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1184 A NOVEL RAPID NON-INVASIVE SCREENING DEVICE (C-FAST) FOR HEPATITIS C VIRUS WITH HIGH SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY G. Shiha1 , A. Amien2 , W. Samir3 , H. Bader4 . 1 Internal Medicine, Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, 2 Engineering Authority, Ministry of Defence, Cairo, 3 Biochemistry Laboratory, Specialized Medical Hospital-Mansoura University, Mansoura, 4 Engineering Authority, Ministry of defenceD, Cairo, Egypt E-mail: g_shiha@hotmail.com Introduction: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem with around 200 million individuals affected worldwide. The screening test for detection of HCV was the determination of the anti-HCV antibodies by ELISA method. However, RT-PCR was still the accurate and standard technique for detection of HCV. All substances consist of molecules, each molecule has a specic frequency (Molecular Signature). We developed a novel, rapid, non-invasive screening device C-FAST (trade mark), which is patented Bio-sensor slash spectroscopy based technology for the detection of hepatitis C virus. When the signal is picked up a pivoting antenna of the C-FAST is drawn like a compass needle, to indicate alignment between the patient and the frequency card in the C-FAST. Aim: Evaluation of the sensitivity and specicity of HCV detection using C-FAST device as compared to RT-PCR. Methods: The study included 879 cases seen at out-patients hepatology clinic at Mansoura, Egypt. HCV RNA was detected for all cases using RT-PCR. C-FAST device was applied for all cases to detect the infected patients with HCV. Sensitivity, specicity, positive and negative predictive values were determined for comparison between the two methods. Results: 879 cases (868 male & 11 female) with age ranged from 1846 years were included in the study. 159 cases were positive for HCV-RNA and 720 cases were negative for HCV-RNA using RT-PCR. The results of C-FAST showed that 178 cases were infected with HCV while 701 cases were not infected with HCV. The efcacy of C-FAST was 97.8%, sensitivity 100%, specicity 97.3%, PPV 89.3% and NPV 100%. Conclusion: C-FAST is rapid, non-invasive, accurate, simple, highly sensitive and specic tool for screening of hepatitis C virus and have the potential for early detection of viral load which will enhance the therapeutic outcome. 1185 A MULTICENTRIC STUDY REGARDING THE QUALITY OF TISSUE SAMPLES AT PERCUTANEOUS LIVER BIOPSY I. Sporea1 , A. Popescu1 , M. Curescu2 , I. Rogoveanu3 , L. Sandulescu3 , C. Brisc4 , C. Cijevschi Prelipcean5 , C. Mihai5 , D. Gherhardt1 , R. Sirli1 , M. Cornianu1 , S. Bota1 . 1 Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2 Infectious Diseases, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, 3 Medical Department I, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova, 4 Gastroenterology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Oradea, 5 Gastroenterology, University of Medicine, Iasi, Romania E-mail: isporea@umft.ro Background and Aims: Liver biopsy (LB) is still considered the gold standard method for evaluating chronic hepatopathies, considering, for most of clinicians, a proper tissue sample a fragment at least 20 mm in length and with more than 811 portal tracts (PT). The aim of our study was to assess how often we did not obtain proper fragments from LB in clinical practice. Material and Method: We performed a prospective study during July 1, 2009 July 1, 2010 which involved 5 university hospitals. We included in the study blind, echo-assisted and echo-guided LB performed with either cutting needles (Tru Cut-Autovac) or suction needles (Modied Menghini needles-Hepax kit). 90.1% (678) of LBs were performed by doctors with an experience >100LBs. We
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analyzed the length of the fragments as well as the number of PT obtained. Results: In all 5 centers, 752 LBs were performed during one year period. Menghini needles were used in 596 cases (79.3%) of LBs and in 156 cases (20.7%) Tru Cut needles (with gun). 445 (59.2%) of LBs were echo-assisted, 94 (12.5%) echo-guided and 213 (28.3%) blind. In 308 cases (40.9%), two fragments were obtained in a single procedure (Menghini needle), using 2 liver passages, while in 444 cases (59.1%) there was only one passage. The number of PT was specied by the pathologist in 736 cases, among which 343 (46.6%) had 11 PT, 535 (72.7%) had 8 PT and 57 (7.5%) were unable to lead to a diagnosis, as they had <6PT.
Table 1
LB specimen Menghini needle 1 passage* 1.71.2 Menghini needle 2 passages# 3.21.2 TRU CUT p *# <0.0001 *>0.05 # <0.0001 *# <0.0001 *>0.05 # <0.0001

Mean fragment length (cm)

1.70.5

Mean number of PT

10.85.4

15.79.6

9.14.2

Conclusions: In clinical practice, only around half of LB have more than 11PT (and then are very condent) and in 7.5% cases the liver sample is not proper for diagnosis. Our study shows that LB fragments are better obtained with Menghini needle, if we use the technique with two liver passages. 1186 BASELINE VITAMIN D LEVELS DO NOT INFLUENCE SVR IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HCV GENOTYPE 1 OR 4 INFECTION UNDERGOING PEGINTERFERON/RIBAVIRIN TREATMENT R.E. Stauber1 , T. Scherzer2 , C. Putz-Bankuti1 , J. Matejka1 , W. Spindelboeck1 , K. Zinober2 , S. Beinhardt2 , E. Wehr1 , T. Stojakovic3 , H.H. Kessler4 , P. Ferenci2 , B. Obermayer-Pietsch1 . 1 Dept. of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, 2 Dept. of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 3 Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, 4 Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria E-mail: rudolf.stauber@medunigraz.at Background and Aims: Low vitamin D serum levels were found to be associated with severe brosis and nonresponse to interferonbased antiviral treatment in chronic HCV genotype 1 infection (Petta et al., Hepatology 2010; 51: 115867). Preliminary data suggest a signicant augmentation of response to peginterferon/ ribavirin treatment by vitamin D supplementation (Abu Mouch et al., J Hepatol 2010; 52, Suppl. 1: S26). The aim of the present study was to relate baseline vitamin D levels with brosis stage and the outcome of peginterferon/ribavirin treatment in chronic hepatitis C. Methods: A total of 179 treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV infection (genotype 1: n = 153, genotype 4: n = 26) were investigated. All patients were treated within an Austrian multicenter trial of response-guided therapy with peginterferon-a2a plus ribavirin for 24 to 72 weeks. Serum levels of 25-OH vitamin D were measured by EIA (Immunodiagnostic Systems, UK, normal range 3060 ng/ml) at treatment start. Pretreatment liver histology was available in 178/179 patients and brosis stage was scored by the METAVIR scale. Sustained virologic response (SVR) was dened as undetectable HCV RNA (Roche Taqman assay) at 24 weeks after the end of treatment. Group means were compared by Students t-test. Results: Overall SVR (intent-to-treat analysis) was 58% (genotype 1: 59%, genotype 4: 54%) and did not differ between patients with low vitamin D levels (<30 ng/ml) vs. normal vitamin D levels (SVR 61% vs. 49%, NS). Vitamin D levels were not different in patients with SVR (22.012.1 ng/ml) vs. no SVR (22.714.4 ng/ml)

Journal of Hepatology 2011 vol. 54 | S363S534