Ivo W. Graziadei, Hubert Schwaighofer, Robert Koch, Karin Nachbaur, Alfred Koenigsrainer, Raimund Margreiter, Wolfgang Vogel – 15 February 2006 – Biliary strictures are one of the most common complications following liver transplantation (LT), with an incidence of 5.8‐34%. Endoscopic techniques have been successfully used to treat biliary complications; however, the long‐term efficacy and safety of this treatment option has not yet been fully elucidated.

Christoph Jochum, Mechthild Beste, Volker Penndorf, Marjan Sharifi Farahani, Giuliano Testa, Silvio Nadalin, Massimo Malago, Christoph E. Broelsch, Guido Gerken – 15 February 2006 – The unique ability of the liver to regenerate quickly after resection makes living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) possible. This technique uses the unique ability of the liver to regenerate to full size after partial resection. However, the quality and course of this regeneration process in humans are still widely unexplored.

Paige M. Porrett, Heather Peterman, Mark Rosen, Seema Sonnad, Michael Soulen, James F. Markmann, Abraham Shaked, Emma Furth, K. Rajender Reddy, Kim Olthoff – 15 February 2006 – The potential for disease progression in patients awaiting liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has encouraged many centers to employ pre‐transplant radiofrequency ablation or chemoembolization in an attempt to control tumor burden while patients are on the wait list.

Jean‐Michel Pawlotsky – 10 February 2006 – Four virological markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are used clinically for management of patients with hepatitis C, namely the HCV genotype, HCV RNA, HCV core antigen, and antibody to HCV (anti‐HCV). The diagnosis of acute and chronic hepatitis C is based on both anti‐HCV detection using enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and HCV RNA detection using a sensitive molecular biology‐based technique.

Doris B. Strader – 10 February 2006 – Managing patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection consists primarily of antiviral treatment, currently with peginterferon and ribavirin. Unfortunately, treatment recommendations derive largely from trials that have focused on highly selected patient populations. As a consequence of the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria in these studies, more than half of all HCV‐infected patients would be ineligible for enrollment. Even among the selected patients enrolled into studies, only 50% achieve a sustained virological response (SVR).

10 February 2006

Jay H. Hoofnagle – 10 February 2006 – The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small enveloped RNA virus belonging to the family flaviviridae and genus hepacivirus. The HCV RNA genome is 9,600 nucleotides in length and encodes a single polyprotein that is post‐translationally cleaved into 10 polypeptides including t3 structural (C, E1, and E2) and multiple nonstructural proteins ([NS] NS2 to NS5). The NS proteins include enzymes necessary for protein processing (proteases) and viral replication (RNA polymerase).

David L. Thomas – 10 February 2006 – In the United States, an estimated 200,000 persons are infected with both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As the lives of HIV‐infected persons have been prolonged by use of highly active antiretroviral therapy, liver disease has emerged as an important, and in some settings, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Human immunodeficiency virus infection appears to adversely affect all stages of hepatitis C infection, leading to increased viral persistence and accelerated progression of HCV‐related liver disease.

Michael W. Fried – 10 February 2006 – Interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C produces a number of well‐described side effects that are dominated by fatigue, influenza‐like symptoms, hematologic abnormalities, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Combination therapy with pegylated interferons (peginterferon alfa‐2a and alfa‐2b) yields an adverse event profile similar to standard interferon, although the frequency of certain adverse events may vary by preparation.

10 February 2006