of Pécs, Hungary

Background: Under the legislation which came into force in 2007 (act XCVIII of 2006) regarding several drug-economical regulations, such as the improvement of market share of generic drugs, should have to led to decreased health care expenditures. This study illustrates an exception. Our study’s objective is to highlight a possible cost-increasing effect of the aforementioned law, and to bring the legislators’ attention to the latent problems in our health care system.
Materials and methods: We have used the databank of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in our analysis. The analysed active substance was selected due to the author’s personal experience with the substance as a sales representative.
Results: Between January 2007 and August 2010 the quantity of administered drugs containing losartan as an active substance measured in packages increased by 18.75x, representing a 26.7x increase measured in DOT (Days of Treatment). The public reimbursement for this substance increased by 548% in the same period.
Conclusion: The legislation resulted in the increase of expenditures in some cases, such as losartan. It is important to pay more attention to the marketing activity of pharmaceutical companies. The change of medicines getting public reimbursement can be another important method for reducing the health care budget.

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Ten Years’ Experience in Early Cerebral Aneurysm Clip Occlusion

Bălașa A, Chinezu R, Ács J, Györki G, Gherman B, Lupșa A, Gherasim DN

Department of Neurosurgery, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Târgu Mureș, Romania

Background: The study follows the complete series of patients surgically treated in the past 10 years at Targu Mures Neurosurgery Department and the effects of the surgical experience over the clinical outcome.
Material and method: This is a retrospective study including 382 patients operated in our department between 2001 and 2011 by a team of 5 neurosurgeons.
Results: Out of the 382 patients included in the study 62.17% were female, 37.83% were male with a mean age of 51±30 years. The majority of operated aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation: 363 cases (95%) with the following locations: anterior communicating artery, 167 cases (43.65%), middle cerebral artery, 100 cases (26.3%), posterior communcating artery, 61 cases (16%). In the posterior circulation a number of 19 aneurysms have been operated with the majority (7) being top basilar aneurysms. 86.80% of cases have been admitted in Hunt-Hess I-III, 13.2% being in Hunt-Hess IV-V. A number of 244 patients (64%) have been admitted and operated in first 96 hours from aneurysm rupture, 92 patients (24%) have been operated between 5 to 14 days, and the rest of 46 patients (12%) have been operated two weeks after the first SAH. Outcome has been calculated using the GOS scale: 57.23% of patients have been discharged with GOS 5, 17% with GOS 4, 10% with GOS 2 and 3, while overall mortality was 15.8%.
Conclusions: Multimodality and multidisciplinarity treatments of cerebral aneurysms have improved significantly the outcome of patients but still the surgical treatment represents a major option. In our opinion early surgery represents the gold standard in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms.

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Immuno-Morphometric Study of Choroid Melanoma Angiogenesis

Albert A1, Egyed-Zsigmond I2

1 ”Dr. FOGOLYÁN Kristof” Emergency County Hospital, Sfântu Gheorghe,Romania
2 Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania

Introduction: The lack of local epidemiologic data, and the progress of current diagnosis and treatment methods motivated us to evaluate our patients from the perspective of tumor vasculogenesis. The metastatic potential of the choroidal melanoma is well known, and the vasculogenesis is a promoter of it, making early diagnosis and treatment a necessity.
Material and method: In this paper we present 21 cases of choroidal malignant melanoma from 2005 to 2009. For all the patients the treatment was the enucleation of the eye, followed by histopathologic examination and imunohistochimic staining. Tumor vasculature was followed with immune-staining: CD31, CD105, SMA, Collagen IV. The results were digitalized and analyzed with the ImageJ software to demonstrate vasculogenesis.
Results: Vessels with CD31 positivity were dominant at the periphery, while CD105 positive new vessels were predominant centrally in the tumor mass. Collagen IV staining presented fragmentation and pluristratification of the vascular basal membranes, and the vascular smooth muscle was barely noticeable in the central areas.
Conclusions: The lesion of the vascular wall is evident, signaling the modification of the structure and proportion of the elements. The difference between the peripheral and central area is evident, well documented immunohistochemically and morphometrically. The differences are statistically significant.

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To Aspirin, to Clopidogrel or to Both for Preoperative CAS?

Copotoiu Sanda-Maria

Editor-in-chief

This issue of the AMM harbors a study on postoperative cervical hematoma to patients who underwent carotid surgery. It is an observational retrospective study on 100 consecutive patients operated on during the last two years (2009–2111) in the Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery of the local county emergency hospital. That is, after the publication of the ESVS Guidelines on invasive treatment for carotid stenosis, stating among others, that the only RCT on dual antiplatelet treatment in CAS (carotid artery stenosis) ”was found to be associated with a significant reduction in the neurological complication rates (25% vs. 0%) without an additional increase in bleeding complications” [1,2]. [More]

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Relationship Between Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus and the Progression to Cirrhosis in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Colțescu Camelia1, Doffoel M1, Habersetzer F1, Oltean G2, Copotoiu Ruxandra3, Georgescu D4, Bățagă Simona4

1 Department of Hepato-gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
2 Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Clinic 1, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureş, Romania
3 Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureş, Romania
4 Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Clinic 1, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tîrgu Mureş, Romania

 

Objective: To assess the influence of genotype on the stage of liver fibrosis in case of hepatitis C at the moment of identification and at the 5 years follow-up.
Methods: In our retrospective study we enrolled 126 patients with hepatitis C admitted to the Gastroenterology Unit of the Nouvel Hopital Civil in Strasbourg, France between October 2006 and December 2011. All patients had detectable serum HCV-RNA and had not been transplanted during the 5 years surveillance period. The collected data was analyzed with GraphPad Prism Demo for descriptive and inferential statistics and with StatMate2Demo for power analysis.
Results: Genotype distribution was as follows: genotype 1a, n=23 (18.25%); genotype 1b, n=48 (38.10%); genotype 2, n=17 (13.50%); genotype 3, n=18 (14.29%) and genotype 4, n=20 (15.86%). Fibrosis at diagnosis and follow-up was not influenced by the genotype (odds ratio ranging from 0.395 to 5.147 but with a 95% CI below 1), except genotype 1b (odds ratio 2.093 [1.008; 4.348] at follow-up).
Conclusions: There is no association between a particular HCV genotype and the stage of fibrosis as defined by transient elastography.

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