Better Hepatitis C Treatment Outcome for Coffee Drinkers

[Boobert]

Better Hepatitis C Treatment Outcome for Coffee Drinkers


An American study finds that coffee consumption may increase the Hepatitis C treatment success rate.

Coffee May Improve Virologic Response to Hep C Treatment

Patients receiving hepatitis C therapy who drink three or more cups of coffee per day are more likely to respond to treatment compared to nondrinkers, according to a study published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Patients receiving hepatitis C therapy who drink three or more cups of coffee per day are more likely to respond to treatment compared to nondrinkers, according to a study published the June issue of Gastroenterology.

Neal D. Freedman, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Md., and colleagues investigated the effect of coffee intake on patients receiving therapy for hepatitis C. Coffee intake was assessed in 885 patients before being re-treated with 180 µg/week peginterferon alpha-2a and 1000 to 1200 mg/day ribavirin. Serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels were assessed to indicate virologic response in 466 patients at week 12 (early response), in 320 patients at week 20, in 284 patients at the end of treatment (week 48), and in 157 patients at 72 weeks (sustained response).

Continue reading this entire article:
http://www.*****************/index.php/news/pb/20985

[Aaron57]

Sorry to hear about the diabetes  ... the issues associated with this I know adds more challenge to an already very challenging Tx ..

The sleep issue, in my Tx ... is a challenge .. i don't drink coffee after 4pm .. but still, I have been using 1/2 xanax before bed .. it seems the only way to get any sleep .. but the have to deal with the "hangover" effect ..  

Coffee in 3x Tx ... No I have not read anything about this .. and actually brought up this question earlier in this thread.
"The question now becomes with the introduction of the PI's .. does coffee influence the Tx outcome using these drugs ?"

I would tend to think the same as you Inf/Riba .. however, questions about possible reduction of insulin sensitivity with the PI's make me wonder about other aspects of them, like effect of coffee ... and we know coffee can increase IR ... but helps VL reduction in Tx .. go figure ... my insulin/glucose levels are normal , but HOMA score 3.6 ... will wait until after EOT, see what happens ... and then figure that one out ... exercise is .. difficult ... right now ...

[cheesenrice]

no its not - and i like coffee - i just couldnt drink that much with diabetes and increased water consumption at time of tx - it also affected my already dismal sleep patterns - i havent read anything yet about coffee and 3x therapy - have you - im thinking it would be similar to peg/riba

[Aaron57]

It's true the scientists don't know exactly why it helps during Tx for those that are long time coffee drinkers ... the study results do show coffee intake helps VL reduction while undergoing Tx, but only if you have been drinking these amount's before and during treatment ...

I'm drinking 3-5 cups a day , and it's still hard to get off the couch .. treatment ain't easy.

http://www.natap.org/2011/HCV/060211_03.htm

http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(11)00273-3/fulltext

[cheesenrice]

back to the coffee - theres no apparent medical reason this is true - maybe its as simple as that much coffee will at least get you up off the couch and moving around - lol

[susan400]

Thanks, Aaron.  SVR to you, too!  Susan400

[Aaron57]

I wouldn't worry about it either ... 2x out of hundreds ... wouldn't think that would influence your outcome ...

It's possible that the Pegasys I use... made in 2010 - exp 2013 .. made in Sweden (english instructions) ... maybe has a bit different instruction sheet than the US made ?
I just checked the Roche US site for Pegasys ... for injection site .. the arm is not mentioned at all and therefore neither is reduction of efficiency ...

Don't know why the medication guide would be different ??
If you want to see this for whatever reason .. feel free to PM me, I'll be happy to scan the guide & email it to you ...

Susan ,Good luck & Good health , I sure hope your next Tx is the one that works for you !

[susan400]

My husband looked it up in the drug reference software program that he has (remember he's a nurse) and specifically looked up Pegasys. Absolutely no mention of the back of the arm not being recommended.  I also asked specifically this question to my study nurse yesterday and she agreed that it does not make any difference as long as it is in a fatty area and is sub-Q.  Like I said above, I've only used that site like 2 times out of the hundreds of times I've injected various interferons, Intron-A, Peg-Intron, Pegasys, Infergen, Actimmune Interferon- that was used in along with another interferon during the course of the same treatment.  So, I have no worries about the 2 injections that I actually did had these injections to the back of my upper arm.  

Susan400

[Aaron57]

Here's a few links to the study that folks refer to on this subject .. HALT-C

http://www.natap.org/2011/HCV/060211_03.htm

http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(11)00273-3/fulltext

"In contrast to results for coffee, no effect was observed for drinking tea (P trend = .92, .96, .89, and .49 for early, week 20, week 48, and sustained virologic response, respectively."

[curiouslady1]

Any comments about green tea?  Yerba Matte is a pretty heavyweight South American green tea.  It is a little easier on the reflux than the coffee.

[Aaron57]

Your welcome ...  only my opinion , if the manufacturer said don't do it there because there will be a reduction of efficiency ... thats good enough for me not to , usually I question things in life ... this one .. nope ;)

Also, I'm paying hard earned $ for this Tx ... I want the full 100% bang for my buck !
Just did # 34 ...

And keeping on drinking .... coffee ... and lot's of water of course : )

[Bali05]

Was just reading another article on the coffee benefits for HCV and it appears
researches are assuming that coffee effects certain enzymes which could play a role.
For example Cytochrom -P450 - Enzyme is important for fat metabolism.
Studies show reduction of metabolic syndrome with higher coffee consumption.

