Nie, Jingjing; Li, Jie; Sun, Kuixia; Sun, Mishu; Chen, Jie; Ma, Junfeng; Yan, Ling; Zhuang, Hui
Each hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and subgenotype is associated with a particular geographic distribution, ethnicity, and anthropological history. The present study investigated the genomic characteristics of HBV from Uyghur patients with chronic HBV infection in Xinjiang, China. Among the 53 Uyghur patients enrolled, HBV/D was found to be the dominant strain, with 64.2 % (34/53), 60.4 % (32/53) with HBV/D1 and 3.8 % (2/53) with HBV/D3. In addition to these findings, 3.8 % HBV/B (2/53), 5.7 % HBV/C (3/53), 11.3 % C+D (6/53), 7.5 % B+D (4/53), 3.8 % B+C (2/53) and 3.8 % B+C+D (2/53) were also detected. The full-length genome of seven HBV/D1 isolates and 144 reference sequences retrieved from GenBank were compared and analyzed by biological information methods. These results demonstrate that the D1 isolates from Xinjiang and Central Asia show a close genetic proximity (0.013±0.0007). Furthermore, four unique amino acid substitutions (sp82(Asn), sp89(His), rt129(Leu), rt151(Leu)) representing background polymorphisms rather than drug resistance mutations or immune escape variants were found in the Uyghur patients of Xinjiang, but these were seldom found in HBV/D1 strains from other regions (0 %-14.3 %). This study indicates that in Xinjiang, unlike HBV-infected Han patients, HBV/D1 is the predominant strain among HBV-infected Uyghur people. Although genetic distance analysis suggests that the HBV/D1 isolates from Xinjiang are closely related to those from Central Asia, unique amino acid substitutions suggest independent evolution of HBV in the Uyghur patients of Xinjiang.
Rodríguez-Iñigo, E; Bartolomé, J; Ortiz-Movilla, N; Platero, C; López-Alcorocho, J M; Pardo, M; Castillo, I; Carreño, V
In this work, we have shown that hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) can coexist in the same hepatocyte using double fluorescent in situ hybridization in liver biopsy samples from patients with chronic HCV infection with occult HBV infection. Digital image analysis of hybridization signals showed that the HBV DNA levels in coinfected hepatocytes were lower than those in cells infected only with HBV. This finding supports the hypothesis of inhibition of HBV replication by HCV. Furthermore, HCV RNA levels were lower in coinfected cells than in cells infected only with HCV, suggesting that HBV may also inhibit HCV replication.
Parikh, Pathik; Ryan, John D.
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of liver morbidity and mortality worldwide. While a proportion of the 250 million individuals chronically infected with HBV will not come to significant harm or require therapy, many others risk developing complications of the end-stage liver disease such as decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), without intervention. Due to the complex natural history of HBV infection, patients require an expert assessment to interpret biochemistry, viral serology and appropriately stage the disease, and to initiate monitoring and/or therapy where indicated. The detection and quantification of liver fibrosis is a key factor for disease management and prognostication for an individual with HBV. The reliance on invasive liver biopsy to stage disease is diminishing with the advent of robust non-invasive blood- and imaging-based algorithms which can reliably stage disease in many cases. These tests are now incorporated into International guidelines for HBV management and relied upon daily to inform clinical judgement. Both blood- and imaging-based approaches have advantages over liver biopsy, including minimal risks, lower cost, better patient acceptance and speed of results, while disadvantages include lower diagnostic accuracy in intermediate disease stages and variability with co-existing hepatic inflammation or steatosis. This review outlines the methods of fibrosis assessment in chronic HBV infection and focuses on the most commonly used blood- and imaging-based non-invasive tests, reviewing their diagnostic performance and applicability to patient care. PMID:28251119
Barboza, Luisa; Salmen, Siham; Goncalves, Loredana; Colmenares, Melisa; Peterson, Darrell; Montes, Henry; Cartagirone, Raimondo; Gutiérrez, Maria del Carmen; Berrueta, Lisbeth
T cell response against HBV is vigorous in patients with acute hepatitis who clear the virus, whereas it is weak and narrowly focused in patients with chronic disease. We report that following incubation with HBcAg, a population of CD4+FoxP3+ cells expressing phenotypic markers of both natural and induced Tregs, can be antigen-induced from peripheral mononuclear cells. Conversely, naive and naturally immune subjects did not increase CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs following stimulation with HBcAg, supporting the idea that natural Tregs are able to respond specifically to HBV antigen. Furthermore, increased frequencies of antigen-induced CD4+FoxP3+IL-10+ Tregs correlated with viral load, suggesting that antigen-induced Tregs could contribute to an inadequate response against the virus, leading to chronic infection and support the view that specific natural Tregs may be implicated in host immune tolerance during HBV infection.
Ke, Chang-Zheng; Chen, Yue; Gong, Zuo-Jiong; Meng, Zhong-Ji; Liu, Li; Ren, Ze-Jiu; Zhou, Zuo-Hua
AIM: To study the dynamic changes of hepatits B virus (HBV) DNA in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients after lamivudine therapy. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with chronic HBV infection were included in this study. All patients were confirmed to have the following conditions: above 16 years of age, elevated serum alanine amonotransferase (ALT), positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), positive HBV DNA in serum and PBMCs, negative antibodies against HAV, HCV, HDV, HEV. Other possible causes of chronic liver damages, such as drugs, alcohol and autoimmune diseases were excluded. Seventy-two cases were randomly divided into lamivudine treatment group (n = 42) and control group (n = 30). HBV DNA was detected both in serum and in PBMCs by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), during and after lamivudine treatment. RESULTS: In the treatment group, HBV DNA became negative both in serum and in PBMC, of 38 and 25 out of 42 cases respectively during the 48 wk of lamivudine treatment, the negative rate was 90.5% and 59.5% respectively. In the control group, the negative rate was 23.3% and 16.7% respectively. It was statistically significant at 12, 24 and 48 wk as compared with the control group (P < 0.005). The average conversion period of HBV DNA was 6 wk (2-8 wk) in serum and 16 wk (8-24 wk) in PBMC. CONCLUSION: Lamivudine has remarkable inhibitory effects on HBV replication both in serum and in PBMCs. The inhibitory effect on HBV DNA in PBMCs is weaker than that in serum. PMID:16810760
Sayan, Murat; Buğdacı, Mehmet Sait
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase (pol) gene completely overlaps with the envelope (S) gene. Nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) resistance mutations in the pol gene of HBV, either from selection of primary or secondary resistance mutations, typically result in changes in the overlapping hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Recent studies have conferred a new acronym to these HBV pol/S gene overlap mutants; ADAPVEMs, for antiviral drug-associated potential vaccine-escape mutants. The present report aimed to assess the determined multiple HBV vaccine-escape mutants in a Turkish patient with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), undergoing NAs treatment. The liver biopsy of HBsAg positive, HBeAg negative 53-year old female patient with CHB, revealed a score as histological activity index; 9 and fibrosis; 2 according to Ishak classification. NA treatment backgrounds consisted of 24 months lamivudine, followed by 18 months entacavir and lastly 3 months tenofovir monotherapies. Since HBV DNA load was determined as 7.030.000 IU/ml at the 4th month of tenofovir therapy, entecavir was added as current treatment regimen, and tenofovir + entecavir therapy decreased the HBV DNA load (400 IU/ml). Sequence analysis was performed for HBV pol/S gene and overlapping pol/S gene amino acid substitutions, primary/compensatory NA resistance mutations and antiviral drug-associated potential vaccine-escape mutations (ADAPVEM) were analysed. The patient isolate was identified as genotype D/subgenotype D1 of HBV. Primary drug resistance mutations (rtV173L + rtL180M + rtM204V) to lamivudine and telbivudine and a compensatory mutation (rtQ215H) to lamivudine and adefovir were described in the HBV pol gene sequence. However, multiple HBV vaccine-escape mutations (sS143T + sD144E + sG145R + sE164D + sI195M) have been determined on the HBV overlapping pol/S gene region. Lamivudine and telbivudine which are the frequently preferred drugs for the treatment of CHB in Turkey, have the potential to lead to
Hoff, J; Bani-Sadr, F; Gassin, M; Raffi, F
The effect of lamivudine on chronic coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)--infected patients was studied prospectively. Nineteen patients with HIV infection, who were receiving an anti-HIV regimen containing lamivudine (150 mg twice daily), and who had replicative chronic HBV infection, were followed for a median of 14 months. Twelve patients' regimens contained protease inhibitors. Serum HBV DNA became undetectable, by means of molecular hybridization, in 14. Seroconversion of hepatitis B e antigen to antibody occurred in 6 of 17 patients, and seroconversion of hepatitis B surface antigen to antibody occurred in 1 of 19. The median serum alanine aminotransferase concentration had decreased by the time of the final evaluation. The median CD4 cell count increased and plasma HIV RNA was undetectable in 10 of 19 patients. Five patients had recurrence of detectable serum HBV DNA despite good compliance with treatment, and 2 mutations related to the resistance of HBV were detected. These patients had a significantly longer duration of treatment (21 versus 13 months; P<.05). In conclusion, resistant strains of HBV emerge at high detectable levels while patients receive anti-HIV regimens containing lamivudine.
Zhao, Jianqiang; Liu, Jiafa
In order to investigate the mutation of HBV polymerase gene reverse transcription conserved region (P region) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, 212 CHB patients who took antiretroviral treatment with nucleotide analogues were chosen. The drug resistance mutations of HBV P region and HBV genotype were detected by Pyrosequencing. Sequence analysis showed that the drug resistance sites of HBV P region located at sites 173; 180; 181; 184; 204; 236 and 250. The main site of HBV P region drug resistance was 204 and 180, accounting for 35.8% and 23.5%, respectively. There were significant differences in the mutation rate of site 180 among different age groups. There were also significant differences in the mutation rate of site 204 among younger than 30 age group, 41 to 50 age group and 51 to 60 age group. (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The mutation rate of site 180 combined with site 204 was 66.6%. The mutation rate of site 181 combined with site 236 was 23.3%. The age of C genotype infected patients was significantly older than B genotype infected patients (P < 0.01). M204V/I mutation mostly existed in the form of joint L180M mutation, the mutation rate was age-related. The detection of HBV genotypes and drug resistance sites of HBV P region have important clinical implications for the treatment and prognosis of patients with CHB.
Pereira, J S F; Gonçales, N S L; Silva, C; Lazarini, M S K; Pavan, M H P; Fais, V C; Gonçales Júnior, F L
Anti-HBc positivity is a frequent cause of donation rejection at blood banks. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may also occur in HBsAg-negative patients, a situation denoted occult infection. Similarly, very low levels of HBV-DNA have also been found in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, even in the absence of serum HBsAg. Initially we searched for HBV-DNA in serum of 100 blood donors and 50 HCV-infected patients who were HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive by nested-PCR and by an HBV monitor commercial test for HBV-DNA. Anti-HBs seroconversion rates were measured in 100 blood donors and in 22 patients with chronic HCV infection after HBV vaccination to determine if the HBV vaccination could eliminate an occult HBV infection in these individuals. Occult HBV infection was detected in proportionally fewer blood donors (6/100 = 6%) than chronic hepatitis C patients (12/50 = 24%) (P < 0.05). We noted seroconversion in 6/6 (100%) HBV-DNA(+) and in 84/94 (89.4%) HBV-DNA(-) blood donors (P > 0.05). All subjects who were HBV-DNA(+) before the first dose of HBV vaccine (D1), became HBV-DNA(-) after D1, D2, and D3. Among 22 HCV-positive patients, 10 HBV-DNA(+) and 12 HBV-DNA(-), seroconversion was observed in 9/10 (90%) HBV-DNA(+) and in 9/12 (75%) HBV-DNA(-) subjects (P > 0.05). The disappearance of HBV-DNA in the majority of vaccinated patients suggests that residual HBV can be eliminated in patients with occult infection.
Li, Zhu; Li, Na; Zhu, Qianqian; Zhang, Guoyu; Han, Qunying; Zhang, Pingping; Xun, Meng; Wang, Yawen; Zeng, Xiaoyan; Yang, Cuiling; Liu, Zhengwen
Cooperation or interaction of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) molecules is more relevant than either molecule alone to immune dysfunction in chronic viral infection and cancers. This study simultaneously investigated polymorphisms at PD1 +8669 and TIM3 -1516 loci in 845 hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infected patients [151 asymptomatic carriers, 202 chronic hepatitis, 221 cirrhosis and 271 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)], 141 HBV infection resolvers and 318 healthy controls. Multivariate analysis showed that, in addition to gender, age, ALT, albumin and HBV DNA, PD1 +8669 genotype AA was associated with cirrhosis compared with patients without cirrhosis (OR, 2.410; P=0.001). TIM3 -1516 genotypes GT+TT, together with gender, age, ALT, AST, direct bilirubin, albumin and HBeAg status, were associated with HCC compared with cirrhosis patients without HCC (OR, 2.142; P=0.011). The combined carriage of PD1 +8669 AA/TIM3 -1516 GT or TT was higher in cirrhosis and HCC pooled patients than in patients without cirrhosis (OR, 2.326; P=0.020) and in HCC patients than in cirrhosis patients (OR, 2.232; P=0.013). These data suggest that PD1 and TIM3 polymorphisms may differentially and interactively predispose cirrhosis and HCC in chronic HBV infection.
Zhang, Geng-lin; Zhang, Ting; Ye, Yi-nong; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Xiao-hong; Xie, Chan; Peng, Liang; Gao, Zhi-liang
The complement is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple liver disorders. However, its role in patients with HBV related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) remains unclear. Serum levels of the third and fourth complement components (C3, C4) and complement function (CH50) were examined in this prospective, observational study. Associations between their expression and disease activity were analyzed. Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves. Predictors of clinical outcome were determined by Cox regression analysis. C3, C4, and CH50 levels were significantly lower in HBV-ACLF patients compared to controls. C3, C4, and CH50 levels were negatively correlated with Tbil levels but positively associated with PTA levels. C3 levels were negatively associated with MELD-Na. C3 levels were significantly lower in HBV-ACLF patients who died compared to patients who survived. In a median hospital stay of 39 days, mortality occurred in 41 patients with a progressive increase based on C3 grade (P = 0.008). The actuarial probability of developing mortality was significantly higher in patients with low C3 grade compared to those with high C3 grade (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that C3 levels were an independent predictor of mortality. Complement played a pathogenic role in HBV-ACLF patients and C3 was an independent predictor of mortality. PMID:27144164
Banerjee, Priyanka; Chakraborty, Abhijit; Mondal, Rajiv Kumar; Khatun, Mousumi; Datta, Somenath; Das, Kausik; Pandit, Pratap; Mukherjee, Souvik; Banerjee, Soma; Ghosh, Saurabh; Chakrabarti, Saikat; Chowdhury, Abhijit; Datta, Simanti
The present study sought to evaluate the structure of HBV quasispecies in Lamivudine (LMV)-failed chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and its impact in defining the subsequent virological responses to Tenofovir (TDF)-based rescue-therapy. By analyzing HBV clones encompassing reverse transcriptase (RT) and surface (S) region from LMV-failed and treatment-naïve CHB patients, we identified 5 classical and 12 novel substitutions in HBV/RT and 9 substitutions in immune-epitopes of HBV/S that were significantly associated with LMV failure. In silico analysis showed spatial proximity of some of the newly-identified, mutated RT residues to the RT catalytic centre while most S-substitutions caused alteration in epitope hydrophobicity. TDF administration resulted in virological response in 60% of LMV-failed patients at 24-week but non-response in 40% of patients even after 48-weeks. Significantly high frequencies of 6 S-substitutions and one novel RT-substitution, rtH124N with 6.5-fold-reduced susceptibility to TDF in vitro, were noted at baseline in TDF non-responders than responders. Follow-up studies depicted greater evolutionary drift of HBV quasispecies and significant decline in frequencies of 3 RT and 6 S-substitutions in responder-subgroup after 24-week TDF-therapy while most variants persisted in non-responders. Thus, we identified the HBV-RT/S variants that could potentially predict unfavorable response to LMV/TDF-therapy and impede immune-mediated viral clearance. PMID:28303969
Banerjee, Priyanka; Chakraborty, Abhijit; Mondal, Rajiv Kumar; Khatun, Mousumi; Datta, Somenath; Das, Kausik; Pandit, Pratap; Mukherjee, Souvik; Banerjee, Soma; Ghosh, Saurabh; Chakrabarti, Saikat; Chowdhury, Abhijit; Datta, Simanti
The present study sought to evaluate the structure of HBV quasispecies in Lamivudine (LMV)-failed chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and its impact in defining the subsequent virological responses to Tenofovir (TDF)-based rescue-therapy. By analyzing HBV clones encompassing reverse transcriptase (RT) and surface (S) region from LMV-failed and treatment-naïve CHB patients, we identified 5 classical and 12 novel substitutions in HBV/RT and 9 substitutions in immune-epitopes of HBV/S that were significantly associated with LMV failure. In silico analysis showed spatial proximity of some of the newly-identified, mutated RT residues to the RT catalytic centre while most S-substitutions caused alteration in epitope hydrophobicity. TDF administration resulted in virological response in 60% of LMV-failed patients at 24-week but non-response in 40% of patients even after 48-weeks. Significantly high frequencies of 6 S-substitutions and one novel RT-substitution, rtH124N with 6.5-fold-reduced susceptibility to TDF in vitro, were noted at baseline in TDF non-responders than responders. Follow-up studies depicted greater evolutionary drift of HBV quasispecies and significant decline in frequencies of 3 RT and 6 S-substitutions in responder-subgroup after 24-week TDF-therapy while most variants persisted in non-responders. Thus, we identified the HBV-RT/S variants that could potentially predict unfavorable response to LMV/TDF-therapy and impede immune-mediated viral clearance.
Ghosh, S; Banerjee, P; Deny, P; Mondal, R K; Nandi, M; Roychoudhury, A; Das, K; Banerjee, S; Santra, A; Zoulim, F; Chowdhury, A; Datta, S
Genome diversity is a hallmark of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which allowed its classification into 10 genotypes (A-J) and numerous subgenotypes. Among them, Genotype D is currently segregated into eight subgenotypes (D1-D8). Here, we report the identification and characterization of a novel subgenotype within genotype D of HBV from chronic hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients of Eastern India. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on complete genome sequences revealed that six of 39 HBV/D isolates formed a distinct cluster supported by high bootstrap value and had nucleotide divergence >4% relative to the known D subgenotypes (D1-D8), justifying their assignment into a new subgenotype (D9). By comparing the amino acid sequences of the four ORFs of HBV/D9 with D1-D8, 36 specific residues, including a unique one (E(112) in the core region), were identified that could be considered as a signature of D9. Further analysis by Simplot, BootScan and jpHMM demonstrated that D9 resulted from a discrete recombination with genotype C over the precore-core region. This type of recombination has not been described previously as all C/D recombinants reported so far possessed genotype C backbones with mosaic fragments derived from HBV/D. Interestingly, compared to other subgenotypes of HBV/D, D9 isolates had a higher frequency of mutations (A1762T and G1764A) in the basal core promoter region that had been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Further investigations are needed to determine the overall prevalence and clinical significance of these newly characterized D9 strains and to assess the impact of inter-genotypic recombination on viral properties.
Ye, F; Jin, Y; Kong, Y; Shi, J Z; Qiu, H T; Zhang, X; Zhang, S L; Lin, S M
This study aimed to confirm that vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) can occur via the infected ovum. Specimens studied were obtained from discarded test-tube embryos from mothers with chronic HBV infection who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. Single-cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect HBV mRNA in the embryos. HBV mRNA was detected in the cleavage embryos of patients with chronic HBV infection, with a detection rate of 13.2% (5/38). The level of serum HBV DNA was not related to the HBV mRNA positivity rates in embryos. In this study, HBV mRNA was detected in test-tube embryos from HBV-infected mothers who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. This confirms the theory of vertical transmission of HBV via the ovum, thereby providing an important theoretical basis for further study on the mechanism of HBV vertical transmission, influencing factors and blocking measures.
Boni, Carolina; Amadei, Barbara; Urbani, Simona; Fisicaro, Paola; Zerbini, Alessandro; Mori, Cristina; Missale, Gabriele; Bertoni, Roberto; Azzurri, Annalisa; Del Prete, Gianfranco; Ferrari, Carlo
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) superinfection in chronic hepatitis C represents a natural model to investigate whether or not hepatitis C virus (HCV) can influence priming and maturation of antiviral T cells; whether or not HBV superinfection, which is known to determine control of HCV replication, can restore HCV-specific T cell responsiveness; and whether or not cytokines stimulated by HBV infection can contribute to HCV control. To address these issues, the function of CD8 cells specific for HBV and HCV was studied longitudinally in two chronic HCV patients superinfected with HBV. Patients with acute hepatitis B were also examined. Frequency and function of HBV tetramer+ CD8 cells were comparable in patients acutely infected with HBV with or without chronic HCV infection. HBV-specific CD8 cell function was efficiently expressed irrespective of serum HCV-RNA levels. Moreover, fluctuations of HCV viremia at the time of HBV superinfection were not associated with evident changes of CD8 responsiveness to HCV. Finally, no correlation was found between serum levels of interferon alpha, interleukin (IL)-12, IL-10, or IL-18 and control of HCV replication. In conclusion, HCV did not affect the induction of primary and memory HBV-specific CD8 responses. HCV-specific CD8 responses were undetectable when HCV-RNA was negative, showing that inhibition of HCV replication in the setting of a HBV superinfection was not sufficient to induce a restoration of CD8 reactivity against HCV.
Zheng, Qing-Fen; Zhang, Jing-Yun; Wu, Ju-Shan; Zhang, Ying; Liu, Mei; Bai, Li; Zhang, Jin-Yan; Zhao, Jing; Chen, Yu; Duan, Zhong-Ping; Zheng, Su-Jun
Prompt and accurate prediction of the outcome is the key to make correct medical decision and to reduce the mortality in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Increasing evidence have certified that small, noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) play critically regulatory roles in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. However, it remains unclear whether and how miRNAs involve in the prognosis of ACLF.Microarray analysis was performed to characterize the miRNA expression profiles in liver tissues from 1 HBV-related ACLF patient and 1 matched healthy control. Nine miRNAs with at least 5 folds difference between these 2 persons were picked out. The present prospective study involving 39 HBV-related ACLF patients including 20 recovered and 19 nonrecovered patients, which include death (n = 9) and liver transplantation (n = 10). The serum expression of these miRNAs detected by quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-RCR) was then compared between the 2 groups. Moreover, the correlation between the serum miRNAs and the prognostic indexes for ACLF was analyzed.The result of microarray analysis showed 9 miRNAs had different expression in liver tissues of ACLF patient compared with healthy control (upregulated: miRNA-130a, -21, -143, and -200a; downregulated: miRNA-486-5p, -192, -148a, -122, and -194). Unlike the expression profiles in liver tissue, 8 serum miRNAs except miRNA-194 were markedly upregulated in ACLF patients (P < 0.05). Remarkably, the serum expression of miRNA-130a and miRNA-486-5p was higher in recovered than nonrecovered ACLF patients (P < 0.05). Especially, the serum miRNA-130a was negatively correlated with international normalized ratio, prothrombin time, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and positively correlated with prothrombin time activity. The AUC for recovered versus nonrecovered patients of miRNA-130a was 0.741 (P = 0.02).miRNA-130a might be a useful prognosis biomarker in patients with HBV
Bruder Costa, Juliana; Dufeu-Duchesne, Tania; Leroy, Vincent; Bertucci, Inga; Bouvier-Alias, Magali; Pouget, Noelle; Brevot-Lutton, Ophelie; Bourliere, Marc; Zoulim, Fabien
Pegylated interferon α-2a (Peg-IFN-α) represents a therapeutic alternative to the prolonged use of nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. The mechanisms leading to a positive clinical outcome remain unclear. As immune responses are critical for virus control, we investigated the effects of Peg-IFN-α on both innate and adaptive immunity, and related it to the clinical evolution. The phenotypic and functional features of the dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells and HBV-specific CD4/CD8 T cells were analyzed in HBeAg-negative CHB patients treated for 48-weeks with NA alone or together with Peg-IFN-α, before, during and up to 2-years after therapy. Peg-IFN-α induced an early activation of DCs, a potent expansion of the CD56bright NK subset, and enhanced the activation and functionality of the CD56dim NK subset. Peg-IFN-α triggered an increase in the frequencies of Th1- and Th17-oriented HBV-specific CD4/CD8 T cells. Peg-IFN-α reversed the unresponsiveness of patients to a specific stimulation. Most of the parameters returned to baseline after the stop of Peg-IFN-α therapy. Peg-IFN-α impacts both innate and adaptive immunity, overcoming dysfunctional immune responses in CHB patients. These modulations were not associated with seroconversion, which questioned the benefit of the add-on Peg-IFN-α treatment. PMID:27348813
Laaribi, A B; Zidi, I; Hannachi, N; Ben Yahia, H; Chaouch, H; Bortolotti, D; Zidi, N; Letaief, A; Yacoub, S; Boudabous, A; Rizzo, R; Boukadida, J
Identification of an HLA-G 14-bp Insertion/Deletion (Ins/Del) polymorphism at the 3' untranslated region of HLA-G revealed its importance in HLA-G mRNA stability and HLA-G protein level variation. We evaluated the association between the HLA-G 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism in patients with chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a case-control study. Genomic DNA was extracted from 263 patients with chronic HBV hepatitis and 246 control subjects and was examined for the HLA-G 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism by PCR. The polymorphic variants were genotyped in chronic HBV seropositive cases stratified according to HBV DNA levels, fibrosis stages and in a control population. There was no statistical significant association between the 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism and increased susceptibility to HBV infection neither for alleles (P = 0.09) nor for genotypes (P = 0.18). The stratification of HBV patients based on HBV DNA levels revealed an association between the 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism and an enhanced HBV activity with high HBV DNA levels. In particular, the Ins allele was significantly associated with high HBV DNA levels (P = 0.0024, OR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.2-2.4). The genotype Ins/Ins was associated with a 2.5-fold (95% CI, 1.29-4.88) increased risk of susceptibility to high HBV replication compared with the Del/Del and Ins/Del genotypes. This susceptibility is linked to the presence of two Ins alleles. No association was observed between the 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism and fibrosis stage of HBV infection. We observed an association between the 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism and high HBV replication characterized by high HBV DNA levels in chronic HBV patients. These results suggest a potential prognostic value for disease outcome evaluation.
Fabris, Paolo; Biasin, Maria R; Giordani, Maria T; Berardo, Laura; Menini, Vania; Carlotto, Antonio; Miotti, Maria G; Manfrin, Vinicio; Baldo, Vincenzo; Nebbia, Gaia; Infantolino, Domenico
Prevalence and impact of occult HBV infection in HIV positive patients is controversial. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection and its impact on histological and virological parameters. 52 HIV/HCV (but HBsAg-negative) co-infected patients, 29 HBsAg and anti-HCV negative chronic hepatitis, and 20 HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis controls were studied. DNA was extracted from frozen biopsies and amplified with primers for S, C and X regions, and for (ccc) HBV-DNA. Sera were tested for HBV-DNA with two quantitative assays (Cobas Amplicor HBV Monitor, and the real-time COBAS (r) Taqman HBV Test, Roche Diagnostics, UK). Occult HBV infection was detected in 7 (13.4%) liver biopsies of the study group, and in none case of the non viral chronic hepatitis group (p=0.04). All serum samples were HBV-DNA negative with Cobas Amplicor HBV monitor assay, while 3 cases were found positive with real time PCR. Statistical analysis didn't show any impact of occult HBV infection on liver histology, CD4+ cells count, HIV and HCV load, and ALT levels. Occult B infection is relatively frequent in HIV/HCV co-infected patients, and is underestimated by common HBV-DNA serological assays. However, it doesn't seem to exert a relevant impact.
Tavakoli, S; Mederacke, I; Herzog-Hauff, S; Glebe, D; Grün, S; Strand, D; Urban, S; Gehring, A; Galle, P R; Böcher, W O
Persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with reduced anti-viral T cell responses. Impaired dendritic cell (DC) function was suggested as the cause of reduced T cell stimulation in chronic HBV carriers. Thus, we compared myeloid (mDC) and plasmacytoid DC (pDC) from chronic HBV carriers and controls. Frequency and phenotype of isolated DC were analysed by fluorescence activated cell sorter staining, DC function by mixed lymphocyte reaction, cytokine bead array, intracellular cytokine staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme-linked immunospot. Expression of HBV DNA and mRNA was studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Circulating total DC, mDC or pDC were not reduced in chronic HBV carriers. Isolated mDC and pDC from chronic HBV carriers exhibited similar expression of co-stimulatory molecules and alloreactive T helper cell stimulation as control DC, whether tested directly ex vivo or after in vitro maturation. Secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines by CD40 or Toll-like receptor ligand-stimulated patient DC was intact, as was human leucocyte antigen A2-restricted HBV-specific cytotoxic lymphocyte stimulation. Although both DC populations contained viral DNA, viral mRNA was undetectable by reverse transcription–PCR, arguing against viral replication in DC. We found no quantitative, phenotypic or functional impairment of mDC or pDC in chronic hepatitis B, whether studied ex vivo or after in vitro maturation. PMID:18031557
Palumbo, Emilio; Scotto, Gaetano; Faleo, Giuseppina; Cibelli, Donatella Concetta; Angarano, Gioacchino
This study evaluated the prevalence of HBV infection in a population of South American immigrants in Italy and to determine in patients with detectable serum HBV-DNA the HBV genotypes. Between April 2005 and April 2006 a total of 130 South American immigrants were tested for HBsAg. In HBsAg positive patients the biochemical and virological activity of infection and the possible presence of co-infections (HCV, HDV, HIV) were evaluated. In patients with detectable serum HBV DNA, the HBV genotype was determined by INNOLiPA. Among the 130 subjects tested, 14 (10.7%) resulted HBsAg positive. All were men, with a mean age of 22 years (range 19-37) and 12 (85.7 %) came from Brazil, while 2 (14.3%) came from Ecuador. All patients infected by HBV had elevated alanine-aminotransferase serum levels (mean level was 127 IU/L, range 74-312) and serum HBV DNA detectable by PCR-Real Time (mean level 1,037,652 copies/mL, range 19,876-1,377,648). Genotype distribution was as follow: genotype D, 9 (64.2%), genotype A, 5 (35.8%). All patients infected by genotype D came from Brazil, while among the patients infected by genotype A, three came from Brazil and two from Ecuador. Our study evidences a moderate prevalence of HBV-infection in South American immigrants with the identification of two genotypes, D and A. These genotypes are not the most prevalent in the South America and this is probably the expression of a possible geographical redistribution of HBV genotypes.
Zampino, Rosa; Pisaturo, Maria A; Cirillo, Grazia; Marrone, Aldo; Macera, Margherita; Rinaldi, Luca; Stanzione, Maria; Durante-Mangoni, Emanuele; Gentile, Ivan; Sagnelli, Evangelista; Signoriello, Giuseppe; Miraglia Del Giudice, Emanuele; Adinolfi, Luigi E; Coppola, Nicola
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a development of severe liver disease frequently due to HBV and/or HCV infection. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the development of HCC in patients with HBV-HCV chronic infection compared with patients with single HBV or HCV infection and the viral and host factors correlated to HCC in co-infected patients. We studied 268 patients with histology proven chronic hepatitis: 56 had HBV-HCV co-infection (HBV-HCV group), 46 had HBV infection (HBV group) and 166 had HCV infection (HCV group). Patients were followed up for at least 3 years. Viral and host factors were studied. HCC was more frequent in HBV-HCV group (14%) compared with HBV (2%, p = 0.006) and HCV monoinfected (4%, p = 0.006). The Mantel-Haenszel test used to investigate the relationship between HBV-HCV co-infection and development of HCC indicated an association between development of HCC and HBV-HCV co-infection (p < 0.001). In the HBV-HCV group, patients with HCC were significantly older (p = 0.000), had longer disease duration (p = 0.001), higher blood glucose levels (p = 0.001), lower levels of steatosis (p = 0.02), higher levels of fibrosis (p = 0.000), higher HCV RNA (p = 0.01) than those without HCC. ALT, lipid profile, PNPLA3 variant distribution and HBV viral load did not differ among co-infected patients with or without HCC. In conclusion HCC was more frequent in our patients with HBV-HCV co-infection, than in those with HBV or HCV mono-infection; possible associated risk factors for HCC development seem a long duration of disease, high levels of fibrosis and carbohydrate intolerance.
Khorramdelazad, Hossein; Hakimizadeh, Elham; Hassanshahi, Gholamhossein; Rezayati, Mohammadtaghi; Sendi, Hossein; Arababadi, Mohammad Kazemi
CCR5 is an important chemokine receptor involved in the recruitment of specific anti-viral immune cells (e.g., NK cells and T cytotoxic cells) to the liver. Previous studies indicated that the Δ 32 mutation in CCR5 gene led to inactivation of CCR5. Several conflicting studies have suggested that this mutation may be associated with either recovery or persistence of HBV infection. The main purpose of this study was to compare the frequency of the Δ 32 mutation within the CCR5 gene in a group of patients infected chronically with HBV with healthy individuals from South-East of Iran. Sixty patients with chronic HBV infection as well as 300 age-, and sex-match healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Gap-PCR was applied to determine the frequency of CCR5 Δ 32 mutation in both groups. The results demonstrated that none of the patients infected with HBV carried the CCR5 Δ 32 mutation while, 3 (1%) of the healthy individuals were found to be heterozygotic for this mutation. The CCR5 Δ 32 mutation is not a prevalent mutation in either the patients infected chronically with HBV or their health counterparts in the South-East region of Iran. This may be attributed to either different genetic settings of the investigated population or lack of any significant correlation between this mutation and HBV pathogenicity.
Background It has been proved that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection alters the metastatic pattern and affects survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while the influence of HBV infection on metastatic pattern and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) has not been investigated yet. Methods We conducted an investigation to evaluate the impact of HBV infection on metastatic pattern and overall survival in PC. We collected the data of 460 PC patients treated in our hospital from 1999 to 2010. Serum HBV markers were tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The impact of HBV infection on metastatic pattern and overall survival was analyzed. Results We found that the incidence of synchronous liver metastasis was significantly higher in patients with HBsAg positive than those with HBsAg negative (46.0% vs 32.0%, P < 0.05), and higher in chronic HBV infection (CHB) group than both non HBV infection and resolved HBV infection group (61.1% vs 33.9%, P < 0.05, and 61.1% vs 28.7%, P < 0.05, respectively). What’s more, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that CHB, resolved HBV infection and non HBV infection group had significant longer overall survival (OS) compared with inactive HBsAg carriers (IC) group (P=0.037, P=0.009, and P=0.019 respectively). But, in the multivariate analysis, only the CHB and non HBV infection group had significant better overall survival compared with IC group (P=0.010 and P=0.018 respectively). Conclusions Our study found that HBV infection increased synchronous liver metastasis rate, and HBV infection status was an independent prognostic factor in PC patients. PMID:24099678
Xie, Yun; Yao, Qinwei; Butt, Azeem Mehmood; Guo, Jia; Tian, Zhou; Bao, Xuli; Li, Hongxia; Meng, Qinghua; Lu, Jun
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of evolutionarily conserved, non-coding small RNAs (18–25 nt) that have emerged as master regulators of several biological processes. Recently, circulating miRNAs have also been reported to be promising biomarkers for various pathological conditions. In the present study, we report the comparative expression profiling of microRNA-101 (miR-101) in serum and tissue samples from chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBV-associated liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC), and HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) patients and healthy controls. The serum miR-101 levels were found to be significantly downregulated in the HBV-HCC patients compared with the HBV-LC patients (P < 0.001), CHB patients (P < 0.001) and healthy controls but were upregulated in the HBV-LC patients compared with the CHB patients (P < 0.001) and healthy controls (P < 0.001). Consistent with the serum data, the expression of miR-101 was also upregulated and downregulated in the HBV-LC and HBV-HCC tissue samples, respectively. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of serum miR-101 yielded an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.976 with 95.5% sensitivity and 90.2% specificity when differentiating between HBV-HCC and HBV-LC. Our results suggest that the serum miR-101 level can serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker to differentiate HBV-HCC from HBV-LC. PMID:24971953
Esmaeelzadeh, Abbas; Saadatnia, Hassan; Memar, Bahram; Mokhtari Amirmajdi, Elham; Ganji, Azita; Goshayeshi, Ladan; Meshkat, Zahra; Pasdar, Alireza; Vosoughinia, Hassan; Farzanehfar, Mohammadreza; Tehranian, Shahrzad; Ghaffarzadehgan, Kamran; Rajabzadeh, Farnood; Ahadi, Mitra
Aim: To evaluate the association between biochemical, virologic and histologic features in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Background: Hepatitis-B e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative is common in Iran, is progressive with poor prognosis. Therefore, it seems necessary to perform a comprehensive evaluation of different spectrum of laboratory measurements accompanying histological findings. Methods: HBeAg- negative CHB patients referring to two university hospitals during two years were enrolled. Alcohol consumption, liver mass, fatty liver and positive results of Anti HDV, Anti HCV or Anti HIV were excluded. The relationship between viral loads, liver enzymes (old and new cutoffs) and histopathological features was analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistical methods. Results: A total of 150 HBeAg-negative CHB (males=110, mean age=38.44±11.34 years) were assessed. ALT had a significant relation with the logarithm of serum HBV-DNA (P<0.0001), grade and stage on liver biopsy (P<0.001, P=0.034, respectively). Serum viral load, AST and ALT were independent predictors of histological grade, age was the only independent predictor of the stage of liver fibrosis. There was a significant relationship between serum ALT and stage of liver fibrosis (P<0.0001) when new cutoff values for ALT were considered. We found that age had a significant relation with histological grade but it showed a reverse relation with ALT levels (P=0.009). Conclusion: In HBeAg-negative CHB, AST had a better prediction for liver necrosis and inflammation. Age could be an independent predictor for liver fibrosis. New cutoff values for ALT had superiority over conventional values to identify higher risk of liver fibrosis. PMID:28331563
Sulka, Agnieszka; Simon, Krzysztof; Piszko, Paweł; Kalecińska, Ewa; Dominiak, Marzena
The aim of the study was to evaluate the character of lesions within oral mucosa in patients suffering from chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver due to either HBV or HCV infection. A total of 74 patients treated at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Wrocław for chronic hepatitis B (20 patients, group I) and for chronic hepatitis C (23 patients group III) and cirrhosis of the liver due to HBV (15 patients , group II) and HCV (16 patients, group IV) infection. The control group comprised 29 healthy subjects. Lesions within the oral mucosa found on clinical examinations were confirmed with a histopathological evaluation. Patients suffering from chronic hepatitis B revealed leukoplakia (1/20), melanoplakia (1/20), petechiae (1/20), 17 patients from this group did not show any changes. Patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C revealed leukoplakia (6/23), Delbanco's disease (2/23), melanoplakia (1/23), lichen planus (1/23), petechiae (1/23), 12 patients from this group did not show any changes. Patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver due of HBV infection revealed leukoplakia (3/15) petechiae (2/15), Delbanco's disease (1/15), angular cheilitis (1/15), aphthae (1/15), 7 patients from this group did not reveal any changes. Patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver due of HCV infection revealed petechiae (2/16), melanoplakia (1/16), candidosis (1/16), labial herpes (1/16), 11 patients from this group did not reveal any changes. In control group we observed leukoplakia (3/29), Delbanco's disease (1/29), labial herpes (1/29), petechiae (1/29), and 23 subjects did not present pathological lesions within the oral mucosa. Results indicate the lack of connection between chronic HBV and HCV infection as well as the stage of the disease with the incidence and character of oral lesions in oral mucosa.
Background Lamivudine (3TC) is a potent inhibitor of both Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) replication and is part of first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the Gambia. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of 3TC against HBV is limited by the emergence of resistant strains. Aim The aim of this retrospective study was to characterise 3TC-resistant mutations in HBV from co-infected patients receiving HAART, by generating HBV polymerase sequence data and viral loads from HBV genotype E infected patients, both at initiation and during a course of 3TC therapy. Method Samples from 21 HBV chronic carriers co-infected with HIV-1 (n = 18), HIV-2 (n = 2) and HIV-dual (n = 1) receiving HAART for a period of 6-52 months were analysed for the emergence of 3TC-resistance mutations. Findings Sixteen out of 21 HBV/HIV co-infected patients responded well to HAART treatment maintaining suppression of HBV viraemia to low (≤ 104 copies/mL) (n = 5) or undetectable levels (< 260 copies/ml) (n = 11). Out of the 5 non-responders, 3 had developed 3TC-resistant HBV strains showing mutations in the YMDD motif at position 204 of the RT domain of the HBV polymerase. One patient showed the M204V+ L180M+ V173L+ triple mutation associated with a vaccine escape phenotype, which could be of public health concern in a country with a national HBV vaccination programme. All except one patient was infected with HBV genotype E. Conclusions Our findings confirm the risk of 3TC mutations in HAART patients following monotherapy. This is a novel study on 3TC resistance in HBV genotype E patients and encourage the use of tenofovir (in association with 3TC), which has not shown unequivocally documented HBV resistance to date, as part of first-line therapy in HIV/HBV co-infected patients in West Africa. HBV- hepatitis B infection; HIV- human immunodeficiency virus; HAART- antiretroviral therapy. PMID:22195774
Lu, F M; Wang, J; Chen, X M; Jiang, J N; Zhang, W H; Zhao, J M; Ren, H; Hou, J L; Xia, N S
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in infected hepatocytes is the main cause of off-therapy viral rebound. The half-life of cccDNA is only 33-50 days, so the conversion of newly synthesized rcDNA to cccDNA in the nucleus is essential for the maintenance of cccDNA pool in infected hepatocytes. Though not directly targeting the existing cccDNA, current nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) may exhaust the cccDNA reservoir by blocking the rcDNA formation. Indeed, a prolonged consolidation therapy post loss of serum HBV DNA can achieve sustained remission and thus safe drug discontinuation in a small proportion of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. In recent studies, we and others have demonstrated that it is the serum HBV RNA that reflects the cccDNA activity in infected hepatocytes, particularly among the patients on NAs. Here we suggest that instead of measuring serum HBV DNA only, simultaneous measurement of both viral DNA and RNA would improve the accuracy to reflect the cccDNA activity; therefore, the virological response should be redefined as consistent loss (less than the lower limit of detection) of both serum HBV DNA and RNA, which indicates the safety of drug discontinuation. Accumulating evidence has suggested that for the CHB patients with lower serum HBsAg, switch-to or add-on pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) treatment would result in loss of serum HBsAg in a relatively large proportion of CHB patients. Since serum HBV RNA is an ideal biomarker to reflect the intrahepatic cccDNA activity, for the patients with a serum HBsAg level lower than 1 500 IU/ml after long-term NAs treatment, the serum HBV RNA should be measured. If serum HBV RNA is detected, peg-IFN should be added on; if serum HBV RNA is not detected, NAs treatment should be switched to peg-IFN treatment. We believe the therapy based on serum HBV RNA would make the functional cure of CHB (serum HBsAg loss or even conversion to anti-HBs) more efficient.
