Narcotic Analgesics and Progression of Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

[Guest guest]

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Narcotic Analgesics and Progression of Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic

Hepatitis C.

Vallejos C, Bordin-Wosk T, Pockros L, Feng A, Pockros P.

*Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Scripps Clinic daggerDepartment of

Molecular Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA.

Narcotic analgesics are commonly prescribed drugs in patients with chronic

hepatitis C (CHC) infection. In vitro data have shown that morphine enhances

hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatic cells, however the effect of

narcotics on hepatitis C virus disease progression remains uncertain. The aim of

this study was to evaluate the potential effects of narcotic analgesic use on

the progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with CHC infection. We

identified CHC patients who had been seen at our institution and had undergone a

liver biopsy between 1990 and 2005. Their charts were reviewed for the presence

of narcotic analgesic and known risk factors for progression of hepatic fibrosis

including male sex, age>/=40, obesity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse. All biopsy

were reviewed and fibrosis scores were standardized using the Batts and Ludwig

scoring system (stage 0 to 4). A total of 1147 evaluable patients were

identified and 171 of these had narcotic analgesic use. In univariate analysis,

narcotic analgesic use was associated with the presence of alcohol abuse (P/=40

[OR 1.85 (CI, 1.22-2.89)], and diabetes [OR 2.43 (CI, 1.41-4.14)] all

independently predicted advanced liver fibrosis but narcotic analgesic use did

not [OR 1.71 (CI, 0.99-2.89)]. As the amount of narcotic analgesic use increased

from no use, to /=3 months use, the frequency of obesity, alcohol abuse, and

advanced fibrosis increased accordingly (P=0.005), suggesting that it is

difficult to separate these known risk factors from narcotic use as the cause

for advanced fibrosis in this population.

PMID: 19034042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Guest guest]

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Narcotic Analgesics and Progression of Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic

Hepatitis C.

Vallejos C, Bordin-Wosk T, Pockros L, Feng A, Pockros P.

*Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Scripps Clinic daggerDepartment of

Molecular Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA.

Narcotic analgesics are commonly prescribed drugs in patients with chronic

hepatitis C (CHC) infection. In vitro data have shown that morphine enhances

hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatic cells, however the effect of

narcotics on hepatitis C virus disease progression remains uncertain. The aim of

this study was to evaluate the potential effects of narcotic analgesic use on

the progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with CHC infection. We

identified CHC patients who had been seen at our institution and had undergone a

liver biopsy between 1990 and 2005. Their charts were reviewed for the presence

of narcotic analgesic and known risk factors for progression of hepatic fibrosis

including male sex, age>/=40, obesity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse. All biopsy

were reviewed and fibrosis scores were standardized using the Batts and Ludwig

scoring system (stage 0 to 4). A total of 1147 evaluable patients were

identified and 171 of these had narcotic analgesic use. In univariate analysis,

narcotic analgesic use was associated with the presence of alcohol abuse (P/=40

[OR 1.85 (CI, 1.22-2.89)], and diabetes [OR 2.43 (CI, 1.41-4.14)] all

independently predicted advanced liver fibrosis but narcotic analgesic use did

not [OR 1.71 (CI, 0.99-2.89)]. As the amount of narcotic analgesic use increased

from no use, to /=3 months use, the frequency of obesity, alcohol abuse, and

advanced fibrosis increased accordingly (P=0.005), suggesting that it is

difficult to separate these known risk factors from narcotic use as the cause

for advanced fibrosis in this population.

PMID: 19034042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Guest guest]

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Narcotic Analgesics and Progression of Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic

Hepatitis C.

Vallejos C, Bordin-Wosk T, Pockros L, Feng A, Pockros P.

*Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Scripps Clinic daggerDepartment of

Molecular Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA.

Narcotic analgesics are commonly prescribed drugs in patients with chronic

hepatitis C (CHC) infection. In vitro data have shown that morphine enhances

hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatic cells, however the effect of

narcotics on hepatitis C virus disease progression remains uncertain. The aim of

this study was to evaluate the potential effects of narcotic analgesic use on

the progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with CHC infection. We

identified CHC patients who had been seen at our institution and had undergone a

liver biopsy between 1990 and 2005. Their charts were reviewed for the presence

of narcotic analgesic and known risk factors for progression of hepatic fibrosis

including male sex, age>/=40, obesity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse. All biopsy

were reviewed and fibrosis scores were standardized using the Batts and Ludwig

scoring system (stage 0 to 4). A total of 1147 evaluable patients were

identified and 171 of these had narcotic analgesic use. In univariate analysis,

narcotic analgesic use was associated with the presence of alcohol abuse (P/=40

[OR 1.85 (CI, 1.22-2.89)], and diabetes [OR 2.43 (CI, 1.41-4.14)] all

independently predicted advanced liver fibrosis but narcotic analgesic use did

not [OR 1.71 (CI, 0.99-2.89)]. As the amount of narcotic analgesic use increased

from no use, to /=3 months use, the frequency of obesity, alcohol abuse, and

advanced fibrosis increased accordingly (P=0.005), suggesting that it is

difficult to separate these known risk factors from narcotic use as the cause

for advanced fibrosis in this population.

PMID: 19034042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Guest guest]

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Narcotic Analgesics and Progression of Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic

Hepatitis C.

Vallejos C, Bordin-Wosk T, Pockros L, Feng A, Pockros P.

*Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Scripps Clinic daggerDepartment of

Molecular Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA.

Narcotic analgesics are commonly prescribed drugs in patients with chronic

hepatitis C (CHC) infection. In vitro data have shown that morphine enhances

hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatic cells, however the effect of

narcotics on hepatitis C virus disease progression remains uncertain. The aim of

this study was to evaluate the potential effects of narcotic analgesic use on

the progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with CHC infection. We

identified CHC patients who had been seen at our institution and had undergone a

liver biopsy between 1990 and 2005. Their charts were reviewed for the presence

of narcotic analgesic and known risk factors for progression of hepatic fibrosis

including male sex, age>/=40, obesity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse. All biopsy

were reviewed and fibrosis scores were standardized using the Batts and Ludwig

scoring system (stage 0 to 4). A total of 1147 evaluable patients were

identified and 171 of these had narcotic analgesic use. In univariate analysis,

narcotic analgesic use was associated with the presence of alcohol abuse (P/=40

[OR 1.85 (CI, 1.22-2.89)], and diabetes [OR 2.43 (CI, 1.41-4.14)] all

independently predicted advanced liver fibrosis but narcotic analgesic use did

not [OR 1.71 (CI, 0.99-2.89)]. As the amount of narcotic analgesic use increased

from no use, to /=3 months use, the frequency of obesity, alcohol abuse, and

advanced fibrosis increased accordingly (P=0.005), suggesting that it is

difficult to separate these known risk factors from narcotic use as the cause

for advanced fibrosis in this population.

PMID: 19034042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]