Hepatology

Treating HCV May Improve Glycemic Control in Diabetics

Treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents is associated with improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers suggest.

New Data Show Coffee Reduces Hepatic Fibrosis in Patients with Liver Disease

Coffee consumption has been associated with reduced frequency of liver disease.
Total caffeine intake was not associated with prevalence or hepatic fibrosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Regular coffee caffeine consumption may significantly reduce hepatic fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Coffee consumption can reduce the severity of fibrosis and may contribute to the repair of liver tissue.
Coffee caffeine is associated with a significant reduction in risk of fibrosis among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Large Study Finds PPIs May Increase Risk of Kidney Disease

Evidence of risks associated with proton pump inhibitors continues to accumulate.
Proton pump inhibitors may be overprescribed in place of lifestyle modifications.
Risk of chronic kidney disease is added to risk of gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage and infectious complications in the intensive care unit potentially attributable to PPI use.
No causal mechanisms of potential PPI injury have been identified.

New Antivirals Revolutionize HCV Treatment Value Proposition

In 2015, 80% of all Medicare spending will be on new, frequently curative treatments of hepatitis C (HCV) infection.
Medicare spent about $7 million/y on older HCV drugs; will spend about $9 billion on new DAAs in 2015.
Newer HCV drugs will be accompanied by high cost in the first few years of their use. A precipitous drop in spending is expected once the HCV epidemic is stemmed.
HCV-related costs will drop sharply in the coming years, to below $2 billion by 2020, and to just $14 million by 2030.
New DAAs are one of the greatest value propositions in the history of medicine; a fantastic value at a high up-front cost.