Xu, Zhengju; Liu, Liguan; Pan, Xingnan; Wei, Kaipeng; Wei, Meijuan; Liu, Lifei; Yang, Huanwen; Liu, Qian
Abstract Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is the most commonly used marker of liver injury, but normal ALT levels are seen in a proportion of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients with severe liver injury. Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a promising alternative marker of liver injury. This study assessed the relation between GP73 levels and liver disease severity, monitored the kinetic changes in GP73 levels in chronic HBV patients receiving entecavir (ETV) therapy, and investigated the potential diagnostic and prognostic values of serum GP73 as a new liver injury biomarker in chronic HBV infections. This study enrolled 1150 patients with chronic HBV infections, 200 of whom were retrospectively enrolled in this study after receiving 1 year of ETV treatment. GP73 expression in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. GP73 levels in single or serial serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that GP73 protein expression in the liver increased progressively with pathologic progression from nonexistent or mild hepatitis to severe hepatitis and cirrhosis during chronic HBV infection. Serum GP73 levels were positively correlated with the disease severity of chronic HBV infections (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). In patients with normal ALT levels, serum GP73 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with prominent hepatic inflammatory injury and fibrosis than in patients without hepatic inflammatory injury or fibrosis. Serum GP73 concentrations and GP73 protein expression were decreased in the liver tissues of patients whose ALT levels normalized after 1 year of ETV antiviral therapy. Changes in serum GP73 levels were closely associated with changes in liver injury severity, and, therefore, GP73 may be an effective new liver inflammatory injury biomarker, and could be useful for monitoring the prognosis of chronic HBV infectious patients with normal ALT levels. PMID:25816035
Salpini, Romina; Piermatteo, Lorenzo; Gill, Upkar; Battisti, Arianna; Stazi, Francesca; Guenci, Tania; Giannella, Sara; Serafini, Valentina; Kennedy, Patrick T F; Perno, Carlo Federico; Svicher, Valentina; Ciotti, Marco
Intrahepatic total HBV DNA (it-HBV DNA) level might reflect the size of virus reservoir and correlate with the histological status of the liver. To quantitate it-HBV DNA in a series of 70 liver biopsies obtained from hepatitis B chronic patients, a modified version of the COBAS(®)Ampliprep/COBAS(®)TaqMan HBV test v2.0 was used for this purpose. The linearity and reproducibility of the modified protocol was tested by quantifying serial dilutions of a full-length HBV containing plasmid and it-HBV DNA from a reference patient. A good linear trend between the expected values and those generated by the assay was observed at different concentrations of both plasmid and reference patient (R (2) = 0.994 and 0.962, respectively). Differences between the values obtained in two independent runs were ≤0.3 log IU for the plasmid and ≤0.6 log IU/mg for the reference patient, showing a high inter-run reproducibility. In the 70 liver biopsies, it-HBV DNA level ranged from 1.4 to 5.4 log IU/mg, with a good linearity and reproducibility between the values obtained in two runs [R (2) = 0.981; median (IQR) difference of it-HBV DNA 0.05 (0.02-0.09) IU/mg]. The modified COBAS(®)Ampliprep/COBAS(®)TaqMan HBV test v2.0 allows an accurate quantitation of it-HBV DNA. Its determination may have prognostic value and may be a useful tool for the new therapeutic strategies aimed at eradicating the HBV infection.
Bivigou-Mboumba, Berthold; François-Souquière, Sandrine; Deleplancque, Luc; Sica, Jeanne; Mouinga-Ondémé, Augustin; Amougou-Atsama, Marie; Chaix, Marie-Laure; Njouom, Richard; Rouet, François
Integrated data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) patterns, HBV genotypes and mutations are lacking in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) co-infected patients from Africa. This survey was conducted in 2010–2013 among 762 HIV-1-positive adults from Gabon who were predominantly treated with 3TC-based antiretroviral treatment. HBV patterns were identified using immunoassays detecting total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), IgM HBcAb, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), antibody to HBsAg (HBsAb) and an in-house real-time PCR test for HBV DNA quantification. Occult hepatitis B (OBI) was defined by the presence of isolated anti-HBc with detectable serum HBV DNA. HBV genotypes and HBV mutations were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing method. Seventy-one (9.3%) patients tested positive for HBsAg, including one with acute hepatitis B (0.1%; 95% CI, 0.0%-0.2%), nine with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.6%–2.2%), 16 with HBeAg-negative CHB (2.1%; 95% CI, 1.2%–3.3%) and 45 inactive HBV carriers (5.9%; 95% CI, 4.4%–7.8%). Sixty-one (8.0%; 95% CI, 6.2%–10.1%) patients showed OBI. Treated patients showed similar HBV DNA levels to those obtained in untreated patients, regardless of HBV patterns. Around 15.0% of OBI patients showed high (>1,000 UI/mL) viremia. The mutation M204V/I conferring resistance to 3TC was more common in HBV/A (47.4%) than in HBV/E isolates (0%) (P = .04). Our findings encouraged clinicians to promote HBV vaccination in patients with no exposure to HBV and to switch 3TC to universal TDF in those with CHB. PMID:26764909
Bivigou-Mboumba, Berthold; François-Souquière, Sandrine; Deleplancque, Luc; Sica, Jeanne; Mouinga-Ondémé, Augustin; Amougou-Atsama, Marie; Chaix, Marie-Laure; Njouom, Richard; Rouet, François
Integrated data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) patterns, HBV genotypes and mutations are lacking in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) co-infected patients from Africa. This survey was conducted in 2010-2013 among 762 HIV-1-positive adults from Gabon who were predominantly treated with 3TC-based antiretroviral treatment. HBV patterns were identified using immunoassays detecting total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), IgM HBcAb, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), antibody to HBsAg (HBsAb) and an in-house real-time PCR test for HBV DNA quantification. Occult hepatitis B (OBI) was defined by the presence of isolated anti-HBc with detectable serum HBV DNA. HBV genotypes and HBV mutations were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing method. Seventy-one (9.3%) patients tested positive for HBsAg, including one with acute hepatitis B (0.1%; 95% CI, 0.0%-0.2%), nine with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.6%-2.2%), 16 with HBeAg-negative CHB (2.1%; 95% CI, 1.2%-3.3%) and 45 inactive HBV carriers (5.9%; 95% CI, 4.4%-7.8%). Sixty-one (8.0%; 95% CI, 6.2%-10.1%) patients showed OBI. Treated patients showed similar HBV DNA levels to those obtained in untreated patients, regardless of HBV patterns. Around 15.0% of OBI patients showed high (>1,000 UI/mL) viremia. The mutation M204V/I conferring resistance to 3TC was more common in HBV/A (47.4%) than in HBV/E isolates (0%) (P = .04). Our findings encouraged clinicians to promote HBV vaccination in patients with no exposure to HBV and to switch 3TC to universal TDF in those with CHB.
van Dommelen, Laura; Verbon, Annelies; van Doorn, H Rogier; Goossens, Valère J
We present a case of a clinical manifest hepatitis B virus infection and a potentially misleading HBV serological profile in an HIV-1 positive patient despite previous HBV vaccination. The patient presented with an acute hepatitis B and there was no indication of chronic HBV infection or the presence of a mutation in the 'a' determinant. Remarkably, simultaneously with high HBV surface antigen and HBV viral load, high anti-HBs antibodies were present. If, due to previous HBV vaccination only anti-HBs was tested in this patient, the result of the high anti-HBs antibodies could be very misleading and offering a false sense of security. Our findings contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to assess HBV specific immunological memory and determining the role of HBV booster vaccinations in immunocompromised individuals.
Rapicetta, M.; di Nardo, V.; Rozera, C.; Marinucci, G.; Francisci, D.; Sarrecchia, B.; Ricci, C.; Albertoni, F.
A population of 488 HBsAg carrier individuals, from central Italy, classified on the basis of biochemical, clinical and histological parameters, was analysed for the presence of HBV-DNA in serum and its relationship with HBeAg/anti-HBe markers. The prevalence of HBV-DNA was 32.8% in chronic patients with biopsy-proven liver disease, and 20 and 4.3% respectively in asymptomatic carriers with and without altered ALT levels. The values in chronic patients were correlated with the histological activity. Concordance of HBV-DNA presence and HBeAg positivity was observed in only 61.4% of cases. However HBV-DNA prevalence in sera of anti-HBe positive individuals was very low in asymptomatic carriers with normal ALT levels (2.5%). Higher values were observed in anti-HBe positive chronic patients (15.8%) and in carriers occasionally found with changes in ALT without any other clinical sign of illness (16.7%). These data would indicate that HBV-DNA is the serological marker which is most closely related to liver disease. PMID:2347388
McMahon, Brian J; Bulkow, Lisa; Simons, Brenna; Zhang, Yuhong; Negus, Susan; Homan, Chriss; Spradling, Philip; Teshale, Eyasu; Lau, Daryl; Snowball, Mary; Livingston, Stephen
In a population-based cohort of Alaska Native persons with chronic HBV infection who were HBeAg-negative, we aimed to determine the prevalence of immune active HBV infection over time and to determine the relationship between demographic and viral factors on severity of disease on liver biopsy. We examined 777 patients infected with five HBV genotypes (A2, B6, C2, D2/3, F1). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) measurements were assessed every 6 months during an 8-year period. HBV DNA levels were performed at baseline in 2001 and whenever ALT levels exceeded the upper limit of normal (ULN). Immune active chronic HBV infection was defined as an ALT >30 U/L men, >20 U/ml women and HBV DNA >2,000 IU/ml during one or more times from 2001 and 2008. Liver biopsies were scored using the modified hepatic activity index score (HAI) of Knodell and the Ishak fibrosis score. A total of 201 (26%) patients met the criteria for immune active HBV. HBV genotype D was less likely to be associated with immune active hepatitis than the other 4 genotypes. Of the 46 patients with liver biopsy results, none of the 15 patients with ALT always below twice the ULN and only 2/19 of those with HBV DNA between 2,000 and 20,000 IU/ml had moderate or severe hepatitis, or moderate or severe fibrosis. In contrast, 18(58%) of 31 with ALT ≥ twice ULN, and 16 (62%) of 26 with one or more HBV DNA levels > 20,000 IU/ml had moderate to severe fibrosis scores (p<0.001). Conclusion Of participants, 26% met criteria for immune active HBV. An HBV DNA level of > 20,000 IU/ml was strongly correlated with persons meeting the current guidelines for antiviral therapy. PMID:24035774
Cañero-Velasco, M C; Mutti, J E; Gonzalez, J E; Alonso, A; Otegui, L; Adragna, M; Antonuccio, M; Laso, M; Montenegro, M; Repetto, L; Brandi, M; Canepa, J; Baimberg, E
Hemodialized pediatric patients are a risk population for the hepatitis B and C virus infection. The aim of this paper was to study the serum prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in hemodialized children. We study 61 pediatric patients at hemodialisis, 12 on renal transplant, range between 2 and 20 years old (mean: 12.9 years), 23 male and 38 female. The specific anti-HCV IgC were measured by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA Abbott) and confirmed by LIA-TEK (Organon). The anti-HBV were measured by ELISA Abbott and transaminases by cinetic method (ASAT: 29 UI/L and ALT: 33 UI/L). The 19.7% of studied children were HCV (+) and 29.5% were HBV (+), 38.9% of them were HbsAg (+) and 50% anti-HBs (+). The HCV and HBV infection was more elevated in relation to the transfusion number and the hemodilisis time. The elevation of ALT/ASAT activity isn't a right infection index for HCV and HBV in this children.
Sarkar, Jayeeta; Saha, Debraj; Bandyopadhyay, Bhaswati; Saha, Bibhuti; Kedia, Deepika; Guha Mazumder, D.N.; Chakravarty, Runu; Guha, Subhasish Kamal
Background & objectives: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV co-infection has variable prevalence worldwide. In comparison to HBV mono-infection, the course of chronic HBV infection is accelerated in HIV/HBV co-infected patients. The present study was carried out to analyse the baseline characteristics (clinical, biochemical, serological and virological) of treatment naïve HIV/HBV co-infected and HIV mono-infected patients. Methods: Between July 2011 and January 2013, a total number of 1331 HIV-seropositive treatment naïve individuals, enrolled in the ART Centre of Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, India, were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). A total of 1253 HIV mono-infected and 78 HIV/HBV co-infected patients were characterized. The co-infected patients were evaluated for HBeAg and anti-HBe antibody by ELISA. HIV RNA was quantified for all co-infected patients. HBV DNA was detected and quantified by real time-PCR amplification followed by HBV genotype determination. Results: HIV/HBV co-infected patients had proportionately more advanced HIV disease (WHO clinical stage 3 and 4) than HIV mono-infected individuals (37.1 vs. 19.9%). The co-infected patients had significantly higher serum bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase and ALT/platelet ratio index (APRI). CD4 count was non-significantly lower in co-infected patients. Majority (61.5%) were HBeAg positive with higher HIV RNA (P<0.05), HBV DNA (P<0.001) and APRI (P<0.05) compared to those who were HBeAg negative. HBV/D was the predominant genotype (73.2%) and D2 (43.7%) was the commonest subgenotype. Interpretation & conclusions: HIV/HBV co-infected patients had significantly higher serum bilirubin, ALT, alkaline phosphatase and lower platelet count. HBeAg positive co-infected patients had higher HIV RNA and HBV DNA compared to HBeAg negative co-infected patients. Prior to initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) all patients should be screened for HBsAg to
Park, Jang-June; Wong, David K.; Wahed, Abdus S.; Lee, William M.; Feld, Jordan J.; Terrault, Norah; Khalili, Mandana; Sterling, Richard K.; Kowdley, Kris V.; Bzowej, Natalie; Lau, Daryl T.; Kim, W. Ray; Smith, Coleman; Carithers, Robert L.; Torrey, Keith W.; Keith, James W.; Levine, Danielle L.; Traum, Daniel; Ho, Suzanne; Valiga, Mary E.; Johnson, Geoffrey S.; Doo, Edward; Lok, Anna S. F.; Chang, Kyong-Mi
Background & Aims T cells play a critical role in in viral infection. We examined whether T-cell effector and regulatory responses can define clinical stages of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods We enrolled 200 adults with CHB who participated in the NIH-supported Hepatitis B Research Network from 2011 through 2013 and 20 uninfected individuals (controls). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from these subjects were analyzed for T-cell responses (proliferation and production of interferon-γ and interleukin-10) to overlapping hepatitis B virus (HBV) peptides (preS, S, preC, core, and reverse transcriptase), influenza matrix peptides, and lipopolysaccharide. T-cell expression of regulatory markers FOXP3, programmed death-1 (PD1), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) was examined by flow cytometry. Immune measures were compared with clinical parameters, including physician-defined immune-active, immune-tolerant, or inactive CHB phenotypes, in a blinded fashion. Results Compared to controls, patients with CHB had weak T-cell proliferative, interferon-γ, and interleukin-10 responses to HBV, with increased frequency of circulating FOXP3+CD127− regulatory T cells and CD4+ T-cell expression of PD1 and CTLA4. T-cell measures did not clearly distinguish between clinical CHB phenotypes, although the HBV core-specific T-cell response was weaker in HBeAg+ than HBeAg− patients (% responders: 3% vs 23%, P=.00008). Although in vitro blockade of PD1 or CTLA4 increased T-cell responses to HBV, the effect was weaker in HBeAg+ than HBeAg− patients. Furthermore, T-cell responses to influenza and lipopolysaccharide were weaker in CHB patients than controls. Conclusion HBV persists with virus-specific and global T-cell dysfunction mediated by multiple regulatory mechanisms including circulating HBeAg, but without distinct T-cell–based immune signatures for clinical phenotypes. These findings suggest additional T-cell independent or regulatory mechanisms of CHB
Huang, Yi-Jie; Chang, Chi-Sen; Yeh, Hong-Zen; Yang, Sheng-Shun
Background & aims Virological breakthrough (VBT) could be a manifestation of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in patients treated with long-term nucleot(s)ide analogues. We aimed to determine the association of on-treatment serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA with VBT in HBeAg-positive CHB patients receiving entecavir (ETV) treatment. Methods A retrospective cohort study, including 162 consecutive patients (95 men and 67 women; mean age, 43.1±13.4 years) with HBeAg-positive CHB treated with ETV for at least 48 weeks between August 2008 and May 2015, was conducted. Univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis were used to identify associations with VBT and clinical factors, including HBV DNA and HBeAg serum status. Results Among the 162 ETV-treated HBeAg-positive CHB patients, eighteen patients (11.1%) experienced VBT (VBT group), whereas the other 144 patients were without VBT (non-VBT group). The cumulative rate of HBV DNA < 100 IU/mL in the VBT group and the non-VBT group at week 48 were 44.44% and 70.14%, and at week 96 were 58.33% and 92.56%, respectively (p = 0.015). The cumulative rate of HBeAg seroclearance in the VBT group and non-VBT group at week 48 and week 96 were statistically significant (p = 0.014). Multivariate analysis disclosed that failure to achieve HBeAg seroclearance were the factors significantly associated with VBT. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that on-treatment HBV DNA could probably predict VBT in ETV-treated HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Failure to achieve HBeAg seroclearance was associated with VBT in ETV-treated HBeAg-positive CHB patients. HBV DNA >100IU/mL at 48 weeks is potentially a predictor for VBT. PMID:28350873
Song, Guangjun; Yang, Ruifeng; Rao, Huiying; Feng, Bo; Ma, Hui; Jin, Qian; Wei, Lai
Early prediction of spontaneous hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is pivotal in the prevention of unnecessary drug prescription, corresponding financial burden, and adverse reactions. One hundred and thirteen chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg-positive in the immune active phase were followed up for about 1.5 years. Patients were classified into two groups: spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion group (group A, n = 18) and non-spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion group. Among the non-spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion group, 35 patients were selected as controls (group B, n = 35). At week 12, there was a significant difference in hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) levels between the two groups (group A 4.32 ± 1.05 log10 kU/ml, and group B 5.16 ± 0.53 log10 kU/ml, P = 0.004), and this significance magnified at week 28. Only two variables, HBcrAg level and the reduction in the HBcrAg levels (ΔHBcrAg) at week 28 were enrolled, with the odds ratio of 4.19 and 0.21, respectively. The optimal cutoffs of HBcrAg levels and the ΔHBcrAg at week 28 were 4.90 and 2.00 log10 kU/ml, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of HBcrAg levels at week 28 were 73.9% and 96.7%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the ΔHBcrAg at week 28 were 76.2% and 93.8%, respectively. The measurement of HBcrAg is useful for monitoring the natural course of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. The dynamics of HBcrAg levels could accurately predict the spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion. J. Med. Virol. 89:463-468, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Qiu, Hai-Bo; Zhang, Li-Yi; Zeng, Zhao-Lei; Wang, Zhi-Qiang; Luo, Hui-Yan; Keshari, Rajiv Prasad; Zhou, Zhi-Wei; Xu, Rui-Hua
AIM: To evaluate the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 1298 colorectal cancer patients were recruited from January 2001 to March 2005 in this study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test serum HBV markers for colorectal cancer. Patients were divided into study (infection) group and control (non-infection) group. Clinical features of patients in two groups were compared. RESULTS: Liver metastasis was found in 319 out of the 1298 colorectal cancer patients. The incidence of liver metastasis was significantly lower in study group than in control group (14.2% vs 28.2%, P < 0.01). HBV infection significantly decreased the risk of liver metastasis [hazard ratio (HR): 0.50, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.38-0.66], but the incidence of extrahepatic metastasis was significantly higher in study group than in control group (31.9% vs 17.0%, P < 0.01). The HR was the lowest in chronic hepatitis B group (HR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12-0.72). The number of liver metastatic lesions was significantly less in study group than in control group with a higher surgical resection rate. However, no significant difference was found in survival rate between the two groups (P = 0.95). CONCLUSION: HBV infection decreases the risk of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer and elevates the surgical resection rate of liver metastatic lesions. PMID:21390153
Ren, Shan; Yu, Haibin; Zhang, Hongwei; Liu, Ying; Huang, Yanxiang; Ma, Lina; Wei, Lai; Wu, Hao; Chen, Xinyue
To evaluate the role of host single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) in predicting IFN response in patients with HBV infection, OAS gene and four SNPs were examined in 363 patients with chronic HBV infection (including 41 patients with HBsAg seroconversion) and 57 healthy controls. One SNP and three haplotypes were identified after adjustment for age, sex, HBV DNA. The frequency of OAS3T/C heterozygotes is 52.2% in responders (R) and 38.2% in non-responders (NR), with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.511 (P = 0.018). For complete responders (CR) and NR, the OR reached 2.323(P = 0.023). Haplotype analyses revealed significant association between three OAS haplotypes and response to IFN-α treatment. Genotype combination and interaction between gene-gene analyses disclosed that there was a positive interaction between OAS2/OAS3 and OAS3/OASL, and the rate of OR was 2.46 (likelihood test, P = 0.004) and 4.46 (likelihood test, P = 0.004), respectively. Our results suggest that OAS gene variations may play an important role in response to IFN-α and provide a novel strategy for the resolution of HBV infection.
Manna, Kalyan; Chakrabarty, Siddhartha P.
We analyze the dynamics of chronic HBV infection taking into account both uninfected and infected hepatocytes along with the intracellular HBV DNA-containing capsids and the virions. While previous HBV models have included either the uninfected hepatocytes or the intracellular HBV DNA-containing capsids, our model accounts for both these two populations. We prove the conditions for local and global stability of both the uninfected and infected steady states in terms of the basic reproduction number. Further, we incorporate a time lag in the model to encompass the intracellular delay in the production of the infected hepatocytes and find that this delay does not affect the overall dynamics of the system. The results for the model and the delay model are finally numerically illustrated.
Kowazaki, Yuka; Osawa, Yosuke; Imamura, Jun; Ohashi, Kazuteru; Sakamaki, Hisashi; Kimura, Kiminori
Patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection undergoing chemo- or immunosuppressive therapy are at potential risk for HBV reactivation. To determine whether the host immune response contributes to liver injury, we performed an immunological analysis of a patient with HBV reactivation. Consistent with the detection of HBV DNA in the sera, the number of polyclonal HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) gradually increased; however, the number of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) decreased. The interaction between HBV-specific CTLs and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg is an important determinant of liver injury during HBV reactivation. Therefore, monitoring the number of these cells might be a useful modality for the diagnosis of acute hepatitis resulting from HBV reactivation.
León, Bernal; Taylor, Lizeth; Vargas, Minor; Luftig, Ronald B; Albertazzi, Federico; Herrero, Libia; Visona, Kirsten
Background Around 400 million people worldwide are chronically infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV). An estimated 10% of these chronic patients develop progressive liver damage including cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The HBx gene encodes a protein of 154 amino acids which is a transactivator and has been associated with HBV pathogenesis. A change in the amino acid sequences at positions 130 and 131 in the HBV-X protein (M130K and V131I) produced by T-A point mutations at the nucleic acids level has been associated with severe liver damage and HCC in patients from China and Africa. Further, such changes have been proposed as a prognostic marker for progressive liver damage and HCC. The purpose of this study was to determine if T-A mutations are present in HBV chronic carriers with genotype F (the major genotype in Costa Rica) and further, if these mutations are associated with HBV disease progression in Costa Rica HBV patients from 1972 to 1985. Results Serum samples from 50 HBV positive individuals were amplified and directly sequenced, 48 belonged to genotype F, 1 from genotype D and another was classified as D or E. T-;A mutations were absent in 17 acute patients who recovered, but was present in 12 of 29 chronic carrier samples (42.8%), in one sample the T-A mutations were detected as early as 29 days after clinical onset of disease. In 17 carriers with available liver biopsies, T-;A mutations were found in 8 sera of 13 (61.5%) classified as moderate or severe, and none in 4 biopsies with mild liver damage. However, it was not possible to demonstrate a statistical association between the presence of T-A mutations and moderate/severe liver damage, using a Fischer exact test, 1 tail, p = 0.05. In 4 patients HCC was diagnosed, and 2 of them presented the T-A mutations in their sera. Conclusion T-A mutations were found in HBV genotype F in chronic carriers but not in patients who recovered from acute infection. These mutations could be developing
Li, Zhonghu; Zhao, Xin; Jiang, Peng; Xiao, Senlin; Wu, Guo; Chen, Kai; Zhang, Xi; Liu, Hui; Han, Xiuguo; Wang, Shuguang; Li, Xiaowu
Abstract Controversy exists regarding pathological factors affecting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV-HCC). Their postoperative clinical behaviors and the exact HBV Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) thresholds that distinguish good and poor prognoses are unknown. This study aimed to compare clinicopathological, pre- and postoperative clinical factors and overall and recurrence-free survival (RFS) between HBV-HCC patients and nonhepatitis B and nonhepatitis C HCC (NBC-HCC) patients to determine the optimal prognostic HBV DNA threshold. Data from 1440 patients with HBV-HCC and NBC-HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Liver function in the HBV-HCC group was significantly worse than in the NBC-HCC group. Compared with NBC-HCC patients, HBV-HCC patients had significantly more vascular invasion and advanced HCC. The HBV-HCC patients also had significantly worse liver function and more complications. Further survival analysis showed significantly lower overall and RFS rates and a higher early recurrence rate in the HBV-HCC group. Univariate analysis indicated that HBV was a risk factor for overall and RFS. Finally, X-tile analysis revealed that the optimal HBV DNA cutoff points for predicting RFS and overall survival in HCC patients were 10,100 and 12,800 IU/mL, respectively. After hepatectomy for HCC, HBV-HCC patients had more complications and a worse prognosis than NBC-HCC patients. Antiviral therapy should be considered before hepatectomy in patients with high (more than approximately 104 IU/mL) HBV DNA levels. PMID:27495026
Huang, Yan; Chen, Tingjin; Kong, Xiangzhan; Sun, Hengchang; Yu, Xinbing; Xu, Jin
Background Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) is considered to be an important parasitic zoonosis because it infects approximately 35 million people, while approximately 15 million were distributed in China. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health issue. Two types of pathogens have the potential to cause human liver disease and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. Concurrent infection with HBV and C. sinensis is often observed in some areas where C. sinensis is endemic. However, whether C. sinensis could impact HBV infection or vice versa remains unknown. Principal Findings Co-infection with C. sinensis and HBV develops predominantly in males. Co-infected C. sinensis and HBV patients presented weaker liver function and higher HBV DNA titers. Combination treatment with antiviral and anti-C. sinensis drugs in co-infected patients could contribute to a reduction in viral load and help with liver function recovery. Excretory-secretory products (ESPs) may, in some ways, increase HBV viral replication in vitro. A mixture of ESP and HBV positive sera could induce peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to produce higher level of Th2 cytokines including IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 compared to HBV alone, it seems that due to presence of ESP, the cytokine production shift towards Th2. C. sinensis/HBV co-infected patients showed higher serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels and lower serum IFN-γ levels. Conclusions/Significance Patients with concomitant C. sinensis and HBV infection presented weaker liver function and higher HBV DNA copies. In co-infected patients, the efficacy of anti-viral treatment was better in patients who were prescribed with entecavir and praziquantel than entecavir alone. One possible reason for the weaker response to antiviral therapies in co-infected patients was the shift in cytokine production from Th1 to Th2 that may inhibit viral clearance. C. sinensis/HBV co-infection could exacerbate the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokine. PMID:27348302
Roche, Bruno; Samuel, Didier
Antiviral therapy using newer nucleos(t)ide analogs with lower resistance rates could suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, improve liver function in patients with compensated or decompensated cirrhosis, delay or obviate liver transplantation in some patients, and reduce the risk of HBV recurrence. Some form of HBV prophylaxis needs to be continued indefinitely posttransplant. However, in patients with a low-risk of HBV recurrence it is possible to discontinue hepatitis B immunoglobulins and maintain long-term nucleos(t)ide analog therapy. Currently, treatment of posttransplantation hepatitis B is a less important clinical problem than it was historically because effective antiviral therapies exist to rescue patients who failed initial prophylaxis.
Truong, Bui Xuan; Yano, Yoshihiko; Seo, Yasushi; Phuong, Tran Minh; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Kato, Hirotaka; Miki, Akira; Utsumi, Takako; Azuma, Takeshi; Trach, Nguyen Khanh; Mizokami, Masashi; Hayashi, Yoshitake; Kasuga, Masato
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) subgenotypes Cs (C1) and Ce (C2) are common in East Asia. To investigate the genomic difference of HBV genotype C between two separated regions, 50 subgenotype Cs-infected Vietnamese and 70 subgenotype Ce-infected Japanese patients were enrolled for analysis. The patients were categorized to either a hepatocellular carcinoma group (HCC) or a non-HCC group including liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and asymptomatic carriers. HBV serology, HBV-DNA level, and variations in core promoter/pre-core region were examined. Phylogenetic analysis based on the full genome sequences and nucleotide sequences partly in the S gene and in the P gene revealed that all Japanese strains (70/70) were subgenotype Ce, and nearly all of the Vietnamese strains (50/51) were subgenotype Cs, excluding one subgenotype C5. C1858 and G1775 were common in the Vietnamese (64% and 40%) but not in the Japanese (0%). The prevalence of C/A1753 in Vietnamese was higher than that in the Japanese (32% vs. 17.1%), however the frequency of A1896 in the Japanese was significantly higher (32.9% vs. 12%, P < 0.05). Most of the Vietnamese patients with HCC had a high level of HBV-DNA, the Japanese HCC had a relatively low level. In the Vietnamese, C/A1753 and C1858 were associated closely with T1762A1764, higher HBV-DNA levels and higher HCC incidence. The multivariate analysis revealed that male, T1653 and C/A1753 were independent risk factors for HCC. The subgenotypes and unique mutations of HBV genotype C in the Vietnamese and Japanese differed, and C/A1753 and C1858 variants might play a role in the pathogenesis of liver disease in Vietnamese patients.
Roll, M; Norder, H; Magnius, L O; Grillner, L; Lindgren, V
An outbreak of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a haemodialysis unit is described. Four patients in the unit contracted subclinical HBV infection within three months. DNA sequence analysis of the S gene of HBV isolates from chronic carriers and newly infected patients in the unit aided in tracing possible transmission pathways. Three newly infected patients had received partial or complete HBV vaccination previously. HBV was rapidly cleared from all three although the anti-HBs titre had not reached 10 IU L-1 in any of them at the time of infection.
Sun, H Q; Zhang, J Y; Zhang, H; Zou, Z S; Wang, F S; Jia, J H
T helper (Th) 17 cells have been demonstrated to participate in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated liver damage. However, little is known regarding the immunopathogenic role of liver fibrosis in patients with HBV-associated liver cirrhosis. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether Th17 cells are related to disease progression in patients and to explore the possible mechanisms. The frequencies of circulating Th17 cells were analysed in 78 patients with hepatitis B and cirrhosis (Child A: 34; Child B: 22; Child C 22) and matched controls. Liver samples were collected from 13 patients with HBV-associated cirrhosis, 23 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 12 healthy controls for immunohistochemical analysis. IL-17 receptor expression was studied on liver biopsies and in human hepatic stellate cells as well as their response to recombinant IL-17 by flow cytometry. Patients with hepatitis B-associated cirrhosis with more severe disease displayed significant increases in peripheral numbers of Th17 cells as well as in IL-17 plasma levels. The increased intrahepatic IL-17(+) cells correlated positively with fibrotic staging scores and clinical progression from CHB to cirrhosis. Moreover, many IL-17(+) cells were located in fibrotic areas in the liver of patients with cirrhosis. In vitro, IL-17 together with IL-17-activated monocytes, could promote the activation of stellate cells, which, in turn, aggravated liver fibrosis and the inflammatory response. In summary, increased peripheral and intrahepatic Th17 cells are enriched in patients with hepatitis B and cirrhosis and contribute further to the severity of disease progression through induction of stellate cell activation.
Guarino, Maria; Picardi, Marco; Vitello, Anna; Pugliese, Novella; Rea, Matilde; Cossiga, Valentina; Pane, Fabrizio; Caporaso, Nicola; Morisco, Filomena
HBV and HCV reactivation has been widely reported in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for oncohaematological diseases. We aimed to evaluate the HBV and HCV reactivation events in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) underwent cytotoxic chemotherapy containing or not rituximab. This is a retrospective observational study, including all patients with NHL and HL attending an Italian tertiary referral hospital, the University of Naples "Federico II". A total of 322 patients were enrolled. We evaluated serum HBV and HCV markers. A total of 47 (38%) patients with occult HBV infection were enrolled. Seven/47 were treated with therapeutic cytotoxic schedule containing rituximab. Of them, 6/7 received prophylaxis with lamivudine. HBV reactivation was observed in two patients treated with rituximab. A reactivation was observed in the only patient (HBcAb+/HBsAb+) not receiving lamivudine prophylaxis, and the other one was observed in 1 patient with isolated HBcAb positivity during lamivudine prophylaxis. Moreover, 8 patients with HCV-Ab positivity were enrolled. No viral reactivation was observed in these patients. In conclusion, patients with occult HBV infection receiving chemotherapy containing rituximab for lymphoma without antiviral prophylaxis are at risk of viral reactivation. On the contrary, there is no risk of reactivation in patients undergoing rituximab-free schedule. Our findings suggest that there is also very low risk of HCV reactivation. This preliminary report underlines the concept that HBV reactivationis strongly related to the type of immunosuppressive therapy administered and that antiviral prophylaxis needs to be tailored.
Wahle, Raul Carlos; Perez, Renata Mello; Pereira, Patrícia Fucuta; Oliveira, Elze Maria Gomes; Emori, Christini Takemi; Uehara, Silvia Naomi de Oliveira; Silva, Ivonete Sandra de Souza; Silva, Antônio Eduardo Benedito; Ferraz, Maria Lucia Gomes
In coinfected HBV/HCV patients, HBV replication is usually suppressed by HCV over the time. No study to date has evaluated the HBV viremia in long-term follow-up after HCV treatment in hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection. This study aimed to assess the evolution of HBV viremia after HCV treatment in this special population. Ten hemodialysis patients with HBV/HCV coinfection with dominant HCV infection (HBV lower than 2000 IU/mL) and significant fibrosis were treated with interferon-alpha 3 MU 3×/week for 12 months and could be followed for at least 36 months after HCV treatment. Six cases of HBV reactivation (60%) during follow-up were observed and 5/6 had been successfully treated for HCV. Patients with HBV reactivation received anti-HBV therapy. Our preliminary findings indicate that treatment of hepatitis C in HBV/HCV coinfected hemodialysis patients may favor HBV reactivation. Thus, continued monitoring of HBV viremia must be recommended and prompt anti-HBV therapy should be implemented.
Wang, Mingjie; Gong, Qiming; Zhang, Jiming; Chen, Liang; Zhang, Zhanqing; Lu, Lungen; Yu, Demin; Han, Yue; Zhang, Donghua; Chen, Peizhan; Zhang, Xiaonan; Yuan, Zhenghong; Huang, Jinyan; Zhang, Xinxin
Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of liver fibrosis (LF), the mechanisms underlying liver fibrotic progression remain unclear. Here, we investigated the gene expression profiles of HBV-related LF patients. Whole genome expression arrays were used to detect gene expression in liver biopsy samples from chronically HBV infected patients. Through integrative data analysis, we identified several pathways and key genes involved in the initiation and exacerbation of liver fibrosis. Weight gene co-expression analysis revealed that integrin subunit β-like 1 (ITGBL1) was a key regulator of fibrogenesis. Functional experiments demonstrated that ITGBL1 was an upstream regulator of LF via interactions with transforming growth factor β1. In summary, we investigated the gene expression profiles of HBV-related LF patients and identified a key regulator ITGBL1. Our findings provide a foundation for future studies of gene functions and promote the development of novel antifibrotic therapies. PMID:28262670
Background Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is characterized by HBV DNA persistence even though the pattern of serological markers indicates an otherwise resolved HBV infection. Although OBI is usually clinically silent, immunocompromised patients may experience reactivation of the liver disease. Case presentation We report the case of an individual with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and anti-HBV core antibody positivity, who experienced severe HBV reactivation after discontinuation of lamivudine-including antiretroviral therapy (ART). HBV sequencing analysis showed a hepatitis B surface antigen escape mutant whose presence in an earlier sample excluded reinfection. Molecular sequencing showed some differences between two isolates collected at a 9-year interval, indicating HBV evolution. Resumption of ART containing an emtricitabine/tenofovir combination allowed control of plasma HBV DNA, which fell to undetectable levels. Conclusion This case stresses the ability of HBV to evolve continuously, even during occult infection, and the effectiveness of ART in controlling OBI reactivation in HIV-infected individuals. PMID:22054111
Kishk, R; Atta, H Aboul; Ragheb, M; Kamel, M; Metwally, L; Nemr, N
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection combined with occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been associated with increased risk of hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of occult HBV infection among Egyptian chronic HCV patients, the genotype and occurrence of surface gene mutations of HBV and the impact of co-infection on early response to treatment. The study enrolled 162 chronic HCV patients from Ismailia Fever Hospital, Egypt, who were HBV surface antigen-negative. All patients were given clinical assessment and biochemical, histological and virological examinations. HBV-DNA was detectable in sera from 3 patients out of the 40 patients who were positive for hepatitis B core antibody. These 3 patients were responsive to combination therapy at treatment week 12; only 1 of them had discontinued therapy by week 24. HBV genotype D was the only detectable genotype in those patients, with absence of "a" determinant mutations among those isolates.
Yan, Ying; Mai, Li; Zheng, Yu-Bao; Zhang, Shao-Quan; Xu, Wen-Xiong; Gao, Zhi-Liang; Ke, Wei-Min
AIM: To investigate optimal timing for therapeutic efficacy of entecavir for acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACLF-HBV) in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients. METHODS: A total of 109 inpatients with ACLF-HBV were recruited from the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from October 2007 to October 2010. Entecavir 0.5 mg/d was added to each patient’s comprehensive therapeutic regimen. Patients were divided into three groups according to model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score: high (≥ 30, 20 males and 4 females, mean age 47.8 ± 13.5 years); intermediate (22-30, 49 males and 5 females, 45.9 ± 12.4 years); and low (≤ 22, 28 males and 3 females, 43.4 ± 9.4 years). Statistical analysis were performed using SPSS 11.0 software. Data with normal distribution were expressed as mean ± SD and comparisons were made with Student’s t tests. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Viral loads were related exponentially and logarithmic data were used for analysis. RESULTS: For 24 patients with MELD score ≥ 30, treatment lasted 17.2 ± 16.5 d. Scores before and after treatment were significantly different (35.97 ± 4.87 and 40.48 ± 8.17, respectively, t = -2.762, P = 0.011); HBV DNA load was reduced (4.882 ± 1.847 copies log10/mL to 3.685 ± 1.436 copies log10/mL); and mortality rate was 95.83% (23/24). Of 54 patients with scores of 22-30, treatment lasted for 54.0 ± 43.2 d; scores before and after treatment were 25.87 ± 2.33 and 25.82 ± 13.92, respectively (t = -0.030, P = 0.976); HBV DNA load decreased from 6.308 ± 1.607 to 3.473 ± 2.097 copies log10/mL; and mortality was 51.85% (28/54). Of 31 patients with scores ≤ 22, treatment lasted for 66.1 ± 41.9 d; scores before and after treatment were 18.88 ± 2.44 and 12.39 ± 7.80, respectively, (t = 4.860, P = 0.000); HBV DNA load decreased from 5.841 ± 1.734 to 2.657 ± 1.154 copies log10/mL; and
Sagnelli, Caterina; Ciccozzi, Massimo; Coppola, Nicola; Minichini, Carmine; Lo Presti, Alessandra; Starace, Mario; Alessio, Loredana; Macera, Margherita; Cella, Eleonora; Gualdieri, Luciano; Caprio, Nunzio; Pasquale, Giuseppe; Sagnelli, Evangelista
In a recent testing in the metropolitan area of Naples, Italy, on 945 irregular immigrants or refugees, 87 HBsAg chronic carriers were identified, 53 of whom were infected by HBV-genotype E. The aim of the present study was to identify the genetic diversity of HBV-genotype E in these 53 immigrants. The 53 immigrant patients with HBV-genotype-E infection were born in Africa, central or eastern Asia, eastern Europe or Latin America. These patients had been seen for a clinical consultation at one of the four first-level units from January 2012 to 2013. The first dataset contained 53 HBV-S gene isolates plus 128 genotype/subgenotype specific reference sequences downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The second dataset, comprising the 53 HBV-S gene isolates, previously classified as HBV-genotype E, was used to perform the time-scaled phylogeny reconstruction using a Bayesian approach. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all 53 HBV-S isolates belonged to HBV-genotype E. Bayes factor analysis showed that the relaxed clock exponential growth model fitted the data significantly better than the other models. The time-scaled Bayesian phylogenetic tree of the second dataset showed that the root of the tree dated back to the year 1990 (95% HPD:1984-2000). Four statistically supported clusters were identified. Cluster A dated back to 2012 (95% HPD:1997-2012); cluster B dated back to 2008 (95% HPD:2001-2015); cluster C to 2006 (95% HPD:1999-2013); cluster D to 2004 (95% HPD:1998-2011). This study disclosed the genetic evolution and phylogenesis in a group of HBV-genotype-E-infected immigrants. J. Med. Virol. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shen, Yi; Wang, Xulin; Zhang, Sheng; Qin, Gang; Liu, Yanmei; Lu, Yihua; Liang, Feng; Zhuang, Xun
This research utilized an external longitudinal dataset of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) to compare and validate various predictive models that support the current recommendations to select the most effective predictive risk models to estimate short- and long-term mortality and facilitate decision-making about preferable therapeutics for HBV-ACLF patients. Twelve ACLF prognostic models were developed after a systematic literature search using the longitudinal data of 232 HBV-ACLF patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT). Four statistical measures, the constant (A) and slope (B) of the fitted line, the area under the curve (C) and the net benefit (D), were calculated to assess and compare the calibration, discrimination and clinical usefulness of the 12 predictive models. According to the model calibration and discrimination, the logistic regression models (LRM2) and the United Kingdom model of end-stage liver disease(UKELD) were selected as the best predictive models for both 3-month and 5-year outcomes. The decision curve summarizes the benefits of intervention relative to the costs of unnecessary treatment. After the comprehensive validation and comparison of the currently used models, LRM2 was confirmed as a markedly effective prognostic model for LT-free HBV-ACLF patients for assisting targeted and standardized therapeutic decisions. PMID:27633520
Lee, Jong Ho; Hong, Sun Pyo; Jang, Eun Sun; Park, Sang Jong; Hwang, Seong Gyu; Kang, Sook-Kyoung; Jeong, Sook-Hyang
Acute hepatitis B, caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) strains with drug resistant mutations or pre-core/basal core promoter (PC/BCP) mutations, is a public health concern, because this infection is often associated with poor disease outcome or difficulty in therapeutic choice. The HBV genotype, the prevalence of drug resistant mutations, and PC/BCP mutations in Korean patients with acute hepatitis B were studied. From 2006 to 2008, 36 patients with acute hepatitis B were enrolled prospectively in four general hospitals. Among them, 20 showed detectable HBV DNA (median value was 4.8 log copies/mL). HBV genotyping and analysis of HBV mutations that conferred resistance against lamivudine, adefovir, or entecavir and of PC/BCP mutations were performed using highly sensitive restriction fragment mass polymorphism (RFMP) analysis. All 20 patients were infected with HBV genotype C, which causes almost all cases of chronic hepatitis B in Korea. No patient showed mutations that conferred resistance against lamivudine (L180M, M204V/I), adefovir (A181T, N236S), or entecavir (I169M, A184T/V, S202I/G, M250V/I/L). However, four patients had BCP mutations, and two had PC mutations. Platelet counts were significantly lower in the four patients with PC/BCP mutations compared to those with wild type. In this study, all acute hepatitis B patients had genotype C HBV strains with no drug resistant mutations. However, 20% showed PC/BCP mutations. This highlights the need for further study on the significance of PC/BCP mutations.
