Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33244648›Full record

Observational studyJournal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute2020

The clinical impact of hepatitis C virus infection in Egyptian multiple myeloma patients.

Neemat M Kassem, Hebatallah A Kassem, Magdy Ibrahim, Hussam Zawam, Emad Hamada

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Monoclonal Gammopathies in Africa.Clinical lymphoma, myeloma & leukemia · 2025
    Review
  4. Study of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein ABCG2 C421A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism RS2231142 in Multiple Myeloma.Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion · 2022
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Neemat M KassemClinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Kasr Al Ainy Centre of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hebatallah A KassemClinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Kasr Al Ainy Centre of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Heba.kasem@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6033-6839
Magdy IbrahimGynecology & Obstetric Department, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hussam ZawamClinical Oncology Department, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Emad HamadaClinical Oncology Department, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple myeloma (MM) is a human B cell neoplasia characterized by the clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Worldwide, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health problem. For MM patients, the clinical impact of preexisting HCV infection is still unclear. We aim to assess the clinical characteristics and the prevalence of the HCV infection in Egyptian MM patients. This observational study included 81 MM patients. HCV antibody assay was performed, and positive cases were confirmed using a reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) method.

resultsFifteen (18.5%) patients were anti-HCV antibody positive. Only 6/15 (7.4%) patients were HCV RNA positive by RT-PCR. Liver affection in the form of hyperbilirubinemia with grade 4 adverse events was significantly higher in the anti-HCV positive/HCV RNA positive group versus anti HCV negative group (16.7% vs. 1.5%, p value = 0.005). The median HCV-RNA before the initiation of chemotherapy was 2.5 log IU/ml with mean ± SD = 4.25 ± 1.6 with no HCV reactivation. In the univariate and multivariate analysis, HCV infection was not an independent factor related to DFS. Low hemoglobin level < 10 g/dL (HR 0.59, 95% CI, 0.36-0.97, p value = 0.037) and abnormal serum total bilirubin level (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.03-3.5, p value = 0.039) influenced DFS in the univariate analysis. However, in the multivariate analysis, serum calcium level greater than 12 mg/dL (HR 7.04, 95% CI 1.12-44.45, p value = 0.038) and abnormal serum total bilirubin level (HR 10.9, 95% CI 2.92-41.02, p value = < 0.001) remained statistically significant worse prognostic factors.

conclusionIn conclusion, our study revealed the prevalence of HCV infection in Egyptian MM patients. Serologic tests at diagnosis are necessary to identify these patients, and confirmation of positive cases by molecular techniques should be mandatory, with regular follow-up for liver dysfunction. Finally, further larger studies explaining the molecular mechanisms linking HCV and the MM pathogenesis are warranted.

Indexed as

Hepatitis CMultiple MyelomaEgyptHepacivirusHumansLiver Function TestsHepatic adverse eventsHepatitis C virusMultiple myelomaPrevalence

Identifiers

PMID33244648
PMCPMC13317100

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.