[flcyclist]

Thank you for providing this important information on the injection sites.  I'm not sure if the addtional 20-30% adsorption would make any difference, but I'm taking no chances since I want to maximize my chances of SVR.  

Good question on the PI's and coffee.  One more variable to consider.  

[Dee1956]

When I tx in 2008 my Hep Doc said to stop drinking coffee, that's why I relapsed!  :)
Was also the Diabetes and low doses of Peg
I will start tx in August, thank God I can still drink coffee!
I could only inject my stomach, tried the thigh once, couldn't do it.

[Aaron57]

Sub - Q is injection under the skin like we do ..

My interpretation is , using upper thigh , lower thigh, inside , outside , top, bottom ... would be the same .. as long as it's in the thigh and there is a "fatty" area ... ok , the instructions do not specify where on the thigh .... I have skinny legs, not much fat there either ... so it's in the abdomen where I can  "pinch an inch (or 2)" for me ....

As far as using the arm as a site ... I'm not a scientist ... I'm just following the instructions from the manufacturer .. they clearly stated 20-30% absorption reduction in the arm ... they did not specify where in the arm they tried ... just that it was not recommended .

There may be factors concerning % of absorption at different injection sites that are know by those scientists that conducted the initial studies & who chose those sites,  Again I am just following their data / instructions ... and passing it on if it seems relative the the conversation .


Good luck & Good health ! Aaron

[susan400]

I believe that subcutaneous (a.k.a. Sub Q), is generally meaning under the skin.., in the fatty areas i.e. belly, thigh.  If a person has a fatty part on the BACK of the upper arm, not in the muscle or bicep areas obviously.., but the fatty areas, which in a middle aged woman are usually not uncommon to find fatty areas in the back of the arm.  But, it is very rare that I've ever had my husband give me a shot there.  Out of 10 treatments, MAYBE twice?  Now, on the back part of my upper thigh, he's given me an injection there lots of times.  As long as it's the upper thigh, does it matter really whether it's the front part or the back part..., it's still the upper thigh and it's still sub-Q.  

Susan400

[Aaron57]

Good Health & Good luck this time round !

Sorry to hear you have had to do Tx so many times : (

Your comment - "the fatty part on the back of the upper arm" was what got my attention ..
  
From what I get out of the Roche instructions ... the thigh is one of the recommended sites .. the pamphlet doesn't exactly where on the thigh ..
Scar tissue for sure would not be a good area ...

What happened to me was my Hepa/GI "Doc" first shot ... he gave it to me in the upper arm at his office ... I then went home & was bored ... really bored ... so, read the instructions ... which are in very small print ... in the pack , It clearly says the arm is not recommended .... Haven't been back to that "Doc" ....

[willbb]

Susan...good luck.. on this attempt!

Will

[susan400]

The reason, I've OCCASIONALLY had my husband (who is an RN) give me my injection on the back part of my upper thigh, not every time, but occasionally, it because I've done these treatments so many times and on some of the treatments, I had such a bad injections site reaction on my abdomen that I developed sores that caused scars that I have to this day.  With these scars in place, I don't want to hit this scar tissue again.  Sometimes, we have to do what we have to do.  Normally, I do use the abdomen or upper thigh.

Susan400

[Bali05]

"it's  yabba dabba doo time - congratulations!"

thanks W,
after I get latest bloods and have my Dr. J visit on Thurs.
I will have a drink (of coffee) to that :-)
Hopefully this will be the last Riba week EVER !!!

b
60/60

[willing]

> wk60 of 60
it's  yabba dabba doo time - congratulations!

I'm a complete failure when it comes to drinking  coffee. There are good health (and political!) reasons I should give up my morning black/green tea but just can't break the habit.

[curiouslady1]

But the question I have is what to do about the itching from the coffee drinking and the reflux?  I am a heavy green tea drinker.  Guayaki Yerba Matte is my passion.  I wonder if that would be just as good? I know that lots of coffee dehydrates me and sets up itch-scratch cycle on surface skin and also my butt.  

[Aaron57]

Concerning injection site locations ..

If you take the time to read the instructions from Roche - Pegasys  included with the syringes .. this very important subject is mentioned in at least 2 locations.

Front page subheading - Chronic Hepatitis C:

"The recommended dose for Pegasys 180mcg once weekly by subcutaneous administration in the abdomen or thigh in combo with riba or in monotherapy ."

Back page subheading - Site of Administration :

"Subcutaneous administration of Pegasys should be limited to the abdomen and thigh as the extent of absorption based on AUC (area under the curve) was about 20-30% higher upon injection in the abdomen and thigh.
Exposure to Pegasys was decreased in studies following administration of Pegasys in the arm compared to the abdomen and thigh. "

From what I've read you Do want to inject in a Fatty area .. I been injecting from the beginning in the same side abdomen and luckily (knock wood) so far at Tx Wk. 33 no adverse injection site reaction,
GT 1a , high baseline VL , IR , male over 50yrs. ,
Und wk.12 - until now .. still a long way to go ...

I did drink at least 3-4 cups of coffee per day for years before starting P/R (peg/riba) Tx and continue to do so in Tx ....

The question now becomes with the introduction of the PI's .. does coffee influence the Tx outcome using these drugs ? ?

[mykids247]

well the coffee thing is interesting I love coffee. But if they said doggie do-do worked I would love that also. What ever works im on board. :)

[screaming48]

why couldnt they have said that pepsi would work, I dont like coffee. :(