Background Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a clinical concern in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals due to substantial prevalence, difficulties to treat, and severe liver disease outcome. A large nationwide cross-sectional multicentre analysis of HIV-HBV co-infected patients was designed to describe and identify parameters associated with virological and clinical outcome of CHB in HIV-infected individuals with detectable HBV viremia. Methods A multicenter collaborative cross-sectional study was launched in 19 French University hospitals distributed through the country. From January to December 2007, HBV load, genotype, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 223 HBV-HIV co-infected patients with an HBV replication over 1000 IU/mL were investigated. Results Patients were mostly male (82%, mean age 42 years). Genotype distribution (A 52%; E 23.3%; D 16.1%) was linked to risk factors, geographic origin, and co-infection with other hepatitis viruses. This genotypic pattern highlights divergent contamination event timelines by HIV and HBV viruses. Most patients (74.7%) under antiretroviral treatment were receiving a drug with anti-HBV activity, including 47% receiving TDF. Genotypic lamivudine-resistance detected in 26% of the patients was linked to duration of lamivudine exposure, age, CD4 count and HIV load. Resistance to adefovir (rtA181T/V) was detected in 2.7% of patients. Advanced liver lesions were observed in 54% of cases and were associated with an older age and lower CD4 counts but not with viral load or genotype. Immune escape HBsAg variants were seldom detected. Conclusions Despite the detection of advanced liver lesions in most patients, few were not receiving anti-HBV drugs and for those treated with the most potent anti-HBV drugs, persistent replication suggested non-optimal adherence. Heterogeneity in HBV strains reflects epidemiological differences that may impact liver disease progression. These findings are strong arguments
Background Epidemiological studies have clearly validated the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with chronic HBV infection are at increased risk of HCC, in particular those with active liver disease and cirrhosis. Methods We catalogued all published interactions between HBV and human proteins, identifying 250 descriptions of HBV and human protein interactions and 146 unique human proteins that interact with HBV proteins by text mining. Results Integration of this data set into a reconstructed human interactome showed that cellular proteins interacting with HBV are made up of core proteins that are interconnected with many pathways. A global analysis based on functional annotation highlighted the enrichment of cellular pathways targeted by HBV. Conclusions By connecting the cellular proteins targeted by HBV, we have constructed a central network of proteins associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, which might be to regard as the basis of a detailed map for tracking new cellular interactions, and guiding future investigations. PMID:21078198
Ganczak, Maria; Dmytrzyk-Daniłów, Gabriela; Korzeń, Marcin; Drozd-Dąbrowska, Marzena; Szych, Zbigniew
It is well known that community awareness of hepatitis B (HB) can lead to vaccination and testing. The study objectives were to assess the prevalence of HBV infection and knowledge of HB among adult patients attending randomly selected primary care clinics. A cross-sectional sero-survey was conducted in March 2013 in the Zgorzelec region, Poland, with the use of an investigator-developed questionnaire containing 22 questions regarding HB knowledge. Serum samples were assayed for anti-HBc total and anti-HBs with enzyme immunoassay. The prevalence of anti-HBc total among 410 participants (median age 56 years) was 10.3 % (95 % CI 7.6-13.8 %), nobody was aware of an infection. The main sources of HB knowledge were the media and medical staff. The mean knowledge score was 14.8 ± 4.9; 76.7 % of the respondents had scores >50 %. Particular gaps were detected relating to knowledge of unprotected sexual intercourse and MTCT; 45.6 % patients were not aware of the potential asymptomatic course of HBV infection, 41.2 % about chronic HB treatment. A patient's low educational level was negatively associated with a high knowledge level; the willingness for further education on HB and HBV vaccination in the past were independently associated with good knowledge. In conclusion, the HBV infection remains a public health threat in Poland, since the prevalence of infection markers in asymptomatic adult patients was high. Knowledge gaps call for awareness campaigns which may increase testing and diagnosis, audiences representing lower education level should be targeted first. Knowledge on HB might serve as an effective tool in decision making regarding vaccination.
Zampino, Rosa; Marrone, Aldo; Ragone, Enrico; Costagliola, Loredana; Cirillo, Grazia; Karayiannis, Peter; Ruggiero, Giuseppe; Utili, Riccardo
We evaluated clinical evolution and hepatitis B virus (HBV) molecular changes in heart recipients with chronic HBV infection before transplantation, and studied the effects of lamivudine treatment in patients who experienced HBV reactivation. Nine patients with chronic HBV infection who underwent heart transplantation were investigated. HBV surface/core-promoter/precore/core regions were sequenced. Prior to transplantation, all nine patients had consistently normal ALT and low HBV-DNA levels. Seven experienced HBV reactivation after transplantation (ALT elevated, HBV-DNA>200.000 cps/ml). Lamivudine treatment was initially effective in all patients; three patients during the second year of treatment developed lamivudine resistance-associated mutations (rt-L180M, rt-M204V) with severe disease reactivation, remitted after switch to adefovir treatment. No other significant HBV mutations were identified in the genomic regions studied. Immune suppression is crucial in the reactivation of previous inactive HBV infection and in the liver disease progression in heart recipients. Preemptive lamivudine treatment could be useful in the early management of these patients.
Zhang, Yong; Li, Junxia; Peng, Weihua; Yu, Guoqing; Wang, Liping; Chen, Jian; Zheng, Feng
Postinfectious acute glomerulonephritis (PIGN) may occur after various bacterial and viral infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a cause of chronic glomerulonephritis. We report here 10 cases (ages 7–20 years-old) of chronic HBV carriers with acute glomerulonephritis, with positive glomerular staining of hepatitis B surface antigen, and detectable presence of HBV DNA in the glomeruli. This form of PIGN, HBV-PIGN, has not been previously identified. To further characterize clinical and pathological features of HBV- PIGN, we selected 10 cases of age-matched non-HBV PIGN for comparison. While both HBV associated PIGN and non-HBV PIGN similarly presented as proteinuria, hematuria, and hypertension, there was a trend of higher acute kidney injury and worsened prognosis in HBV-PIGN. 6 months after the onset, 4 patients with HBV associated PIGN did not show improvement from the disease, whereas all patients with non-HBV PIGN had complete or partial recovery. Pathologically, both HBV associated PIGN and non-HBV PIGN showed typical diffuse glomerular endocapillary proliferation, but HBV associated PIGN differed from classical PIGN with much fewer sub-epithelial glomerular “hump-shape” immune complex depositions. In conclusion, we have identified a novel association of HBV infection with acute glomerulonephritis. PMID:27512989
Zhang, Ka; Pan, Xingfei; Shu, Xin; Cao, Hong; Chen, Lubiao; Zou, Yong; Deng, Hong; Li, Gang; Xu, Qihuan
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, played an important role in immune-mediated diseases. The promoter region of MIF, which had functional polymorphisms, controlled MIF expression. MIF polymorphism was associated with many inflammatory diseases. But the association of MIF polymorphism with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) or HBV-induced liver cirrhosis (HC) had not yet been reported. In present study, polymorphism of MIF-173 was genotyped in 95 CHB patients, 73 HC patients and 90 healthy controls in southern China. The frequency of MIF-173 C/C genotype in patients with CHB or HC was statistically significantly higher than that in healthy controls, respectively. Moreover, difference in the distribution of MIF-173 C allele between CHB patients and healthy controls was statistically significant. However, there was no statistical relationship between MIF-173 genotype and clinical features in patients with CHB or HC. Our results suggest that MIF-173 C/C polymorphism might be associated with increased risk of CHB or HC in Chinese southern population.
Haché, Chantal; Villeneuve, Jean-Pierre
Chronic hepatitis B is a common disease and approximately 20% of infected patients with compensated cirrhosis will decompensate over 5 years. If untreated, the survival of decompensated cirrhosis is poor (15% at 5 years). The extent of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, as assessed by serum HBV-DNA level, is a strong predictor of the risk of disease progression and hepatocellular carcinoma. This provides a rationale for antiviral therapy to arrest progression of liver disease. Lamivudine is a pyrimidine analogue that inhibits HBV-DNA reverse transcriptase. It decreases HBV replication, normalises alanine aminotransferase levels and reduces hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. This article will focus on the use of lamivudine in patients with HBV-cirrhosis. In patients with compensated HBV-cirrhosis, a randomised, placebo-controlled trial has shown that lamivudine significantly reduced the rate of disease progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development over a 3-year period. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis, treatment with lamivudine can produce spectacular improvements of liver function, but the improvement is slow and a clinical benefit is usually not observed until after at least 3-6 months of treatment. A major drawback of lamivudine treatment is the development of resistance, observed in 15-20% of patients after 1 year and up to 70% after 5 years of continued treatment. Thus, patients with HBV-cirrhosis treated with lamivudine should have regular monitoring of serum HBV-DNA levels and prompt institution of additional antiviral therapy if viral breakthrough is observed. Adefovir, tenofovir and entecavir have demonstrated efficacy in patients with lamivudine resistance. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis, in whom the development of resistance can be fatal, combination therapy (such as lamivudine plus adefovir) may prove more effective than monotherapy and this issue needs further study.
Matsuura, Kentaro; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Hige, Shuhei; Yamada, Gotaro; Murawaki, Yoshikazu; Komatsu, Masafumi; Kuramitsu, Tomoyuki; Kawata, Sumio; Tanaka, Eiji; Izumi, Namiki; Okuse, Chiaki; Kakumu, Shinichi; Okanoue, Takeshi; Hino, Keisuke; Hiasa, Yoichi; Sata, Michio; Maeshiro, Tatsuji; Sugauchi, Fuminaka; Nojiri, Shunsuke; Joh, Takashi; Miyakawa, Yuzo; Mizokami, Masashi
Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been increasing through promiscuous sexual contacts, and HBV genotype A (HBV/A) is frequent in patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB) in Japan. To compare the geographic distribution of HBV genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Japan between 2005 and 2006 and between 2000 and 2001, with special attention to changes in the proportion of HBV/A, a cohort study was performed to survey changes in genotypes of CHB patients at 16 hospitals throughout Japan. Furthermore, we investigated the clinical characteristics of each genotype and examined the genomic characteristics of HBV/A isolates by molecular evolutionary analyses. Of the 1,271 patients, 3.5%, 14.1%, and 82.3% were infected with HBV/A, -B, and -C, respectively. In comparison with our previous survey during 2000 and 2001, HBV/A was twice as frequent (3.5% versus 1.7%; P = 0.02). The mean age was lower in the patients with HBV/A than in those with HBV/B or -C. Based on phylogenetic analyses of 11 full-length genomes and 29 pre-S2/S region sequences from patients, HBV/A isolates were imported from Europe and the United States, as well as the Philippines and India. They clustered with HBV/A from AHB patients and have spread throughout Japan. HBV/A has been increasing in CHB patients in Japan as a consequence of AHB spreading in the younger generation through promiscuous sexual contacts, aided by a tendency of HBV/A to induce chronic hepatitis. The spread of HBV/A infection in Japan should be prevented by universal vaccination programs. PMID:19297602
Musyoki, Andrew M; Msibi, Thembeni L; Motswaledi, Mojakgomo H; Selabe, Selokela G; Monokoane, Tshweu S; Mphahlele, M Jeffrey
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) share routes of transmission. There is limited data on the incidence of active co-infection with HBV and/or HCV in cancer patients infected with HIV in Africa. This was a prospective study based on 34 patients with varied cancer diagnosis, infected with HIV and awaiting cancer therapy in South Africa. HIV viral load, CD4+ cell counts, Alanine-aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were tested. Exposure to HBV and HCV was assessed serologically using commercial kits. Active HBV and/or HCV co-infection was detected using viral specific nested PCR assays. HCV 5'-UTR PCR products were sequenced to confirm active HCV infection. Active viral infection was detected in 64.7% of patients for HBV, 38.2% for HCV, and 29.4% for both HBV and HCV. Occult HBV infection was observed in 63.6% of the patients, while seronegative HCV infection was found in 30.8% of patients. In addition, CD4+ cell count < 350 cells/µl was not a risk factor for increased active HBV, HCV or both HBV and HCV co-infections. A total of 72.7%, 18.2% and 9.1% of the HCV sequences were assigned genotype 5, 1 and 4 respectively.The study revealed for the first time a high active HBV and/or HCV co-infection rate in cancer patients infected with HIV. The findings call for HBV and HCV testing in such patients, and where feasible, appropriate antiviral treatment be indicated, as chemotherapy or radiotherapy has been associated with reactivation of viral hepatitis and termination of cancer therapy.
Mabeya, Sepha Nyatichi; Ngugi, Caroline Wangari; Lihana, Raphael W; Khamadi, Samoel Ashimosi; Nyamache, Anthony Kebira
HBV/HIV coinfections are becoming common with information on HBV genetic diversity and drug resistance still remaining elusive. To evaluate the HBV genetic diversity and drug resistance associated mutations among drug experienced HIV patients, the genetic analysis of the partial HBV-pol-reverse trancriptase gene was successfully sequenced from 13 samples. Analysis of the sequences showed that all (13) the sequences belonged to genotype A. Nucleos(t)ide drug resistance mutations were found in six (6) patients. Five subjects had rtV173L, rtL180M, rtM204V and one with rtL180M, rtM204V major mutations. HBV genotype A remains the most predominant genotype circulating in Nairobi city with detected high level of HBV drug resistance to Lamivudine telbivudine and emtricitabine. The detected circulating HBV genotype A in Nairobi reflects its possible spread in the population with its origin being within the country. We suggest that patients should not be on lamivudine monotherapy. These individuals should be managed on combination of tenofovir plus lamivudine or emtricitabine therapy in order to prevent the emergence of HBV drug resistant variants alongside a continuous surveillance monitoring of drug resistance and HBV genotypes.
Comparative study on the clinical and virological characteristics among patients with single occult hepatitis B virus (HBV), single occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) and occult HBV and HCV dual infection.
Castillo, Inmaculada; Rodríguez-Iñigo, Elena; López-Alcorocho, Juan Manuel; Bartolomé, Javier; Pardo, Margarita; Carreño, Vicente
Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) and occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are two recently described different forms of HBV and HCV infections. This work compares the clinical, virologic, and histologic characteristics of patients with occult dual infection to those of patients with single occult HBV or HCV infection. Seventy-six patients with abnormal liver function tests of unknown etiology (serum HBsAg, anti-HCV, HBV-DNA, and HCV-RNA negative) were included in the study. Viral genomes were tested in liver by real-time PCR and confirmed by in situ hybridization. Of the 76 patients, 17 had occult HBV infection (intrahepatic HBV-DNA positive, HCV-RNA negative), 35 had occult HCV infection (intrahepatic HCV-RNA positive, HBV-DNA negative) and 24 occult dual infection (intrahepatic HCV-RNA and HBV-DNA). No differences among the three groups were found regarding clinical and epidemiologic data. The median load of intrahepatic genomic and antigenomic HCV-RNA strands was similar between single occult HCV infection and occult HBV and HCV dual infection. The percentage of HCV-infected hepatocytes did not differ between these groups. In occult single HBV infection, intrahepatic levels of HBV-DNA and percentage of HBV-infected hepatocytes were similar to the group of patients with occult dual infection. Finally, no differences were found in histological liver damage among the three groups. In conclusion, liver disease in patients with occult dual infection was not more severe than in patients with single occult HBV or occult HCV infection. Moreover, in occult dual infection there is no a reciprocal inhibition of the viral genomes.
Wang, Li; Zou, Zhi-Qiang; Wang, Kai
Host gene variants may influence the natural history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in humans, is one of the most important host factors that are correlated with the clinical course of HBV infection. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near certain HLA gene loci are strongly associated with not only persistent HBV infection but also spontaneous HBV clearance and seroconversion, disease progression, and the development of liver cirrhosis and HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). These variations also influence the efficacy of interferon (IFN) and nucleot(s)ide analogue (NA) treatment and response to HBV vaccines. Meanwhile, discrepant conclusions were reached with different patient cohorts. It is therefore essential to identify the associations of specific HLA allele variants with disease progression and viral clearance in chronic HBV infection among different ethnic populations. A better understanding of HLA polymorphism relevance in HBV infection outcome would enable us to elucidate the roles of HLA SNPs in the pathogenesis and clearance of HBV in different areas and ethnic groups, to improve strategies for the prevention and treatment of chronic HBV infection. PMID:27243039
Nikolopoulos, Georgios K; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Psichogiou, Mina; Hatzakis, Angelos
The coinfection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been associated with increased death rates. However, the relevant research has mostly relied on serologic HBV testing [HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)]. The aim of this work was to explore the relationship of HBV viraemia with overall mortality among HIV/HBV coinfected individuals. The analysis included 1,609 HIV seropositives of a previously described cohort (1984-2003) with limited exposure to tenofovir (12%) and a median follow-up of approximately 5 years. Those with persistent expression of HBsAg were further tested for HBV-DNA. The data were analyzed using Poisson regression models. Totally, 101 participants were chronic carriers of HBsAg (6.28%). Of these, 81 were tested for HBV-DNA. The median HBV-DNA levels were 3.81 log (base-10) International Units (IU)/ml. A third (31%) of those tested for HBV-DNA had received tenofovir. Before developing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) for all-cause mortality of coinfected patients with HBV viraemia above the median value versus the HIV monoinfected group was 3.44 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-11.27]. Multivariable regressions in the coinfected group only (n = 81) showed that one log-10 increase in HBV-DNA levels was associated with an elevated risk for death (IRR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.03-1.49). HBV-DNA levels predict overall mortality in the setting of HIV/HBV coinfection, especially during the period before developing AIDS, and could thus help prioritize needs and determine the frequency of medical monitoring.
Chang, J Judy; Sirivichayakul, Sunee; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Thompson, Alex J V; Revill, Peter; Iser, David; Slavin, John; Buranapraditkun, Supranee; Marks, Pip; Matthews, Gail; Cooper, David A; Kent, Stephen J; Cameron, Paul U; Sasadeusz, Joe; Desmond, Paul; Locarnini, Stephen; Dore, Gregory J; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Lewin, Sharon R
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cells play a key role both in the control of HBV replication and in the pathogenesis of liver disease. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coinfection and the presence or absence of HBV e (precore) antigen (HBeAg) significantly alter the natural history of chronic HBV infection. We examined the HBV-specific T-cell responses in treatment-naïve HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative HIV-1-HBV-coinfected (n = 24) and HBV-monoinfected (n = 39) Asian patients. Peripheral blood was stimulated with an overlapping peptide library for the whole HBV genome, and tumor necrosis factor alpha and gamma interferon cytokine expression in CD8+ T cells was measured by intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry. There was no difference in the overall magnitude of the HBV-specific T-cell responses, but the quality of the response was significantly impaired in HIV-1-HBV-coinfected patients compared with monoinfected patients. In coinfected patients, HBV-specific T cells rarely produced more than one cytokine and responded to fewer HBV proteins than in monoinfected patients. Overall, the frequency and quality of the HBV-specific T-cell responses increased with a higher CD4+ T-cell count (P = 0.018 and 0.032, respectively). There was no relationship between circulating HBV-specific T cells and liver damage as measured by activity and fibrosis scores, and the HBV-specific T-cell responses were not significantly different in patients with either HBeAg-positive or HBeAg-negative disease. The quality of the HBV-specific T-cell response is impaired in the setting of HIV-1-HBV coinfection and is related to the CD4+ T-cell count.
Bowyer, S.M.; Dusheiko, G.M.; Schoub, B.D.; Kew, M.C.
The authors examined the methylation status of CCGG sites in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA to determine whether methylation could be responsible for the selective expression of the HBV surface gene in chronic hepatitis B infection and hepatocellular carcinoma. Infected liver tissue from patients with low levels of viral replication was analyzed for HBV DNA copy number per haploid cell genome. Total cellular DNA, with sufficient HBV DNA, was digested with the restriction endonucleases Msp I and Hpa II, to determine whether the HBV DNA was methylated, or HindIII, to determine whether the HBV DNA was integrated or episomal. The cleavage fragments were analyzed by Southern blotting and hybridization to /sup 32/P-labeled HBV DNA. In replicative chronic hepatitis B, hypomethylation of the HBV genome correlated with HBV expression in both virions and infected tissue. In carriers with nonreplicative infection, it was difficult to ascertain the role of methylation as copy number was low. HBV DNA copy number was also low in 17 out of 29 of the rumor tissues tested and as many as 14 out of 16 of the adjacent non-neoplastic tissues tested. Integrated sequences were hypermethylated in the PLC/PRF/5 cell line and in six of the tumor tissues suggesting that methylation plays a role in HBV gene repression. However, since DNA from five other tumors was hypomethylated, the belief that methylation per se is an absolute determinant of HBV core gene repression does not hold for human hepatocellular carcinoma tissue.
Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be classified into nine genotypes (A-I) defined by sequence divergence of more than 8% based on the complete genome. This study aims to identify the genotypic distribution of HBV in 40 HBsAg-positive patients from Rondônia, Brazil. A fragment of 1306 bp partially comprising surface and polymerase overlapping genes was amplified by PCR. Amplified DNA was purified and sequenced. Amplified DNA was purified and sequenced on an ABI PRISM® 377 Automatic Sequencer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). The obtained sequences were aligned with reference sequences obtained from the GenBank using Clustal X software and then edited with Se-Al software. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted by the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach using BEAST v.1.5.3. Results The subgenotypes distribution was A1 (37.1%), D3 (22.8%), F2a (20.0%), D4 (17.1%) and D2 (2.8%). Conclusions These results for the first HBV genotypic characterization in Rondônia state are consistent with other studies in Brazil, showing the presence of several HBV genotypes that reflects the mixed origin of the population, involving descendants from Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans. PMID:21073730
Li, Feng; Cheng, Liang; Murphy, Christopher M.; Reszka-Blanco, Natalia J.; Wu, Yaxu; Chi, Liqun; Hu, Jianming; Su, Lishan
Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is generally not curable with current anti-viral drugs. Virus rebounds after stopping treatment from the stable HBV covalently-closed-circular DNA (cccDNA). The development of drugs that directly target cccDNA is hampered by the lack of robust HBV cccDNA models. We report here a novel HBV cccDNA technology that will meet the need. We engineered a minicircle HBV cccDNA with a Gaussia Luciferase reporter (mcHBV-GLuc cccDNA), which serves as a surrogate to measure cccDNA activity. The mcHBV-GLuc cccDNA was easily produced in bacteria, and it formed minichromosomes as HBV cccDNA episome DNA does when it was transfected into human hepatocytes. Compared to non-HBV minicircle plasmids, mcHBV-GLuc cccDNA showed persistent HBV-GLuc activity and HBx-dependent gene expression. Importantly, the mcHBV-GLuc cccDNA showed resistance to interferons (IFN) treatment, indicating its unique similarity to HBV cccDNA that is usually resistant to long-term IFN treatment in chronic HBV patients. Most importantly, GLuc illuminates cccDNA as a surrogate of cccDNA activity, providing a very sensitive and quick method to detect trace amount of cccDNA. The mcHBV-GLuc cccDNA model is independent of HBV infection, and will be valuable for investigating HBV cccDNA biology and for developing cccDNA-targeting drugs. PMID:27819342
Li, Wei; Jin, Ronghua; Chen, Peng; Zhao, Guoxian; Li, Ning; Wu, Hao
Bacterial infections are common in patients suffering viral hepatitis and critical for prognosis. However, any correlation between HBV and concomitant bacterial infections is not well characterized. A retrospective study was conducted from Jan 2012 to Jan 2014 on 1333 hospitalized patients infected with bacteria. Among them, 491 HBV-infected patients were co-infected with E. coli (268), S. aureus (61), P. aeruginosa (64) or K. pneumoniae (98). A group of 300 complication-free chronically HBV-infected patients were controls. We found that HBV DNA levels were elevated in patients with each of the bacterial infections (all P < 0.05). ALT and HBeAg were strong determinants of high HBV DNA concentration. Patterns of determinants varied in infections by Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Patients with HBV DNA ≥ 2000 IU/mL had higher rates of all four concomitant bacterial infections (all P < 0.001). All types of strains isolated from HBV-positive patients showed less resistance to tested antimicrobials. The HBV DNA serum concentrations were inversely correlated to the number of ineffective antimicrobials in E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae infections (P = 0.022, 0.017 and 0.016, respectively), but not S. aureus (P = 0.194). In conclusion, bacterial infections are associated with a high level of HBV replication, which, in turn, has a significant positive impact on bacterial resistance to antimicrobials. These correlations vary between Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Niculescu, Irina; Cupşa, A.M.; Stoian, Andreea Cristina; Dumitrescu, FLorentina; Giubelan, L.I.; Alexandru, D.O.
Background: There are few studies on pediatric HIV-HBV coinfection, so evidences about relationships between the two viruses are scarce. Objectives: influence of HBV infection on virological and immunological response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in antiretroviral-naïve horizontally HIV-HBV coinfected subjects during early childhood. Material and methods: observational study on 826 HIV+ subjects in evidence of Craiova Regional Centre (CRC); we analyzed the immunological and virological response at 6-12 months after starting first antiretroviral regimens compared in 2 groups: horizontally HIV-HBV coinfected subjects during early childhood (CoS) versus horizontally HIV infected subjects during early childhood without HBV infection (non-CoS). Results: Number of subjects: CoS-66 subjects, non-CoS-132 subjects. Demographic data: CoS-gender ratio F:M=0.886, the majority lived in rural area (57.58%), mean age on diagnosis-9.288±4.607 years, non-CoS-gender ratio F:M=0.859, the majority lived in urban area (53.79%), mean age on diagnosis-10.742±5.107 years. At baseline, HIV category was: CoS-A-1.52%, B-80.30%, C-18.18%, non-CoS-A-2.27%, B-70.45%, C-27.27% (p Chi2=0.332), the mean CD4+ cell count was: CoS-148.33±148.10 cells/ml, non-CoS-163.17±155.39 cells/ml (p Student=0.521) and the mean HIV viral load (HIV VL) was: CoS-5.06±0.80 lgcopies/ml (for 29 subjects), non-CoS-5.04±0.84 lgcopies/ml (for 61 subjects) (p Student=0.978). At the end of the studied period, the mean increase in CD4+ cell count was: CoS-177.068±141.676 cells/ml, non-CoS-176.015±191.751 cells/ml (p Student=0.969) and the mean decrease in HIV VL was: CoS-5.04±0.79 lgcopies/ml, non-COS-4.69±2.04 lgcopies/ml (p Student=0.911). Conclusions: The presence of HBV coinfection does not influence immunological or virological response to ART. PMID:24778861
Yan, Li; Han, Ying; Wang, Jingbo; Liu, Jingmei; Hong, Liu; Fan, Daiming
Peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) have the potential to differentiate into various progenitor cells. Here we have investigated the differentiation potential of PBMCs derived from patients with HBV related decompensated liver cirrhosis into hepatocyte-like cells. In our clinical trial, the PBMCs from 2 patients were mobilized by the recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor, followed by leukapheresis and transplantation of PBMCs. PBMCs, induced by recombinant human hepatocyte growth factors, were identified by the expression of hepatocyte markers and specific biological functions with biochemical assays in vitro. Patients showed a lasting clinical amelioration for more than one year after transplantation, and hepatocyte-like cells were identified by expressing liver specific genes, synthesizing albumin, urea, aspirate transaminase, and glycogen, which were all similar to the human normal hepatic cell line QZG. Our results clearly demonstrated that mobilized PBMCs from patients with HBV related decompensated liver cirrhosis could differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells, indicating the possibility of autologous cell transplantation for treating patients with HBV related decompensated liver cirrhosis.
Castillo, Inmaculada; Bartolomé, Javier; Quiroga, Juan Antonio; Carreño, Vicente
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the absence of detectable antibodies against HCV and of viral RNA in serum is called occult HCV infection. Its prevalence and clinical significance in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is unknown. HCV RNA was tested for in the liver samples of 52 patients with chronic HBV infection and 21 (40 %) of them were positive for viral RNA (occult HCV infection). Liver fibrosis was found more frequently and the fibrosis score was significantly higher in patients with occult HCV than in negative ones, suggesting that occult HCV infection may have an impact on the clinical course of HBV infection.
Schinazi, Raymond F; Asselah, Tarik
Approximately 170 million people are chronically infected with HCV and 350 million are chronically infected with HBV worldwide. It is estimated that more than one million patients die from complications related to chronic viral hepatitis, mainly HCC which is one of the most frequent cancers in many countries, especially Africa, the Middle East and Asia. HCV drug development has been impressive, and this revolution led to several direct-acting antiviral agents achieving an HCV cure after only 6-12 weeks. This progress could theorically lead to HCV global elimination making HCV and its consequences a rarity. HBV research and development programs can learn from the HCV experience, to achieve an HBV functional or sterilizing cure. This review will summarize key steps which have been realized for an HCV cure, and discuss the next steps to achieve for an HCV elimination. And also, how this HCV revolution has inspired scientists and clinicians to achieve the same for HBV.
Soriano, Vincent; Puoti, Massimo; Peters, Marion; Benhamou, Yves; Sulkowski, Mark; Zoulim, Fabien; Mauss, Stefan; Rockstroh, Juergen
Nearly 10% of the estimated 36 million people having HIV worldwide suffer from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The advent of new antiviral agents against HBV and the recent availability of improved molecular diagnostic tools have revolutioned the management of HIV/HBV coinfected patients. The present study represents an update of the current knowledge about HBV/HIV coinfection and an intent to provide practical advise about how to give the best care to HIV-infected persons with chronic hepatitis B.
Hamamci, Mevlut; Karaahmet, Fatih; Akinci, Hakan; Kilincalp, Serta; Acıkgoz, Ruchan; Coban, Sahin; Yuksel, Ilhami
HCC is the most common type of primary liver tumor. The Practice Guideline, AASLD, for HCC recommended surveillance of HBV carriers at high risk of HCC with US every 6-12 months. Laboratory surveillance option is the measurement of serum α-fetoprotein level which has long been used for the diagnosis of HCC. But, increased serum levels of α-fetoprotein are also seen in acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and malignancies include yolk sac carcinoma, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, gastric and lung carcinoma. Because of elevation α-fetoprotein in these malignancies, liver mass with an elevated α-fetoprotein does not directly indicate HCC. For these reason, clinicians evaluating patient with liver mass and HBV-related cirrhosis should be vigilant for other case of α-fetoprotein elevation.
Yu, Su-Lin; Deng, Hong; Li, Xin-Hua; Huang, Ya-Xin; Xie, Dong-Ying; Gao, Zhi-Liang
Background Persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is sustained by inadequate immune responses, either natural or acquired. Recent studies have suggested that immune responses to viral infection may be affected by microRNA (miR)-155, via its involvement in immune cell differentiation and maturation. However, little is known on the specific interaction between miR-155 and HBV in host antiviral immunity. Objectives This study evaluated the levels of miR-155 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, relative to that of healthy subjects, and investigated an association between miR-155 levels and HBV DNA or alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Patients and Methods Total RNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood samples of 90 treatment-naive patients with chronic HBV infection and 20 healthy volunteers. The levels of miR-155 in the PBMCs were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum HBV DNA and liver enzymes were estimated using standard clinical laboratory methods. Results In the HBV-infected patients, the miR-155 levels were significantly lower than in the healthy controls (P = 0.001). Chronic HBV-infected patients with elevated ALT had higher levels of miR-155 compared with patients with normal ALT (P = 0.014). No correlations were found between miR-155 and ALT or HBV DNA. Conclusions The miR-155 appeared to be suppressed during HBV infection. The significantly higher miR-155 levels in ALT-elevated patients infected with HBV suggest that miR-155 levels in PBMCs correlate with the immune state of patients with chronic HBV infection. PMID:27110261
Vargas, Jose Ignacio; Jensen, Daniela; Sarmiento, Valeska; Peirano, Felipe; Acuña, Pedro; Fuster, Felipe; Soto, Sabrina; Ahumada, Rodrigo; Huilcaman, Marco; Bruna, Mario; Jensen, Werner; Fuster, Francisco
HBV-HIV coinfection is prevalent. Frequently, anti-HBc is the only serological marker of HBV, which can be indicative of HBV resolved infection, when found together with anti-HBs reactivity; or present as "isolated anti-HBc," related to HBV occult infection with presence of detectable DNA HBV, more prevalent in HIV-positive individuals. Regional data about this condition are scarce. Anti-HBc rapid test has been used as screening, but its performance has not been described in HIV-positive patients. The aim of this study was determine prevalence of anti-HBc in HIV-positive patients, serological pattern of HBV resolved infection and isolated anti-HBc, evaluating presence of HBV occult infection. Assess anti-HBc rapid test compared to ECLIA. Methods included measurement of anti-HBc and anti-HBs in HIV-positive patients with negative HBsAg. Serum HBV DNA quantification and HBV booster vaccination to "isolated anti-HBc" individuals. Detection of anti-HBc by rapid test and ECLIA. In 192 patients, prevalence of anti-HBc was 42.7% (82/192); associated to male gender, drug use, men-sex-men, positive-VDRL, and longer time HIV diagnosis. 34.4% (66/192) had presence of anti-HBs, mean titers of 637 ui/ml. Isolated anti-HBc in 8.3% (16/192), associated to detectable HIV viral load and no-use of HAART; in them, HBV DNA was undetectable, and 60% responded to HBV vaccination booster. Anti-HBc rapid test showed low sensibility (32.9%) compared to ECLIA. These results show that prevalence of anti-HBc in HIV-positive individuals is high, in most cases accompanied with anti-HBs as HBV resolved infection. Low prevalence of "isolated anti-HBc," with undetectable HBV DNA, and most had anamnestic response to HBV vaccination; suggest low possibility of occult HBV infection. Anti-HBc rapid test cannot be recommended as screening method for anti-HBc.
Hasan, K N; Rumi, M A K; Hasanat, M A; Azam, M G; Ahmed, S; Salam, M A; Islam, L N; Hassan, M S
Serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), liver function tests and quantitative estimation of HBV-DNA are important in the assessment of the state of infection and prognosis following treatment for hepatitis B. This study aimed to determine whether low-cost assays, eg hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and liver function tests, could be used for the assessment of infectivity as an alternative to HBV-DNA estimation. We tested 125 hepatitis B carriers for HBeAg, antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe), and serum HBV-DNA; we also carried out a range of standard liver function tests. Seventy-three subjects were positive and 52 were negative for HBeAg. Of the HBeAg positive cases, 3 were also positive for anti-HBe; of the HBeAg negative cases, 5 were also negative for anti-HBe. Of these 8 cases, 7 had no detectable HBV-DNA. Most of the HBeAg positive but anti-HBe negative subjects were positive for HBV-DNA (74.3%; 52/ 70) whereas most of the HBeAg negative and anti-HBe positive subjects (93.6%; 44/47) were also negative for HBV-DNA. Of 56 HBV-DNA positive individuals, alanine transaminase (ALT) was found to be raised in 69.6% (p=0.066) and aspartate transaminase (AST) was raised in 66.1% (p=0.011), while 67.9% had normal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p=0.054). HBeAg (p=0.018) and raised ALT (p=0.008) were found to be independent predictors for HBV-DNA positivity among HBV carriers. This study suggests that HBeAg positive and anti-HBe negative hepatitis B carriers with raised ALT and AST are likely to be positive for HBV-DNA; the combination of routine serology and biochemical tests may be considered as an alternative to HBV-DNA in evaluating the state of chronic HBV infection. However, HBV-DNA should be specifically assessed if discordance is observed between seromarkers and transaminases.
Iqbal, Sajid; Masood, Khalid; Jafer, Osman
Two types of antiviral treatments, namely, interferon and nucleoside/nucleotide analogues are available for hepatitis infections. The selection of drug and dose determined using known pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data is important. The lack of sufficient information for pharmacokinetics of a drug may not produce the desired results. Artificial neural network (ANN) provides a novel model-independent approach to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data. ANN model is created by supervised learning of 90 patients sample to predict the treatment strategy (lamivudine only and Lamivudine + Interferon) on the basis of viral load, liver function test, visit number, treatment duration, ethnic area, sex, and age. The model was trained with 68 (77.3%) samples and tested with 20 (22.7%) samples. The model produced 92% accuracy with 92.8% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity. PMID:21738322
Ling, Zongxin; Liu, Xia; Cheng, Yiwen; Jiang, Xiawei; Jiang, Haiyin; Wang, Yuezhu; Li, Lanjuan
Increasing evidence suggests that altered gut microbiota is implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus-induced chronic liver disease (HBV-CLD). However, the structure and composition of the oral microbiota of patients with HBV-CLD remains unclear. High-throughput pyrosequencing showed that decreased oral bacterial diversity was found in patients with HBV-CLD. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was increased significantly, which indicated that dysbiosis of the oral microbiota participated in the process of HBV-CLD development. However, the changing patterns of the oral microbiota in patients with HBV-induced liver cirrhosis (LC) were almost similar to patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). HBV infection resulted in an increase in potential H2S- and CH3SH-producing phylotypes such as Fusobacterium, Filifactor, Eubacterium, Parvimonas and Treponema, which might contribute to the increased oral malodor. These key oral-derived phylotypes might invade into the gut as opportunistic pathogens and contribute to altering the composition of the gut microbiota. This study provided important clues that dysbiosis of the oral microbiota might be involved in the development of HBV-CLD. Greater understanding of the relationships between the dysbiosis of oral microbiota and the development of HBV-CLD might facilitate the development of non-invasive differential diagnostic procedures and targeted treatments of HBV-CLD patients harbouring specific oral phylotypes.
Ling, Zongxin; Liu, Xia; Cheng, Yiwen; Jiang, Xiawei; Jiang, Haiyin; Wang, Yuezhu; Li, Lanjuan
Increasing evidence suggests that altered gut microbiota is implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus-induced chronic liver disease (HBV-CLD). However, the structure and composition of the oral microbiota of patients with HBV-CLD remains unclear. High-throughput pyrosequencing showed that decreased oral bacterial diversity was found in patients with HBV-CLD. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was increased significantly, which indicated that dysbiosis of the oral microbiota participated in the process of HBV-CLD development. However, the changing patterns of the oral microbiota in patients with HBV-induced liver cirrhosis (LC) were almost similar to patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). HBV infection resulted in an increase in potential H2S- and CH3SH-producing phylotypes such as Fusobacterium, Filifactor, Eubacterium, Parvimonas and Treponema, which might contribute to the increased oral malodor. These key oral-derived phylotypes might invade into the gut as opportunistic pathogens and contribute to altering the composition of the gut microbiota. This study provided important clues that dysbiosis of the oral microbiota might be involved in the development of HBV-CLD. Greater understanding of the relationships between the dysbiosis of oral microbiota and the development of HBV-CLD might facilitate the development of non-invasive differential diagnostic procedures and targeted treatments of HBV-CLD patients harbouring specific oral phylotypes. PMID:26606973
Fouad, Rabab; Abdo, Mahmoud; Eldeen, Hadeel Gamal; Sabry, Dina; Atef, Mira; Ahmed, Rasha; Zayed, Naglaa
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) usually have an unfavorable clinical outcome in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients. In Egypt, data about epidemiology, the spectrum of disease, and impact of HDV on HBV infection are rare. To assess the prevalence, clinical and virological characteristics of HDV infection among Egyptian patients with chronic HBV. Adult patients with Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive were evaluated for the presence of HDV using anti HDV-IgG and HDV RNA by RT-PCR. Routine laboratory investigations, genotypes and subtypes for both HBV and HDV, abdominal sonography, and transient elastography (TE) were done. Liver biopsy was performed only in whenever indicated. One hundred and twenty-one treatment-naïve chronic HBV patients were included. Wild HBV genotype-D2 was found in 98.2% and 81.9% were HBeAg negative. Prevalence of HDV was 8.3% by anti-HDV IgG and 9.9% by RT-PCR. Wild HDV genotype-IIb was reported in 83.3%. HDV infection was more common in males, 90.9% of delta patients were HBeAg negative. Compared to the mono-infected HBV, concomitant HBV/HDV infection was not associated with more derangment in ALT nor advanced stage of fibrosis. 66.7% of HDV patients had significantly lower HBV-DNA level compared to the non-delta patients (P < 0.001). HDV is not uncommon in Egypt. HBV genotype-D was associated with HDV genotype-IIb. Delta infection was associated with negative HBeAg status, reduction of HBV replication, but neither influenced the clinical course nor increased significant liver damage risk.
Lok, Anna S.; Everhart, James E.; Di Bisceglie, Adrian M.; Kim, Hae-Young; Hussain, Munira; Morgan, Timothy R.
Background & Aim Previous studies have suggested that prior exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may increase the risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of previous or occult HBV infection in a cohort of HBsAg-negative patients with histologically advanced chronic hepatitis C in the United States who did or did not develop HCC. Methods Stored sera from 91 patients with HCC and 182 matched controls who participated in the HALT-C Trial were tested for anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBV DNA. Frozen liver samples from 28 HCC cases and 55 controls were tested for HBV DNA by real-time PCR. Results Anti-HBc (as a marker of previous HBV infection) was present in the serum of 41.8% HCC cases and 45.6% controls (P=0.54); anti-HBc alone was present in 16.5% of HCC cases and 24.7% of controls. HBV DNA was detected in the serum of only one control subject and no patient with HCC. HBV DNA (as a marker of occult HBV infection) was detected in the liver of 10.7% HCC cases and 23.6% controls (P=0.18). Conclusion Although almost half the patients in the HALT-C Trial had serological evidence of previous HBV infection there was no difference in prevalence of anti-HBc in serum or HBV DNA in liver between patients who did or did not develop HCC. In the United States, neither previous nor occult HBV infection is an important factor in HCC development among patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C. PMID:21374690
Sundquist, Kristina; Sundquist, Jan; Ji, Jianguang
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of most common viral infections worldwide. While chronic HBV infection has been shown consistently to be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, data on associations with cancers at other sites are limited. In this study a total of 10,197 patients were diagnosed with chronic HBV infection in Sweden, and they were retrieved from the nationwide Swedish Hospital Discharge Register and Outpatient Register and linked to Cancer Registry data. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for cancers were calculated for these patients in comparison with the population without HBV infection. Five hundred sixty-seven of whom developed cancer (SIR 1.82 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.67-1.97)) during the study period. The SIR for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HBV infection was 40.58 (95% CI 30.50-50.07). In addition, a total of seven other cancer sites/types showed increased SIRs: cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, lung, kidney, skin (squamous cell carcinoma), and thyroid gland, and lymphoma and leukemia. The risks of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia were increased in both Swedish- and foreign-born patients with HBV infection. In summary, chronic HBV infection is a strong risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma and also increases the risk of seven other cancers. These findings illustrate the need for surveillance for cancers other than hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HBV infection.
