Clinical Dilemmas in Viral Liver Disease

Graham R Foster PhD FRCP Professor of Hepatology, Queen Marys University of London, Blizard Institute of Cell & Molecular Science, The Royal London Hospital, London, UK K. Rajender Reddy MD, FACP, FACG, FRCP Professor of Medicine, Professor of Medicine in Surgery, Director of Hepatology, Medical Director of Liver Transplantation, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA

Investigating the liver Non-invasive markers of fibrosis - useful or useless? Liver biopsy in HCV with easy to treat disease - should we bother? The inactive carrier - what tests should we do for HBeAg negative patients with minimal HBV DNA and near normal LFTs? Screening for HCC in patients with viral cirrhosis - is ultrasound enough ? HBV pre-treatment sequencing. Prudent precaution or unnecessary luxury? Genomic investigations in viral hepatitis - likely to help or hinder? Today's therapies i) HCV How should HCV Genotype 1 Non-responders be managed? How should HCV Genotype 1 patients who relapse or breakthrough be managed? How should HCV Genotype 2/3 Non-responders be managed? How should HCV Genotype 2/3 patients who relapse or breakthrough be managed? How should we treat acute HCV infection? How should we treat HCV in patients with red cell dyscrasias? How should we treat HCV in dialysis patients? How should we treat HCV in patients with a renal transplant? How should we treat HCV in psychotic patients? What management strategies can we use for morbid obesity and HCV? What management strategies are appropriate for Cytopenias and hepatitis C? How should patients with multiple HCV genotypes be managed? How should we treat HCV in injecting drug users? How should we treat HIC and HCV/HBV? How should we treat HCV, anti LKM antibodies and autoimmune disorders? How should we manage an easy to treat virus in difficult patients? -HCV in obese cirrhotics with genotype 3 How should we treat HCV in children? Controlling symptoms in chronic HCV ON AND OFF TREATMENT - does anything work ? Complementary therapies in chronic HCV - exploitation or something to offer ? HCV in the post liver transplant patient: what options do we have? How should we manage viral hepatitis in bone marrow transplant patients? ii) HBV What's the best way to manage acute HBV? How should we manage HBeAg positive patients with near normal LFTs? How should we manage HBeAg negative patients with minimal changes on liver biopsy? HBV combination therapy ab initio or add in regimes? How should we manage HBV infection in children? HBV and the second pregnancy - what should we do when the first child has failed to respond to vaccination? How should HBV in surgeons be managed? What can we do about HBV and the poorly compliant patient? How can we manage acute liver failure and HBV? High risk needlestick injuries in vaccine failures? How best to manage HBV in the immunocompromised patient? What can we do in Lamivudine and Adefovir resistance? How do we manage HBV following unsuccessful interferon therapy? How do we manage co-infection with HBV and HCV? iii) HDV HDV Clinical set up What is the role of the nurse specialist? Non specialist management of viral liver disease - cost effective or foolish cost cutting? The future Clinical trial design in chronic HCV - with or without PegIFN and ribavirin? Protease and polymerase inhibitors for HCV HCV vaccines - coming soon? HBV - new nucleotides and nucleosides - can we expect any more? HBV novel drugs: what's in the pipeline? HBV - therapeutic vaccines - hope or hype ? Novel interferons - is there life in the old dog yet? On-going controversies i) HBV therapy Is Interferon a valuable first line therapy for HBeAg positive HBV? Should nucleosides always be used first in HBeAg positive HBV? ii) HCV Will most patients with HCV die from their disease?