title: Partial splenic embolization for the treatment of hypersplenism in cirrhotic HIV/HCV patients prior to pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
abstract: Partial splenic embolization (PSE), a non-surgical treatment for hypersplenism, has also been reported to improve hepatic function. As severe thrombocytopaenia or leukopaenia contraindicate the use of combined therapy with pegylated interferons (PEG-IFNs) and ribavirin (RBV) in HCV-related cirrhosis, we evaluated, from July 2002 to October 2003, the safety and effectiveness of PSE as a procedure to allow therapy for HCV in three Child-Pugh class B cirrhotic patients with hypersplenism and HIV co-infection. HCV genotypes were 1b (n=2) and 3a (n=1). Severe thrombocytopaenia (in all) and leukopaenia (in two) precluded therapy for HCV. PSE was successfully performed in all with a mean infarcted area of 80%, leading to a significant increase in platelet and leukocyte counts that allowed therapy with weight-adjusted RBV and PEG-IFN-alpha-2b (patients 1 and 3) or 180 microg of PEG-IFN-alpha-2a (patient 2) 8 weeks after the procedure. Moderate pain, well controlled with conservative measures, followed PSE in 100% of cases, but during follow-up (mean 422 days) there were no infectious complications or liver decompensation episodes. Although preliminary, these results suggest the potential role of PSE in HIV/HCV-cirrhotic subjects with hypersplenism as a procedure to allow the use of combined PEG-IFN and RBV.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. amoreno.hrc@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bárcena
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blázquez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quereda
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gil-Grande
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Perez-Elías
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antela
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Santos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: del Campo
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moreno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006971:Hypersplenism / Q000628:therapy*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a