Chronic evolution after acute hepatitis B virus infection. During a 13 months period 1977-1978 a total of 129 cases of acute viral hepatitis type B occurred among patients who were admitted with hepatitis to Roslagstull, Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Less than 1% progressed to chronicity. Prevalence of Delta superinfection was studied among 60 patients with chronic hepatitis B. Nineteen (32%) were anti-delta positive. The majority of the positive patients were either non-European immigrants or addicts, both 9/19 (47%). Infections with the delta agent was found to have occurred in Stockholm already in the early 1970s. Rate of HBeAg clearance during chronic HBV was studied among 36 HBeAg positive patients. Seroconversion to anti-HBe was noted in 17 patients (47%), whereas HBeAg persisted in 19 during a mean follow-up period of 53 months. The spontaneous annual HBeAg seroconversion rate was 11%. HBeAg clearance occurred as frequently among homosexual men as among patients in other categories. However, 12/14 homosexual men were HBeAg positive after 2 years follow-up, compared with 1/13 drug addicts. Thus, homosexual men seemed to require a longer time for HBeAg seroconversion than i.v. drug addicts. HBV-DNA in serum, a strong indicator of viral particles and infectivity was analysed among patients with HBeAg seroconversion, initial HBeAg negativity and/or delta superinfection. HBV-DNA was found in 75-80% of our HBeAg positive patients. A correlation between chronic liver disease and presence of HBV-DNA in serum was also found. Thus, HBV DNA was found in 63% of patients with CAH or CAH/CI as compared with only 39% of patients with CPH. Delta infected patients had HBV-DNA more often than those without hepatitis D infection. Seven delta infected, anti-HBe positive, patients were still HBV-DNA positive five to eight years later. Therefore delta infected anti-HBe positive patients can be infectious for prolonged periods. Histological outcome. 63% (12/19) anti-delta positive
Al Kadi, Mohamad; Monem, Fawza
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association of IFN- γ +874 (T/A) polymorphism with susceptibility to chronic HBV infection in the Syrian population. Background: Accumulating evidence indicate that the inadequate immune responses are responsible for HBV persistency. Therefore, polymorphisms in genes encoding the cytokines, which are responsible for regulation of the immune response, can affect the course and outcome of the infection. The IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism affects the expression of IFN-γ, which has been shown to be crucial to HBV clearance. Methods: In this case-control study, 140 samples were collected (70 healthy individuals, 70 chronic HBV patients), and genomic DNA was isolated. Sequencing and ARMS-PCR were performed to genotype the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism. Results: Results of this study showed an association between IFN- γ +874 T/A polymorphism and the susceptibility to chronic HBV infection (P < 0.05). In addition, results showed that the AA genotype increased the risk of chronicity (OR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.35 – 6.89), whereas the AT and TT genotypes reduced the risk of chronicity (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.150 – 0.753). Conclusion: Results of this study conclude that the IFN- γ +874 T/A polymorphism may be associated with the chronic HBV infection, according to the genetic model AA vs. AT&TT. PMID:28331562
Nagao, Yumiko; Kawahigashi, Yuji; Sata, Michio
Background: Periodontal disease and systemic health are closely associated. However, there is no data supporting the association between periodontal disease and patients with liver diseases associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between periodontitis and progression of liver diseases in patients with HCV and/or HBV infection. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, 351 patients with HCV- and/or HBV-related liver diseases underwent screening for periodontal disease using the Salivaster® salivary occult blood test from February 2010 to June 2014. Furthermore, we examined the prevalence of fimbrillin (fimA) genotype of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) in 28 HCV-infected patients visited at our hospital between January 2013 and June 2014. P. gingivalis with fimA genotype with types I to V was further detected using a PCR method. Results: Of 351 patients, 76 patients (group 1) had a strong positive result for salivary occult blood test and 275 patients (group 2) had weak positive or negative test results. Significant factors between the groups were obesity, level of AST, ALT, LDH, ALP, Alb, D.Bil, T.cho, AFP, platelets (Plt), IRI, HOMA-IR, current interferon (IFN) treatment and the daily frequency of tooth brushing. Between-groups analysis indicated that total protein (T.pro) level and liver fibrosis were significant factors. According to multivariate analysis, five factors were associated with periodontal disease as Plt count below 80000, brushing teeth only once a day, current IFN treatment, aged 65 years or older and obesity. The adjusted odds ratios for these five factors were 5.80, 3.46, 2.87, 2.50 and 2.33, respectively, and each was statistically significant. Twenty-eight saliva specimens had positive results for P. gingivalis with fimA genotype types I to V. The prevalence of fimA genotype II was higher in 14 patients with liver
Helaly, Ghada F; El Ghazzawi, Ebtisam F; Shawky, Sherine M; Farag, Farag M
The prevalence of end-stage renal disease has increased dramatically in developing countries. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health problem that represents a significant co-morbidity event that has led to outbreaks of hepatitis B. There are inadequate data concerning occult HBV infection among Egyptian chronic hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to detect occult HBV infection among chronic hemodialysis patients in Alexandria, Egypt. A cross-sectional study was performed on 100 patients with end-stage renal disease that received maintenance hemodialysis and had tested negative for HBV surface antigen. Blood samples were collected before the initiation of hemodialysis. Sera were tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B core (HBc) antibodies using ELISA, and HBV DNA was detected by SYBR Green real-time PCR using specific primers for the s and c genes and by nested PCR using pol gene-specific primers. The serum activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST) were also measured. Anti-HCV and anti-HBc antibodies were detected in 34% and 48% of patients, respectively, and 70.6% of anti-HCV positive patients were also positive for anti-HBc antibodies. This association was statistically significant (p=0.001). HBV DNA was detected in 32% of the hemodialysis patients. A significant association was determined between the presence of HBV DNA and anti-HCV positivity (p=0.021). Aminotransferases were elevated in 21% of the studied patients, more often in patients with positive anti-HCV profiles than in patients negative for anti-HCV (p<0.05). In conclusion, the serological markers of HBV infection should be verified with molecular tests to investigate possible occult infections, especially among anti-HBc-positive hemodialysis patients, to improve our understanding of their clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological characteristics.
Omar, Hanan H; Taha, Samaa A; Hassan, Wafaa H; Omar, Hamdy H
Co-infection of schistosomiasis, HBV and HCV is common in countries where schistosomiasis is endemic. Occult hepatitis B occurs in patients at high risk for HBV infection (e.g., patients on hemodialysis, patients receiving blood transfusions). Schistosomal infection is a risk factor of HBV infection that can increase the incidence of occult hepatitis B. We aimed to determine the prevalence of occult hepatitis B in chronic hepatitis C patients with and without schistosomiasis and to assess the effect of schistosomal infection on the increased risk of exposure to HBV infection and to occult hepatitis B. Two hundred chronic hepatitis C patients who were negative for HBsAg participated. All patients were tested for the following: Anti-schistosome antibodies, Anti-HBc, serum HBV DNA, CBC and liver function. The prevalence of occult hepatitis B in CHC patients with/without schistosomiasis were 12.8% and 8.5% (P=0.042), respectively. Next, 63.8% of CHC patients with schistosomiasis were exposed to HBV infection (Anti-HBc +ve) during their lifetime. In conclusion, the prevalence of occult hepatitis B is higher in CHC patients with schistosomiasis compared to those without schistosomiasis. Periodic laboratory investigations of Schistosoma mansoni, HBV and HCV are recommended for the early detection of the infection and, especially in endemic areas, to avoid infection complications.
Vilajeliu, Alba; Sequera, Víctor-Guillermo; García-Basteiro, Alberto L; Sicuri, Elisa; Aldea, Marta; Velasco, César; Bayas, José M
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is recommended for all susceptible chronic pre-hemodialysis and hemodialysis patients. This study assessed the immunogenicity of HBV vaccines (adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted) in chronic kidney disease patients vaccinated at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (Spain) between January 2007 and July 2012. In addition, the costs for the health system were evaluated accor-ding to the proportion of vaccine responders after receiving either vaccine. Patients receiving 3 doses of hepatitis B adjuvanted vaccine were 3 times more likely to seroconvert than patients immunized with non-adjuvanted vaccines, OR 3.56 (95% CI 1.84-6.85). This resulted in fewer patients requiring a second course of HBV vaccination and fewer outpatient visits, saving more than €9,500 per 100 patients. The higher immunogenicity of the adjuvanted HBV vaccine would counterbalance the lower costs associated with the non-adjuvanted vaccine.
Zhu, ShaoMing; Waili, Yulituzi; Qi, XiaoTing; Chen, YueMei; Lou, YuFeng; Chen, Bo
Abstract The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether CRP could serve as a potential surrogate marker for 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis (HBV-DeCi). This was a retrospective cohort study that included 140 patients with HBV-DeCi. All patients were followed up for 1-month. A panel of clinical and biochemical variables were analyzed for potential associations with outcomes using multiple regression models. The serum CRP was significantly higher in nonsurviving patients than in surviving patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CRP levels (odds ratio: 1.047, P = 0.002) and the model for end-stage liver disease score (odds ratio: 1.370, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for mortality. Serum CRP is a simple marker that may serve as an additional predictor of 1-month mortality in hospitalized patients with HBV-DeCi. PMID:28121954
Zhu, ShaoMing; Waili, Yulituzi; Qi, XiaoTing; Chen, YueMei; Lou, YuFeng; Chen, Bo
The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether CRP could serve as a potential surrogate marker for 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis (HBV-DeCi).This was a retrospective cohort study that included 140 patients with HBV-DeCi. All patients were followed up for 1-month. A panel of clinical and biochemical variables were analyzed for potential associations with outcomes using multiple regression models.The serum CRP was significantly higher in nonsurviving patients than in surviving patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CRP levels (odds ratio: 1.047, P = 0.002) and the model for end-stage liver disease score (odds ratio: 1.370, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for mortality.Serum CRP is a simple marker that may serve as an additional predictor of 1-month mortality in hospitalized patients with HBV-DeCi.
Shi, Jijing; Zhao, Juanjuan; Zhang, Xin; Cheng, Yongqian; Hu, Jinhua; Li, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Xin; Shang, Qinghua; Sun, Yanling; Tu, Bo; Shi, Lei; Gao, Bin; Wang, Fu-Sheng; Zhang, Zheng
Natural killer (NK) cells can induce liver fibrosis remission by killing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and producing interferon (IFN)-γ in a mouse model; however, their anti-fibrotic immune-characteristics and regulatory mechanisms by HSCs remain to be determined, especially in livers from HBV-infected liver cirrhosis (LC) patients. We analyzed frequency, phenotype and anti-fibrotic function of hepatic and peripheral NK subsets in 43 HBV-LC patients. We found that hepatic NK subsets from LC patients displayed a decreased frequency, activation status and anti-fibrotic activity compared with those from chronic hepatitis B patients, which were mainly mediated by increased intrahepatic tumour-growth factor (TGF)-β because blockade of TGF-β significantly reversed NK anti-fibrotic function in vitro. In vivo, hepatic NK cells were enriched in proximity to the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA+) area within mild fibrosis regions; while in severe fibrotic areas, they were either directly attached to or separated from the α-SMA+ region. NK cells from LC patients could enter HSCs to form emperipolesis (a cell-in-cell structure) and become apoptotic; anti-TGF-β treatment ameliorated this emperipolesis. This finding suggested a novel mechanism by which activated HSCs impair NK cells' anti-fibrosis capacity through a TGF-β-dependent emperipolesis in LC patients, providing an anti-fibrotic rational by enhancing NK cell activity.
Shi, Jijing; Zhao, Juanjuan; Zhang, Xin; Cheng, Yongqian; Hu, Jinhua; Li, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Xin; Shang, Qinghua; Sun, Yanling; Tu, Bo; Shi, Lei; Gao, Bin; Wang, Fu-Sheng; Zhang, Zheng
Natural killer (NK) cells can induce liver fibrosis remission by killing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and producing interferon (IFN)-γ in a mouse model; however, their anti-fibrotic immune-characteristics and regulatory mechanisms by HSCs remain to be determined, especially in livers from HBV-infected liver cirrhosis (LC) patients. We analyzed frequency, phenotype and anti-fibrotic function of hepatic and peripheral NK subsets in 43 HBV-LC patients. We found that hepatic NK subsets from LC patients displayed a decreased frequency, activation status and anti-fibrotic activity compared with those from chronic hepatitis B patients, which were mainly mediated by increased intrahepatic tumour-growth factor (TGF)-β because blockade of TGF-β significantly reversed NK anti-fibrotic function in vitro. In vivo, hepatic NK cells were enriched in proximity to the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA+) area within mild fibrosis regions; while in severe fibrotic areas, they were either directly attached to or separated from the α-SMA+ region. NK cells from LC patients could enter HSCs to form emperipolesis (a cell-in-cell structure) and become apoptotic; anti-TGF-β treatment ameliorated this emperipolesis. This finding suggested a novel mechanism by which activated HSCs impair NK cells’ anti-fibrosis capacity through a TGF-β-dependent emperipolesis in LC patients, providing an anti-fibrotic rational by enhancing NK cell activity. PMID:28291251
Kramer, Erik Seth; Hofmann, Charlotte; Smith, Paula G; Shiffman, Mitchell L; Sterling, Richard K
Patients with advanced fibrosis are at increased risk of severe outcomes if they develop acute infection with hepatitis A (HAV) or hepatitis B (HBV) viruses. There are no data on the efficacy of combined HAV/HBV vaccination in patients with advanced fibrosis. Our aim was to evaluate the response to the HAV and HBV vaccine alone or in combination for patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and advanced fibrosis and to evaluate the impact of administering the vaccine while patients were receiving peginterferon for treatment of chronic HCV. In this prospective study of patients with advanced fibrosis (Ishak 3-6), those without serologic evidence of prior exposure were vaccinated with either Havrix HAV, Engerix( HBV, or the TWINRIX HAV/HBV combination vaccine as appropriate, and response was defined as the development of anti-HAV or anti-HBV surface antibodies. Of the 162 eligible patients, the prevalence of prior exposure to HAV and HBV was 30 and 18%, respectively. Of the 84 patients vaccinated, 38% received Havrix, 14% Engerix, and 48% TWINRIX. The response to the HAV vaccine was 75% in those receiving Havrix compared to 78% receiving TWINRIX. In contrast, the response to HBV vaccination was 42% in patients receiving Engerix compared to 60% in those vaccinated with TWINRIX (difference 18.3%; OR 0.29; 95% CI: 0.57-7.79). The presence of diabetes was the only risk factor identified for reduced HBV response (P = 0.01). Responses to both HAV and HBV vaccines when administered alone or in combination were lower than expected in patients with HCV and advanced fibrosis, especially in those with diabetes. The observation that the decline in HBV vaccine response was somewhat lower when this was administered alone as opposed to the combination A/B vaccine suggests that the administration of a combination vaccine may enhance the vaccination response to HBV.
Saha, Debraj; Pal, Ananya; Biswas, Avik; Panigrahi, Rajesh; Sarkar, Neelakshi; Das, Dipanwita; Sarkar, Jayeeta; Guha, Subhasish Kamal; Saha, Bibhuti; Chakrabarti, Sekhar; Chakravarty, Runu
Previously we reported that the exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection serves as a major threat among the treatment naive HIV infected population of eastern India. Hence, molecular characterization of these strains is of utmost importance in order to identify clinically significant HBV mutations. A total of 85 treatment naive HIV/HBV co-infected participants were included of whom the complete basal core promoter/precore region, the core and the whole envelope gene could be successfully sequenced for 59, 57 and 39 isolates respectively. Following phylogenetic analysis, it was found that HBV/D was the predominant genotype with HBV/D2 (38.5%) being the most prevalent subgenotype followed by HBV/A1. The major mutations affecting HBeAg expression includes the A1762T/G1764A (13.6%), G1896A (22%) and G1862T mutation (33.9%) which was predominantly associated with HBV/A1. Moreover, the prevalence of G1896A was considerably high among the HBeAg negative HIV/HBV co-infected subjects compared to HBV mono-infection. The main amino acid substitutions within the MHC class II restricted T-cell epitope of HBcAg includes the T12S (15.8%) and T67N (12.3%) mutation and the V27I (10.5%) mutation in the MHC class I restricted T-cell epitope. PreS1/S2 deletion was detected in 3 isolates with all harboring the BCP double mutation. Furthermore, the frequently occurring mutations in the major hydrophilic loop of the S gene include the T125M, A128V and M133I/L. Therefore, this study is the first from India to report useful information on the molecular heterogeneity of the HBV strains circulating among the treatment naive HIV/HBV co-infected population and is thus clinically relevant.
Enomoto, Hirayuki; Aizawa, Nobuhiro; Nishikawa, Hiroki; Ikeda, Naoto; Sakai, Yoshiyuki; Takata, Ryo; Hasegawa, Kunihiro; Nakano, Chikage; Nishimura, Takashi; Yoh, Kazunori; Ishii, Akio; Takashima, Tomoyuki; Iwata, Yoshinori; Iijima, Hiroko; Nishiguchi, Shuhei
Abstract Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been suggested to be associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients with HBe antigen (HBeAg)-negativity and a low HBV-DNA level. However, few studies have evaluated the association according to histological findings of the liver. Among a total of 198 HBV-infected patients who received a percutaneous liver biopsy, we studied the histological and laboratory findings of HBeAg-negative patients without receiving nucleoside/nucleotide analogues treatment (N = 70) in order to evaluate whether hepatic steatosis and its related metabolic disorders were associated with an elevation in ALT levels in HBeAg-negative patients. In HBeAg-negative patients with a high serum HBV-DNA level (≥2000 IU/mL), the level of HBV-DNA was the only significant factor related to ALT elevation. However, in HBeAg-negative patients with a low HBV-DNA level, the serum ferritin level, and histologically observed hepatic steatosis were significantly associated factors with ALT elevation. When we evaluated 2 metabolic variables (serum ferritin and fasting insulin) that are suggested to be relevant to the presence of progressive disease in Japanese patients, we found that the rate of metabolic disorders was significantly higher among patients with a high ALT level and a low HBV-DNA level than it was among those with other conditions. The triglyceride level and the frequency of moderate or severe hepatic steatosis were significantly higher in patients with a low HBV-DNA level than in those with a high HBV-DNA level. Histologically proven hepatic steatosis and its related metabolic disorders are suggested to be involved in the elevation of aminotransferases of HBeAg-negative patients, particularly those with low HBV-DNA levels. PMID:27124068
Huang, Xin; Tan, Hongzhuan; Li, Xun; Zhou, Shujin; Wen, Shi Wu; Luo, Meiling
The relationship between maternal HBV (hepatitis B virus) infection and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is inconclusive. Few studies have been conducted in rural areas of China. In order to examine the association between maternal chronic HBV infection and risk of PIH in Liuyang rural area China, we enrolled 6,195 eligible pregnant women in 2010-2011 in selected 14 towns of Liuyang on their first prenatal visit to local maternity care unit. A total of 461 subjects (7.44% (95%CI: 6.79%, 8.10%)) were identified with positive HBsAg status (exposed group) and 5734 were non-HBV carriers (unexposed group). Multivariate log-binomial regression models were used to estimate the risk of PIH, gestational hypertension (GH), and preeclampsia (PE) in relation to maternal chronic HBV infection. There are total of 455 subjects diagnosed with PIH (7.34% (95%CI: 6.70%, 7.99%)), including 371 GH (5.99% (95%CI: 5.40%, 6.58%)) and 81 PE (1.31% (95%CI: 1.07%, 1.64%)). The crude risk ratio between PIH, GH, PE and maternal HBV infection were 1.20 (95%CI: 0.88, 1.64), 1.30(95%CI: 0.93, 1.81) and 0.79 (95%CI: 0.32, 1.93), respectively. After adjustment for gravidity history, abortion history, family history of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and family history of hypertension, positive HBsAg status was still not significantly associated with PIH (RR = 1.18, 95%CI: 0.87, 1.62), GH (RR = 1.27, 95%CI: 0.91, 1.78) or PE (RR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.32, 1.95). Additional adjustment for maternal age, marital status, parity history, family history of DM, Body Mass Index at first antenatal visit, folic acid supplementation, smoking status during pregnancy and economic status of living area, multivariate analysis provided similar results. In conclusion, our study found that maternal chronic HBV infection prevalence rate is 7.4% among Liuyang rural area and there is no significant association between maternal HBV infection and the risk of PIH, GH or PE.
Dumaidi, Kamal; Al-Jawabreh, Amer
Occult hepatitis B infection is the case with undetectable HBsAg, but positive for HBV DNA in liver tissue and/or serum. Occult hepatitis B infection among hemodialysis patients in Palestine has been understudied. In this study, 148 hemodialysis patients from 2 northern districts in Palestine, Jenin (89) and Tulkarem (59), were investigated for occult hepatitis B, HBV, HCV infections with related risk factors. ELISA and PCR were used for the detection of anti-HBc and viral DNA, respectively. The overall prevalence of occult hepatitis B infection among the study group was 12.5% (16/128). Occult hepatitis B infection is more prevalent among males with most cases (15/16) from Jenin District. About one-third (42/132) of the hemodialysis patients were anti-HBc positive. Approximately 27% of the hemodialysis patients were infected with HCV. Around 20% (28/140) were positive for HBV DNA, but only 8.2% (12/146) of the hemodialysis patients were positive for HBsAg. The comparison between hemodialysis patients with occult hepatitis B infection and those without occult hepatitis B infection for selected risk factors and parameters as liver Enzyme, age, sex, HCV infection, blood transfusion, kidney transplant, anti-HBc, and vaccination showed no statistical significance between both categories. Duration of hemodialysis significantly affected the rate of HCV infection. HCV is significantly higher in hemodialysis patients with both Diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The prevalence of occult hepatitis B infection among hemodialysis patients is high; requiring stringent control policies. HBsAg assay is insufficient test for accurate diagnosis of HBV infection among hemodialysis patients.
Kang, Lei; Pan, Jiaqian; Wu, Jiaofen; Hu, Jiali; Sun, Qian; Tang, Jing
Approximately 240 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), which represents a significant challenge to public health. The current goal in treating chronic HBV infection is to block progression of HBV-related liver injury and inflammation to end-stage liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, because we are unable to eliminate chronic HBV infection. Available therapies for chronic HBV infection mainly include nucleos/tide analogues (NAs), non-NAs, and immunomodulatory agents. However, none of them is able to clear chronic HBV infection. Thus, a new generation of anti-HBV drugs is urgently needed. Progress has been made in the development and testing of new therapeutics against chronic HBV infection. This review aims to summarize the state of the art in new HBV drug research and development and to forecast research and development trends and directions in the near future. PMID:26389937
Ramirez, Jonathan C; Ackerman, Kimberly; Strain, Sasha C; Ahmed, Syed T; de Los Santos, Mario J; Sears, Dawn
Vaccinations against hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are recommended for patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), yet implementation of these recommendations is lacking. This study reviewed HAV and HBV antibody testing and vaccination status of patients with CLD. In 2008, we began using pre-printed liver order sets, which included vaccination options. We compared Scott & White liver clinic CLD patient records from 2005 (238) with patient records from 2008 (792). Screening rates for immunity and vaccination rates of those lacking immunity were calculated. In 2005, 66% of CLD patients were screened for HAV immunity. In 2008, 56% of CLD patients were screened. The HAV vaccination completion rate was 37% in 2005, while in 2008, the rate was 46%. In 2005, 66% of CLD patients were screened for HBV immunity; in 2008, 56 % CLD patients were screened. The HBV vaccination completion rate was 26% in 2005 compared with 36% in 2008. Although there was a lower percentage of screening in 2008, the overall number of patients tripled between 2005 and 2008. There was a significant increase in the total number of patients screened and vaccinated in 2008. Some physicians may have vaccinated their patients without checking for immunity. In January 2008, we implemented pre-printed order sets with checkboxes to help remind providers to order labs to screen for immunity against HAV and HBV and to order vaccinations for those who lacked immunity. The use of these sets may have aided in the increase of vaccination completion rates.
PHENYTOIN/SORAFENIB [VA Drug Interaction]; Liver Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Digestive System Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Liver Diseases; Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; DOXORUBICIN/TRASTUZUMAB [VA Drug Interaction]; HBV
Liu, Miao; Du, Lingyao; He, Zhiliang; Yan, Libo; Shi, Ying; Shang, Jin
Aim. ERp57 is involved in virus induced endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and plays an important role in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to find whether HBV infection altered ERp57 expression and whether ERp57 regulation was involved in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) genesis. Materials and Methods. HBV-HCC tissues, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) liver tissues, and normal liver tissues were acquired. ERp57 expressions in these tissues were detected through immunohistochemistry (IHC). And ERp57 expression in liver cell line L02, HBV replicative liver cell line L02-pHBV4.1, and HCC cell lines were detected through western blot for verification. Then medical data on patients providing HCC tissues were collected and analyzed along with ERp57 expression. Results. Higher ERp57 expression was found in HCC and CHB tissues (p < 0.001). And HCC cell lines and L02-pHBV4.1 presented higher ERp57 expression as well. In patients, ERp57 expression showed significant differences between death and survival groups (p = 0.037). And cumulative survival in patients with higher ERp57 (score ⩾ 8.75) is significantly lower (p = 0.009). Conclusion. Our study found increased expression of ERp57 in HBV-HCC. Such altered expression could be related to HBV infection and high ERp57 expression may lead to poor prognosis of HBV-HCC patients. PMID:28373975
Spaziante, Martina; Biliotti, Elisa; Grieco, Stefania; Palazzo, Donatella; Esvan, Rozenn; Taliani, Gloria
Hepatitis B (HBV) virus infection is one of the most important causes of liver disease in patients with end-stage renal failure on hemodialysis. The natural history of chronic HBV infection acquired in childhood starts with an immune tolerant phase, followed by an immune clearance phase that may lead to the inactive carrier state or the development of chronic liver disease. Information on antiviral therapy administered very early during the immune clearance phase are lacking and no data exist on the treatment of early immune activation in the hemodialysis setting. This report describes the case of a patient affected by end-stage renal failure and HBeAg-positive chronic HBV virus infection treated very early during the immune clearance phase of HBV infection with an adjusted-dose of nucleoside analogue entecavir. The patient achieved a very rapid HBV-DNA undetectability, anti-HBe, and anti-HBs seroconversion. This is the first report of antiviral therapy with entecavir started during the immune reactive phase of HBV infection in a patient on hemodialysis and it suggests that antiviral treatment can enhance the effects of host immune activation resulting in biochemical, serological, and viral response, even in end-stage renal failure patients with partial immunodeficiency. Antiviral therapy with entecavir in the setting of hemodialysis was safe and well tolerated.
Ding, Feng; Yu, Hong-Gang; Li, Yan-Xia; Cui, Ning; Dai, Jin-Fen; Yu, Jie-Ping
The coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been discovered and explained for several decades, but debate still exists. This study was to explore the relationship between this special serological pattern and mutations in S gene region. Fifteen patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs were selected as the experimental group, and 27 patients with HBsAg positive only were selected as the control group. The S gene region was amplified and sequenced. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to age, gender, alanine aminotransferase level, HBsAg titer, genotype, and HBV DNA level. The patients from the two groups were infected with HBV of the genotype B and C. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a higher variability in amino acid within the N-terminal region and the MHR, especially the "a" determinant. The most frequent change in patients from the experimental group was located at positions s126. The coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs might be associated with the increased amino acid mutations in the "a" determinant. Further studies should be performed to determine the clinical implication of this serological pattern, including the binding of anti-HBs to HBsAg, escape from immune system, and efficacy of antiviral therapy.
Zhao, Ping-Wei; Shi, Xu; Li, Cong; Ayana, Desalegn Admassu; Niu, Jun-Qi; Feng, Jun-Yan; Wang, Juan; Jiang, Yan-Fang
This study aimed to investigate the potential effect of interleukin 33 (IL-33) on humoral responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the possible mechanisms underlying the action of IL-33 in regulating follicular helper T (TFH) cells. The impact of IL-33 treatment on the levels of serum HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, HBsAb, and HBeAb, as well as the frequencies of CD4(+)CXCR5(+) TFH cells in wild-type HBV transgenic (HBV-Tg) mice and in a transwell coculture of HepG2.2.15 with IL-33-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined. Furthermore, the gene transcription profiles in IL-33-treated TFH cells were determined by microarrays. IL-33 treatment significantly reduced the levels of serum HBV DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg, but increased the levels of HBsAb and HBeAb in HBV-Tg mice, accompanied by increased frequency of splenic infiltrating CD4(+)CXCR5(+) TFH cells in HBV-Tg. Similarly, coculture of HepG2.2.15 cells with IL-33-treated PBMCs reduced the levels of HBV DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg, but increased the levels of HBsAb and HBeAb. Microarray analyses indicated that IL-33 significantly modulated the transcription of many genes involved in regulating TFH activation and differentiation. Our findings suggest that IL-33 may activate TFH cells, promoting humoral responses to HBV during the pathogenic process.
Shen, Xiaokun; Fu, Binqing; Liu, Yanyan; Guo, Chuang; Ye, Ying; Sun, Rui; Li, Jiabin; Tian, Zhigang; Wei, Haiming
A pressing need exists for improved therapeutic options for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Pegylated-interferon-alpha (Peg-IFN-α) achieves sustained off-treatment responses in many cases because of its direct anti-viral effects and regulation of the immune response. However, non-responsiveness to Peg-IFN-α is frequent, and the mechanism is poorly understood. In this study, we found that the frequency and absolute number of NKp30+ natural killer (NK) cells increased markedly, accompanied by enhanced CD107a and IFN-γ production, during Peg-IFN-α-2b monotherapy or combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil in patients with CHB, especially in responders. The responders and non-responders differed in the frequency of polyfunctional IFN-γ+ CD107+ NK cells. In addition, the increase in NKp30+ NK cells was negatively correlated with the HBV viral load and plasma HBeAg. Moreover, it was found that IL-15 may contribute to the up-regulation of NKp30 on the NK cells, and this up-regulation was not induced in vitro by Peg-IFN-α-2b alone. However, in the non-responders, these NKp30+ NK cells were dysfunctional because of increased NKG2A expression, which partly explains the inactivation of NKp30+ NK cells and the reduced capacity of these cells to produce antiviral cytokines. These findings may provide a new mechanism to explain the variable efficacy of Peg-IFN-α-2b therapy. PMID:27941937
Viganò, Mauro; Brocchieri, Alessandra; Spinetti, Angiola; Zaltron, Serena; Mangia, Giampaolo; Facchetti, Floriana; Fugazza, Alessandro; Castelli, Francesco; Colombo, Massimo; Lampertico, Pietro
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor widely used to treat patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Despite the excellent safety records of this regimen, a few cases of acute renal failure and Fanconi syndrome have been reported among HIV patients exposed to TDF. In the HBV monoinfection scenario, only two cases of TDF-associated Fanconi syndrome have been reported thus far. Here, we describe two additional patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who developed a TDF-induced Fanconi syndrome that reverted after TDF withdrawal and had viral replication fully suppressed upon switching to entecavir (ETV). Though the overall risk of TDF associated severe renal toxicity in HBV patients appears to be negligible, both glomerular and tubular function should be monitored in patients exposed to TDF, especially when other renal risk factors or a history of previous exposure to adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) are present.
Hoan, Nghiem Xuan; Van Tong, Hoang; Giang, Dao Phuong; Cuong, Bui Khac; Toan, Nguyen Linh; Wedemeyer, Heiner; Bock, C Thomas; Kremsner, Peter G; Song, Le Huu; Velavan, Thirumalaisamy P
The clinical manifestations of hepatitis B viral infection (HBV) include chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The contribution of negative regulator suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) promoter variants in HBV disease and SOCS3 hypermethylation in tumor tissues were investigated. The SOCS3 promoter region was screened for polymorphisms in 878 HBV patients and in 272 healthy individuals. SOCS3 promoter methylation was examined by bisulfite sequencing. SOCS3 mRNA expression was quantified in 37 tumor and adjacent non-tumor liver tissue specimens. The minor allele rs12953258A was associated with increased susceptibility to HBV infection (OR=1.3, 95%CI=1.1-1.6, adjusted P=0.03). The minor allele rs111033850C and rs12953258A were observed in increased frequencies in HCC and LC patients compared to CHB patients (HCC: OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.1-2.9, adjusted P=0.046; LC: OR=1.4, 95%CI=1.1-1.9, adjusted P=0.017, respectively). HBV patients with rs111033850CC major genotype had decreased viral load (P=0.034), whereas the rs12953258AA major genotype contributed towards increased viral load (P=0.029). Tumor tissues revealed increased hypermethylation compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues (OR=5.4; 95%CI= 1.9-17.1; P=0.001). Increased SOCS3 expression was observed in HBV infested tumor tissues than non-HBV related tumor tissues (P=0.0048). SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation was associated with relatively low mRNA expression in tumor tissues (P=0.0023). In conclusion, SOCS3 promoter variants are associated with HBV susceptibility and SOCS3 hypermethylation stimulates HCC development.
Yu, Xuelian; Zhang, Jing; Hong, Liang; Wang, Jiayu; Yuan, Zhengan; Zhang, Xi; Ghildyal, Reena
Human parvovirus 4 (PARV4) has been detected in blood and diverse tissues samples from HIV/AIDS patients who are injecting drug users. Although B19 virus, the best characterized human parvovirus, has been shown to co-infect patients with hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus (HBV, HCV) infection, the association of PARV4 with HBV or HCV infections is still unknown.The aim of this study was to characterise the association of viruses belonging to PARV4 genotype 1 and 2 with chronic HBV and HCV infection in Shanghai.Serum samples of healthy controls, HCV infected subjects and HBV infected subjects were retrieved from Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention (SCDC) Sample Bank. Parvovirus-specific nested-PCR was performed and results confirmed by sequencing. Sequences were compared with reference sequences obtained from Genbank to derive phylogeny trees.The frequency of parvovirus molecular detection was 16-22%, 33% and 41% in healthy controls, HCV infected and HBV infected subjects respectively, with PARV4 being the only parvovirus detected. HCV infected and HBV infected subjects had a significantly higher PARV4 prevalence than the healthy population. No statistical difference was found in PARV4 prevalence between HBV or HCV infected subjects. PARV4 sequence divergence within study groups was similar in healthy subjects, HBV or HCV infected subjects.Our data clearly demonstrate that PARV4 infection is strongly associated with HCV and HBV infection in Shanghai but may not cause increased disease severity.
Shih, Yao-Ming; Sun, Cheng-Pu; Chou, Hui-Hsien; Wu, Tzu-Hui; Chen, Chun-Chi; Wu, Ping-Yi; Enya Chen, Yu-Chen; Bissig, Karl-Dimiter; Tao, Mi-Hua
Selection of escape mutants with mutations within the target sequence could abolish the antiviral RNA interference activity. Here, we investigated the impact of a pre-existing shRNA-resistant HBV variant on the efficacy of shRNA therapy. We previously identified a highly potent shRNA, S1, which, when delivered by an adeno-associated viral vector, effectively inhibits HBV replication in HBV transgenic mice. We applied the “PICKY” software to systemically screen the HBV genome, then used hydrodynamic transfection and HBV transgenic mice to identify additional six highly potent shRNAs. Human liver chimeric mice were infected with a mixture of wild-type and T472C HBV, a S1-resistant HBV variant, and then treated with a single or combined shRNAs. The presence of T472C mutant compromised the therapeutic efficacy of S1 and resulted in replacement of serum wild-type HBV by T472C HBV. In contrast, combinatorial therapy using S1 and P28, one of six potent shRNAs, markedly reduced titers for both wild-type and T472C HBV. Interestingly, treatment with P28 alone led to the emergence of escape mutants with mutations in the P28 target region. Our results demonstrate that combinatorial RNAi therapy can minimize the escape of resistant viral mutants in chronic HBV patients. PMID:26482836
Baha, Warda; Ennaji, My Mustapha; Lazar, Fatiha; Melloul, Marouane; El Fahime, Elmostafa; El Malki, Abdelouahad; Bennani, Abdelouaheb
The study of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomic heterogeneity has become a major issue in investigations aimed at understanding the relationship between HBV mutants and the wide spectrum of clinical and pathological conditions associated with HBV infection. The objective of the current study was to find out the pattern of HBV genotypes circulating in Morocco and to investigate the precore (PC) and basal core promoter (BCP) mutants' status in Moroccan chronic hepatitis B patients. Viral genotypes were determined in 221 chronic carriers using INNO-LiPA HBV assay and hemi-nested PCR. Phylogenetic analysis was performed in 70 samples, and multiplex PCR method was used to confirm some genotyping results. PC and CP mutants were determined using Inno-Lipa. All isolates were successfully genotyped. The genotype distribution was D in 90.45% of cases, A (5.9%), E (1 case), and mixed genotypes (5 A/D and 2 D/F) in 3.17% patients. HBV carried in the HBV/D samples could be assigned to D7 (63.3%), D1 (32.7%) and 2% of strains to each D4 and D5, all HBV/A belonged to A2 subgenotype and HBV/E strain could not be sub-genotyped. In 70 studied strains, HBV mutants were detected in 88.6% of cases; PC mutants were detected in (40%) of patients and 21.5% present a mixture of wild type and G1896A mutation. BCP mutants were observed in 65.7% of cases, 22.9% were found to have the T1762/1764A double mutation, 18.6% had A1762/1764T mutation and 22.9% of patients showed the A1762T/G1764A double mutation with either A1762T/G1764T mutation. Co-infection by PC and BCP mutants was detected in 52.9% of cases. Movement from place to place most likely shapes the observed genotype distribution and consequent prevalence of genotypes other than A2 or D7 in this population. High circulation of PC and BCP mutants is common in chronic hepatitis B infection in Morocco.
Wu, Shaoxu; Geng, Qirong; Huang, Huiqiang; Lin, Tongyu; Jiang, Wenqi; Xia, Zhongjun; Duan, Huaxin; Rao, Huilan; Yao, Mengfei; Hu, Liyang
Prophylactic antiviral therapy is essential for lymphoma patients with high baseline HBV DNA who undergo cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, there are limited data on the optimal options. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy of prophylactic lamivudine (LAM) with lamivudine plus adefovir dipivoxil (LAM+ADV) in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in lymphoma with, pre-chemotherapy HBV DNA load ≥2000 IU/ml. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 86 lymphoma patients with baseline HBV DNA load ≥2000 IU/ml during chemotherapy and received LAM or LAM+ADV as prophylaxis between January 1, 2008 and November 30, 2014 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, China. Sixty-five patients received LAM and 21 received LAM+ADV. The rate was significantly lower in the LAM+ADV group compared with the LAM group for HBV reactivation (23.8% vs 55.4%; p = 0.012), while no difference was observed between the two groups in patients for HBV-related hepatitis (21.3% vs 33.3%; p = 0.349), and chemotherapy disruption (10.9% vs 19.0%; p = 0.337). In a multivariate analysis of factors associated with HBV reactivation in these patients, LAM+ADV treatment and HBeAg negative were the independent protective factors. Therefore, LAM+ADV should be considered for antiviral prophylaxis in lymphoma patients with pre-chemotherapy HBV DNA load ≥2000 IU/ml. Further study is warranted to confirm these findings. PMID:27711135
Zidi, I; Laaribi, A B; Bortolotti, D; Belhadj, M; Mehri, A; Yahia, H B; Babay, W; Chaouch, H; Zidi, N; Letaief, A; Yacoub, S; Boukadida, J; Di Luca, D; Hannachi, N; Rizzo, R
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occurs in association to a deregulation of immune system. Human leukocyte antigen E (HLA-E) is an immune-tolerant nonclassical HLA class I molecule that could be involved in HBV progression. To measure soluble (s) HLA-E in patients with chronic HBV hepatitis (CHB). We tested the potential association of HLA-E*01:01/01:03 A > G gene polymorphism to CHB. Our cohort consisted of 93 Tunisian CHB patients (stratified in CHB with high HBV DNA levels and CHB with low HBV DNA levels) and 245 healthy donors. Plasma sHLA-E was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer. No association between HLA-E*01:01/01:03 A > G polymorphism and HBV DNA levels in CHB patients was found. G/G genotype is less frequent in CHB patients without significance. sHLA-E is significantly enhanced in CHB patients compared with healthy controls (P = 0.0017). Stratification according to HBV DNA levels showed that CHB patients with low HBV DNA levels have higher sHLA-E levels compared with CHB patients with high HBV DNA levels. CHB patients with G/G genotype have enhanced sHLA-E levels compared with other genotypes (P = 0.037). This significant difference is maintained only for CHB women concerning G/G genotypes (P = 0.042). Finally, we reported enhanced sHLA-E in CHB patients with advanced stages of fibrosis (P = 0.032). We demonstrate, for the first time, the association of sHLA-E to CHB. Owing to the positive correlation of HLA-E*01:01/01:03 A > G polymorphism and the association of sHLA-E to advanced fibrosis stages, HLA-E could be a powerful predictor for CHB progression. Further investigations will be required to substantiate HLA-E role as a putative clinical biomarker of CHB.
Huang, Ju; Cui, Jun
Background: The 13C urea breath test (13C-UBT) is the gold standard for detecting Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori pathogenesis in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and related diseases remains obscure. We used 13C-UBT to detect H. pylori infection in patients with chronic HBV infection, HBV-related cirrhosis, HBV-related hepatic carcinoma, and other chronic hepatic diseases. Methods: A total of 131 patients with chronic hepatitis B (HB), 179 with HBV-related cirrhosis, 103 with HBV-related hepatic carcinoma, 45 with HBV-negative hepatic carcinoma, and 150 controls were tested for H. pylori infection using 13C-UBT. We compared H. pylori infection rate, liver function, complications of chronic hepatic disease, serum HBV-DNA, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) incidence among groups. Results: HBV-related cirrhosis was associated with the highest H. pylori infection rate (79.3%). H. pylori infection rate in chronic HB was significantly higher than in the HBV-negative hepatic carcinoma and control groups (P < 0.001). H. pylori infection rate in patients with HBV-DNA ≥103 copies/ml was significantly higher than in those with HBV-DNA <103 copies/ml (76.8% vs. 52.4%, P < 0.001). Prothrombin time (21.3 ± 3.5 s vs. 18.8 ± 4.3 s), total bilirubin (47.3±12.3 μmol/L vs. 26.6 ±7.9 μmol/L), aspartate aminotransferase (184.5 ± 37.6 U/L vs. 98.4 ± 23.5 U/L), blood ammonia (93.4 ± 43.6 μmol/L vs. 35.5 ± 11.7 μmol/L), and AFP (203.4 ± 62.6 μg/L vs. 113.2 ± 45.8 μg/L) in the 13C-UBT-positive group were significantly higher than in the 13C-UBT-negative group (P < 0.01). The incidence rates of esophageal fundus variceal bleeding (25.4% vs. 16.0%), ascites (28.9% vs. 17.8%), and hepatic encephalopathy (24.8% vs. 13.4%) in the 13C-UBT-positive group were significantly higher than in the 13C-UBT-negative group (P < 0.01). The percentages of patients with liver function in Child-Pugh Grade C (29.6% vs. 8.1%) and PHG (43
Antiviral therapies with nucleotide analogues (NA) is crucial in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B as it substantially protects patients from the complications of the disease . However in most of the available NA therapies, resistance emerges in the patients' HBV populations. Therefore, detection of antiviral resistance as early as possible by means of genotypically monitoring the patients' HBV pool during NA therapy is critical to manage treatment regime. In this research study we have investigated the sensitivity and specificity of the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method in detecting HBV subpopulations carrying antiviral resistance mutations. For this aim, differentiation of mutant strains from wild type strains was demonstrated by PCR-RFLP method. With using recombinant plasmids containing mutant and wild type HBV genomes, we constructed artificial HBV genome populations in order to determine the sensitivity of PCR-T-RFLP method in detecting antiviral resistant minor HBV populations. Finally by comparing with the DNA sequencing method, we demonstrated the specificity of T-RFLP method in genotyping HBV populations. As a result we showed that T-RFLP is able to detect HBV subpopulations representing as low as 1 % of the whole viral population. Additionally T-RFLP showed 100 % concordance with the DNA sequencing method in genotyping HBV populations. As a conclusion, considering the other genotyping methods used in evaluating HBV populations, T-RFLP showed high sensitivity and specificity profiles in detecting antiviral resistant HBV subpopulations. Therefore T-RFLP method can be easily employed in genotypic evaluation of patients' HBV populations during the course of antiviral treatment.
Jang, Jae Young; Park, Eui Ju
Occult HBV infection is defined as the presence of HBV DNA in the liver (with or without detectable or undetectable HBV DNA in the serum) of individuals testing negative for HBsAg. Studies on occult HBV infection in hepatitis C patients have reported highly variable prevalence, because the prevalence of occult HBV infection varies depending on the hepatitis B risk factors and methodological approaches. The most reliable diagnostic approach for detecting occult HBV detection is through examination of liver DNA extracts. HCV has been suspected to strongly suppress HBV replication up to the point where it may be directly responsible for occult HBV infection development. However, more data are needed to arrive at a definitive conclusion regarding the role of HCV in inducing occult HBV infection. Occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients is a complex biological entity with possible relevant clinical implications. Influence of occult HBV infection on the clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis C may be considered negative. However, recent studies have shown that occult HBV infection could be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and contribute to the worsening of the course of chronic liver disease over time in chronic hepatitis C patients. Nevertheless, the possible role of occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C is still unresolved and no firm conclusion has been made up until now. It still remains unclear how occult HBV infection affects the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Therefore, in order to resolve current controversies and understand the pathogenic role and clinical impacts of occult HBV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients, well-designed clinical studies are needed.
Ziaee, Masood; Namaei, Mohammad Hassan; Azarkar, Ghodseh
Background and Objective: Blood-borne infections, such as the HIV virus and hepatitis B and C, are major problems in patients receiving blood products. Here we examined the prevalence of HTLV-1, HCV, HBV, and HIV in hemophilic patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study on 108 hemophilic patients (101 males and 7 females) involved detection of HBV, HCV, HIV and HTLV-1 infections using immunoassays for HBsAg, hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc), hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV), HIV antibodies (anti-HIV) and Anti-HTLV-1. Real-time PCR was used to measure HCV RNA, and HCV genotyping was performed by direct sequencing of the 5’ noncoding region. Results: Hemophilia A was reported in 93 (86%) patients with severe symptoms in 8 cases. The seroprevalence of anti-HCV and anti-HTLV-1 antibodies was 20% and 3% respectively. One patient with severe hemophilia had a HCV/HTLV-1 co-infection. HCV-RNA was detected in 82% of patients. In terms of genotyping prevalence was 56% HCV genotype 3a, 39% HCV genotype 1a, and 6% HCV genotype2. Anti HIV and HBsAg were not detected in any patient. HTLV1 prevalence was higher, HCV lower in South Khorasan than other regions in Iran or elsewhere. Conclusion: Management of transfusion of blood and blood products should account for the underlying prevalence of infectious agents. PMID:26649023
Liu, Yong; Zhang, Le; Zhou, Jin-Yong; Pan, Jinshun; Hu, Wei; Zhou, Yi-Hua
Coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody against HBsAg (anti-HBs) comprises an atypical serological profile in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this study, in total 94 patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs and 94 age- and sex-matched patients with positive HBsAg were characterized by quantitatively measuring HBsAg and HBV DNA, sequencing large S genes, and observing clinical features. Compared with common hepatitis B patients, the patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs had lower HBsAg and HBV DNA levels. These two groups had similar rate of pre-S deletion mutations. However, in patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs, more amino acid substitutions in the a determinant of S gene were observed in HBV genotype C, but not in genotype B. Fourteen patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs were followed up for an average of 15.5 months. There were no significant changes in the levels of HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBV DNA and ALT over the follow-up period. Compared with the baseline sequences, amino acid substitutions in the MHR of HBsAg occurred in 14.3% (2/14) patients. In conclusion, coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs may be associated with higher frequency of mutations in the a determinant of HBV genotype C.
