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Weichselbaum L, Njimi H, van den Wijngaert S, Dahma H, Nkuize M, Van Gossum M, Eisendrath P, Mulkay JP, Sersté T. A regular screening for hepatitis delta virus among chronic hepatitis B carriers improves the diagnostic of this infection and of subsequent cirrhosis development. United European Gastroenterol J 2024; 12:516-525. [PMID: 38520063 DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.12564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The prevalence of Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) is underestimated and the assessment of fibrosis is recommended for this infection. We tested the diagnostic impact of an annual screening for HDV serology in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBs Ag) chronic carriers and followed the progression of fibrosis in these patients. METHODS Between January 2014 and October 2021, we annually tested all chronic HBs Ag-positive patients for HDV antibody (HDV Ab). Each HDV Ab positive patient underwent annually repeated elastometry. Patients with detectable HDV RNA levels (group 1) were compared to those with undetectable HDV RNA (group 2). RESULTS We identified 610 chronic HBs Ag-positive patients, and repeated screening for HDV Ab was performed in 534 patients. Sixty (11%) patients were HDV Ab positive at baseline and were considered as "coinfected". Seven cases of HDV superinfection were diagnosed through repeated screening. In co-infected patients, cirrhosis was initially diagnosed in 12/60 patients and developed in six patients during follow-up. HDV RNA PCR was performed in 57/67 patients and 27 had detectable levels (group 1). Cumulative incidence of cirrhosis at 7 years was 13.8% (95% CI 0-30) in group 1 and 0 (95% CI 0-0) in group 2 (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION A systematic screening for HDV in chronic HB Ag carriers revealed a high prevalence of HDV Ab. Repeated serological screening enables the diagnosis of superinfections in asymptomatic patients. Regular assessment of fibrosis using elastometry leads to the identification of incidental cirrhosis in patients with detectable HDV RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Weichselbaum
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CUB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hassane Njimi
- Department of Intensive Care, CUB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Hafid Dahma
- Department of Microbiology, LHUB-ULB site Porte de Hal, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marcel Nkuize
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marc Van Gossum
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Eisendrath
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CUB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Mulkay
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Sersté
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHU Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CUB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
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Buti M, Palom A, Riveiro-Barciela M. Editorial: Liver elastography for chronic hepatitis D-the end of liver biopsy? Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:898-899. [PMID: 38462685 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Sandmann et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17878
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Affiliation(s)
- María Buti
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriana Palom
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Riveiro-Barciela
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
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Sandmann L, Degasperi E, Port K, Aleman S, Wallin JJ, Manuilov D, Da BL, Cornberg M, Lampertico P, Maasoumy B, Wedemeyer H, Deterding K. Liver stiffness measurement as a noninvasive method for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis D virus infection. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:752-761. [PMID: 38212890 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Noninvasive tests (NITs) have been proposed as an alternative to liver biopsy for diagnosing liver cirrhosis. The evidence of NIT performance in patients with chronic hepatitis D (CHD) is limited. AIMS To evaluate the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and other NITs in CHD patients. METHODS We evaluated the diagnostic performance of LSM by transient elastography for the detection of liver cirrhosis in a retrospective, multicentre cohort of 144 CHD patients with paired (±6 months) LSM and liver biopsies. RESULTS Cirrhosis was diagnosed histologically in 22 patients (15.3%). Mean LSM was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis compared to those without fibrosis (23.4 vs 10.2 kPa, p < 0.0001) or with intermediate fibrosis (23.4 vs 13.5 kPa, p < 0.0001). In the detection of liver cirrhosis, LSM was superior to other NITs (AUROCs: 0.89 [LSM], 0.87 [D4FS], 0.74 [APRI], 0.73 [FIB-4], and 0.69 [AAR]). The optimal cut-off for identifying patients with liver cirrhosis was ≥15.2 kPa (Se 91%, Sp 84%, PPV 50%, NPV 98%). The ideal cut-off for diagnosing non-advanced liver fibrosis (Metavir ≤2) was <10.2 kPa (Se 55%, Sp 86%, PPV 90%, NPV 45%), correctly identifying 90% of patients. Data were validated in an independent cohort of 132 CHD patients. CONCLUSIONS LSM is a useful tool for identifying patients at risk for liver cirrhosis and is superior to other NITs. The cut-offs of <10.2 and < 15.2 kPa reliably diagnose non-advanced liver fibrosis and exclude cirrhosis in the majority of patients. However, LSM cannot completely replace liver biopsy in CHD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Sandmann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
| | - Elisabetta Degasperi
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, CRC "A. M. and A. Migliavacca" Center for Liver Disease, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Kerstin Port
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Soo Aleman
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Ben L Da
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover/Braunschweig, Germany
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research/Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Pietro Lampertico
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, CRC "A. M. and A. Migliavacca" Center for Liver Disease, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Benjamin Maasoumy
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover/Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- D-SOLVE Consortium, an EU Horizon Europe Funded Project (no. 101057917)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover/Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Katja Deterding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
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Pearlman B. Hepatitis Delta Infection: A Clinical Review. Semin Liver Dis 2023; 43:293-304. [PMID: 37473778 PMCID: PMC10620035 DOI: 10.1055/a-2133-8614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
First discovered over 40 years ago, the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a unique RNA virus, requiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens for its assembly, replication, and transmission. HBV and HDV can be acquired at the same time (coinfection) or HDV infection can occur in persons with chronic HBV (superinfection). Screening guidelines for HDV are inconsistent. While some guidelines recommend universal screening for all people with HBV, others recommend risk-based screening. Estimates of the global HDV prevalence range from 4.5 to 14.6% among persons with HBV; thus, there may be up to 72 million individuals with HDV worldwide. HDV is the most severe form of viral hepatitis. Compared to HBV monoinfection, HDV coinfection increases the risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic decompensation, mortality, and necessity for liver transplant. Despite the severity of HDV, there are few treatment options. Pegylated interferon (off-label use) has long been the only available treatment, although bulevirtide is conditionally approved in some European countries. There are many potential treatments in development, but as yet, there are few effective and safe therapies for HDV infection. In conclusion, given the severity of HDV disease and the paucity of treatments, there is a great unmet need for HDV therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Pearlman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, Medical College of Georgia, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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Brunetto MR, Ricco G, Negro F, Wedemeyer H, Yurdaydin C, Asselah T, Papatheodoridis G, Gheorghe L, Agarwal K, Farci P, Buti M. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on hepatitis delta virus. J Hepatol 2023; 79:433-460. [PMID: 37364791 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective virus that requires the hepatitis B virus to complete its life cycle and cause liver damage in humans. HDV is responsible for rare acute and chronic liver diseases and is considered the most aggressive hepatitis virus. Acute infection can cause acute liver failure, while persistent infection typically causes a severe form of chronic hepatitis which is associated with rapid and frequent progression to cirrhosis and its end-stage complications, hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Major diagnostic and therapeutic innovations prompted the EASL Governing Board to commission specific Clinical Practice Guidelines on the identification, virologic and clinical characterisation, prognostic assessment, and appropriate clinical and therapeutic management of HDV-infected individuals.
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