Environmental Health Institute

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Organizational Unit

Publications

Addictive behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a nationwide study in Portugal

Publication . Virgolino, Ana; Santos, Osvaldo; Fialho, Mónica; Heitor, Maria João; Costa, Alexandra; Rasga, Célia; Martiniano, Hugo; Costa, Joana; Vicente, Astrid; Caldas de Almeida, Teresa

Evidence shows that individuals can engage in maladaptive behaviours as a response to a pandemic context, which can compromise their health and wellbeing. This project aims to characterize self-reported changes in addiction-related behaviours and associated factors in the adult population during the first COVID-19 lockdown, in Portugal.

2021-11Conference object

Open access

Iron metabolism genes shape the course of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C: from disease progression to reversal after direct-acting antivirals treatment

Publication . Ferreira, Joana; Bicho, Manuel; Faustino, Paula; Serejo, Fátima

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is linked to iron overload, which significantly correlates with liver fibrosis. This study aimed to assess whether genetic polymorphisms related to iron metabolism are associated with fibrosis severity, predict improvement in fibrosis after HCV clearance with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and influence iron-related metabolic markers before treatment. A total of 329 CHC patients were included, 134 of whom received DAAs therapy. Liver fibrosis was assessed using transient elastography (FibroScan), and biochemical parameters were measured using standard methods. Eighteen genetic polymorphisms within five iron metabolism-related genes were analyzed using PCR-RFLP, endpoint genotyping, or next-generation sequencing (NGS). Before DAA treatment, patients with severe f ibrosis showed higher levels of serum iron (Fe), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and ferritin (Ft). SLC40A1 rs1439816_GG was associated with an increased risk of severe fibrosis. compared with GC or CC genotypes. SLC40A1 rs11568351_GC genotype was linked to a higher likelihood of remaining cirrhotic after HCV clearance. Elevated iron parameters were observed in carriers HFE C282Y_CY, TF IVS 11 G>A, and BMP2 570 A>T. Overall, polymorphisms in iron metabolism genes may influence both the severity of liver fibrosis prior to treatment, its regression after DAA therapy and the regulation of iron metabolism in CHC patients.

2025-09-26Journal article

Open access