Lin, Ching-Chung; Bair, Ming-Jong; Chen, Chih-Jen; Lee, Keng-Han; Chen, Ming-Jen; Liu, Chia-Yuan; Chang, Chen-Wang; Hu, Kuang-Chun; Liou, Tai-Cherng; Lin, Shee-Chan; Wang, Horng-Yuan; Chu, Cheng-Hsin; Shih, Shou-Chuan; Wang, Tsang-En
Lamivudine, telbivudine, and entecavir are the first-line drugs covered by the Taiwan National Health Insurance as 3-year treatments for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), but the optimal treatment duration of each remains unclear. We aimed to detect HBV treatment-cessation durability, and compare the predictors in patients with and without clinical relapse. In this retrospective cohort study, 210 patients with chronic HBV who tested hepatitis B e-antigen positive or hepatitis B e-antigen negative were treated for 3 years with a nucleos(t)ide analogue. Of these, 102 patients continued therapy after 3 years, while 88 patients stopped treatment and were followed for 1 year due to financial difficulties. Efficacy was assessed in terms of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level normalization, HBV DNA clearance, virus breakthrough, clinical relapse, and liver decompensation. The durability predictors were evaluated by host factors, HBV DNA, and drug differences. Eighty patients (14 on lamivudine, 19 on telbivudine, and 47 on entecavir) were recruited. There was no difference in clinical-relapse rate among lamivudine, telbivudine, and entecavir (35.7% vs. 36.8% vs. 31.9%, respectively; p = 0.916), and liver decompensated hepatitis was absent. In baseline clinical characteristics, there were no differences between the clinical-relapse and nonrelapse groups in age, sex, cirrhosis, prior treatment, HBV DNA, pretreatment ALT, or hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg). The mean 3(rd) year serum ALT level differed significantly between clinical-relapse and nonrelapse patients (37.5 U/L vs. 27.7 U/L, respectively; p = 0.044). The 3-year nucleos(t)ide analogue off-treatment in patients with chronic HBV delivered according to the Taiwan National Health Insurance guidelines had an overall 33.8% 1-year clinical-relapse rate without any decompensated hepatitis flare-ups.
Zhu, Chun-Hui; Zhao, Man-Zhi; Chen, Guang; Qi, Jun-Ying; Song, Jian-Xin; Ning, Qin; Xu, Dong
Hepatitis associated anti-tuberculous treatment (HATT) has been a main obstacle in managing patients co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Therefore, we evaluated the factors related to the severity of adverse effects during HATT, especially those associated with liver failure. A retrospective study was carried out at Tongji Hospital from 2007 to 2012. Increases in serum transaminase levels of >3, 5, and 10 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were used to define liver damage as mild, moderate, and severe, respectively. Patients with elevated total bilirubin (TBil) levels that were more than 10 times the ULN (>171 μmol/L) with or without decreased (<40%) prothrombin activity (PTA) were diagnosed with liver failure. A cohort of 87 patients was analyzed. The incidence of liver damage and liver failure was 59.8% (n=52) and 25.3% (n=22), respectively. The following variables were correlated with the severity of hepatotoxicity: albumin (ALB) levels, PTA, platelet counts (PLT), and the use of antiretroviral therapies (P<0.05). Hypo-proteinemia and antiretroviral therapy were significantly associated with liver failure, and high viral loads were a significant risk factor with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.066. Judicious follow-up of clinical conditions, liver function tests, and coagulation function, especially in patients with high HBV loads and hypoalbuminemia is recommended. It may be advisable to reconsider the use of antiviral drugs failure during the course of anti-tuberculous treatment of HBV infection patients to avoid the occurrence of furious liver failure.
Wu, Tao; Zheng, Xiaojiao; Yang, Ming; Zhao, Aihua; Li, Meng; Chen, Tianlu; Panee, Jun; Jia, Wei; Ji, Guang
The incidences of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated cirrhosis and HBV-associated carcinoma are high and increasing. This study was designed to evaluate serum lipid metabolite changes that are associated with the progression from CHB to HBV-associated cirrhosis and ultimately to HBV-associated HCC. A targeted metabolomic assay was performed in fasting sera from 136 CHB patients, 104 HBV-associated cirrhosis, and 95 HBV-associated HCC using ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. A total of 140 metabolites were identified. Clear separations between each two groups were obtained using the partial least squares discriminate analysis of 9 lipid metabolites. Progressively lower levels of long-chain lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC a C18:2, lysoPC a C20:3, lysoPC a C20:4) were observed from CHB to cirrhosis to carcinoma; lower levels of lysoPC a C20:4 were found in patients with higher model for end-stage liver disease in the same disease group; and lysoPC a C20:3 levels were lower in Child-Pugh Class C than in Class A and Class B in HBV-associated cirrhosis and HBV-associated HCC groups. The octadecadienyl carnitine level was higher in HBV-associated cirrhosis group than in other two groups. Serum levels of selected long-chain lysoPCs are promising markers for the progression of HBV-associated liver diseases. PMID:28198443
Dong, Jie; Yang, Xiao-Fei; Wang, Lin-Xu; Wei, Xin; Wang, An-Hui; Hao, Chun-Qiu; Shen, Huan-Jun; Huang, Chang-Xing; Zhang, Ye; Lian, Jian-Qi
T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) was up-regulated on viral specific T cells and contributed to T cells exhaustion during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, modulation of Tim-3 expression was still not fully elucidated. To evaluate the potential viral and inflammatory factors involved in the inductor of Tim-3 expression on T cells, 76 patients with chronic HBV infection (including 40 chronic hepatitis B [CHB] and 36 asymptomatic HBV carriers [AsC]) and 40 of normal controls (NCs) were enrolled in this study. Tim-3 expressions on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were assessed in response to HBV-encoding antigens, HBV peptide pools, and common γ-chain (γc) cytokines stimulation by flow cytometry. HBV peptides and anti-CD3/CD28 directly induced Tim-3 expression on T cells. γc cytokines also drive Tim-3 up-regulations on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in patients with chronic HBV infection. However, γc cytokines did not enhance the Tim-3 inductions by either anti-CD3/CD28 or HBV peptides stimulation. Furthermore, γc cytokines-mediated Tim-3 induction could not be abrogated by γc cytokine receptor-neutralizing antibodies. The current results suggested that elevation of Tim-3 expression on T cells could be regulated by both antigen-dependent and -independent manner in patients with chronic HBV infection. The role of γc cytokines in modulation of inhibitory pathway might be evaluated as immunotherapies in humans.
Every practice has patients who are chronically late. This wrecks havoc with your schedule and makes you less productive. Patients can be trained to respect your time and arrive in the office on time. This article discusses several approaches to managing the chronically late patient.
Coppola, Nicola; Onorato, Lorenzo; Iodice, Valentina; Starace, Mario; Minichini, Carmine; Farella, Nunzia; Liorre, Giulia; Filippini, Pietro; Sagnelli, Evangelista; de Stefano, Giorgio
Aim To evaluate the virological and clinical characteristics of occult HBV infection (OBI) in 68 consecutive HBsAg-negative patients with biopsy-proven cirrhosis and HCC. Methods HBV DNA was sought and sequenced in plasma, HCC tissue and non-HCC liver tissue by PCRs using primers for HBV core, surface and x regions. OBI was identified by the presence of HBV DNA in at least two different PCRs. Results OBI was detected in HCC tissue of 13 (20%) patients and in non-HCC liver tissue of 3 of these 13. OBI was detected in HCC tissue of 54.5% of 11 anti-HBs- negative/anti-HBc-positive patients, in 29.4% of 17 anti-HBs/anti-HBc-positive and in 5% of 40 anti-HBs/anti-HBc-negative (p < 0.0005). The 13 patients with OBI in HCC tissue more frequently than the 55 without showed Child-B or -C cirrhosis (53.9% vs. 5.5%, p < 0.0001) and BCLC-B or -C stages (46.1% vs. 1.8%, p < 0.0001). The pre-S1, pre-S2 and S region sequences in HCC tissue showed amino acid (AA) substitutions (F19L, P24L, S59F, T131I, Q129H) and deletions (in positions 4,8, 17 and 86) in the S region, AA substitutions (T40S, P124K, L54P, G76A, N222T and I273L) in pre-S1 region and AA substitutions in pre-S2 region (P41H and P66L). In the 3 patients showing OBI also in non-HCC liver tissue the S, pre-S1 and pre-S2 sequencing displayed patterns of mutations different. Conclusions The study showed a significant correlation between OBI and the severity of liver damage, several patterns of mutations in the S, pre-S1 and pre-S2 regions in HCC tissue, some at their first description. PMID:27486882
Sagnelli, Evangelista; Taliani, Gloria; Castelli, Francesco; Bartolozzi, Dario; Cacopardo, Bruno; Armignacco, Orlando; Scotto, Gaetano; Coppola, Nicola; Stroffolini, Tommaso; Sagnelli, Caterina
The aims of the study were to estimate the clinical impact of HBV infection in pregnant immigrants and their family members and to identify a useful approach to managing the healthcare of HBsAg-positive immigrants. Included in this study were 143 HBsAg-positive pregnant immigrants of the 1,970 from countries with intermediate/high HBV endemicity who delivered in 8 Italian hospitals in 2012-2013. In addition, 172 family members of 96 HBsAg-positive pregnant immigrants were tested for serum HBsAg. The median age of the 143 HBsAg-positive pregnant immigrants was 31.0±12.1 years and the length of stay in Italy 5.0±4.1 years; 56.5% were unaware of their HBsAg positivity. HBV DNA was detected in 74.5% of the pregnant immigrants, i.e., 94.3% from Eastern Europe, 72.2% from East Asia and 58.1% from Sub-Saharan Africa. HBV DNA ≥2000 IU/mL was detected in 47.8% of pregnant immigrants, associated with ALT ≥1.5 times the upper normal value in 15% of cases. Anti-HDV was detected in 10% of cases. HBsAg was detected in 31.3% of the 172 family members. All HBsAg-positive immigrants received counseling on HBV infection and its prevention, and underwent a complete clinical evaluation. The findings validate the approach used for the healthcare management of the HBsAg-positive immigrant population.
Tajik, Zahra; Keyvani, Hossein; Bokharaei-Salim, Farah; Zolfaghari, Mohammad Reza; Fakhim, Shahin; Keshvari, Maryam; Alavian, Seyed Moayed
Background: Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a marker of HBV replication in the liver of patients infected with HBV. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between the presence of cccDNA in the plasma samples of Iranian treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and HBV viral load and HBsAg levels. Patients and Methods: From April 2012 to May 2015, 106 treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The HBsAg titer was measured by the Roche HBsAg II assay on the Cobas e411 system, and HBV DNA quantitation was performed using the COBAS TaqMan 48 kit. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for the detection of HBV cccDNA. Results: The mean (SD) age of the patients was 41.1 ± 12.4 years (range, 20 - 62 years). From a total of 106 study participants, 67 (63.2%) were males. The HBV cccDNA was detected in plasma specimens in 19 (17.9%) out of the total 106 patients, and a significant relationship was found between the presence of cccDNA in plasma sample of males (23.9%) and females (7.7%) (P = 0.039). Also, a significant correlation was found between the presence of cccDNA in plasma sample of the patients and HBV viral load level (P < 0.0001) and HBsAg titer (P = 0.0043). Conclusions: This study showed that cccDNA can be detected in the plasma specimen of 17.9% of Iranian treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. Therefore, designing prospective studies focusing on the detection of cccDNA in these patients would provide more information. PMID:26504471
Tang, Shengli; Yuan, Yufeng; He, Yueming; Pan, Dingyu; Zhang, Yongxi; Liu, Yuanyuan; Liu, Quanyan; Zhang, Zhonglin; Liu, Zhisu
As a multifunctional cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a key role in chronic inflammation as well as tumor growth and progression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Recent studies have implicated that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -572C>G (rs1800796) located within the promoter region of IL-6 gene was associated with susceptibility to several diseases. Here, a case-control study was undertaken to investigate the association between this polymorphism and HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. A total of 900 patients with chronic HBV infection, including 505 HBV-related HCC patients and 395 HBV infected patients without HCC were enrolled, and rs1800796 polymorphism was genotyped by the TaqMan method and DNA sequencing technology. The results indicated no significant association between rs1800796 polymorphism and the risk of HBV-related HCC in all subjects; however, a significant difference was identified in male subjects. Under the dominant model, male subjects with the G allele (CG/GG) have higher susceptibility to HBV-related HCC than those with CC genotype after adjusting confounding factors (P=0.012, odds ratio [OR] 1.68, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.15-2.42). Our results suggested that rs1800796 polymorphism of IL-6 gene was associated with susceptibility to HBV-related HCC in a male Chinese Han population.
Kim, Jong Hun; Psevdos, George; Sharp, Victoria
A retrospective review of 4,721 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, followed at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York City, was conducted from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2009. HIV-Hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection rate was 218/4,721, 4.6%. Among co-infected patients, 19 patients (19/218, 8.7%) died; 13 patients (13/19, 68.4%) died from non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining including 2 patients with liver failure. More non-survivors (5 patients, 5/19, 26.3%) had liver cirrhosis than those who survived (8 patients, 8/199, 4.0%; P = 0.002). There were more patients with positive HBV e antigen (HBeAg) among non-survivors, (12 patients, 12/19, 63.2%) than among survivors (74 patients, 74/199, 37.2%; P = 0.047). HIV-HBV co-infection is associated with increased overall mortality. Therefore, use of dual active antiretrovirals, particularly, tenofovir (TDF) based regimen for optimal suppression of HIV-HBV and immune restoration with prevention of high risk behaviors may contribute to improved outcomes.
Fu, Xiaochun; Chen, Jing; Chen, Huijuan; Lin, Jinpiao; Xun, Zhen; Li, Shiqi; Liu, Can; Zeng, Yongbin; Chen, Tianbin; Yang, Bin; Ou, Qishui
The mechanism for the co-existence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) in chronic HBV infected patients remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the role of HBV S gene mutation and anti-HBs subtype-nonspecificity in patients with simultaneous HBsAg/anti-HBs positivity. Chronic HBV infections with (n = 145, group I) and without (n = 141, group II) anti-HBs were included. The S gene was amplified and sequenced. The neutralization experiment was used in group I patients' sera to determine the specificity of anti-HBs. Additionally, the HBV vaccinated persons' sera were used to estimate the neutralize capacity of anti-HBs against HBsAg in group I patients. Results showed that 2.63% (145/5513) chronic HBV infected patients had positive results for anti-HBs. HBsAg amino acid (aa) substitution rate in 35 patients of group I was significantly higher than that in 58 patients of group II (1.89% vs 0.95%, P < 0.05), especially within "a" determinant (4.05% vs 1.22%, P < 0.05). In group I patients, anti-HBs in (74.29%, 26/35) patients was not directed to the subtypes of the co-existing HBsAg. Besides, some HBsAg variations in group I patients, sG145R mutation, inserted mutations, and continuous aa mutations within the major hydrophilic region (MHR), decreased the neutralized capacity of anti-HBs from HBV vaccinated persons. In conclusion, both of HBsAg mutation and anti-HBs subtype-nonspecificity contributed to the co-existence of HBsAg and anti-HBs in chronic HBV infection. HBV vaccine recipients may still have a risk of HBV infection when exposure to patients with simultaneous HBsAg/anti-HBs positivity.
De Francesco, Maria Antonia; Gargiulo, Franco; Spinetti, Angiola; Zaltron, Serena; Giagulli, Cinzia; Caccuri, Francesca; Castelli, Francesco; Caruso, Arnaldo
Little is known about the optimal management of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who develop drug resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different drug regimens in chronically HBV-infected patients. HBV viral load was determined using a bDNA assay and the substitutions in HBV-DNA were studied by polymerase sequencing test. The study involved 38 patients who experienced a therapeutic failure to lamivudine (LAM). The sequential treatments used were: LAM + adefovir (ADV), LAM + tenofovir (TDF), entecavir (ETV) monotherapy, ADV monotherapy and TDF monotherapy. Similar activity against HBV replication was observed with all drug regimens. Of the patients treated with LAM, 44% developed resistance mutations. The rt M204I mutation was observed more frequently. Sequential ADV add-on LAM and TDF therapy induced the appearance of resistance in 3/18 (16.6%) and in 1/8 (5.5%) treated patients, respectively. Genotype D was the most prevalent (78.9%), followed by genotype A (13%), genotype E (5.2%) and genotype C (2.6%). Our study showed that baseline serum HBV DNA is an important predictor of virologic response and that virologic breakthrough is significantly associated with the insurgence of genotypic resistance.
Zheng, Zuci; Wang, Qiwen; Weng, Cuncheng; Lin, Xueliang; Lin, Yao; Feng, Shangyuan
An optical method of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was developed for non-invasive detection of hepatitis B surface virus (HBV). Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) is an established serological marker that is routinely used for the diagnosis of acute or chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection. Utilizing SERS to analyze blood serum for detecting HBV has not been reported in previous literature. SERS measurements were performed on two groups of serum samples: one group for 50 HBV patients and the other group for 50 healthy volunteers. Blood serum samples are collected from healthy control subjects and patients diagnosed with HBV. Furthermore, principal components analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to differentiate HBV patients from healthy volunteer and achieved sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 74.0%. This exploratory work demonstrates that SERS serum analysis combined with PCA-LDA has tremendous potential for the non-invasive detection of HBV.
Background Liver dominates the production and secretion of apolipoprotein B (apoB) and evidence shows that liver malfunction induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection could lead to apolipoprotein metabolism disorders. The present study was undertaken to assess the effects of HBV on apoB expression. Methods Clinical examination: serum apoB levels in patients with chronic HBV infection and in healthy individuals were measured by immunoturbidimetry using biochemical analyzer Olympus 5400. Cell study: mRNA and protein expression levels of apoB in HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. Alternatively, HBV infectious clone pHBV1.3 or control plasmid pBlue-ks were tranfected into HepG2 cells, and mRNA and protein expression levels of apoB, as well as the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) in tranfected HepG2 cells were also measured by RT-PCR and western blot. Results Serum apoB level was much lower in chronic HBV patients as compared to healthy individuals (P < 0.05). Expression of apoB mRNA and protein was lower in HepG2.2.15 cells than in HepG2 cells. Similarly, expression of apoB mRNA and protein was lower in pHBV1.3 transfected HepG2 cells than in pBlue-ks transfected HepG2 cells. Expression of MTP mRNA and protein in pHBV1.3 transfected HepG2 cells was reduced in a dose-dependent fashion. Conclusion HBV infection plays an inhibitory effect on apoB expression. PMID:22074108
Fontenele, Andrea Martins Melo; Gainer, Juliana Braga Furtado; da Silva E Silva, Daniel Viana; Cruz Santos, Max Diego; Salgado, João Victor; Salgado Filho, Natalino; Ferreira, Adalgisa Sousa Paiva
Occult hepatitis B (OHB) is characterized by the presence of HBV-DNA in the absence of HBsAg in the serum of patients. Hemodialysis patients are at high risk for hepatitis B virus and there are few data on the prevalence of OHB in this population, mainly in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of OHB in patients undergoing hemodialysis. A cross-sectional study was performed, including 301 patients on chronic hemodialysis at two dialysis centers in São Luís (Maranhão), northeast Brazil. Serological tests were performed for HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV using enzyme immunoassays (ELISA); HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were studied by real-time PCR. The mean age was 49 ± 15 years, and 128 (42%) were female. Serological tests confirmed that all samples were HBsAg negative. Anti-HBc was positive in 114 (38%) patients, anti-HBc and anti-HBs were simultaneously positive in 104 (35%), and anti-HBc alone was positive in 10 (3%). Tests were negative for anti-HBc and anti-HBs in 55 patients (18%). Anti-HBs was the only positive marker in 132 (44%) patients. Anti-HCV was positive in 15 (5%) patients with HCV-RNA present in 14 of them (93%). HBV-DNA was positive in seven cases (2.3%). There was no association of HBV-DNA with age, gender, time on dialysis, previous kidney transplant, or HBV serological pattern, but there was a positive correlation with the presence of anti-HCV (P < 0.001). OHB in chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis appears to be a relevant finding, suggesting that studying HBV-DNA in this population using sensitive molecular tests should be a recommended course of action, especially in candidates for renal transplant.
Singla, Bhupesh; Chakraborti, Anuradha; Sharma, Bal Krishan; Kapil, Shweta; Chawla, Yogesh K; Arora, Sunil K; Das, Ashim; Dhiman, Radha K; Duseja, Ajay
Mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome lead to decreased susceptibility to nucleos(t)ide analogs approved for treatment of HBV infection. The aim of this study was to detect and analyze pre-existing HBV RT mutations in treatment naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B. Seventy one chronic HBV treatment naïve patients were enrolled from January 2009 to June 2011. HBV RT sequence analysis was done by using direct bidirectional sequencing of semi-nested PCR products. HBV genotypes were determined by multiplex PCR. Genotype D was found in 64 patients (90.1%) followed by genotype C and A which were present in 5 (7.0%) and 2 (2.8%) patients respectively. The results of the RT sequence analysis showed mutations in 34 (47.9%) patients. The rtH248N mutation was the most common mutation, accounting for 47.1% patients. Other common mutations included rtD263E/S, rtM129L, rtF122L/V/I, rtS135Y/H, rtQ149K, rtL91I, rtH126R, rtC256S/G, rtY257W, rtS259T and rtE271D, which were present in 26.5% (9/34), 29.4% (10/34), 20.6% (7/34), 20.6% (7/34), 20.6% (7/34), 17.6% (6/34), 14.7% (5/34), 14.7% (5/34), 11.8% (4/34), 11.8% (4/34) and 11.8% (4/34) patients respectively. The known primary drug resistance mutations were found in 3 (8.8%) patients. The present study shows the presence of RT amino acid substitutions in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B, which may decrease susceptibility to available oral antiviral drugs. On the basis of the finding of this study, genotypic testing is recommended before the start of therapy in naïve patients, so that suitable antiviral drugs can be prescribed.
Revill, Peter; Testoni, Barbara; Locarnini, Stephen; Zoulim, Fabien
Chronic HBV infection results in >1 million deaths per year from cirrhosis and liver cancer. No known cure for chronic HBV exists, due in part to the continued presence of transcriptionally active DNA in the nucleus that is not directly targeted by current antiviral therapies. A coordinated approach is urgently needed to advance an HBV cure worldwide, such as those established in the HIV field. We propose the establishment of an International Coalition to Eliminate Hepatitis B Virus (ICE-HBV) to facilitate the formation of international working groups on HBV virology, immunology, innovative tools and clinical trials: to promote awareness and education as well as to drive changes in government policy and ensure funds are channelled to HBV cure research and drug development. With the ICE-HBV in place, it should be possible to enable a HBV cure within the next decade.
Rostey, Renato Roberto Liberato; Souto, Francisco José Dutra
BACKGROUND Extrahepatic manifestations are seen in association with chronic infection by hepatitis B or C virus including cutaneous disorders. The frequency of these findings seems to vary among different places and reports. There is a lack of information about this issue in Brazil. OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of cutaneous findings affecting HBV or HCV carriers from a reference outpatient unit in Mato Grosso. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study. RESULTS 108 patients were studied. 88.9% presented some cutaneous findings but must of them were nonrelated to chronic viral infection. Four patients had cutaneous or autoimmune syndromes that may be HBV or HCV related. CONCLUSION In our study we found no statistical association between viral hepatitis and skin diseases. PMID:26734863
Chen, En-Qiang; Wang, Meng-Lan; Zhang, Dong-Mei; Shi, Ying; Wu, Do-Bo; Yan, Li-Bo; Du, Ling-Yao; Zhou, Ling-Yun; Tang, Hong
Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is a life-threatening condition, and the lipid metabolism disorder is common in the development of this disease. This prospective observational study aimed to define the characteristics of plasma apolipoprotein A-V (apoA-V) in long-term outcome prediction of HBV-ACLF, and a total of 330 HBV-ACLF patients were included and followed for more than 12 months. In this cohort, the 4-week, 12-week, 24-week and 48-week cumulative mortality of HBV-ACLF was 18.2%(60/330), 50.9%(168/330), 59.7%(197/330) and 63.3%(209/330), respectively. As compared to survivors, the non-survivors had significantly lower concentrations of plasma apoA-V on admission. Plasma apoA-V concentrations were positively correlated with prothrombin time activity (PTA), and negatively correlated with interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and iMELD scores. Though plasma apoA-V, PTA, total bilirubin(TBil) and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) were all independent factors to predict one-year outcomes of HBV-ACLF, plasma apoA-V had the highest prediction accuracy. And its optimal cutoff value for one-year survival prediction was 480.00 ng/mL, which had a positive predictive value of 84.68% and a negative predictive value of 92.23%. In summary, plasma apoA-V decreases significantly in non-survivors of HBV-ACLF, and it may be regarded as a new predictive marker for the prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF. PMID:28358016
Guo, Tao; He, Yukun; Ma, Weijie; Liu, Zhisu
Aims. To understand the feasibility and efficacy of treatment with SAMe in patients with hepatitis B-related HCC with different Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages. Methods. We retrospectively enrolled 697 patients with BCLC early-stage (stages 0-A) and advanced-stage (stages B-C) HCC who underwent SAMe therapy (354 cases) or no SAMe therapy (343 cases). The baseline characteristics, postoperative recoveries, and 24-month overall survival rates of the patients in the 2 groups were compared. Cox regression model analysis was performed to confirm the independent variables influencing the survival rate. Results. For patients in the early-stage (BCLC stages A1–A4) group, little benefit of SAMe therapy was observed. For advanced-stage (BCLC B-C) patients, SAMe therapy reduced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels and effectively delayed the recurrence time and enhanced the 24-month survival rate. Cox regression model analysis in the advanced-stage group revealed that treatment with SAMe, preoperative viral load, and Child-Pugh grade were independent variables influencing survival time. Conclusion. SAMe therapy exhibited protective and therapeutic efficacy for BCLC advanced-stage HBV-related HCC patients. And the efficacy of SAMe therapy should be further explored in randomized prospective clinical trials. PMID:28003820
ZHOU, DONGSHENG; LIANG, JIANZHONG; XU, LI; HE, FENGYING; ZHOU, ZHONGGUO; ZHANG, YAOJUN; CHEN, MINSHAN
The derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) has been proposed as an easily determinable prognostic factor for cancer patients, but the prognostic significance of the dNLR in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated. The present study aimed to validate the prognostic power of the NLR and dNLR in HCC patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). The data of 279 consecutive patients who underwent TACE for unresectable HBV-associated HCC between September 2009 and November 2011 at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China) were retrieved from a prospective database. The cut-off values for the NLR and dNLR were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The association between the NLR and dNLR and the clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS) rates and times of patients was analyzed. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory ability of the NLR and dNLR. The median follow-up period was 446 days, the 1, 2 and 3-year OS rates were 38.8, 18.5 and 11.1% respectively, and the median OS time was 264 days. The cut-off values were determined as 2.6 and 1.8 for the NLR and dNLR, respectively. The NLR and dNLR were each associated with patient age, presence of vascular invasion, tumor size, AST level and ALP level. Multivariate analysis showed that the NLR, dNLR, ALT level and AFP level were independent prognostic factors for OS. An elevated NLR or dNLR was associated with a poor prognosis (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). The prognostic power of NLR [AUC=0.539; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.423–0.656] and dNLR (AUC=0.522; 95% CI, 0.406–0.638) was similar. Elevated dNLR predicted poor prognosis for patients with HBV-associated HCC undergoing TACE, with similar prognostic power to NLR. The dNLR may be used as an alternative to the NLR, as it is easily available and inexpensive. PMID:27123051
Background HBV-X protein is associated with the pathogenesis of HBV related diseases, specially in hepatocellular carcinomas of chronic patients. Genetic variability of the X gene includes genotypic specific variations and mutations emerging during chronic infection. Its coding sequence overlaps important regions for virus replication, including the basal core promoter. Differences in the X gene may have implications in biological functions of the protein and thus, affect the evolution of the disease. There are controversial results about the consequences of mutations in this region and their relationship with pathogenesis. The purpose of this work was to describe the diversity of HBV-X gene in chronic hepatitis patients infected with different genotypes, according to liver disease. Methods HBV-X gene was sequenced from chronic hepatitis B patient samples, analyzed by phylogeny and genotyped. Nucleotide and aminoacid diversity was determined calculating intragenetic distances. Mutations at 127, 130 and 131 aminoacids were considered in relation to liver disease. Results The most prevalent genotype detected in this cohort was F (F1 and F4), followed by D and A. Most of the samples corresponding to genotypes A and F1 were HBeAg(+) and for genotypes D and F4, HBeAg(−) samples were represented in a higher percentage. Intragenetic distance values were higher in HBeAg(−) than in positive samples for all genotypes, and lower in overlapped regions, compared to single codification ones. Nucleotide and aminoacid diversities were higher in HBeAg(−), than in HBeAg(+) samples. Conclusions Independently of the infecting genotypes, mutations at any of 127, 130 and/or 131 aminoacid positions and HBeAg(−) status were associated with mild liver disease in this cohort. PMID:22769058
Yeh, Chih-Ching; Wang, Wen-Chang; Wu, Chien-Sheng; Sung, Fung-Chang; Su, Chien-Tien; Shieh, Ying-Hua; Chang, Shih-Ni; Su, Fu-Hsiung
Objective The association between Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and chronic hepatitis virus infection is inconclusive. Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are highly prevalent in Taiwan. We used a population-based case-control study to evaluate the associations between SS and HBV and HCV infections. Materials and Methods We identified 9,629 SS patients without other concomitant autoimmune diseases and 38,516 sex- and age-matched controls without SS from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims data between 2000 and 2011. We utilized multivariate logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations between SS and HBV and HCV infections. Sex- and age-specific (<55 and ≥55 years) risks of SS were evaluated. Results The risk of SS was higher in patients with HCV than in those without chronic viral hepatitis (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 2.16–2.86). Conversely, HBV infection was not associated with SS (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.98–1.24). Younger HCV patients were at a higher risk for SS (<55 years: OR = 3.37, 95% CI = 2.62–4.35; ≥55 years: OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.84–2.62). Men with HCV were at a greater risk for SS (women: OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.94–2.63; men: OR = 4.22, 95% CI = 2.90–6.16). Only men with chronic HBV exhibited a higher risk of SS (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.21–2.14). Conclusion HCV infection was associated with SS; however, HBV only associated with SS in men. PMID:27560377
Godon, O; Fontaine, H; Kahi, S; Meritet, Jf; Scott-Algara, D; Pol, S; Michel, Ml; Bourgine, M
A substudy of a phase I/II, prospective, multicenter clinical trial was carried out to investigate the potential benefit of therapeutic vaccination on hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), treated efficiently with analogues. Patients were randomized in 2 arms, one receiving a hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope DNA vaccine, and one without vaccination. At baseline, HBV-specific interferon (IFN)-γ-producing T cells were detected in both groups after in vitro expansion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Vaccine-specific responses remained stable in the vaccine group, whereas in the control group the percentage of patients with HBV-specific IFN-γ-producing T cells decreased over time. The vaccine-specific cytokine-producing T cells were mostly polyfunctional CD4(+) T cells, and the proportion of triple cytokine-producer T cells was boosted after DNA injections. However, these T-cell responses did not impact on HBV reactivation after stopping analogue treatment. Importantly, before cessation of treatment serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) titers were significantly associated with DNA or HBsAg clearance. Therapeutic vaccination in CHB patients with persistent suppression of HBV replication led to the persistence of T-cell responses, but further improvements should be searched for to control infection after treatment discontinuation.
Chen, Miao; Zhuang, Junling; Zhou, Daobin; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Yongqiang; Wang, Shujie; Zhang, Wei; Duan, Minghui; Zhu, Tienan; Li, Jian; Cai, Huacong; Cao, Xinxin; Han, Bing
The influence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on the efficacy of intensive immunosuppressive treatment (IST) of severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) patients remains unclear. Previous reports on this topic have been mostly case reports or have had a relatively short follow-up. Eight SAA patients carrying chronic HBV infection and 24 matched patients without HBV at a ratio of 1:3 were included in this retrospective analysis. The patients were treated with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine A. Entecavir was or was not administered throughout the IST course to patients with positive or negative HBV-DNA results, respectively. No evident HBV reactivation developed. The overall response was 87.5% by 12 months, and the recurrence rate was 12.5%. There were no significant differences in overall response, overall survival and event-free survival between groups. Entecavir can effectively prevent reactivation of HBV in SAA patients with positive HBV-DNA who received intensive IST. Regular surveillance may be sufficient for HBV-DNA negative patients who should receive antiviral drugs immediately when their HBV-DNA status changes from negative to positive. The prognosis of SAA patients with chronic HBV infection after intensive IST treatment is not worse than those without HBV infection.
Perrillo, Robert; Buti, Maria; Durand, Francois; Charlton, Michael; Gadano, Adrian; Cantisani, Guido; Loong, Che-Chuan; Brown, Kimberly; Hu, Wenhua; Lopez-Talavera, Juan Carlos; Llamoso, Cyril
For patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease, the current standard of care for preventing reinfection of the allograft is nucleoside analogue therapy combined with hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG). Entecavir has demonstrated high efficacy and a favorable safety profile for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment, but data for patients undergoing HBV-related LT are limited. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of entecavir combined with various HBIG regimens after CHB-related LT. In this phase 3b, single-arm, open-label study, 65 patients undergoing LT for CHB-related liver disease with an HBV DNA load <172 IU/mL at LT received entecavir (1.0 mg daily) for 72 weeks after LT. The primary endpoint was the proportion of evaluable patients (treated for ≥4 weeks) with virological recurrence (HBV DNA level ≥50 IU/mL) through week 72. Concomitant HBIG therapy was received by 64 of the 65 enrolled patients, and 44% of these patients received high-dose HBIG (any HBIG dose in the specified interval ≥10,000 IU). Through week 72, all 61 patients evaluable for the efficacy analysis had undetectable HBV DNA. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of patients without hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) recurrence at week 72 was 0.9655. Two patients experienced a reappearance of HBsAg, but both remained HBV DNA(-) until the last follow-up. The frequency and nature of adverse events were consistent with those expected for this patient population. Serum creatinine increments ≥0.3 mg/dL and ≥0.5 mg/dL occurred in 62% and 39% of the patients, respectively, and all of these patients received calcineurin inhibitor therapy. In conclusion, in this population of patients treated with entecavir after CHB-related LT, entecavir was well tolerated and effective in maintaining viral suppression, even in individuals who experienced a reappearance of HBsAg.
Lu, Hai-Ying; Zeng, Zheng; Xu, Xiao-Yuan; Zhang, Nai-Lin; Yu, Min; Gong, Wei-Bo
AIM: To investigate the clinical significance and presence of mutations in the surface (S) and overlapping polymerase gene of hepatitis B patients with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with chronic hepatitis B were studied. Of the 23 patients, 11 were both positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs), 12 were negative for anti-HBs while positive for HBsAg. DNA was extracted from 200 μL serum of the patients. Nucleotide of the surface and overlapping polymerase gene from HBV-infected patients was amplified by PCR, and the PCR products were sequenced. RESULTS: Forty-one mutations were found within the surface gene protein of HBV in 15 patients (10 with coexisting HBsAg and anti-HBs). Six (14.6%) out of 41 mutations were located at “α” determinant region in 5 patients (4 positive for HBsAg and anti-HBs). Eleven mutations (26.8%) occurred in the downstream or upstream of “α” determinant region. Lamivudine (LMV)-selected mutations were found in three patients who developed anti-HBs, which occurred in amino acid positions (196, 198, 199) of the surface protein and in YMDD motif (M204I/V) of the polymerase protein simultaneously. Presence of these mutations did not relate to changes in ALT and HBV DNA levels. CONCLUSION: Besides mutations in the “α” deter-minant region, mutations at downstream or upstream of the “α” determinant region may contribute to the development of anti-HBs. These mutations do not block the replicating competency of HBV in the presence of high titer of anti-HBs. PMID:16830379
Sun, Hsin-Yun; Sheng, Wang-Huei; Tsai, Mao-Song; Lee, Kuan-Yeh; Chang, Sui-Yuan; Hung, Chien-Ching
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Due to the shared modes of transmission, coinfection with HBV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is not uncommon. It is estimated that 10% of HIV-infected patients worldwide are coinfected with HBV. In areas where an HBV vaccination program is implemented, the HBV seroprevalence has declined significantly. In HIV/HBV-coinfected patients, HBV coinfection accelerates immunologic and clinical progression of HIV infection and increases the risk of hepatotoxicity when combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is initiated, while HIV infection increases the risk of hepatitis events, cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease related to chronic HBV infection. With the advances in antiviral therapy, concurrent, successful long-term suppression of HIV and HBV replication can be achieved in the cART era. To reduce the disease burden of HBV infection among HIV-infected patients, adoption of safe sex practices, avoidance of sharing needles and diluent, HBV vaccination and use of cART containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate plus emtricitabine or lamivudine are the most effective approaches. However, due to HIV-related immunosuppression, using increased doses of HBV vaccine and novel approaches to HBV vaccination are needed to improve the immunogenicity of HBV vaccine among HIV-infected patients. PMID:25356024
Motamedifar, Mohammad; Taheri, Mohammad; Lankarani, Kamran Bagheri; Gholami, Mina; Lari, Mahmood Amini; Faramarzi, Hossein; Sarvari, Jamal
Evidence has shown that liver disease caused by hepatitis viruses can be more aggressive and severe in HIV infected subjects. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of HDV infection among HIV/HBV co-infected clients in Shiraz, southwest Iran. In this study, 178 patients co-infected with HBV and HIV individuals were enrolled. The diagnosis of HIV infection was documented based on serological assays. The demographic and complementary data were collected by a questionnaire. HBsAg and HDV Ab were detected by commercial quantitative enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were also measured. The mean age of the participants was 37.4±7.4 years (range 22-63). 175 (98.4 %) patients were male and 3 (1.6 %) were female. Among 178 patients co-infected with HIV/HBV, 35 cases (19.7%, 95% CI: 14%-25%) were anti-HDV positive and 143 (80.3%) were negative for anti-HDV. HDV exposure in HIV/HBV co-infected patients was associated with blood transfusion (P=0.002, OR: 14.3) and prison history (P=0.01, OR: 2.31) but not with age, marital status, unsafe sex contact, and injection drug abuse. Our data showed a relatively high prevalence of HDV infection in HIV infected population in Shiraz, Iran. The high frequency of HDV Ab in patients with blood transfusion and prison history reveals that HDV transmission occurs more frequently in the parental route than sexual contacts; therefore, blood screening for HDV diagnosis in the high-risk group is recommended. PMID:26379352
Martinot-Peignoux, Michelle; Marcellin, Patrick
Molecular biology techniques are routinely used to diagnose and monitor treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). These tools can detect and quantify viral genomes and analyse their sequences to determine genotype. The increasing use of these tools to monitor patients has greatly improved the management of CHB infection by maximizing the potential for individualized treatment. HBV genotyping has become increasingly important and provides additional information to predict a response to therapy. More sensitive methods to determine HBV DNA levels are now available and the units of measurements have been standardized. HBsAg levels in serum have been shown to reflect active intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and to have additional value in treatment decisions, especially as an on-treatment marker.
Yang, Fan; Zhu, Huan-Ling; He, Chuan; Li, Jian-Jun; Xiang, Bing; Cui, Xu; Huang, Jie; Ji, Jie; Ma, Hong-Bing; Liu, Ting
Recent data indicates that nucleoside/nucleotide analogue (NUC) is effective in preventing and controlling hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in HBV-carrying cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy, but the ideal antiviral agent and optimal application protocol still needs to be determined. Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether those with past HBV infection require antiviral prophylaxis during chemotherapy. This report retrospectively analyzed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients seen from January, 2004 to June, 2009 in West China Hospital. We found that the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in our NHL patients was 20.7 % while that of past HBV infection was 21.05 %. Compared with the high rate (25.6 %) of HBV reactivation in patients with chronic HBV infection, none of those with past HBV infection in fact had occult HBV infection thus none experienced reactivation. Of the 82 patients with chronic HBV infection who received chemotherapy, antiviral prophylaxis could significantly reduce the incidence of HBV reactivation (5.0 vs. 45.2 % in the control group) and the incidence of liver function damage (32.5 vs. 73.8 % in the control group). The results of the current study confirmed previous reports that prophylactic NUCs administration can effectively prevent HBV reactivation and significantly reduce the incidence of HBV reactivation especially for patients receiving rituximab-containing regimens. Due to the fact that none of individuals who had past HBV infection developed HBV reactivation reported in our study, antiviral prophylaxis may not be required for patients with past HBV infection. Close observation of alanine aminotransferase and HBV-DNA contributes to early diagnosis and timely treatment of HBV reactivation.
Zhu, L G; Tian, H; Jiang, J; Song, C; Zou, Y; Xu, J F; Liu, H J; Peng, H; Hu, Z B; Zhu, F C; Shen, H B; Zhai, X J
Objective: To understand characteristics and influencing factors of reversion of HBeAg in chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg sero-conversion, and provide epidemiological evidence for the regular management of chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: From 2012 to 2014, a cohort study was conducted among the chronic hepatitis B patients with sero-conversion of HBeAg in Jiangsu province. Association between participants' demographics, ALT, HBV DNA and incidence of HBeAg reversion was analyzed by Cox regression model. HBV DNA changing trend between patients with HBeAg reversion and patients with persistent HBeAg sero-conversion was compared by repeated measure data variance analysis. Results: In 2012, there were 5 068 HBeAg seroconverted chronic hepatitis B patients aged (51.9 ± 12.8) years enrolled. By 2014, HBeAg had reversed in 121 cases with the rate of 1.3/100 person-years. The probability of HBeAg reversion decreased with the age of the patients. By Cox regression analysis, HBV DNA level was an important influencing factor for the progress of HBeAg reversion. The patients with HBV DNA≥200 000 IU/ml had a higher HBeAg reversion rate DNA (3.8/100 person-years) than those with HBV DNA <2 000 IU/ml (1.1 person-years) (HR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.91-6.20, P=0.000). Compared with the persistent HBeAg sero-conversion group, HBV DNA and ALT showed a more dramatic increase in the HBeAg reversion group (P=0.000). Conclusions: There was a certain HBeAg reversion rate in chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg sero-conversion. Younger chronic CHB patients with HBeAg sero-conversion and those with higher HBV DNA lever had higher HBeAg reversion rate. Following up and management of chronic CHB patients with HBeAg sero-conversion is important and helpful for the control of hepatitis B.
Ferrari, T.C.A.; Xavier, M.A.P.; Vidigal, P.V.T.; Amaral, N.S.; Diniz, P.A.; Resende, A.P.; Miranda, D.M.; Faria, A.C.; Lima, A.S.; Faria, L.C.
Estimates of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection prevalence varies among different studies depending on the prevalence of HBV infection in the study population and on the sensitivity of the assay used to detect HBV DNA. We investigated the prevalence of occult HBV infection in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation in a Brazilian referral center. Frozen liver samples from 68 adults were analyzed using a nested polymerase chain reaction assay for HBV DNA. The specificity of the amplified HBV sequences was confirmed by direct sequencing of the amplicons. The patient population comprised 49 (72.1%) males and 19 (27.9%) females with a median age of 53 years (range=18-67 years). Occult HBV infection was diagnosed in three (4.4%) patients. The etiologies of the underlying chronic liver disease in these cases were alcohol abuse, HBV infection, and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Two of the patients with cryptic HBV infection also presented hepatocellular carcinoma. Markers of previous HBV infection were available in two patients with occult HBV infection and were negative in both. In conclusion, using a sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction assay to detect HBV DNA in frozen liver tissue, we found a low prevalence of occult HBV infection in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplant, probably due to the low prevalence of HBV infection in our population. PMID:25296362
Wang, Hong; Xue, Li; Yan, Rong; Zhou, Yin; Wang, Ming-Shan; Cheng, Mei-Juan; Hai-Jun Huang
Liver disease can develop in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) who seldom undergo liver biopsy. We aimed to determine histologic characteristics of a large cohort of Chinese CHB patients undergoing liver biopsy and to evaluate the utility of ALT and HBV DNA values at the time of biopsy in predicting liver disease in this population. This prospective study enrolled 230 treatment-naïve patients with persistently normal or mildly elevated ALT. All patients had a liver biopsy. ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and HBV DNA levels were some of the other parameters measured. Using Scheuer's classification, significant histology was defined as stage ≧2 fibrosis and/or stage 1 fibrosis plus≧ grade 2 inflammation. Liver disease was observed in 34.4% and 61.8% of patients with normal ALT and mildly elevated ALT, respectively. Patients with mildly elevated ALT levels had significantly more events, including liver disease, elevated AST, and moderate to severe inflammation and liver fibrosis, than patients with normal ALT (all P≤0.005). A total of 107 patients (46.5%) had liver disease and 123 (53.5%) did not. PLT and ALT were significantly associated with liver disease (both P<0.001). Patients with elevated ALT, lower platelet count and HBV DNA < 7 log10copies/mL may have histologically significant changes associated with liver disease. Multivariate analysis showed that PLT and HBV DNA levels were significantly associated with liver disease in patients with normal ALT while gender and HBV DNA levels were significantly associated with liver disease in patients with mildly elevated ALT. Assessing liver damage via biopsy in patients with normal or mildly elevated ALT may help to identify those who would benefit from antiviral therapy. PMID:24260428
Zhang, X; Jia, J; Dong, J; Yu, F; Ma, N; Li, M; Liu, X; Liu, W; Li, T; Liu, D
Two recent genome-wide studies showed that the single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the HLA-DQ region (rs2856718 and rs9275572) were associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and chronic hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma in Japanese patients. We tested the effects of the two single-nucleotide polymorphisms for all major HBV outcomes and lamivudine treatment in Han Chinese. A total of 1649 samples were enrolled, and peripheral blood samples were collected in this study. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the HLA-DQ region were genotyped using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. Our study demonstrated the clear relevance of HLA-DQ rs2856718 and rs9275572 with HBV susceptibility, natural clearance and HBV-associated HCC. HLA-DQ rs2856718G and rs9275572A were strongly associated with decreased risk of chronic HBV infection (odds ratio = 0.641; P = 2.64 × 10(-4) ; odds ratio = 0.627, P = 7.22 × 10(-5) ) and HBV natural clearance (odds ratio = 0.610; P = 4.80 × 10(-4) ; odds ratio = 0.714, P = 0.013). Moreover, rs9275572A was also associated with development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (odds ratio = 0.632, P = 0.008). In addition, we showed for the first time to our knowledge that rs9275572 was a predictor for lamivudine therapy (viral response: odds ratio = 2.599, P = 4.43 × 10(-4) ; biochemical response: odds ratio = 2.279, P = 4.23 × 10(-4) ). Our study suggested that HLA-DQ loci were associated with both HBV clearance and HBV-related diseases and outcomes of lamivudine treatment in Han Chinese.
Yang, Fu-Qiang; Rao, Gui-Rong; Wang, Gui-Qiang; Li, Yue-Qi; Xie, Yao; Zhang, Zhan-Qing; Deng, Cun-Liang; Mao, Qing; Li, Jun; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Mao-Rong; Han, Tao; Chen, Shi-Jun; Pan, Chen; Tan, De-Ming; Shang, Jia; Zhang, Ming-Xiang; Zhang, Yue-Xin; Yang, Ji-Ming; Chen, Guang-Ming
AIM To assess the efficacy and safety of in vivo electroporation (EP)-mediated dual-plasmid hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA vaccine vs placebo for sequential combination therapy with lamivudine (LAM) in patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS Two hundred and twenty-five patients were randomized to receive either LAM + vaccine (vaccine group, n = 109) or LAM + placebo (control group, n = 116). LAM treatment lasted 72 wk. Patients received the DNA vaccine or placebo by intramuscular injection mediated by EP at weeks 12 (start of treatment with vaccine or placebo, SOT), 16, 24, and 36 (end of treatment with vaccine or placebo, EOT). RESULTS In the modified intent-to-treat population, more patients had a decrease in HBV DNA > 2 log10 IU/mL in the vaccine group at week 12 after EOT compared with the control group. A trend toward a difference in the number of patients with undetectable HBV DNA at week 28 after EOT was obtained. Adverse events were similar. In the dynamic per-protocol set, which excluded adefovir (ADV) add-on cases at each time point instantly after ADV administration due to LAM antiviral failure, more patients had a decrease in HBV DNA > 2 log10 IU/mL in the vaccine group at week 12 and 28 after EOT compared with the control group. More patients with undetectable HBV DNA at week 28 after EOT in the vaccine group were also observed. Among patients with a viral load < 1000 copies/mL at week 12, more patients achieved HBeAg seroconversion in the vaccine group than among controls at week 36 after EOT, as well as less virological breakthrough and YMDD mutations. CONCLUSION The primary endpoint was not achieved using the HBV DNA vaccine. The HBV DNA vaccine could only be beneficial in subjects that have achieved initial virological response under LAM chemotherapy. PMID:28127204
Stanojević, Boban; Osiowy, Carla; Schaefer, Stephan; Bojović, Ksenija; Blagojević, Jelena; Nešić, Milica; Yamashita, Shunichi; Stamenković, Gorana
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is classified into 8 genotypes with distinct geographical distribution. Genotype D (HBV/D) has the widest distribution area and is comprised of 7 subgenotypes. Subgenotypes D1, D2 and D3 appear worldwide, while D4-D7 have a more restricted distribution. Within the Mediterranean area, HBV/D and subgenotype D3 are the most prevalent. The purpose of this study was to characterize the full genome of Serbian HBV/D3 isolates by comparison and phylogenetic analysis with HBV/D3 sequences (66 samples) found in GeneBank/DDBJ databases from different parts of the world. Isolates were obtained from three patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (HBsAg+). All three isolates have two very rare nucleotide substitutions, A929T and T150A, which indicate the same ancestor. Phylogenetic analysis of HBV/D3 genome sequences throughout the world follows an ethno-geographical origin of isolates with rare exceptions, which could be explained by human travelling and migration. The geographically close but ethnically different Serbian and Italian isolates clustered in the same subnode, and on a common branch with strains from Northern Canada. To test the apparently close HBV phylogenetic relationship between completely separated patients from Serbia and Northern Canada we analyzed in depth a 440 bp region of the HBsAg from Canadian (n=73) and Serbian (n=70) isolates. The constructed parsimony tree revealed that strains from Serbia and Northern Canada fell along the same branch which indicates independent evolution within regions of each country. Considering that HBsAg sequence has limited variability for phylogenetic analyses, our hypothesis needs further confirmation with more HBV complete genome sequences.
Li, Xiaosong; Zhu, Junke; Lai, Guoqi; Yan, Lei; Hu, Jieli; Chen, Juan; Tang, Ni; Huang, Ailong
Studies on molecular mechanisms of the persist infection of hepatitis B virus have been hampered by a lack of a robust animal model. We successfully established a simple, versatile, and reproducible HBV persist infection model in vitro and in vivo with the circularized HBV DNA. The cells and mice were transfected or injected with circularized HBV DNA and pAAV/HBV1.2, respectively. At the indicated time, the cells, supernatants, serum samples, and liver tissues were collected for virological and serological detection. Both in vitro and in vivo, the circularized HBV DNA and pAAV/HBV1.2 could replicate and transcribe efficiently, but the infection effect of the former was superior to the latter (p < 0.05). The injection of circularized HBV genome DNA into the mice robustly supported HBV infection and approximately 80% of HBV infected mice established persistent infection for at least 10 weeks. This study demonstrated that the infection efficiency and replication ability of the circularized structure of HBV DNA overmatched that of the expression plasmid containing the linear structure of HBV DNA in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, this research results could provide useful tools and methodology for further study of pathogenic mechanisms and potential antiviral treatments of human chronic HBV infection in vitro and in vivo. PMID:25751726
Chen, Fei; Zhang, Jian; Wen, Bo; Luo, Shan; Lin, Yingbiao; Ou, Wensheng; Guo, Fengfan; Tang, Ping; Liu, Wenpei; Qu, Xiaowang
Hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV) dual infection is common among high-risk individuals. To characterize the virological and immunological features of patients with HBV/HCV dual infection, we enrolled 1,049 individuals who have been identified as injection drug users. Patients were divided into single and dual infection groups according to the serological markers. We found the average HCV RNA level was significantly lower; however, HBV viral load was significantly higher in HBV/HCV dual-infected patients (n = 42) comparing HCV single infection (n = 340) or HBV single infection (n = 136). The level of anti-HBs in patients who experienced spontaneous HBV clearance was higher than that in HCV single-infected patients with HBV spontaneous clearance. The level of anti-HCV E2 in HBV/HCV dual infection was lower than that detected in HCV single infection. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were significantly lower in HBV/HCV dual-infected patients than in patients infected with HBV or HCV alone. Taken together, two viral replications are imbalanced in dual infected patients. The anti-HBs and anti-HCV E2 antibody production were impaired and proinflammatory IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α also downregulated due to dual infection. These findings will help further understanding the pathogenesis of HBV/HCV dual infection. PMID:28009018
Takagi, Hitoshi; Hoshino, Takashi; Naganuma, Atsushi; Koitabashi, Eri; Uehara, Sanae; Sakamoto, Naomi; Kudo, Tomohiro; Ryusaki, Keiichirou; Kakizaki, Satoru; Okamoto, Hiroaki
Sixty year-old male positive for both HCV-RNA and HBsAg was treated by triple therapy of peginterferon alpha2b, ribavirin and telaprevir. Eight weeks after the beginning of the therapy, the patient developed drug induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) with general erythema multiforme and 64 times anti-HHV6 antibody elevation. Sixty milligram of prednisolone was administered with gradual dose reduction and the skin lesion was improved. HBV-DNA and transaminase elevated one week after the steroid induction and entecavir improved them. DIHS itself and the aggravation of hepatitis B by corticosteroid should be kept in mind in cases with dual infection of HBV and HCV treated by antivirals including telaprevir.
Zhou, Tai-Cheng; Li, Xiao; Li, Long; Li, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Liang; Wei, Jia
Although the evolutionary changes of viral quasispecies are correlated to the pathological status of a disease, little is known in the coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to these antigens (anti-HBs). To examine evolutionary changes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and their relationship to the coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies, HBV genomes in patients with a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies (experimental group) and HBsAg positive without anti-HBs (control group) were assessed. Our results showed that quasispecies diversity was significantly higher in the experimental group for large HBsAg (LHBsAg), middle HBsAg (MHBsAg), and HBsAg genes. LHBsAg harbored dN/dS values eight times higher in the experimental group; however, the mean dN/dS ratios in genes HbxAg, Pol and PreC/C of the experimental patients had an opposite trend. Phylogenetic trees in the experimental group were more complex than the control group. More positive selection sites, mutations and deletions were observed in the experimental group in specific regions. Furthermore, several amino acid variants in epitopes were potentially associated with the immune evasion. In conclusion, cumulative evolutionary changes in HBV genome that facilitate immune evasion provide insights into the genetic mechanism of a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies.
Tao, Jingjing; Su, Kunkai; Yu, Chengbo; Liu, Xiaoli; Wu, Wei; Xu, Wei; Jiang, Bingxun; Luo, Rui; Yao, Jian; Zhou, Jiawei; Zhan, Yan; Ye, Chao; Yuan, Wenji; Jiang, Xianzhong; Cui, Wenyan; Li, Ming D; Li, Lianjuan
Recent genome-wide association studies have revealed the HLA region on chromosome 6p21 as a susceptibility locus for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a finding subsequently replicated in independent samples. However, only limited single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed in most of these studies, and it remains to be determined which SNPs contribute to the detected association. After genotyping 140 SNPs within this genomic region in a total of 1657 HBV-positive patients and 1456 HBV-negative controls, we conducted a series of genetic epidemiological and bioinformatics analysis, including individual SNP-based association analysis, haplotype-based association analysis, and conditional analysis. We identified 76 SNPs and 5 LD blocks in HLA-DP/DQ clusters that are significantly associated with HBV infection, with the smallest P value being 3.88 × 10(-18) for rs9277535 in HLA-DPB1. With conditional analysis, we further revealed that the genes contributing to the effects of variants in HLA-DP/DQ on infection are independent of each other, and the LD block 5 in the 3'-UTR region of HLA-DPB1 had a predominant effect in the association of HLA-DP with HBV infection. We also found that the SNPs in the 3'-UTR region of HLA-DPB1 were significant between the subgroups of inactive HBV carrier, chronic hepatitis B, or hepatic cirrhosis from the case group and the spontaneous HBV-clearance subgroup from the control group. Finally, we did further association analysis of SNPs in this region with different subgroups from the case group, which revealed no association of these SNPs with the progression of HBV-related diseases. In sum, we showed, for the first time, that the HLA-DP/DQ clusters contribute independently to HBV infection, and the 3'-UTR region of HLA-DPB1 represents an important functional region involved in HBV infection.
Yeh, Ming-Lun; Huang, Ching-I; Hsieh, Ming-Yen; Huang, Chung-Feng; Hsieh, Meng-Hsuan; Huang, Jee-Fu; Dai, Chia-Yen; Lin, Zu-Yau; Chen, Shinn-Chern; Yu, Ming-Lung; Chuang, Wan-Long
The subsequent maintenance therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients after long-term viral replication suppression is still uncertain. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of lamivudine (LAM) maintenance therapy in CHB patients achieving undetectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA after 3 years of entecavir (ETV) therapy. Consecutive CHB patients who received at least 3 years of ETV and achieved HBV DNA negativity were allocated either LAM switch therapy or stopped ETV therapy in a prospective, open-label study. Another group of sex- and age-matched patients with continuous ETV therapy for at least 4 years served as historical control group. The primary outcome measurement of the study was relapse of HBV DNA (defined as serum HBV DNA level ≥ 2000 IU/mL). A total of 74 patients, including 42 of LAM switch and 32 of the nonswitch group, were enrolled. There were no significant differences in demographics, except a higher proportion of patients with positive hepatitis B envelope antigen in the nonswitch group at the initiation of ETV therapy. The LAM switch group had significantly lower 1-year relapse rate of HBV within 1 year compared to the nonswitch group (14.3% vs. 75%, p<0.001). However, none of the 48 historical control patients developed relapse of HBV, which was significantly lower than the rate in LAM switch group (p < 0.001). LAM switch was the only factor associated with HBV DNA relapse. In conclusion, continuous long-term potent nucleot(s)ide analogue therapy is mandatory for prevention of viral relapse in CHB patients.
Liu, Chao; Huang, Xuan; Werner, Melanie; Broering, Ruth; Ge, Jun; Li, Yongyin; Liao, Baolin; Sun, Jian; Peng, Jie; Lu, Mengji; Hou, Jinlin; Zhang, Xiaoyong
C–X–C-chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13), the ligand for C–X–C chemokine receptor type 5 (CXCR5), is a major regulator of B-cell trafficking and plays an integral role in age-dependent clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the mouse model. However, the expression and function of CXCL13 in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remain unknown. By use of liver cell subpopulations isolated from CHB patients, we found that CXCL13 mRNA was abundantly expressed in Kupffer cells (KCs), but not in primary hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and hepatic stellate cells. Interestingly, KC isolated from HBV-positive liver had much higher level of CXCL13 expression than non-HBV-infected controls. And its expression was induced by toll-like receptor 3 ligand poly I:C stimulation. Moreover, intense expression of CXCL13 protein and accumulation of CD4+ T and B cells were evident in follicular-like structures in the liver tissue of CHB patients, which indicated its chemotactic effect on CXCR5+ CD4+ cells and B cells. Consistently, the levels of serum CXCL13 were significantly higher in the CHB patients than in healthy controls. Furthermore, CXCL13 concentration was increased in the complete response (CR) group during weeks 0–12 and did not change significantly during the course of telbivudine treatment, compared with the patients who didn’t achieve CR. In conclusion, the HBV-related increase of CXCL13 production in KC and serum CXCL13 level during telbivudine treatment might be associated with immune control of chronic HBV infection. PMID:28386259
Wang, Hong-wei; Gao, Hai-li; Wei, Xiao-xia; Wang, Xin-hong
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replicates noncytopathically in hepatocytes, but HBV or proteins encoded by HBV genome could induce cytokines, chemokines expression by hepatocytes.IL-12 is a typical proinflammatory cytokine that plays a critical role in host defense against pathogens, including the HBV. However, the role of IL-12 in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains unclear. The aims of this study were to detect the expression of IL-12 in CHB patients and explore the molecular mechanism of HBV-induced IL-12 expression. The results showed that serum levels and hepatic expression of IL-12 were significantly upregulated in CHB patients. HBx protein increased IL-12 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, inhibition of PI3K/Akt significantly decreased the HBx-induced IL-12 expression and Akt activation. Taken together, these results indicate that the molecular mechanism of HBV-induced IL-12 expression involves activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway by HBx, leading to transactivation of the IL-12 p35 and p40 promoters.
Wang, J-Y; Mao, R-C; Zhang, Y-M; Zhang, Y-J; Liu, H-Y; Qin, Y-L; Lu, M-J; Zhang, J-M
Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and normal or mildly increased transaminases may have sustained significant liver damage, as verified by liver biopsy. However, no suitable noninvasive method exists for identifying liver necroinflammation in such patients. We aimed to investigate the power of microRNA-124 as a novel biomarker for liver necroinflammation. A total of 131 recruited patients with chronic HBV infection underwent liver biopsy for grading of necroinflammation (G) and staging of fibrosis (S). Thirty healthy individuals were included as controls (HCs). Serum microRNA-124 and microRNA-122 levels were measured using qRT-PCR. Forty-five patients from the study population receiving entecavir therapy were monitored for changes in serum microRNA-124 levels in association with improved liver histology. The capacity of serum microRNA-124 levels in discriminating the grade of liver necroinflammation was compared with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with liver biopsy validation. Serum microRNA-124 levels were significantly higher in patients with chronic HBV infection than in HCs (P < 0.0001). Patients with considerable liver necroinflammation (G ≥ 2) had significantly higher serum miRNA-124 levels than those without or with mild necroinflammation (P < 0.0001). After 48 weeks of antiviral therapy, serum microRNA-124 levels considerably declined in 45 patients (P < 0.0001), which were associated with histological improvement. In patients with normal ALT and a serum HBV DNA load >10(4) copies/mL, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of serum microRNA-124 levels yielded an area under ROC curve (AUC) of 0.840, with 58.3% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity in discriminating between moderate-to-severe liver necroinflammation (G ≥ 2).
Haijun, Deng; Yong, Huang; Ailong, Huang; Quanxin, Long
There are significant differences in clinical characteristics between chronic hepatitis B virus infected (CHB) child and adult patients. Viral quasispecies characteristics are associated with its pathogenic properties. For hepatitis B virus (HBV), its core region is the main immune recognition region for its enriched epitopes. In our study, we discuss the quasispecies characteristics and positive selection within core gene within chronic HBV infected child and adult patients. By analyzing 170 core gene sequences from child CHB patients and 121 core genes sequences from adult CHB patients, quasispecies characteristics were described by sequence complexity, diversity, non-synonymous substitution ratio (dN) and synonymous substitution ratios (dS). In addition, positive selection sites were also determined by bioinformatics tools. Then, all these parameters were compared between child and adult CHB patient groups. Compared with child patients, adult patients with CHB showed distinct quasispecies characteristics within the core region, had a higher sequence complexity and diversity and more positive selection sites, suggesting that the adult CHB patients had a higher immune selection pressure on the HBV core gene. Reduced selection pressure on the HBV core gene in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients than HBeAg negative CHB patients were observed in both adult and child patient groups. The majority of the screened positive selection sites lay within human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-restricted epitopes. In conclusion, this study analyzed the quasispecies characteristics discrepancy between child and adult patients with CHB, and revealed the possible reason for the distinct clinical characteristics in the perspective of population genetics.
Ataei, Behrooz; Khodadoostan, Mahsa; Pouria, Babk; Adibi, Peyman
Objective: Tenofovir is among the first-line treatments for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of Tenofovir in treatment of Iranian patients with CHB. Methods: Forty treatment-native patients with CHB but without concurrent hepatitis C or human immunodeficiency virus infections were treated with Tenobiovir(™) 300 mg/day. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA load, hepatitis B e antigen (HBe Ag), anti-hepatitis B e antibody (HBe Ab), liver enzymes, and creatinine were measured before and at least 3 months after the treatment. Findings: The mean age of patients was 38.1 ± 12.4 years and 65% of them were male. Seventeen (42.5%) patients were HBe Ag-positive and 15 (37.5%) patients had alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of two times above the normal. The HBV DNA load was significantly decreased after the treatment (P < 0.001). Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients had viral load of ≤2000 IU/ml and 22 (55%) patients had undetectable HBV DNA level after the treatment. Among positive HBe Ag patients, the HBe Ag became negative in 15 (88.2%) patients after the treatment and HBe Ab became positive in 3 (17.6%) patients. Liver enzymes’ levels were significantly decreased after the treatment (P <0.05) and ALT transaminase level became normalized in 86.7% (13 out of 15) of cases with baseline levels twice the normal. Conclusion: Treatment response rate to Tenofovir in Iranian patients with CHB was high. The virological and serological response rate and safety of Tenofovir in our population was comparable to other populations. Considering availability and costs, Tenobiovir(™) could be recommended as the first-line therapy of chronic HBV infection in Iran. PMID:27512706
Lee, Hye Won; Ahn, Sang Hoon
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Applying the same strategies for antiviral therapy and HCC surveillance to all chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients would be a burden worldwide. To properly manage CHB patients, it is necessary to identify and classify the risk for HCC development in such patients. Several HCC risk scores based on risk factors such as cirrhosis, age, male gender, and high viral load have been used, and have negative predictive values of ≥ 95%. Most of these have been derived from, and internally validated in, treatment-naïve Asian CHB patients. Herein, we summarized various HCC prediction models, including IPM (Individual Prediction Model), CU-HCC (Chinese University-HCC), GAG-HCC (Guide with Age, Gender, HBV DNA, Core Promoter Mutations and Cirrhosis-HCC), NGM-HCC (Nomogram-HCC), REACH-B (Risk Estimation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B), and Page-B score. To develop a noninvasive test of liver fibrosis, we also introduced a new scoring system that uses liver stiffness values from transient elastography, including an LSM (Liver Stiffness Measurement)-based model, LSM-HCC, and mREACH-B (modified REACH-B). PMID:27729738
Banerjee, Priyanka; Mondal, Rajiv Kumar; Nandi, Madhuparna; Ghosh, Sumantra; Khatun, Mousumi; Chakraborty, Nabendu; Bhattacharya, Swatilekha; RoyChoudhury, Arindam; Banerjee, Soma; Santra, Amal; Sil, Samir; Chowdhury, Abhijit; Bhaumik, Pradip; Datta, Simanti
Background/Aims HBV has been classified into ten genotypes (A–J) and multiple subgenotypes, some of which strongly influence disease outcome and their distribution also correlate with human migration. HBV infection is highly prevalent in India and its diverse population provides an excellent opportunity to study the distinctiveness of HBV, its evolution and disease biology in variegated ethnic groups. The North-East India, having international frontiers on three sides, is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse region of the country. Given the paucity of information on molecular epidemiology of HBV in this region, the study aimed to carry out an in-depth genetic characterization of HBV prevailing in North-East state of Tripura. Methods From sera of chronically HBV infected patients biochemical/serological tests, HBV DNA quantification, PCR-amplification, sequencing of PreS/S or full-length HBV genomes were done. HBV genotype/subgenotype determination and sequence variability were assessed by MEGA5-software. The evolutionary divergence times of different HBV subgenotypes were estimated by DNAMLK/PHYLIP program while jpHMM method was used to detect any recombination event in HBV genomes. Results HBV genotypes D (89.5%), C (6.6%) and A (3.9%) were detected among chronic carriers. While all HBV/A and HBV/C isolates belonged to subgenotype-A1 and C1 respectively, five subgenotypes of HBV/D (D1–D5) were identified including the first detection of rare D4. These non-recombinant Indian D4 (IndD4) formed a distinct phylogenetic clade, had 2.7% nucleotide divergence and recent evolutionary radiation than other global D4. Ten unique amino acids and 9 novel nucleotide substitutions were identified as IndD4 signatures. All IndD4 carried T120 and R129 in ORF-S that may cause immune/vaccine/diagnostic escape and N128 in ORF-P, implicated as compensatory Lamivudine resistance mutation. Conclusions IndD4 has potential to undermine vaccination programs or anti
Han, Junyan; Wang, Lijia; Li, Mengge; Jiang, Yuyong; Wang, Xianbo; Yang, Zhiyun
Background The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a new prognostic predictor for patients with liver cancer. The association of NLR and T lymphocytes with the pathogenesis and progression of liver cancer is poorly understood. Methods Seventy-three patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated primary liver cancer (HBV-PLC), 50 patients with HBV-associated liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) and 37 patients with chronic HBV infection (CHB) were prospectively enrolled from July 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014 in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University (Beijing, China). The NLR, proportions and concentrations of neutrophils and lymphocytes, concentration of subpopulations of lymphocytes, and the expression of CD31 (index for recent thymic output) and HLA-DR (index for activation of T lymphocytes) of T cells in the peripheral blood samples of the patients were assessed and statistically compared between different groups. Results The NLR was significantly increased from patients with CHB, those with HBV-LC to those with HBV-PLC (P<0.05), along with significant increase of neutrophils and decrease of lymphocytes in the same way (P<0.05). The concentrations of T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, B cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were decreased from patients with CHB, those with HBV-LC to those with HBV-PLC, and were significantly reduced in patients with HBV-PLC compared with those in patients with CHB (P<0.05). The CD31 and HLA-DR expression of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was significantly decreased and increased, respectively in patients with HBV-PLC compared with that in patients with CHB. Conclusions Elevated NLR, resulted from the increase of neutrophils and decrease of lymphocytes, is positively associated with the pathogenesis and progression of HBV-PLC. The reduced thymic output and hyperactivation of T lymphocytes may contribute to the decrease of T lymphocytes, which could be also related to the pathogenesis of HBV-PLC. PMID:28231294
Sali, Shahnaz; Merza, Muayad A.; Saadat, Sina; Mustafa, Nazik H.; Queiky, Farzam; Yadegarynia, Davood
Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance rate among patients treated with lamivudine at a specialized tertiary care referral hospital in Tehran, Iran. Methods: All patients on lamivudine (biovudin®) therapy at a dose of 100 mg/day, who showed seroclearnace between March 2001 and September 2011 were recruited. The main evaluation parameters were duration of HBsAg seroclearance and duration of HBsAg seroconversion. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were evaluated using standard methods. HBsAg seroclearance was defined as two consecutive negative serums HBsAg at least 6 months apart, whereas HBsAg seroconversion was defined as the disappearance of serum HBsAg and the presence of anti-HBs for >6 months. Results: A total of 203 chronic HBV patients treated with lamivudine at a dose of 100 mg/day were included in the study. HBsAg seroclearance and seroconversion were observed in 11 patients after the initiation of the lamivudine therapy. Overall, in lamivudine responder patients, the mean time to HBsAg seroclearance was 26.90±10.93 months (range: 12-48 months). Furthermore, the responders showed seroconversion after a mean time of 26.90±11.08 months from the initiation of lamivudine therapy. When comparing the characteristics of those who have responded to lamivudine and those who have not responded, baseline HBV-DNA levels was significantly lower in responder than non responder patients (p<0.001). Meantime, there was no difference in age, sex, baseline ALT, AST and liver biopsy score between lamivudine responder and lamivudine non-responder patients. Conclusion: Despite introduction of tenofovir and entecavir as first line treatment for chronic HBV infection, lamivudine remains to be a low cost, safe and effective drug for HBsAg seroclearnace. PMID:26153167
Detection of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Genotype E Carried—Even in the Presence of High Titers of Anti-HBs Antibodies—by an Argentinean Patient of African Descent Who Had Received Vaccination against HBV
Mathet, Verónica L.; Cuestas, María L.; Ruiz, Vanesa; Minassian, María L.; Rivero, Cintia; Trinks, Julieta; Daleoso, Graciela; León, Liliana M.; Sala, Andrea; Libellara, Beatriz; Corach, Daniel; Oubiña, José R.
Genotype E hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected in two Argentine sisters exhibiting an African mitochondrial lineage. One of them (who had been vaccinated against HBV) exhibited anti-HBs cocirculating antibodies without HBsAg escape mutants, while her unvaccinated sister showed a D144A HBsAg escape mutant without anti-HBs antibodies. Both sisters carried an unusual L209V substitution within HBsAg. PMID:16954295
Wang, Xiao-Ling; Ren, Jian-Ping; Wang, Xue-Qing; Wang, Xiao-Hong; Yang, Shao-Fang; Xiong, Yi
AIM: To investigate the frequency of mutations in pre-core (pre-C) and basic core promoter (BCP) regions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from Shanxi Province, and the association between mutations and disease related indexes. METHODS: One hundred chronic hepatitis B patients treated at Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this study. PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA)-PCR were used to detect the mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions. HBV DNA content and liver function were compared between patients with mutant HBV pre-C and BCP loci and those with wild-type loci. The consistency between PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detecting mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 100 serum samples detected, 9.38% had single mutations in the pre-C region, 29.17% had single mutations in the BCP region, 41.67% had mutations in both BCP and pre-C regions, and 19.79% had wild-type loci. The rates of BCP and pre-C mutations were 65.7% and 34.3%, respectively, in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive patients, and 84.6% and 96.2%, respectively, in HBeAg negative patients. The rate of pre-C mutations was significantly higher in HBeAg negative patients than in HBeAg positive patients (χ2 = 26.62, P = 0.00), but there was no significant difference in the distribution of mutations in the BCP region between HBeAg positive and negative patients (χ2 = 2.43, P = 0.12). The presence of mutations in the pre-C (Wilcoxon W = 1802.5, P = 0.00) and BCP regions (Wilcoxon W = 2906.5, P = 0.00) was more common in patients with low HBV DNA content. Both AST and GGT were significantly higher in patients with mutant pre-C and BCP loci than in those with wild-type loci (P < 0.05). PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detection of mutations in the BCP and pre-C regions had good consistency, and the Kappa values obtained were 0.91 and 0.58, respectively
Ding, Y; Duan, S; Ye, R; Yang, Y; Yao, S; Wang, J; Cao, D; Liu, X; Lu, L; Jia, M; Wu, Z; He, N
We examined the effect of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on liver fibrosis among HIV-infected patients with or without hepatitis B (HBV) or C virus (HCV) co-infection. This was a retrospective cohort study of HIV-infected patients receiving cART during 2004-2016. Liver fibrosis was assessed using Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score with three classifications: Class 1, <1.45; Class 2, 1.45-3.25; Class 3, >3.25. Of 3900 participants, 68.6% were HIV mono-infected, 5.3% were HIV/HBV co-infected, 23.8% were HIV/HCV co-infected and 2.3% were HIV/HBV/HCV co-infected. Participants received follow-up treatment (median was 3.3 years). Improvement to a lower class was observed in Class 2 (52.6%) and Class 3 (74.2%), respectively. Progression to a higher class was observed in 12.8% and 5.0% in Class 1 and Class 2, respectively, and with a median time of 5.7 months. For improvement to lower classes, older age, male, Dai ethnicity, injection drug use, HCV co-infection and tenofovir for treatment were negative predictors, but in Class 3 of FIB-4 and time-updated increases in CD4 count from baseline were positive predictors. For progression to higher classes, older age, male, Jingpo ethnicity and HCV co-infection were positive predictors, while baseline CD4 count and in Class 2 of FIB-4 were negative predictors. Improvement to lower class linked with decreased mortality risk among patients in Class 3. Early cART initiation for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis co-infections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, co-infected with HCV.
Li, Xingku; Liu, Wei; Wang, Hongyan; Jin, Xi; Fang, Shaohong; Shi, Yuguang; Liu, Zhen; Zhang, Shuyun; Yang, Shufen
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has a wide variety of clinical outcomes, it could be spontaneouly recovered and also could develop fulminant liver failure or cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphism and HBV (sub)genotypes have been speculated to associate with the outcome of HBV infection because the data obtained from various populations who bear different HLA alleles have shown a HLA polymorphism associated outcome of HBV infection. However, as the most important viral and host genetic factors, the impact of HBV (sub)genotypes in combination with HLA polymorphism on the clinical outcomes of HBV infections remains unclear. To demonstrate the association of HLA allele polymorphism in combination with HBV subgenotypes with the outcome of HBV infection in Northeastern Han Chinese population, a total of 230 HBV-infected individuals (Infection group) were compared to 210 random selected controls (Control group) who are negative for HBV infection for their HLA alleles frequency as well as the associations with the virus infection, clearance and persistence in combination with HBV subgenotypes. Of the 230 HBV-infected subjects, 54 were acute self-limited hepatitis (ASH) with HBV subgenotype C2 (ASH-C2), 144 were chronic hepatitis (CH) with HBV subgenotype C2 and B2 (CH-C2 and CH-B2), and 32 were spontaneously recovered (SR) without subgenotype results. When two groups are compared, the results suggest that B*48, B*51 and DRB1*12 carrier may have a high risk for HBV infection, but B*51 is likely association with spontaneous recovery and DRB1*07, 12 may be implied in viral persistence. HLA-B*15, DRB1*11 and 14 associated with viral clearance in the cases of HBV-C2 infection; HLA-B*54 carriers in chronic group are more sensitive to with the infection of HBV subgenotype B2; HLA-B*07 and DRB1*13 may protect subjects from HBV infection. The data presented a link between HLA polymorphism and HBV pathogenesis and suggested potential
... Loss Surgery? A Week of Healthy Breakfasts Shyness Hepatitis B (HBV) KidsHealth > For Teens > Hepatitis B (HBV) A A A What's in this article? ... poisons). There are several different types of hepatitis . Hepatitis B is a type that can move from one ...
Kim, Hwi Young; Yoon, Jung-Hwan; Lee, Hyo-Suk; Cheong, Jae Youn; Cho, Sung Won; Shin, Hyoung Doo; Kim, Yoon Jun
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA (miR)-196a-2 have been suggested to contribute to susceptibility to various human cancers. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphisms of miRNA-196a-2 affect the clinical outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Korean patients. Genotyping was performed for 1,439 Korean patients with either past or present HBV infection, including 404 control subjects who underwent spontaneous recovery and 1,035 subjects with chronic HBV (313 cases of chronic hepatitis B, 305 cases of cirrhosis of the liver, and 417 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]). Genotyping results revealed that the polymorphism rs12304647A>C, which lies in the pri-miRNA region of miR-196a-2, has a significant minor allele frequency (0.210). Logistic analysis revealed that the rs12304647A>C SNP was associated with a significant protective effect against HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.70, P = 0.005 in a codominant model; OR = 0.73, P = 0.03 in a dominant model; OR = 0.31, P = 0.004 in a recessive model), and in the patients with cirrhosis (OR = 0.63, P = 0.0009 in a codominant model; OR = 0.66, P = 0.01 in a dominant model; OR = 0.25, P = 0.001 in a recessive model). A Cox relative hazards model with adjustments for age, gender, HBeAg status, and cirrhosis revealed that rs12304647A>C retained its association with HCC in a codominant model (relative hazards [RH] = 1.14, P = 0.05) and in a recessive model (RH = 1.44, P = 0.03). However, the miR-196a-2 rs12304647A>C SNP had no association with HBV clearance. In conclusion, the miR-196a-2 rs12304647 CC genotype had a protective effect against development of HCC in comparison to the AA or AC genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Changotra, H; Sehajpal, P K
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem and a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Worldwide, there are about 350 million carriers of this pathogen and India bears the second highest carrier pool in the world. Early diagnosis and measurement of viral load in hepatitis B patients is very helpful for the better management of this disease. The existing methods for viral quantification are either cumbersome or expensive. Since viral replication correlate well with HBV DNA levels a new sensitive, reliable and cost effective competitive PCR assay has been developed for quantifying the viral load in the serum of hepatitis B patients. The S gene based cPCR assay was able to detect as low as 100 genome equivalent/ml of HBV DNA from human serum and was applied to determine viral load among inactive and chronic hepatitis B carriers demonstrating the usefulness of the developed test.
Heidari, Zahra; Moudi, Bita; Mahmoudzadeh Sagheb, Hamidreza; Moudi, Mehrnoosh
Background The host genetic background regulates the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the association between TNF-α gene polymorphism in the promoter region and susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Methods Four polymorphisms of TNF-α gene including -238 A/G, -308 A/G, -857 C/T, and -863 A/C were analyzed by PCR-RFLP in 100 chronic HBV infected patients (HBV group), 40 spontaneously recovered HBV subjects (SR group), and 100 healthy controls (C group). Also, serum levels of protein were monitored. Results The study showed that the existence of -308 G, -857 C, and -863 A alleles signiﬁcantly increased susceptibility to chronic HBV infection. In addition, GGCA haplotype had a higher frequency in HBV patients than C and SR groups that might be related to the natural history of the infection. Chronic HBV patients with -308 GG, -857 CC, and -863 AA genotypes had lower serum levels of TNF-α compared to those with other genotypes. Conclusions The results indicated that there was a positive association between susceptibility to chronic HBV infection and TNF-α polymorphism. In addition, HBV patients carrying -308 GG, -857 CC, and -863 AA genotypes with lower serum levels of TNF-α had an increased risk of infection. PMID:28070201
Ding, Hongfang; Wu, Ting; Ma, Ke; Wang, Xiaojing; Wu, Zeguang; Guo, Wei; Qi, Junying; Ning, Qin
The noninvasive measurement of liver stiffness (LS) was evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan) and the possible influencing factors from the patients' clinical situations including age, gender, liver inflammation represented by alanine transaminase (ALT) and total billirubin (TBIL) level, HBV replication (HBV DNA loads), portal vein pressure (portal vessel diameter, PVD), splenic thickness (SPT) and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 466 patients including 31 patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and 435 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) among which 82 patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (LC) by clinical manifestations and liver B-type ultrasonic inspection were enrolled at Tongji Hospital from April to December 2009. LS was measured by a FibroScan device (EchoSens, France). Simultaneously, ALT and TBIL levels, HBV DNA loads, PVD, SPT and BMI in all patients were also tested. Forty-one healthy volunteers served as controls. The values of LS were correlated positively with ages of CHB patients and significantly higher in males than in females. In patients with BMI>28 kg/m(2) (obesity) and abnormal levels of ALT and TBIL, LS values were significantly increased as compared with those having normal levels of ALT and TBIL. The patients with ACLF had the highest LS value. Furthermore, LS values in the patients with LC were significantly higher than those in patients without LC. It is concluded that noninvasive measurement of liver fibrosis by FibroScan provides an alternative method to evaluate liver fibrosis of patients with CHB. In order to properly illustrate the stiffness value taken by transient elastography, patients' gender should be taken into consideration and it is also suggested to avoid possible influencing factors including liver inflammation (high levels of ALT and TBIL) and obesity (high BMI).
Zhang, Guoyu; Li, Na; Li, Zhu; Zhu, Qianqian; Li, Fang; Yang, Cuiling; Han, Qunying; Lv, Yi; Zhou, Zhihua; Liu, Zhengwen
Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) is involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs10204525, located in the PD1 3' untranslated regions (UTR), is associated with chronic HBV infection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression via specific binding to the target 3'UTR of mRNA. In this study, three miRNAs were predicted to putatively interact with PD1 rs10204525 polymorphic site of allele G. One of them, miRNA-4717, was demonstrated to allele-specifically affect luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner in cells transfected with vectors containing different rs10204525 alleles. In lymphocytes from chronic HBV patients withrs10204525 genotype GG, miR-4717 mimics significantly decreased PD-1 expression and increased (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ production. miR-4717 inhibitor significantly increased PD-1 expression and decreased TNF-α and IFN-γ production although not significantly. In lymphocytes from chronic HBV patients with rs10204525 genotype AA, no similar effects were observed. miR-4717 levels in peripheral lymphocytes from patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and HCC were significantly decreased. In conclusion, miR-4717 may allele-specifically regulate PD-1 expression through interaction with the 3' UTR of PD1 mRNA, leading to the alteration of immune regulation and affecting the susceptibility and disease course of chronic HBV infection.
Iser, David M; Lewin, Sharon R
Liver disease is a major cause of mortality in individuals with HIV-HBV coinfection. The pathogenesis of liver disease in this setting is unknown, but is likely to involve drug toxicity, infection of hepatic cells with both HIV and HBV, and an altered immune response to HBV. The availability of therapeutic agents that target both HIV and HBV replication enable dual viral suppression, and assessment of chronic hepatitis B is important prior to commencement of antiretroviral therapy. Greater importance is now placed on HBV DNA levels and staging of liver fibrosis, either by liver biopsy or noninvasive measurement, such as transient elastography, since significant liver fibrosis may exist in the presence of normal liver function tests. Earlier treatment of both HIV and HBV is now generally advocated and treatment is usually lifelong.
Coffin, C.S.; Stock, P.G.; Dove, L.M.; Berg, C.L.; Nissen, N.N.; Curry, M.P.; Ragni, M.; Regenstein, F.G.; Sherman, K.E.; Roland, M.E.; Terrault, N.A.
Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for endstage liver disease, but is controversial in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Using a prospective cohort of HIV-HBV coinfected patients transplanted between 2001–2007; outcomes including survival and HBV clinical recurrence were determined. Twenty-two coinfected patients underwent LT; 45% had detectable HBV DNA pre-LT and 72% were receiving anti-HBV drugs with efficacy against lamivudine-resistant HBV. Post-LT, all patients received hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) plus nucleos(t)ide analogues and remained HBsAg negative without clinical evidence of HBV recurrence, with a median follow-up 3.5 years. Low-level HBV viremia (median 108 IU/ml, range 9–789) was intermittently detected in 7/13 but not associated with HBsAg detection or ALT elevation. Compared with 20 HBV monoinfected patients on similar HBV prophylaxis and median follow-up of 4.0 years, patient and graft survival were similar: 100% vs. 85% in HBV mono- vs coinfected patients (p=0.08, log rank test). LT is effective for HIV-HBV coinfected patients with complications of cirrhosis, including those who are HBV DNA positive at the time of LT. Combination HBIG and antivirals is effective as prophylaxis with no clinical evidence of HBV recurrence but low level HBV DNA is detectable in ~50% of recipients. PMID:20346065
Tsai, Hung-Wen; Lin, Yih-Jyh; Wu, Han-Chieh; Chang, Ting-Tsung; Wu, I-Chin; Cheng, Pin-Nan; Yen, Chia-Jui; Chan, Shih-Huang; Huang, Wenya; Su, Ih-Jen
Ground glass hepatocytes (GGHs) have been shown to predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Type I GGH and type II GGH harbor hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre-S1 and pre-S2 deletion mutants, respectively. Whether anti-HBV therapy can inhibit the expression of GGHs and potentially reduce HCC development is explored in this study. Two sets of liver specimens were included: the first contained 31 paired biopsy specimens obtained from chronic HBV patients receiving oral nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment; the second contained 186 resected liver tissues obtained from HBV-related HCC patients receiving surgery: 82 received NA before surgery and 104 did not. Compared with the baseline biopsy specimens, type I (P=0.527) and type II GGH (P=0.077) were not significantly decreased after 48 weeks of NA treatment in the first set of patients. In the second set, despite suppression of viral load (P<0.001) and periportal necrosis (P=0.006) in treated patients, GGH (P=0.594), cccDNA (P=0.172) and serum pre-S mutants (p=0.401) were not significantly suppressed. A significant decrease of type I (P=0.049) and type II GGH (P=0.029) could only be observed in patients after long duration of treatment (median duration: 4.3 years). In the treated patients, the persisted type II GGH remained an independent variable associated with decreased local recurrence-free survival of HCC (P=0.019) as in non-treated patients (P=0.001). In conclusion, the persistence of GGHs could explain the residual risk of HCC development under anti-HBV treatment. Therefore, intrahepatic GGHs and pre-S mutant are potential additional targets for HCC prevention in patients already receiving anti-HBV treatment.
Detection and quantitation of HBV DNA in miniaturized samples: multi centre study to evaluate the performance of the COBAS ® AmpliPrep/COBAS ® TaqMan ® hepatitis B virus (HBV) test v2.0 by the use of plasma or serum specimens.
Berger, Annemarie; Gohl, Peter; Stürmer, Martin; Rabenau, Holger Felix; Nauck, Markus; Doerr, Hans Wilhelm
Laboratory analysis of blood specimens is an increasingly important tool for rapid diagnosis and control of therapy. So, miniaturization of test systems is needed, but reduced specimens might impair test quality. For rapid detection and quantitation of HBV DNA, the COBAS(®) AmpliPrep/COBAS(®) TaqMan(®) HBV test has proved a robust instrument in routine diagnostic services. The test system has been modified recently for application of reduced samples of blood plasma and for blood serum, too. The performance of this modified COBAS(®) AmpliPrep/COBAS(®) TaqMan(®) HBV v2.0 (HBV v2.0 (this test is currently not available in the USA)) test was evaluated by comparison with the former COBAS(®) AmpliPrep/COBAS(®) TaqMan(®) HBV v1.0 (HBV v1.0) test. In this study a platform correlation of both assay versions was done including 275 HBV DNA positive EDTA plasma samples. Comparable results were obtained (R(2)=0.97, mean difference -0.03 log(10)IU/ml). The verification of equivalency of the sample matrix (plasma vs. serum samples tested in HBV v2.0 in the same run) showed comparable results for all 278 samples with a R(2)=0.99 and a mean difference of 0.06 log(10)IU/ml. In conclusion, the new test version HBV v2.0 is highly specific and reproducible and quantifies accurately HBV DNA in EDTA plasma and serum samples from patients with chronic HBV infection.
Goktas, Emine Firat; Bulut, Cemal; Goktas, Mustafa Tugrul; Ozer, Erdem Kamil; Karaca, Ragip Ozgur; Kinikli, Sami; Demiroz, Ali Pekcan; Bozkurt, Atilla
The immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has not been clarified yet. Toll-like receptors (TLR) are a receptor family that initiates immunity with exogenous-endogenous ligands and plays a role in the pathogenesis of infections. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of TLR 3 1377C/T (rs3775290) polymorphism and its role in patients with CHB. We included 50 healthy individuals as control group and 73 active and 43 inactive hepatitis B patients. All DNA samples were isolated from blood samples. For the detection of TLR 3 1377C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism, restriction fragment length polymorphism was used. A statistically significant difference was determined in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels of CHB patients with the CC, CT, and TT genotypes (p = 0.013). The highest levels of HBV DNA were detected in individuals with TT genotypes. Additionally, the frequency of CC genotype was higher in the active CHB patients compared with that of the inactive CHB patients (p = 0.044). No statistically significant difference in TLR 3 1377C/T polymorphism was detected between healthy controls and the hepatitis B patients (p = 0.342). In conclusion, HBV DNA level was higher in the individuals with TT genotype, and CC genotype was more frequent in the active CHB patients. These results suggest a possible association between CHB and TLR 3 gene (1377C/T) polymorphism.
Zhu, L G; Jiang, J; Song, C; Zou, Y; Xu, J F; Liu, H J; Peng, H; Hu, Z B; Zhu, F C; Shen, H B; Zhai, X J
Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors related to HBeAg sero-clearance in chronic hepatitis B patients so as to provide evidence for regular management on chronic HBV patients. Methods: From 2012 to 2014, a cohort study was conducted among HBeAg positive chronic HBV patients in Jiangsu province. Association between the characteristics and incidence of HBeAg sero-clearance was analyzed by Cox regression method. The changing trend on HBV DNA between patients with HBeAg sero-clearance and those with persistent HBeAg positive status was compared by repeated measure data variance analysis method. Results: In 2012, there were 721 HBeAg positive hepatitis B patients aged (45.2 ± 14.2) years enrolled in this study. By 2014, the follow-up observation period was 1 058 person-years, and 393 cases had lost their HBeAg status, with the rate as 37.2/100 person-years. The HBeAg sero-clearance rate was 32.4/100 person-years in hepatitis B patients who received antiviral treatment. The probability of HBeAg clearance in HBeAg positive hepatitis B patients aged ≥60 year (62.0/100 person-years) was higher than those of aged <20 year (7.0/100 person-years). The rate of HBeAg sero-clearance in HBeAg positive patients with HBV DNA <20 000 IU/ml (75.8/100 person-years) was higher than those whose HBV DNA were ≥200 000 IU/ml (16.1/100 person-years). By Cox regression analysis, the HBV DNA level was an important influencing factor on the progress of HBeAg sero-clearance. Patients with HBV DNA levle as ≥200 000 IU/ml, had a lower HBeAg clearance rate (HR=0.18, 95%CI: 0.13-0.23, P<0.001). Compared to the persistent HBeAg positive group, HBV DNA showed a more dramatic fall in the HBeAg-lost group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The rate of HBeAg sero-clearance among HBeAg positive hepatitis B patients was correlated with age and HBV DNA status of the patients that called for comprehensive management and intervention programs to develop for the HBe
Fu, Jia; Guo, Dan; Gao, Dandan; Huang, Wenxiang; Li, Ziqiong; Jia, Bei
To compare the clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and prognoses of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who were superinfected with hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), or hepatitis E virus (HEV). Two hundred and eleven patients with confirmed CHB in our hospital, a tertiary teaching hospital in China, between 2005 and 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Among 211 patients with CHB, 35 were superinfected with HAV, 31 were superinfected with HCV, 22 were superinfected with HDV, and 53 were superinfected with HEV. We analyzed and compared the clinical features of the five groups. The tested biochemical indices and markers of liver function included serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), prothrombin activity (PTA), serum albumin (Alb), and the serum levels of HBV DNA. The peak values of ALT, AST, and TBil were significantly higher in all of the superinfected groups. Lower peak Alb concentration and PTA were also observed in the superinfected patients, with the exception of patients in the CHB + HAV group. The CHB + HCV, and CHB + HEV groups had higher death rates than the CHB monoinfected group, and the difference was statistically significant. Further analysis of the liver failure groups showed that the level of HBV DNA was not correlated with prognosis. The comparison of clinical outcomes revealed that CHB patients superinfected with HCV, HDV, and HEV compared with CHB monoinfection had statistically greater incidences of exacerbation of the condition and poor prognosis, whereas the patients superinfected with HAV generally had better outcomes.
Lambrecht, Joeri; Jan Poortmans, Pieter; Verhulst, Stefaan; Reynaert, Hendrik; Mannaerts, Inge; van Grunsven, Leo A.
Introduction: Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus infection is associated with the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) toward a myofibroblastic phenotype, resulting in excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, the development of liver fibrosis, and its progression toward cirrhosis. The gold standard for the detection and staging of liver fibrosis remains the liver biopsy, which is, however, associated with some mild and severe drawbacks. Other non-invasive techniques evade these drawbacks, but lack inter-stage specificity and are unable to detect early stages of fibrosis. We investigated whether circulating vesicle-associated miRNAs can be used in the diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis in HBV and HCV patients. Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 14 healthy individuals and 39 early stage fibrotic patients (F0–F2) with chronic HBV or HCV infection who underwent transient elastography (Fibroscan). Extracellular vesicles were extracted from the plasma and the level of miRNA-122, -150, -192, -21, -200b, and -92a was analyzed by qRT-PCR in total plasma and circulating vesicles. Finally, these same miRNAs were also quantified in vesicles extracted from in vitro activating primary HSCs. Results: In total plasma samples, only miRNA-200b (HBV: p = 0.0384; HCV: p = 0.0069) and miRNA-122 (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p = 0.0007) were significantly up-regulated during early fibrosis. In circulating vesicles, miRNA-192 (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), -200b (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), -92a (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), and -150 (HBV: p = 0.0016; HCV: p = 0.004) displayed a significant down-regulation in both HBV and HCV patients. MiRNA expression profiles in vesicles isolated from in vitro activating primary mouse HSCs resembled the miRNA expression profile in circulating vesicles. Conclusion: Our analysis revealed a distinct miRNA expression pattern in total plasma and its circulating vesicles. The expression profile of miRNAs in
Lambrecht, Joeri; Jan Poortmans, Pieter; Verhulst, Stefaan; Reynaert, Hendrik; Mannaerts, Inge; van Grunsven, Leo A
Introduction: Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus infection is associated with the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) toward a myofibroblastic phenotype, resulting in excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, the development of liver fibrosis, and its progression toward cirrhosis. The gold standard for the detection and staging of liver fibrosis remains the liver biopsy, which is, however, associated with some mild and severe drawbacks. Other non-invasive techniques evade these drawbacks, but lack inter-stage specificity and are unable to detect early stages of fibrosis. We investigated whether circulating vesicle-associated miRNAs can be used in the diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis in HBV and HCV patients. Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 14 healthy individuals and 39 early stage fibrotic patients (F0-F2) with chronic HBV or HCV infection who underwent transient elastography (Fibroscan). Extracellular vesicles were extracted from the plasma and the level of miRNA-122, -150, -192, -21, -200b, and -92a was analyzed by qRT-PCR in total plasma and circulating vesicles. Finally, these same miRNAs were also quantified in vesicles extracted from in vitro activating primary HSCs. Results: In total plasma samples, only miRNA-200b (HBV: p = 0.0384; HCV: p = 0.0069) and miRNA-122 (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p = 0.0007) were significantly up-regulated during early fibrosis. In circulating vesicles, miRNA-192 (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), -200b (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), -92a (HBV: p < 0.0001; HCV: p < 0.0001), and -150 (HBV: p = 0.0016; HCV: p = 0.004) displayed a significant down-regulation in both HBV and HCV patients. MiRNA expression profiles in vesicles isolated from in vitro activating primary mouse HSCs resembled the miRNA expression profile in circulating vesicles. Conclusion: Our analysis revealed a distinct miRNA expression pattern in total plasma and its circulating vesicles. The expression profile of miRNAs in
With prevalence of 10–20% in adults in developed countries, gallstone disease (GSD) is one of the most prevalent and costly gastrointestinal tract disorders in the world. In addition to gallstone disease, chronic liver disease (CLD) is also an important global public health problem. The reported frequency of gallstone in chronic liver disease tends to be higher. The prevalence of gallstone disease might be related to age, gender, etiology, and severity of liver disease in patients with chronic liver disease. In this review, the aim was to identify the epidemiology, mechanisms, and treatment strategies of gallstone disease in chronic liver disease patients. PMID:28251162
Szumita, Richard P; Szumita, Paul M; Just, Nancy
The specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery has had at its core the foundations of anesthesia and pain and anxiety control. This article attempts to refamiliarize the reader with clinical pearls helpful in the management of patients with chronic pain conditions. The authors also hope to highlight the interplay of chronic pain and psychology as it relates to the oral and maxillofacial surgery patient. To that end, the article outlines and reviews the neurophysiology of pain, the definitions of pain, conditions encountered by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon that produce chronic pain, the psychological impact and comorbidities associated with patients experiencing chronic pain conditions, and concepts of multimodal treatment for patients experiencing chronic pain conditions.
Chen, Xiaoling; Wang, Wenbo; Wang, Shufeng; Meng, Gang; Zhang, Mengjun; Ni, Bing; Wu, Yuzhang; Wang, Li
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. HBV-specific CD8(+) CTLs are vital for viral clearance. Identification of immunodominant CTL epitopes from HBV-associated antigens is necessary for therapeutic vaccine development. We showed that the HLA-A*1101 allele is one of the most common alleles in both healthy individuals and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in the Chongqing area, China. However, less than 10% of epitopes of HBV-associated antigens have been identified in an HLA-A*1101 context. Here, we describe an immunodominant CD8(+) T-cell response targeting a hepatitis B surface antigen determinant (HBs(295-304)) restricted by HLA-A*1101 in both healthy individuals and CHB patients. Moreover, HBs(295-304) is more immunogenic for CTL induction than a known naturally HLA-A*1101-processed epitope from hepatitis B core antigen (HBc(88-96)). Therefore, the newly identified epitope, HBs(295-304), will benefit the development of immunotherapeutic approaches for HBV infection.
Li, Mu-xing; Zhao, Hong; Bi, Xin-yu; Li, Zhi-yu; Yao, Xue-song; Li, Huai; Huang, Zhen; Han, Yue; Zhou, Jian-guo; Zhao, Jian-jun; Zhang, Ye-fan; Zhao, Dong-bin; Cai, Jian-qiang
Purpose Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which was an indirect marker of hypoxia, was a potentially prognostic factor in several malignancies. There is a lack of evidence about the prognostic value of serum LDH level in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving sorafenib treatment from hepatitis B virus endemic areas. Materials and Methods A total of 119 HBV-related HCC patients treated by sorafenib from a Chinese center were included into the study. They were categorized into 2 groups according to the cut-off value of pre-treatment LDH, which was determined by the time dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the overall survival. The prognostic value of LDH was evaluated. The relationships between LDH and other clinicopathological factors were also assessed. Results The cut-off value was 221 U/L. With a median follow up of 15 (range, 3-73) months, 91 patients reached the endpoint. Multivariate analysis proved that pre-treatment serum LDH level was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). For patients whose pre-treatment LDH ≥ 221 U/L, increased LDH value after 3 months of sorafenib treatment predicted inferior OS and PFS. And patients with elevated pre-treatment LDH level predisposed to be featured with lower serum albumin, presence of macroscopic vascular invasion, advanced Child-Pugh class, advanced T category, higher AFP, and higher serum total bilirubin. Conclusions Serum LDH level was a potentially prognostic factor in HCC patients treated by sorafenib in HBV endemic area. More relevant studies with reasonable study design are needed to further strengthen its prognostic value. PMID:27880930
Chen, Sheng-Sen; Yu, Kang-Kang; Ling, Qing-Xia; Huang, Chong; Li, Ning; Zheng, Jian-Ming; Bao, Su-Xia; Cheng, Qi; Zhu, Meng-Qi; Chen, Ming-Quan
We determined the association between various clinical parameters and significant liver necroinflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) related cirrhosis. Two hundred patients with CHB related cirrhosis were recruited in the final analysis. Clinical laboratory values and characteristics were obtained from the medical record. We performed analyses of the relationships between independent variables and significant liver necroinflammation by using binary logistic regression analysis and discriminant analysis. Significant liver necroinflammation (grade≥2) was found in 58.0% (80/138) of antiviral therapy patients and 48.4% (30/62) of non antiviral therapy patients respectively. Also, there were some significant differences in serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), serum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA between antiviral therapy and non antiviral therapy patients. After that, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), total bile acid (TBA), prothrombin time (PT), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) and serum HBV DNA were confirmed as independent predictors of significant liver necroinflammation in CHB patients with cirrhosis by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis (p = 0.002, 0.044, 0.001, 0.014, 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and discriminant analysis validated that these six variables together have strong predictive power to evaluate significant liver necroinflammation. PMID:27615602
Eggink, H F; Houthoff, H J; Huitema, S; Wolters, G; Poppema, S; Gips, C H
The characteristics and distribution of the inflammatory infiltrate in liver biopsies of 25 patients with hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection were studied in relation to the distribution and expression of HBV antigens. Mononuclear subsets were characterized with monoclonal (OKT, OKM, Leu) antibodies to surface antigens. For the demonstration of viral antigens directly conjugated antibodies to surface (HBsAg), core (HBcAg) and 'e' (HBeAg) antigen were used. For the study of mutual relations all methods were performed on serial cut tissue sections. In chronic active hepatitis B (CAH-B, n = 12) OKT8+ lymphocytes of T cell origin were the only cell type present in areas with liver cell degeneration and T cell cytotoxicity appears to be the only immune mechanism. In chronic persistent hepatitis B (CPH-B, n = 7) the only conspicuous feature was the presence of many Leu 3+ lymphocytes of the helper/inducer population in the portal tracts. In acute hepatitis B (AHB, n = 6) OKT8+ cells of non-T origin (OKT1-,3-) and Leu 7+ cells of presumed natural killer (NK) potential predominated in the areas with liver cell necrosis, and non-T cell cytotoxicity appears to be the predominant immune mechanism. In none of these disease entities a positive spatial relation could be established between the cytotoxic cells and the demonstrable expression of HBV antigens in hepatocytes. It is concluded that differences in immunological reaction pattern may explain the different course in the three forms of HBV infection studied. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 PMID:6713726
Shi, Yang Song, Qingwei; Hu, Dianhe; Zhuang, Xiaohu; Yu, Shengcai
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and can be induced by chronic HBV infection. The role of HBV-specific immune responses in mediating tumorigenesis and HCC prognosis is debated. The effect of intratumoral microenvironment on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is also unclear. Here, we examined resected tumor tissue from 36 patients with HBV-induced HCC. We categorized study cohort based on ex vivo IL-10 secretion by tumor cells into high IL-10-secreting (Hi10) and low IL-10-secreting (Lo10) groups, and found that the Lo10 group was less sensitive to TLR ligand stimulation. TILs from the Lo10 group contained higher frequencies of HBV-specific IFN-g-producing cells and total IFN-g-producing cells, and possessed higher proliferative capacity. Moreover, the proliferative capacity of TILs from the Hi10 group was negatively correlated with IL-10 secretion from tumor cells. Together, our data demonstrated that low IL-10-producing capacity in HBV-induced HCC tumors is associated with enhanced TIL activity. - Highlights: • We examined intratumoral IL-10 production in HBV-induced HCC. • We grouped HCC tumors into Hi10 and Lo10 groups based on their IL-10 production. • Lo10 groups had better IFN-g response by TILs. • Lo10 groups had better TIL proliferative capacity. • Lo10 group tumor cells were refractory to TLR ligand stimulation.
He, Lingling; Liu, Xiaoli; Zhao, Yalin; Zhang, Shuan; Jiang, Yuyong; Wang, Xianbo
Aim. To determine whether nucleot(s)ide analogs therapy has survival benefit for patients with HBV-related HCC after unresectable treatment. Method. A systematic search was conducted through seven electronic databases including PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, Cochrane Databases, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library, and BMJ Best Practice. All studies comparing NA combined with unresectable treatment versus unresectable treatment alone were considered for inclusion. The primary outcome was the overall survival (OS) after unresectable treatment for patients with HBV-related HCC. The secondary outcome was the progression-free survival (PFS). Results were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) for survival with 95% confidence intervals. Results. We included six studies with 994 patients: 409 patients in nucleot(s)ide analogs therapy group and 585 patients without antiviral therapy in control group. There were significant improvements for the overall survival (HR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.47–0.70; p < 0.001) and progression-free survival (HR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.71–0.99; p = 0.034) in the NA-treated group compared with the control group. Funnel plot showed that there was no significant publication bias in these studies. When it comes to antiviral drugs and operation method, it also showed benefit in NA-treated group. At the same time, overall mortality as well as mortality secondary to liver failure in NA-treated group was obviously lesser. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. Conclusions. Nucleot(s)ide analogs therapy after unresectable treatment has potential beneficial effects in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival. NA therapy should be considered in clinical practice.
Dongdem, Anthony Zunuo; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Asmah, Richard Harry; Nyarko, Kofi Mensah; Nortey, Priscillia; Agyei, Adwoa; Adjei, David Nana; Kenu, Ernest; Adjei, Andrew Anthony
Introduction Knowledge of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype is an important predictive variable which might have an impact in management and treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. In Ghana very little information is available on hepatitis B genotypes. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of HBV genotypes circulating among chronic hepatitis B patients reporting at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra, Ghana. Methods Blood samples (10 ml) were collected from 250 consenting patients. DNA was extracted and amplified using polymerase chain reaction technique. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used for the detection of genotypes. Results Out of the 250 chronic hepatitis B patients who were HBsAg positive, 91 (36.4%) were males aged 29.8 ± 9.1 and 159 (63.6%) females aged 33± 12.1 years. HBV DNA was detected in 111 (44.4%) but only 58 (52%) of these were typeable. These were classified as genotype A, 8 (7.2%); genotype D, 3 (2.7%) and genotype E, 47 (42.3%). Our results did not show any association between the infecting genotype and age (X2= 0.923; p-value=0.623) or gender (X2= 0.283, p= 0.579). Conclusion Consistent with similar studies worldwide, the results suggest that genotypes A, D and E were the genotypes circulating among chronic hepatitis B patients who reported to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with genotype E being the most predominant and therefore constitutes an important public health concern. We recommend further epidemiological studies to understand the implication of genotype E in terms of disease progression and treatment. PMID:28210373
Hong, Yun; Zhou, Lin; Xie, Haiyang; Wang, Weilin; Zheng, Shusen
Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) plays an important role in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inactivation could inhibit the tumor growth of HCC. In this study, differential antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inhibition was observed with HBV-related HCC cells being more resistant than non-HBV-related HCC cells. Resistance of HBV-related HCC cells to STAT3 inhibition was positively correlated to the expression of HBV. Enhanced ERK activation after STAT3 blockade was detected in HBV-related HCC cells but not in non-HBV-related HCC cells. Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy between the two types of HCC cells. Moderate reduced HBV expression was found after STAT3 inhibition. These findings disclose a discrepancy in cellular response to STAT3 inhibition between non-HBV-related and HBV-related HCC cells and underscore the complexity of antiproliferative effect of STAT3 inactivation in HBV-related HCC cells. - Highlights: • HBV endows HCC cells with resistance to STAT3 inactivation on proliferation. • Abnormal ERK activation after STAT3 inhibition in HBV-related HCC cells. • Combined ERK and STAT3 inhibition eliminates the discrepancy. • STAT3 inhibition moderately reduces HBV expression.
Mutations that abrogate recognition of a viral epitope by class I- restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) can lead to viral escape if the CTL response against that epitope is crucial for viral clearance. The likelihood of this type of event is low when the CTL response is simultaneously directed against multiple viral epitopes, as has been recently reported for patients with acute self-limited hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The CTL response to HBV is usually quite weak, however, during chronic HBV infection, and it is generally acknowledged that this is a major determinant of viral persistence in this disease. If such individuals were to produce a mono- or oligospecific CTL response, however, negative selection of the corresponding mutant viruses might occur. We have recently studied two HLA-A2-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B who, atypically, developed a strong HLA-A2-restricted CTL response against an epitope (FLPSDFFPSV) that contains an HLA-A2-binding motif located between residues 18-27 of the viral nucleocapsid protein, hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg). These patients failed, however, to respond to any of other HLA-A2-restricted HBV-derived peptides that are generally immunogenic in acutely infected patients who successfully clear the virus. Interestingly, DNA sequence analysis of HBV isolates from these two patients demonstrated alternative residues at position 27 (V --> A and V --> I) and position 21 (S --> N, S --> A, and S --> V) that reduced the HLA and T cell receptor-binding capacities of the variant sequences, respectively. Synthetic peptides containing these alternative sequences were poorly immunogenic compared to the prototype HBc18-27 sequence, and they could not be recognized by CTL clones specific for the prototype peptide. While we do not know if the two patients were originally infected by these variant viruses or if the variants emerged subsequent to infection because of immune selection, the results are most consistent with
Rao, Sirish C.; Ashraf, Imran; Mir, Fazia; Samiullah, Sami; Ibdah, Jamal A.; Tahan, Veysel
Patient: Female, 34 Final Diagnosis: HBV and EBV dual infection Symptoms: Jaundice • fatigue • anorexia • subjective weight loss Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Objective: Rare co-existance of disease or pathology Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been reported as a coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Case Report: A 34-year-old female presented to our clinic with epigastric pain and severe acute hepatitis manifested as jaundice associated with hyperbilirubinemia, elevated transaminases, and coagulopathy. The patient was diagnosed with acute HBV with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) coinfection leading to subsequent chronic hepatitis B. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this patient case is the first reported case of HBV and EBV coinfection reported in the literature. HBV and EBV coinfection may cause severe acute hepatitis with HBV chronicity. PMID:28202897
Ristig, Maria; Drechsler, Henning; Crippin, Jeffrey; Lisker-Melman, Mauricio; Tebas, Pablo
Chronic viral hepatitis has emerged as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among HIV-positive patients. These individuals are at risk for aggressive chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and eventually, death. Currently available therapies for hepatitis B are limited and include interferon-alpha, lamivudine (3TC), and adefovir. Tenofovir (TDF), a recently approved drug for the treatment of HIV, is also active against hepatitis B. We report the case of a HIV-positive patient with liver cirrhosis secondary to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) with evidence of resistance to 3TC. The patient was initially accepted as a liver transplant candidate. However, when TDF was added to his treatment, a remarkable virologic and histopathologic improvement was achieved. The patient was subsequently removed from the liver transplant program and has not suffered from any further hepatic complications.
Qureshi, Huma; Arif, Ambreen; Riaz, Kashif; Alam, Syed Ejaz; Ahmed, Waquaruddin; Mujeeb, Syed Abdul
Background Hepatitis B and C is common in Pakistan and various risk factors are attributable to its spread. One thousand and fifty consecutive male cases suffering from chronic liver disease (327 HBV and 723 HCV) were selected from the OPD of public sector hospital and a private clinic dealing exclusively with the liver patients. To compare the results 723 age and gender matched controls were selected from the blood transfusion services of the public sector hospital. A standard questionnaire was filled for all patients and controls which included the information on possible risk factors. Findings Family history of liver disease was significantly higher (43% and 34%) in HBV and HCV positive cases as compared to 5% in controls [odds ratio 15.6; 95% Confidence Interval CI: 10.1 -- 24.1, 10.9; 95% Confidence Interval CI: 7.3 -- 16.4] and same trend was seen for death due to liver disease in the family. Majority 74% hepatitis B positive cases had their shaves done at communal barbers but this practice was equally prevalent amongst controls (68%), thus negating it as a possible risk factor, but there is a significant risk with p < 0.05 associated with HCV in male that get their shave in barber. Very strong association of the disease was found with history of dental treatment (38% HCV 36% HBV and 21% controls) [Odd ratio 2.3; 95% CI: 1.8-3.0, Odd ratio 2.1; 95% CI: 1.5-2.8], surgery (23% HCV cases,14% HBV cases and 12% controls), history of blood transfusion was significantly higher in HCV (6%) as compared to controls (2.1%) [Odd ratio 2.9; 95% CI: 1.5-5.5]. History of taking injections for various ailments by the general practitioners (over 90% patients in both hepatitis B and C cases) was significantly higher as compared to 75% in controls [Odds ratio 3.8, 6.9; 95% CI: 2.4-6.1, 4.5-10.4] but hospitalization was not significant in HBV and HCV cases. Conclusion Injections, surgery and dental treatment appear as major risk factors for the transmission of hepatitis B and C
Lu, Yunfei; Xu, Qingnian; Tang, Bozong; Chen, Xiaorong
Basal core promoter (BCP) A1762T/G1764A dual mutations in hepatocarcinogenesis remain controversial. Published studies up to June 1, 2015 investigating the frequency of A1762T/G1764A dual mutations from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), were systematically identified. A total of 10,240 patients with chronic HBV infection, including 3729 HCC cases, were included in 52 identified studies. HCC patients had a higher frequency of BCP A1762T/G1764A dual mutations compared with asymptomatic HBsAg carriers (ASC) and patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and liver cirrhosis (LC) (OR = 5.59, P < 0.00001; OR = 2.87, P < 0.00001; OR = 1.55, P = 0.02, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed in the frequency of A1762T/G1764A dual mutations in cirrhotic HCC versus non-cirrhotic HCC patients (OR = 2.06, P = 0.05). Chronic HBV-infected patients and HCC patients with genotype B had a significantly lower risk of A1762T/G1764A dual mutations compared with patients with genotype C (OR = 0.30, P < 0.0001 and OR = 0.34, P = 0.04, respectively). In HBV genotype C subjects, A1762T/G1764A dual mutations contributed to significantly higher risk for HCC developing compared with non-mutation ones (OR = 3.47, P < 0.00001). In conclusion, A1762T/G1764A dual mutations increase the risk of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in an HBV genotype C population, even without progression to cirrhosis. PMID:26848866
Piratvisuth, Teerha; Komolmit, Piyawat; Chan, Henry LY; Tanwandee, Tawesak; Sukeepaisarnjaroen, Wattana; Pessoa, Mário G; Fassio, Eduardo; Ono, Suzane K; Bessone, Fernando; Daruich, Jorge; Zeuzem, Stefan; Manns, Michael; Uddin, Alkaz; Dong, Yuhong; Trylesinski, Aldo
Background: A 2-year roadmap study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tenofovir intensification at Week 24 in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) receiving telbivudine. Scope: A prospective multicenter study was conducted in treatment-naive patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB. All patients received telbivudine (600 mg/day) until Week 24. Thereafter, patients with detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (≥300 copies/mL) were administered tenofovir (300 mg/day) plus telbivudine, and patients with undetectable HBV DNA continued telbivudine monotherapy until Week 104. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with undetectable HBV DNA (<300 copies/mL) at Weeks 52 and 104. Findings: A total of 105 patients were enrolled in the trial, of which 100 were eligible for efficacy analysis. Undetectable HBV DNA levels were observed at Week 24 in 55 patients who continued on with telbivudine monotherapy. The remaining 45 patients with detectable HBV DNA received tenofovir add-on therapy. With monotherapy, 100% (55/55) and 94.5% (52/55) of patients achieved HBV DNA <300 copies/mL at Weeks 52 and 104, respectively; the corresponding values for patients with add-on therapy were 84.4% (38/45) and 93.3% (42/45). Overall, undetectable HBV DNA (<300 copies/mL) was found in 93% (93/100) and 94% (94/100) of patients at Weeks 52 and 104, respectively. HBeAg seroconversion rate was 44.4% (44/99) at Week 104 for the overall patient population. One patient in the monotherapy group and six in the intensification group demonstrated HBsAg clearance at Week 104. HBsAg seroconversion was observed in four patients at Week 104, all belonged to the tenofovir intensification group. Eight patients sustained HBsAg loss during a posttreatment follow-up period of 16 weeks. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization was constant in the telbivudine monotherapy group, whereas a progressive improvement was observed in the tenofovir intensification group
Ahmadi Vasmehjani, A; Javeshghani, D; Baharlou, R; Shayestehpour, M; Mousavinasab, S D; Joharinia, N; Enderami, S E
Infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) in patient with chronic liver disease (CLD; due to hepatitis B or hepatitis C) may cause severe disease and fulminant liver failure. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HAV antibodies in patients infected with HCV or HBV in Iran (Jahrom city). A total of 159 patients with underlying CLD were recruited between September 2012 and February 2013. Serum samples were collected from each patient and tested for anti-HAV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall seroprevalence of total anti-HAV was 79·2%. Patients aged 20-30 years had the lowest (28·3%) anti-HAV seropositivity and those aged >50 years had the highest (95%) seropositivity. The overall prevalence of anti-HAV in patients with chronic HCV and HBV infection was 93·7% and 77·1%, respectively. The anti-HAV seropositivity in liver cirrhosis patients was 100% compared to CLD patients. Because of low HAV immunity in younger CLD patients, vaccination against HAV should be considered.
Baclig, Michael O; Reyes, Karen G; Mapua, Cynthia A; Gopez-Cervantes, Juliet; Natividad, Filipinas F
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most prevalent viral infections worldwide. Nearly 400 million individuals are chronic carriers of HBV. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of human interleukin 28B (IL28B) variants among treatment naive Filipino patients clinically diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to compare the IL28B frequency distribution with various ethnic populations. Fifty-seven CHB patients and 43 normal controls were enrolled in this study. Real-time PCR was performed using the TaqMan genotyping assay for IL28B rs12979860. The allelic frequencies among normal controls were 0.94 and 0.06 for the IL28B rs12979860 C and T alleles, respectively. Eighty-eight percent were identified as homozygous for the IL28B C/C genotype and 12% were identified as heterozygous for the IL28B C/T genotype. Among CHB patients, the allelic frequencies were 0.90 for the IL28B C allele and 0.10 for the IL28B T allele. No IL28B T/T genotype was observed between the two groups. No significant difference in the distribution of IL28B genotypes was observed between normal controls and CHB patients. Allelic frequencies of IL28B among Filipinos were similar with other Asian populations but significantly different from Caucasians. The frequency of rs12979860 C>T variants among Filipino CHB patients has not yet been reported. These data provided new insight into the geographical frequency distribution of IL28B variants. Further studies are needed to determine the possible association between IL28B variants and response to pegylated-interferon-α plus ribavirin combination therapy among Filipino patients chronically infected with HBV.
Lynch, Kara L.; Shapiro, Brad J.; Coffa, Diana; Novak, Scott P.; Kral, Alex H.
Background Concomitant use of opioids and promethazine has been reported in various subpopulations, including methadone maintenance patients, injection drug users, and at-risk teenagers. Promethazine is thought to potentiate the “high” from opioids. However, to date, the prevalence of promethazine use has not been determined among patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain. Methods Urine samples from 921 patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain were analyzed for promethazine. Demographic data, toxicology results, and opioid prescription information were obtained through medical record abstraction. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with promethazine use with bivariable and multivariable statistics. Results The prevalence of promethazine-positive urine samples among chronic pain patients was 9%. Only 50% of promethazine-positive patients had an active prescription for promethazine. Having benzodiazepine-positive urine with no prescription for a benzodiazepine was statistically associated with promethazine use. Also, having a prescription for methadone for pain or being in methadone maintenance for the treatment of opioid dependence were both statistically associated with promethazine use. Chronic pain patients prescribed only a long-acting opioid were more likely to have promethazine-positive urines than patients prescribed a short-acting opioid. Conclusions The study provides compelling evidence of significant promethazine use in chronic pain patients. Promethazine should be considered as a potential drug of abuse that could cause increased morbidity in opioid-using populations. PMID:25754939
Souza, Israel; Vasconcelos, Ana Glória Godoi; Caumo, Wolnei; Baptista, Abrahão Fontes
The aim of this study was to identify resilience profiles of patients with chronic pain. Using latent class analysis in a sample of 414 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, three profiles were identified: primary resilience (40%), consisting of individuals 40 years or younger with high education, who seek medical care, are not working, and without symptoms of psychological stress; secondary resilience (30%), consisting of women over 54 years of age with low schooling, who seek medical care, are not working, and with low likelihood of symptoms of psychological stress; tertiary resilience (29%), women with medium schooling, 40 to 54 years old, working, who do not seek medical care, and with a high likelihood of symptoms of psychological stress. The three profiles display different paths of resilience in chronic pain that are relevant to clinical practice, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary care for patients with chronic pain.
AbuOdeh, Raed; Al-Mawlawi, Naema; Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Bohol, Marie Fe F; Al-Ahdal, Mohammed N; Hasan, Haydar A; AbuOdeh, Lamees; Nasrallah, Gheyath K
Torque Teno virus (TTV) has been associated with non A-G hepatitis. The goal of this study was to estimate the infection rates and genotypic characteristics of TTV in the State of Qatar. A total of 644 blood samples representing different nationalities: (i) Qatari (118) and (ii) non-Qatari (526) nationals (mostly from Arab and South Eeast Asia countries) were tested for the presence of TTV DNA by nested PCR. The majority (573) of the blood samples belonged to healthy blood donors, whereas 54 and 53 of the blood samples belonged to patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), respectively. The results obtained showed that the TTV infection rates in the healthy blood donors, and those infected with HBV or HCV patients were 81.4, 90.75 and 84.9%, respectively. Significant association between TTV viremia and age, or nationality was observed. Sequence analysis of PCR fragments amplified from the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of all (531) TTV positive samples showed that 65.5% (348/531) of the PCR fragment sequences were classified into main genogroup 3, followed by main genogroups 5 (24%), 2 (5.8%), and 1 (4.7%). Genogroup 4 was not detected among the our studied subjects. Phylogenetic and pairwise analyses using sequences from TTV viremic samples also showed an overall close similarity to the main genogroup 3. In conclusion, there was no significant difference in the rates of TTV detection among Qataris and non-Qataris and several genotypes, mainly genotype 3, were isolated.
Wong, Raymond S M; Bakshi, Kalpana; Brainsky, Andres
An increased risk of thromboembolic events among patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia has been reported but is still not fully understood. A thrombophilia panel (factors suspected/known to denote a thrombophilic state or indicate activation of the clotting cascade) was measured in previously treated patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia enrolled in an eltrombopag trial to assess potential thrombophilia risk markers. Of 167 patients, 136 (81%) had abnormal levels of at least 1 known or suspected thrombosis risk marker or coagulation cascade activation marker. Six patients reported thromboembolic events, and all of these patients had at least two abnormal analytes in the thrombophilia panel. The presence of multiple baseline thrombophilia risk markers support the theory that chronic immune thrombocytopenia is a pro-thrombotic disease.
Dussol, B; Berthezène, P; Brunet, P; Roubicek, C; Berland, Y
During the last quarter of 1992, 984 patients from 13 dialysis centers in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region in France participated in a multicenter cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence, the risk factors, and the clinical consequences of infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies using second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the case of a positive result, a combination test was performed using second-generation recombinant immunoblot (RIBA) or direct detection of HCV-RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Collected data included the patient's age, gender, cause of the kidney disease, type of dialysis treatment, number of years on dialysis, weekly dialysis time, drug addiction, co-infection with hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), number of kidney transplants, number of blood transfusions, and history of acute or chronic hepatitis. Chronic HCV infection was detected in 232 (23.6%) patients, whereas only 71 (7.2%) were infected by HBV. Logistic-regression analysis showed that HCV infection was associated with dialysis over a long period, numerous blood transfusions, female gender, kidney grafts, HBV infection, hemodialysis, and acute as well as chronic hepatitis. Multiple-correspondence analysis confirmed that the contamination was both transfusional and nosocomial. These results underscore the need for a strict compliance with "universal precautions" (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], Atlanta) in dialysis units and raise the question as to whether anti-HCV-positive patients should be isolated.
Experimental chronic hepatitis B infection of neonatal tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis): A model to study molecular causes for susceptibility and disease progression to chronic hepatitis in humans
Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be an escalating global health problem. Feasible and effective animal models for HBV infection are the prerequisite for developing novel therapies for this disease. The tree shrew (Tupaia) is a small animal species evolutionary closely related to humans, and thus is permissive to certain human viral pathogens. Whether tree shrews could be chronically infected with HBV in vivo has been controversial for decades. Most published research has been reported on adult tree shrews, and only small numbers of HBV infected newborn tree shrews had been observed over short time periods. We investigated susceptibility of newborn tree shrews to experimental HBV infection as well as viral clearance over a protracted time period. Results Forty-six newborn tree shrews were inoculated with the sera from HBV-infected patients or tree shrews. Serum and liver samples of the inoculated animals were periodically collected and analyzed using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Southern blot, and immunohistochemistry. Six tree shrews were confirmed and four were suspected as chronically HBV-infected for more than 48 (up to 228) weeks after inoculation, including three that had been inoculated with serum from a confirmed HBV-infected tree shrew. Conclusions Outbred neonatal tree shrews can be long-term chronically infected with HBV at a frequency comparable to humans. The model resembles human disease where also a smaller proportion of infected individuals develop chronic HBV related disease. This model might enable genetic and immunologic investigations which would allow determination of underlying molecular causes favoring susceptibility for chronic HBV infection and disease establishment vs. viral clearance. PMID:22913805
Bläuer, Cornelia; Pfister, Otmar; Bächtold, Christa; Junker, Therese; Spirig, Rebecca
Patients with chronic heart failure (HF) are limited in their quality of life, have a poor prognosis and face frequent hospitalisations. Patient self-management was shown to improve quality of life, reduce rehospitalisations and costs in patients with chronic HF. Comprehensive disease management programmes are critical to foster patient self-management. The chronic care model developed by the WHO serves as the basis of such programmes. In order to develop self-management skills a needs orientated training concept is mandatory, as patients need both knowledge of the illness and the ability to use the information to make appropriate decisions according to their individual situation. Switzerland has no established system for the care of patients with chronic diseases in particular those with HF. For this reason a group of Swiss experts for HF designed a model for disease management for HF patients in Switzerland. Since 2009 the Swiss Heart Foundation offers an education programme based on this model. The aim of this programme is to offer education and support for practitioners, patients and families. An initial pilot evaluation of the program showed mixed acceptance by practitioners, whereas patient assessed the program as supportive and in line with their requirements.
Kosinska, Anna D; Liu, Jia; Lu, Mengji; Roggendorf, Michael
Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) may lead to subclinical, acute or chronic hepatitis. In the prevaccination era, HBV infections were endemic due to frequent mother to child transmission in large regions of the world. However, there are still estimated 240 million chronic HBV carriers today and ca. 620,000 patients die per year due to HBV-related liver diseases. Recommended treatment of chronic hepatitis B with interferon-α and/or nucleos(t)ide analogues does not lead to satisfactory results. Induction of HBV-specific T cells by therapeutic vaccination or immunomodulation may be an innovative strategy to overcome virus persistence. Vaccination with commercially available HBV vaccines in patients with or without therapeutic reduction of viral load did not result in effective immune control of HBV infection, suggesting that combination of antiviral treatment with new formulations of therapeutic vaccines is needed. The woodchuck (Marmota monax) and its HBV-like woodchuck hepatitis virus are a useful preclinical animal model for developing new therapeutic approaches in chronic hepadnaviral infections. Several innovative approaches combining antiviral treatments using nucleos(t)ide analogues, with prime-boost vaccination using DNA vaccines, new hepadnaviral antigens or recombinant adenoviral vectors were tested in the woodchuck model. In this review, we summarize these encouraging results obtained with these therapeutic vaccines. In addition, we present potential innovations in immunostimulatory strategies by blocking the interaction of the inhibitory programmed death receptor 1 with its ligand in this animal model.
Chung, Goh Eun; Cho, Eun Ju; Lee, Jeong-Hoon; Yoo, Jeong-ju; Lee, Minjong; Cho, Yuri; Lee, Dong Hyeon; Kim, Hwi Young; Yu, Su Jong; Kim, Yoon Jun; Yoon, Jung-Hwan; Zoulim, Fabien
Background/Aims A recent study reported that entecavir had inferior efficacy in nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-experienced chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients compared to NA-naïve patients. We sought to compare the efficacy of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in NA-experienced and NA-naïve CHB patients. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 252 consecutive patients who had a serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level greater than 2,000 IU/mL at the initiation of TDF treatment and who received TDF for at least 6 months. Complete virologic suppression (CVS) was defined as undetectable serum HBV DNA. We generated a multivariate Cox proportional-hazard model to examine predictive factors that were independently associated with time to CVS. Results The mean age of patients was 48.2 years, and the cohort included 181 NA-naïve patients and 71 NA-experienced patients. The median duration of TDF treatment was 14.4 (interquartile range, 9.5-17.8) months. A total of 167 (92.3%) of 181 NA-naïve patients achieved CVS, and 60 (84.5%) of 71 NA-exposed patients achieved CVS. Forty-nine (89.1%) of 55 patients who previously took an NA aside from adefovir and 11 (68.8%) of 16 adefovir-experienced patients achieved CVS. In multivariable analysis, previous adefovir exposure significantly influenced time to CVS (hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.72; P=0.003), after adjusting for HBeAg positivity, baseline HBV DNA level and cirrhosis. Conclusions Tenofovir had inferior efficacy in adefovir-experienced CHB patients compared to NA-naïve patients. The response of patients with previous adefovir exposure to TDF monotherapy should be monitored closely. PMID:28190329
Krastev, Zahari; Petrova, Diana; Kotzev, Iskren; Celen, Mustafa Kemal; Mendelson, Meryl; Chandra, Richa; Pandey, Priti; Hamed, Kamal
AIM To make efficacy and safety comparison of telbivudine-raodmap and tenofovir-roadmap in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. METHODS This was the first prospective, randomised, two-arm, open-label, non-inferiority study in HBeAg-negative CHB patients that compared telbivudine and tenofovir administered as per roadmap concept. Patients were treated up to 24 wk and, depending on virologic response, continued the same therapy or received add-on therapy up to 104 wk. Eligible patients received an additional 52 wk of treatment in the extension period (i.e., up to 156 wk). Patients who developed virologic breakthrough (VB) while on monotherapy also received add-on therapy. The primary efficacy endpoint was the rate of patients achieving hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA < 300 copies/mL at week 52. Secondary efficacy endpoints included the rates of HBV DNA < 300 and < 169 copies/mL, HBV DNA change from baseline, alanine aminotransferase normalisation, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss, HBsAg seroconversion, VB, and emergence of resistance at various timepoints throughout the study. Safety and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were also analysed. RESULTS A total of 241 patients were randomised. Non-inferiority of telbivudine arm to tenofovir arm was demonstrated at week 52 (± 7 d window), with over 91% of patients in each treatment arm achieving HBV DNA level < 300 copies/mL. Both arms were similar in terms of key secondary efficacy variables at weeks 104 and 156. The percentage of patients achieving HBV DNA < 300 copies/mL remained high and was similar in the telbivudine and tenofovir arms at both weeks 104 and 156. Over 82% of patients in both arms achieved alanine aminotransferase normalisation at week 52, and this percentage remained high at weeks 104 and 156. Telbivudine treatment progressively reduced serum HBsAg levels from baseline while no change was reported in quantitative HBsAg during therapy with tenofovir
Abdrakhmanova, L M; Farkhutdinov, U R; Farkhutdinov, R R
The chemoluminescence test in 49 patients with lingering inflammatory chronic bronchitis has revealed inhibition of generation of active oxygen forms in the whole blood, intensification of lipid peroxidation in the serum, depression of local immunity. Administration of halotherapy to the above patients results in correction of disturbances of free-radical oxidation, improves local immunity and clinical course of the disease.
Zhao, Ling-Hao; Liu, Xiao; Yan, He-Xin; Li, Wei-Yang; Zeng, Xi; Yang, Yuan; Zhao, Jie; Liu, Shi-Ping; Zhuang, Xue-Han; Lin, Chuan; Qin, Chen-Jie; Zhao, Yi; Pan, Ze-Ya; Huang, Gang; Liu, Hui; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Ruo-Yu; Yang, Yun; Wen, Wen; Lv, Gui-Shuai; Zhang, Hui-Lu; Wu, Han; Huang, Shuai; Wang, Ming-Da; Tang, Liang; Cao, Hong-Zhi; Wang, Ling; Lee, Tin-Lap; Jiang, Hui; Tan, Ye-Xiong; Yuan, Sheng-Xian; Hou, Guo-Jun; Tao, Qi-Fei; Xu, Qin-Guo; Zhang, Xiu-Qing; Wu, Meng-Chao; Xu, Xun; Wang, Jun; Yang, Huan-Ming; Zhou, Wei-Ping; Wang, Hong-Yang
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can integrate into the human genome, contributing to genomic instability and hepatocarcinogenesis. Here by conducting high-throughput viral integration detection and RNA sequencing, we identify 4,225 HBV integration events in tumour and adjacent non-tumour samples from 426 patients with HCC. We show that HBV is prone to integrate into rare fragile sites and functional genomic regions including CpG islands. We observe a distinct pattern in the preferential sites of HBV integration between tumour and non-tumour tissues. HBV insertional sites are significantly enriched in the proximity of telomeres in tumours. Recurrent HBV target genes are identified with few that overlap. The overall HBV integration frequency is much higher in tumour genomes of males than in females, with a significant enrichment of integration into chromosome 17. Furthermore, a cirrhosis-dependent HBV integration pattern is observed, affecting distinct targeted genes. Our data suggest that HBV integration has a high potential to drive oncogenic transformation. PMID:27703150
Ozaras, R; Corti, G; Ruta, S; Lacombe, K; Mondelli, M U; Irwing, W L; Puoti, M; Khalighi, A; Santos, M L; Harxhi, A; Lazarevic, I; Soriano, V; Gervain, J; Leblebicioglu, H; Salmon, D; Arends, J E
The prevalence and management of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection differ among European countries. The availability and reimbursement of diagnostics and drugs may also vary, determining distinct treatment outcomes. Herein, we analyse differences in medical facilities for the care of patients with chronic HBV infection across Europe. A survey was sent to the members of the ESCMID Study Group for Viral Hepatitis, all of whom are experts in chronic HBV infection management. The comprehensive survey asked questions regarding hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence, the availability of diagnostics and drugs marketed, and distinct clinical practice behaviours in the management of chronic HBV infection. World Bank data were used to assess the economic status of the countries. With 16 expert physicians responding (69%), the HBsAg prevalence rates were <1% in France, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK, intermediate (1-5%) in Turkey, Romania, and Serbia, and high (>5%) in Albania and Iran. Regarding the availability and reimbursement of HBV diagnostics (HBV DNA and liver stiffness measurement), HBV drugs (interferon, lamivudine, tenofovir, and entecavir), HBV prophylaxis, and duration of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative HBV infection, the majority of high-income and middle-income countries had no restrictions; Albania, Iran and Serbia had several restrictions in diagnostics and HBV drugs. The countries in the high-income group were also the ones with no restrictions in medical facilities, whereas the upper-middle-income countries had some restrictions. The prevalence of chronic HBV infection is much higher in southern and eastern than in western European countries. Despite the availability of European guidelines, policies for diagnostics and treatment vary significantly across European countries.
Li, Xiaodong; Liu, Yan; Xin, Shaojie; Ji, Dong; You, Shaoli; Hu, Jinhua; Zhao, Jun; Wu, Jingjing; Liao, Hao; Zhang, Xin-Xin; Xu, Dongping
The study aimed to investigate the association of prevalent genotypes in China (HBV/C and HBV/B) with HBV drug-resistant mutations. A total of 13,847 nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-treated patients with chronic HBV infection from North China were enrolled. HBV genotypes and resistant mutations were determined by direct sequencing and confirmed by clonal sequencing if necessary. HBV/B, HBV/C, and HBV/D occupied 14.3%, 84.9%, and 0.8% across the study population, respectively. NA usage had no significant difference between HBV/B- and HBV/C-infected patients. Lamivudine-resistant mutations were more frequently detected in HBV/C-infected patients, compared with HBV/B-infected patients (31.67% vs. 25.26%, p < 0.01). Adefovir- and entecavir-resistant mutation detection rates were similar, but the mutational pattern was different between the two genotypes. For adefovir-resistant mutations, HBV/C-infected patients had a higher detection rate of rtA181 V (HBV/C 5.29% vs. HBV/B 1.36%, p < 0.01) and a lower detection rate of rtN236T (2.70% vs. 6.54%, p < 0.01). For entecavir-resistant mutations, HBV/C-infected patients had a higher detection rate of rtM204 V/I+T184 substitution or S202G/C (3.66% vs. 2.16%, p < 0.01) and a lower detection rate of rtM204 V/I+M250 V/I/L substitution (0.67% vs. 1.46%, p < 0.01). Multidrug-resistant mutations (defined as coexistence of mutation to nucleoside and nucleotide analogues) were detected in 104 patients. HBV/C-infected patients had a higher detection rate of multidrug-resistant mutation than HBV/B-infected patients (0.83% vs. 0.35%, p < 0.05). The study for the first time clarified that HBV/C-infected patients had a higher risk to develop multidrug-resistant mutations, compared with HBV/B-infected patients; and HBV/C- and HBV/B-infected patients had different inclinations in the ETV-resistant mutational pattern.
Kitab, Bouchra; Essaid El Feydi, Abdellah; Afifi, Rajaa; Trepo, Christian; Benazzouz, Mustapha; Essamri, Wafaa; Zoulim, Fabien; Chemin, Isabelle; Alj, Hanane Salih; Ezzikouri, Sayeh; Benjelloun, Soumaya
Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common human pathogens that cause aggressive hepatitis and advanced liver disease (AdLD), including liver cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma. The persistence of active HBV replication and liver damage after the loss of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) has been frequently associated with mutations in the pre-core (pre-C) and core promoter (CP) regions of HBV genome that abolish or reduce HBeAg expression. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of pre-C and CP mutations and their impact on the subsequent course of liver disease in Morocco. Methods/Principal Findings A cohort of 186 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic HBV infection was studied (81 inactive carriers, 69 with active chronic hepatitis, 36 with AdLD). Pre-C and CP mutations were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing method. The pre-C stop codon G1896A mutation was the most frequent (83.9%) and was associated with a lower risk of AdLD development (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.15–1.04; p = 0.04). HBV-DNA levels in patients with G1896A were not significantly different from the other patients carrying wild-type strains (p = 0.84). CP mutations C1653T, T1753V, A1762T/G1764A, and C1766T/T1768A were associated with higher HBV-DNA level and increased liver disease severity. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that older age (≥40 years), male sex, high viral load (>4.3 log10 IU/mL) and CP mutations C1653T, T1753V, A1762T/G1764A, and C1766T/T1768A were independent risk factors for AdLD development. Combination of these mutations was significantly associated with AdLD (OR, 7.52; 95% CI, 4.8–8; p<0.0001). Conclusions This study shows for the first time the association of HBV viral load and CP mutations with the severity of liver disease in Moroccan HBV chronic carriers. The examination of CP mutations alone or in combination could be helpful for prediction of the clinical outcome. PMID:22905181
Lei, Yu; Hu, Tingting; Song, Xiaofei; Nie, Hong; Chen, Min; Chen, Weixian; Zhou, Zhi; Zhang, Dazhi; Hu, Huaidong; Hu, Peng; Ren, Hong
T follicular helper cells (Tfh) provide help to B cells to support their activation, expansion and differentiation. However, the role of Tfh cells in chronic HBV infection is poorly defined. The aim of this research was to examine the function of Tfh cells and whether they are involved in HBV related disease. Blood CXCR5+CD4+T cells and B cells in 85 patients with chronic HBV infection (HBV patients) and health controls (HC) were examined by flow cytometry. The molecule expression in blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells was detected by real-time PCR. Blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells and B cells were co-cultured and the production of Ig and cytokines was detected by ELISA. Autoantibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence and immunospot assay. We found that blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells in patients with chronic HBV infection (HBV patients) expressed higher level of activation related molecules and cytokines than that from health controls (HC).In HBV patients, the frequency of blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells was significantly correlated with serum ALT and AST. We also found that blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells from HBV patients could induce B cells to secret higher level of immunoglobulin than that from HC. Several autoantibodies, including ANA, ss-A, ss-B, Scl-70, Jo-1, ect, were indeed positive in 65% HBV patients. Among HBV patients, expression of function related molecules was significantly higher in blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells from patients with autoantibodies than that without autoantibodies. Our research indicated that blood CXCR5+CD4+ T cells from HBV patients were over activated and show augmented capacity to help B cells for antibody secreting, which might correlated with liver inflammation and the production of autoantibodies in extrahepatic manifestations.
Cuestas, María L; Rivero, Cintia W; Minassian, María L; Castillo, Amalia I; Gentile, Emiliano A; Trinks, Julieta; León, Liliana; Daleoso, Graciela; Frider, Bernardo; Lezama, Carol; Galoppo, Marcela; Giacove, Gisela; Mathet, Verónica L; Oubiña, José R
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants may either emerge in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) as a result of positive selection pressure exerted by their own immune response, or during therapy with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). Naturally occurring HBV variants with primary antiviral resistance are rarely observed. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the (eventual) circulation of HBV variants with natural resistance to NAs currently used as therapy for CHB in Argentina. This study reports 13 cases of CHB-infected patients with natural antiviral resistance to at least one NA. Five of them were also carriers of S-variants that might escape the humoral immune system recognition with potential resistance to adefovir. In addition to the already reported A2 HBV subgenotype association to NAs natural resistance, E and F genotypes association to such resistance is described for the first time. These findings suggest that sequence analysis of the HBV reverse transcriptase might be an essential tool before starting antiviral therapy, in order to choose the proper NAs for optimizing the therapeutic management of chronically infected patients. Moreover, the circulation and transmission of S-mutants with resistance to such antiviral drugs should be of public health concern as they may represent an additional risk for the community.
Lambregts, Merel M C; Alleman, Maarten A; Ruys, Gijs J H M; Groeneveld, Paul H P
A 68-year-old man, immunocompromised due to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chemotherapy, was admitted for a community-acquired norovirus infection. He developed chronic intermittent diarrhoea and cachexia. A video-capsule examination showed severe mucosal atrophy in the jejunum. The patient died eight months after the initial norovirus infection. Eight of the nine stool examinations were positive for the norovirus during this entire period. Excretion of norovirus is known to persist after the symptoms have been resolved. However, there is only one previously reported case of excretion over such a long period. Recognising a chronic norovirus infection in immunocompromised patients is vital as then complications such as mucosal atrophy with malabsorption and cachexia can be diagnosed and supportive therapy can be started. Furthermore, recognising a chronic norovirus infection is essential for preventing norovirus outbreaks. Infected patients should always be isolated, regardless of their symptoms and faecal viral load.
Marciano, Sebastián; Galdame, Omar A; Gadano, Adrián C
The analysis of the HBV genome revealed the existence of 10 genotypes, named A-J. Evidence of the influence of the different genotypes in the natural history and treatment response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues or interferon-based regimens is scant. HBV genotype F is one of the most prevalent circulating genotypes in South America and the Arctic Circle. Since most of the available information on HBV is from Asia, the US and Europe, it reflects their predominant genotypes: A, B, C and D. To date, the evidence is not fully confirmed, but it appears that genotype F chronic hepatitis B is associated with a more aggressive course of liver disease, reflected by higher histological indexes, a higher risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma and a higher rate of liver-related mortality. In terms of treatment response, the available data is, unfortunately, even more limited; however, what data is available suggests acceptable and similar response rates to pegylated interferon-α2a in genotype F compared to genotype A. Response rates to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues is not influenced by genotype. The review of this limited data sheds light on the necessity to conduct further studies in South America and the Arctic Circle in order to better understand the different aspects of HBV genotype F, especially in relation to treatment response.
Huang, Miao-Tzu; Liu, Wei-Liang; Lu, Chun-Wei; Huang, Jian-Jhih; Chuang, Hsiao-Li; Huang, Yen-Te; Horng, Jau-Haw; Liu, Peng; Han, Dai-Shu; Chiang, Bor-Luen; Shih, Chiaho; Chen, Pei-Jer; Chen, Ding-Shinn
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is known to cause age-dependent infection outcomes wherein most infections during young age result in chronicity. The mechanism underlying the differential outcome remains elusive. By using hydrodynamic injection of the replication-competent pAAV-HBV, we established a mouse model in which HBV persistence was generated in 4-5 w/o C57BL/6 young mice, but not in adult mice over 10 w/o. HBV-tolerant young mice expressed higher interferon (IFN)-α/β levels in hepatocytes and intrahepatic plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) than adult mice after pAAV-HBV injection. Excessive IFN-α/β expression in young mice was associated with induction of the Axl regulatory pathway and expansion of intrahepatic Treg cells. In line with these findings, augmented IFN-β expression increased Axl expression in the liver and HBV persistence in adult mice, whereas IFN-α/β signaling blockage decreased Axl expression and HBV persistence in young mice. Accordingly, Axl overexpression decreased HBV clearance of adult mice whereas Axl silencing enhanced HBV clearance of young mice. In vitro, IFN-β priming of pDCs and Axl-overexpressing macrophages enhanced Treg-cell differentiation. These findings suggest that age-dependent HBV chronicity is attributed to IFN-β-Axl immune regulation, which is selectively induced in young mice by excessive IFN-α/β production at early stage of HBV infection.
Lian, Jian-Qi; Wang, Xiao-Qin; Zhang, Ye; Huang, Chang-Xing; Bai, Xue-Fan
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 play a key role in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the role of TLRs in the pathogenesis of HBV-related liver cirrhosis and their regulation of the innate immune response of patients with liver cirrhosis remain unknown. To assess the contribution of TLR2/4 in HBV-related liver cirrhosis, we examined the expression of circulating TLR2 and TLR4 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) Treg proportions, and CD3(+)/CD4(+)/CD8(+) T-cell counts in 30 liver cirrhosis patients, 21 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and 16 normal controls (NC). Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between TLR2/4 expression and Treg proportions and T-cell counts. We show that the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 was significantly upregulated in patients with liver cirrhosis compared to NC. TLR4 expression was significantly increased in patients with liver cirrhosis compared to patients with CHB, and for TLR2 expression there were no differences between them. TLR4 expression showed a significant positive correlation with the frequency of Tregs in liver cirrhosis patients. TLR2 expression negatively correlated with CD3(+)/CD4(+)/CD8(+) T-cell counts and HBV viral load in patients with liver cirrhosis. These findings indicate that TLR may be involved in the pathogenesis of HBV-related liver cirrhosis, and may interact with Tregs and CD3(+)/CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells in the immune response during HBV-related liver cirrhosis.
Qin, Yannan; Zhong, Yaogang; Ma, Tianran; Wu, Fei; Wu, Haoxiang; Yu, Hanjie; Huang, Chen; Li, Zheng
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely correlated with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver cirrhosis. Structural changes in the glycans of serum and tissue proteins are reliable indicators of liver damage. However, little is known about the alteration of liver glycopatterns during cirrhosis and tumor progression induced by HBV infection. This study compared the differential expression of liver glycopatterns in 7 sets of normal pericarcinomatous tissues (PCTs), cirrhotic, and tumor tissues from patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC induced by HBV using lectin microarrays. Fluorescence-based lectin histochemistry and lectin blotting were further utilized to validate and assess the expression and distribution of certain glycans in 9 sets of corresponding liver tissue sections. Eight lectins (e.g., Jacalin and AAL) revealed significant difference in cirrhotic tissues versus PCTs. Eleven lectins (e.g., EEL and SJA) showed significant alteration during cirrhotic and tumor progression. The expression of Galα1-3(Fucα1-2)Gal (EEL) and fucosyltransferase 1 was mainly increasing in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes during PCTs-cirrhotic-tumor tissues progression, while the expression of T antigen (ACA and PNA) was decreased sharply in cytoplasm of tumor hepatocytes. Understanding the precision alteration of liver glycopatterns related to the development of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and tumor induced by HBV infection may help elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of chronic liver diseases and develop new antineoplastic therapeutic strategies.
Roman, Sonia; Panduro, Arturo
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes have distinct genetic and geographic diversity and may be associated with specific clinical characteristics, progression, severity of disease and antiviral response. Herein, we provide an updated overview of the endemicity of HBV genotypes H and G in Mexico. HBV genotype H is predominant among the Mexican population, but not in Central America. Its geographic distribution is related to a typical endemicity among the Mexicans which is characterized by a low hepatitis B surface antigen seroprevalence, apparently due to a rapid resolution of the infection, low viral loads and a high prevalence of occult B infection. During chronic infections, genotype H is detected in mixtures with other HBV genotypes and associated with other co-morbidities, such as obesity, alcoholism and co-infection with hepatitis C virus or human immunodeficiency virus. Hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence is low. Thus, antiviral therapy may differ significantly from the standard guidelines established worldwide. The high prevalence of HBV genotype G in the Americas, especially among the Mexican population, raises new questions regarding its geographic origin that will require further investigation. PMID:24023487
Ghamari, Shiva; Alavian, Seyed Moayed; Rizzetto, Mario; Olivero, Antonella; Smedile, Antonina; Khedive, Abulfazl; Alavian, Seyed Ehsan; Zolfaghari, Mohammad Reza; Jazayeri, Seyed Mohammad
Background Probably 5% of the HBV carriers have HDV super infection. The risk of fulminant hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is higher in superinfection than the settings when HBV is alone. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HDV in Iranian HBV isolates and to compare their clinical and virological pictures as well as their HDV genetic variations with other worldwide isolates. Patients and Methods 81 carriers with positive results for HBsAg with upper limit ranges of ALT and low or undetectable levels of HBV viral load who did not respond to HBV therapy were selected. After RT amplification of HDV Delta antigen, direct sequencing and phylogenetic study were performed to explore the genotype(s) and nucleotide/amino acid variations. Results 12 (14.8%) patients had positive results for both HDV RNA and anti-HDV. The mean ALT level was higher in HDV positive patients (75.9 U/ML) than HBV-mono-infected individuals; however, the mean HBV viral load was lower in coinfected patients than HBV-mono-infected patients. Phylogenetically, genotype I was the only detected genotype, and the most closely related isolates were of Turkish, Italian and Mongolian origin. Within the delta Ag, there were 326 nucleotide mutations, of which 111 and 215 were silent and missense, respectively. The total number of amino acid substitution was 148; most were located in known functional/epitopic domains. There was no correlation between the numbers of amino acid mutations, with clinical, virological status of the patients. Conclusions HDV should be suspected in HBV carriers with unusual clinical and virological pictures. Relatedness of Iranian HDV isolates to Italian and Turkish sequences proposed a common Caucasian origin for the distribution of HDV genotype I in this ethnic group. PMID:24098308
Lie-Injo, L E; Volberding, P; Golden, J A; Herrera, A R
Earlier reported findings of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in white blood cells of patients with hepatoma, and in a patient with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, led to the examination of HBV DNA in a series of twenty three patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), including nine with opportunistic infections and fourteen with Kaposi's sarcoma, by Southern blot hybridization method, using 32P labelled HBV DNA specific probe obtained by nick translation of HBV DNA cloned into plasmid pBR325. Four of the patients were found to be positive for HBV DNA or HBV related DNA in their leucocytes. The HBV DNA was found free or integrated in the leucocytes of the patients.
Ridruejo, E; Marciano, S; Galdame, O; Reggiardo, M V; Muñoz, A E; Adrover, R; Cocozzella, D; Fernandez, N; Estepo, C; Mendizábal, M; Romero, G A; Levi, D; Schroder, T; Paz, S; Fainboim, H; Mandó, O G; Gadano, A C; Silva, M O
Registration studies show entecavir (ETV) to be effective and safe in NUC-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B, but relapse rates after treatment discontinuation have not been well established. Relapse rates and predictors of relapse were evaluated in naïve HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients treated with ETV. Treatment duration was defined according to international guidelines. Virological relapse was defined as reappearance in serum of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA to >2000 IU/mL after discontinuation of treatment. A hundred and sixty-nine consecutive patients were treated for a median 181 weeks. 61% were HBeAg positive, 23% had cirrhosis, and mean HBV DNA level was 6.88 ± 1.74 log10 IU/mL. Ninety-two per cent became HBV DNA negative; 71% of HBeAg+ve patients became HBeAg negative and 68% anti-HBe positive; 14% became HBsAg negative and 13% anti-HBs positive. At the end of the study, 36 patients discontinued treatment: one due to breakthrough associated with resistant variants and 35 (20%) due to sustained virological response; 33 of these patients developed HBeAg seroconversion and 18 HBsAg seroconversion. Median off-treatment time was 69 weeks. Nine patients (26%), all HBeAg positive at baseline, developed virological relapse after a median 48 weeks off-treatment, 3 of them showed HBeAg reversion and 4 lost anti-HBe. No patient with HBsAg seroconversion relapsed. HBeAg clearance after week 48 of treatment was associated with an increase risk of relapse. After ETV discontinuation, HBsAg seroconversion was maintained in 100% of the patients, HBeAg seroconversion maintained in 90%, and virological relapse rate was 24%.
Hadziyannis, Stephanos J
Data derived from population, case-control, and cohort studies conducted in several Euro-Mediterranean and African countries disclose impressive similarities in the age and modes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission and in the prevalence, duration, and outcome of the four phases of the natural history of chronic infection. Perinatal HBV infection is rare while the vast majority of chronic infections originate from horizontal HBV transmission to infants and children. HBeAg loss and seroconversion to anti-HBe occur in a few years time, usually during the second decade of life. HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB), predominates in these countries being 7-9 times more frequent than HBeAg-positive CHB. The predominance of HBeAg-negative CHB is largely linked to the molecular characteristics of HBV genotype D prevailing in European and African countries of the Mediterranean basin and of genotype E and subgenotype A1 that prevail in the other parts of Africa. The molecular characteristics of the African subgenotype A1 differ from those of European subgenotype A2 explaining the fact that patients infected subgenotype A1 demonstrate an earlier loss of HBeAg and seroconversion to anti-HBe during the natural course of HBV infection compared to those infected with subgenotype A2. It is proposed that the molecular characteristics of HBV genotypes and subgenotypes prevailing in Euro-Mediterranean and African countries acting in concert with host and environmental factors largely determine the natural history of chronic HBV infection and its significant differences from countries of HBV genotype C and B and of subgenotype Ae predominance. The knowledge of the natural history of chronic HBV infection in Euro-Mediterranean and African countries combined with wide screening programs for prompt recognition and treatment of chronic HBV infection both in its HBeAg-positive and -negative immune reactive phases can be expected to increase the efficacy of current
Mahgoub, Shaza; Candotti, Daniel; El Ekiaby, Magdy; Allain, Jean-Pierre
Sudan is a highly endemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV), and >5% of blood donors are chronically infected. To examine potential strategies to improve HBV blood safety, 404 replacement donor samples previously screened for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) were tested for antibody to HBV core (anti-HBc), anti-surface antigen (anti-HBs), and HBV DNA. Of 145 anti-HBc-containing samples (36%) identified, 16 retested were HBsAg positive (11%). Anti-HBs was detected in 43/77 (56%) anti-HBc-reactive samples. Six samples were HBsAg(-)/anti-HBc(+)/anti-HBs(+) and contained HBV DNA, meeting the definition of occult HBV infection (OBI). OBIs had low HBV DNA loads (<10 IU/ml) and were genotype B (n = 1) or genotype D (n = 5). Pre-S/S and/or whole genome sequences were obtained from 47 randomly selected HBsAg-positive donors added to the previous 16. Genotype E was identified in 27 strains (57.5%), genotype D in 19 strains (40.5%), and genotype A2 in 1 strain (2%). Two outlier strains within genotype D ultimately were identified as recombinants of genotypes D and E with identical recombination points, suggesting circulating, infectious, recombinant strains. Anti-HBc screening does not appear to be a sustainable blood safety strategy because of the cost and the negative impact on the Sudanese blood supply, even when reduced by anti-HBs testing. Being at the junction between two main African HBV genotypes, genetic recombination occurred and became part of the molecular epidemiology of HBV in Sudan.
Scott, Lori T.
Chronic pain syndrome appears to have certain dimensions which make it unique as a disabling condition. When pain persists, the resulting anxiety and depression, others' reactions to the patient's sick role behaviors, and situational variables such as disability benefits may all contribute to the pain syndrome and complicate the rehabilitation…
Xiao, Li; Xian, Jianchun; Li, Yang; Geng, Aiwen; Yang, Xiuzhen; Han, Libin; Xu, Hongtao
This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with significant liver histological changes. Liver biopsies from 157 CHB patients were retrospectively analyzed. Only ALB was significantly correlated with advanced liver necroinflammatory (P = 0.001). Age, ALB, GLOB, AST, PLT, and PT were independent predictors of significant fibrosis (P = 0.002, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.048, P < 0.001, and P = 0.001, resp.). AST, WBC, and HBV DNA were significantly correlated with advanced fibrosis in normal ALT patients (P < 0.001, P = 0.041, and P = 0.012, resp.) and age, ALB, GLOB, PLT, and PT in patients with abnormal ALT (P = 0.003, P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, resp.). Age, AST, GGT, PLT, and PT were significantly associated with advanced fibrosis in HBeAg+ patients (P = 0.01, P = 0.016, P = 0.027, P = 0.016, and P = 0.009, resp.) and ALB, GLOB, WBC, PLT, and PT in HBeAg- patients (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P = 0.005, P < 0.001, and P = 0.035, resp.). PLT was an excellent predictor for cirrhosis (P < 0.001 and AUROC = 0.805). ALT was not predictive of advanced fibrosis for patients with HBeAg+ or HBeAg- (P = 0.273 and P = 0.599, resp.). PLT was an excellent predictor for cirrhosis in CHB patients. Liver histopathology can be recommended for chronic HBV carriers of older age, with normal ALT, lower PLT, and lower ALB.
Tong, Yongqing; Liu, Bei; Liu, Hui; Zheng, Hongyun; Gu, Jian; Liu, Hang; Lin, Min; Ding, Yali; Song, Chunhua; Li, Yan
HBV (hepatitis B virus) genotyping is important in determining the clinical manifestation of disease and treatment response, particularly, in patients with low viral loads. Also, sensitive detection of HBV antiviral drug resistance mutations is essential for monitoring therapy response.Asensitive direct sequencing method for genotyping and the drug resistance mutation detection of low levels of HBV DNA in patients' plasma is developed by PCR amplification of the DNA with novel universal primers.The novel, common, and universal primers were identified by alignment of RT region of all the HBV DNA sequences in databases. These primers could efficiently amplify the RT region of HBV virus at low DNA levels by directly sequencing the resulting PCR products, and mapping with the reference sequence made it possible to clearly obtain the HBV subtypes and identify the resistance mutations in the samples with HBV DNA level as low as 20 IU/mL. We examined the reliability of the method in clinical samples, and found it could detect the HBV subtypes and drug resistance mutations in 80 clinical HBV samples with low HBV DNA levels ranging from 20 to 200 IU/mL.This method is a sensitive and reliable direct sequencing method for HBV genotyping and antiviral drug resistance mutation detection, and is helpful for efficiently monitoring the response to therapy in HBV patients.
Couto, Ingrid; Victoria, Marilu; Veloso, Valdiléa G.; Rodrigues, Lorena; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Lacerda, Marcus; Victoria, Flamir; Perazzo, Hugo
Objective The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictor factors for compensated advanced chronic liver disease (c-ACLD) in patients with hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) infection. Methods This cross-sectional study included consecutive HDV-infected patients defined by positive anti-HDV. Patients with hepatitis C coinfection, liver transplantation or presence of conditions that limit liver (LSM) or spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) were excluded. Blood tests, abdominal ultrasound, SSM and LSM by transient elastography (FibroScan®) were performed at the same day. Alcohol consumption was quantified using the AUDIT score and c-ACLD was defined by LSM ≥ 15 kPa performed by an experimented operator blinded for clinical and laboratory data. Results 101 patients were eligible and few patients were excluded due to negative anti-HDV (n = 7), hepatitis C coinfection (n = 2), liver transplantation (n = 10) and limitation for LSM or SSM (n = 5). Therefore, 77 patients [61% male, age = 43 (IQR,36–52) years] were included. The prevalence of c-ACLD was 57% (n = 44/77). Patients with c-ACLD had a higher rate of detectable HBV viral load (p = 0.039), higher levels of transaminases, GGT, alkaline phosphatases, total bilirubin and INR (p<0.001 for all), as well as lower platelet count and albumin levels (p>0.001 for both) compared to those without c-ACLD. Patients with c-ACLD had higher SSM [65.2 (IQR,33.8–75.0) vs 21.8 (16.5–32.0) kPa; p<0.001] and higher splenic volume [475 (IQR,311–746) vs 154 (112–283) cm3; p<0.001] compared to those without. Detectable HBV viral load (>10 UI/ml), alkaline phosphatase (per IU/L) and GGT levels (per IU/L) were independently associated with c-ACLD in all multivariate models. Splenic volume [per cm3,OR = 1.01 (95%CI,1.01–1.02);p = 0.002], SSM [per kPa, OR = 1.04 (1.01–1.07);p = 0.012] and splenomegaly [yes vs no,OR = 28.45 (4.42–182.95);p<0.001] were independently associated with c-ACLD. Conclusions The prevalence of c
Richter, C; Ter Beest, G; Gisolf, E H; VAN Bentum, P; Waegemaekers, C; Swanink, C; Roovers, E
Migrants born in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) endemic countries are at increased risk of being infected with these viruses. The first symptoms may arise when liver damage has already occurred. The challenge is to identify these infections early, since effective treatment has become available. In 2011 we conducted a screening project in first-generation migrants (FGMs) born in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the former Soviet Republics, and Vietnam and living in Arnhem and Rheden. All participants were offered free blood screening for HBV and HCV. In total 959 participants were tested, with the country of origin known for 927, equating to 28·7% of all registered FGMs from the chosen countries. Nineteen percent (n = 176) had serological signs of past or chronic HBV infection and 2·2% (n = 21) had chronic HBV infection. The highest prevalence of chronic HBV infection was found in the Vietnamese population (9·5%, n = 12). Chronic HCV was found in two persons from the former Soviet Republics and one from Vietnam. Twenty-four percent (n = 5) of the newly identified patients with chronic HBV and one of the three patients with chronic HCV received treatment. Three of the patients, two with HCV and one with HBV, already had liver cirrhosis. The highest (9·5%) HBV prevalence was found in FGMs from Vietnam, indicating a high need for focusing on that particular immigrant population in order to identify more people with silent HBV infection. The fact that three patients already had liver cirrhosis underlines the necessity of early identification of HBV and HCV infection in risk groups.
Ciccozzi, Massimo; Chaouch, Houda; Lo Presti, Alessandra; Taffon, Stefania; Villano, Umbertina; Equestre, Michele; Bruni, Roberto; Marcantonio, Cinzia; Tritarelli, Elena; Cella, Eleonora; Blasi, Aletheia; Aouni, Mahjoub; Letaief, Amel; Ciccaglione, Anna Rita
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the main cause of diseases liver related infecting more than 200 milion persons worldwide. HBV infection shows high level of prevalence in South-East Europe and in Mediterranean basin. In Tunisia, a country with an intermediate level endemicity, HbsAg prevalence ranges from 2 to 5%. Most of the HBV isolates from Tunisia were classified as subgenotype D7 whose circulation is restricted to a specific area of North Africa including Maghreb region. In this paper, the phylogeny of HBV-D7 isolated from 38 Tunisian patients was investigated by analyzing the S gene region of HBV. A Bayesian coalescent-based framework was used to estimate the origin of the HBV-D7 in the country. The Tunisian D7 isolates were found to share a common ancestor whose origin was traced back to 1958. Population dynamics indicated that HBV-D7 epidemic in Tunisia grew exponentially from 1960s to 1990s. After that, the curve reached a plateau around the years 2000 likely due to the implementation of the infant vaccination program in 1996. Epidemiological data suggested that the exponential growth phase was likely sustained by intra-familial transmission events occurring during infancy. Further characterization of HBV-D7 isolates should be performed to evaluate, in the post-vaccination era, the emergence of new transmission routes, and to monitor the efficacy of the vaccination program. J. Med. Virol. 89:469-475, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lobato, Laís Cruz; Coutinho, Jéssica Castiel; Frota, Maria Zeli Moreira; Schettini, Antonio Pedro Mendes; Santos, Mônica
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of multifactorial etiology influenced by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. We report the case of a patient with psoriasis for more than 25 years who developed hyperuricemia and chronic tophaceous gout with unusual appearance. In psoriasis, hyperuricemia may occur by increased epidermal cell turnover, which accelerates purine metabolism and has uric acid as the product of its catabolism. The association of psoriasis with hyperuricemia can trigger the onset of gouty arthritis, and pose a greater risk of developing other inflammatory comorbidities. Therefore, it is important to periodically investigate uric acid levels in order to treat changes triggered by hyperuricemia. PMID:28225966
Lobato, Laís Cruz; Coutinho, Jéssica Castiel; Frota, Maria Zeli Moreira; Schettini, Antonio Pedro Mendes; Santos, Mônica
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of multifactorial etiology influenced by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. We report the case of a patient with psoriasis for more than 25 years who developed hyperuricemia and chronic tophaceous gout with unusual appearance. In psoriasis, hyperuricemia may occur by increased epidermal cell turnover, which accelerates purine metabolism and has uric acid as the product of its catabolism. The association of psoriasis with hyperuricemia can trigger the onset of gouty arthritis, and pose a greater risk of developing other inflammatory comorbidities. Therefore, it is important to periodically investigate uric acid levels in order to treat changes triggered by hyperuricemia.
Moura, Tuane Carolina Ferreira; Araújo, Mauro Sérgio; Freitas Queiroz, Maria Alice; Conde, Simone Regina Souza da Silva; Demachki, Sâmia; Martins-Feitosa, Rosimar Neris; Machado, Luiz Fernando Almeida; Cayres-Vallinoto, Izaura Maria Vieira; Ishak, Ricardo
The present study investigated the frequencies of rs1800450 (MBL ⁎B, G>A), rs1800451 (MBL ⁎C, G>A), and rs5030737 (MBL ⁎D, C>T) polymorphisms in exon 1 of the MBL2 gene among patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Blood samples from patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV; n = 65), hepatitis C virus (HCV; n = 92), and a noninfected control group (n = 300) were investigated. The presence of polymorphisms was detected using a real-time polymerase chain reaction to correlate with liver disease pathogenesis and fibrosis staging according to the Metavir classification. The genotypic and allelic frequencies showed no significant differences between the groups, but patients with active HBV and the wild AA genotype presented a positive correlation between increased transaminase and HBV DNA levels and the presence of mild to moderate fibrosis. Patients with HCV and the wild AA genotype presented mild inflammation and higher HCV RNA levels, although the same association was not observed for the fibrosis scores. The results suggest that the mutations in exon 1 of the MBL2 gene do not contribute directly to the clinical and laboratory features of HCV and HBV infections, but further studies should be performed to confirm whether the wild AA genotype has indirect effect on disease progression.
Treatment of patients with chronic diseases will be one of the main challenges of medicine in the future. This paper presents an overview of different origins, mechanism, and symptoms necessary for understanding new and different interventions that include a psychosomatic view. In a psychosomatic therapeutic intervention there are very different targets, such as psychological symptoms, personality traits, attitudes toward disease and life, risk behaviour, and social isolation and as biological targets the change of autonomic imbalance and of the effects of the psycho-endocrinological or psycho-immunological stress responses. And there are also different psychosomatic measures that influence the individual biological, psychological and sociological targets. There is a need to give different answer to different questions in the field of psychosomatic and behavioral medicine. Comparative effectiveness research is an important strategy for solving some methodological issues. What is the target of treatment for different diseases: Symptom reduction, healing, or limiting progression to the worst case - the death of patients. We know that, the patient-physician relationship is important for every medical/therapeutic action for patients with chronic diseases. This volume of BioPsychoSocial Medicine will present four different psychosomatic treatment studies from the clinical field in the sense of phase 2 studies: Reports of patients with obesity, anorexia nervosa, chronic somatoform pain and coronary artery disease were presented PMID:22293471
Moucari, Rami; Marcellin, Patrick
HBsAg is a very important clinical test that might not only indicate active hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection but might also be used to predict clinical and treatment outcome. Clearance of HBsAg in patients with chronic HBV infection is associated with a much better clinical outcome, although surveillance for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) should continue. HBV DNA quantification is currently used for selecting candidates for therapy, monitoring response to therapy and detecting the emergence of drug resistance. Assays for HBsAg quantification are less expensive than HBV DNA and fully automated with a high throughput capacity. HBsAg titering may be a useful tool to manage patients with chronic HBV, to more clearly define which patients may, and more importantly, may not, benefit from treatment. Baseline and on-treatment HBsAg quantification may help to refine future treatment algorithms for both immune-modulator therapy and nucleos(t)ide analogues. Both HBV markers provide complementary information on the status of HBV infection. However, the relevance of serum HBsAg levels and its use as a reliable replacement for both covalently closed circular DNA and HBV DNA remain unclear.
Panzarasa, Silvia; Bellazzi, Riccardo; Larizza, Cristiana; Stefanelli, Mario
The management of chronic patients is a complex process, which requires the cooperation of all primary care professionals and their interaction with specialists, laboratories and personnel of different organizations. In this paper we show how a Careflow Management System (CfMS) may represent an essential component of an innovative Health Information System (HIS) able to handle the information and communication needs underlying chronic diseases management. On the basis of a general architecture designed for chronic diseases, we describe a CfMS implementation in the area of diabetes management; such a system embeds EPR and telemedicine functionalities as end-users applications as well as a module for inter-organizational communication based on contracts and on XML messages.
Kuhls, Thomas L.; And Others
Female health care workers with exposure to AIDS patients were studied. Two of the 246 workers showed evidence of opportunistic infections. This analysis confirms the low risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection when hospital infection control practices are employed around AIDS patients. (Author/VM)
Barth, Roos E; Huijgen, Quirine; Tempelman, Hugo A; Mudrikova, Tania; Wensing, Annemarie M J; Hoepelman, Andy I M
Human immunodeficiency (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses are endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa, but data regarding the prevalence of hepatitis co-infections in HIV-positive individuals residing there are limited. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of HBV, HCV, and occult HBV (presence of HBV-DNA in the absence of HBsAg) in a rural, South African cohort. The results were compared to various ethnic groups in a Dutch cohort of people infected with HIV. Antiretroviral-naïve individuals with HIV from both a rural South African clinic (n = 258), and a Dutch University hospital (n = 782), were included. Both serological (HBV and HCV) and molecular (occult HBV) assays were performed. Logistic regression analysis was used to define independent predictors of a hepatitis co-infection. HBV and HCV prevalence rates in the South African cohort were exceptionally low (0.4%, 1/242 and 0.8%, 2/242, respectively), compared to those observed in Caucasians (HBV 4.4% and HCV 10.9%) and African immigrants (HBV 8.9% and HCV 4.8%). Conversely, occult HBV was observed in a considerable proportion (10%, 6/60) of South African patients who were anti-HBc-positive but HBsAg-negative. Occult infections were less frequent in Caucasians and Africans in the Dutch cohort (3.2% and 1.4%, respectively). Independent predictors for occult HBV were not identified, but a trend towards more occult HBV at lower CD4 counts was observed. Local HBV/HCV prevalence data are needed to optimize vaccination and antiretroviral treatment strategies. Occult HBV in patients with HIV may be missed regularly when molecular analyses are not available.
Rashid-Farokhi, Farin; Pourdowlat, Guitti; Nikoonia, Mohammad-Reza; Behzadnia, Neda; Kahkouee, Shahram; Nassiri, Amir-Ahmad; Masjedi, Mohammad-Reza
Chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients are predisposed to several complications associated with pleural effusion. In addition, uremia can directly cause pleuritis. However, there are inadequate data about pathogenesis and natural course of uremic pleuritis. In this study, 76 chronic HD patients with pleural effusion admitted to the Respiratory Center of Masih Daneshvari Hospital, in Tehran, Iran between June 2005 and May 2011 were evaluated to figure out the etiology of their pleural disease. Among these patients, patients with uremic pleuritis were identified and studied. The rate of uremic pleuritis was 23.7%. Other frequent etiologies of pleural effusion were parapneumonic effusion (23.7%), cardiac failure (19.7%), tuberculosis (6.6%), volume overload, malignancy, and unknown. In patients with uremic pleuritis, dyspnea was the most common symptom, followed by cough, weight loss, anorexia, chest pain, and fever. Compared to patients with parapneumonic effusion, patients with uremic effusion had a significantly higher rate of dyspnea and lower rate of cough and fever. Pleural fluid analysis showed that these patients had a significantly lower pleural to serum lactic dehydrogenase ratio, total pleural leukocytes, and polymorphonuclear count compared to patients with parapneumonic effusion. Improvement was achieved in 94.1% of patients with uremic pleuritis by continuation of HD, chest tube insertion or pleural decortication; an outcome better than the previous reports. Despite the association with an exudative effusion, inflammatory pleural reactions in patients with uremic pleuritis may not be as severe as infection-induced effusions. Owing to the advancement in HD technology and other interventions, outcome of uremic pleuritis may be improved.
Loran, O B; Astapov, A I; Zaĭtsev, A V; Gumin, L M
We studied the role of urethrovesical reflux in the onset and maintenance of chronic inflammation in the urinary bladder in patients suffering from chronic cystitis combined with pseudopolyposis of the neck of the bladder and proximal part of the urethra. We modelled a simplified version of an urination fragment of a special computer graphic station. The original computer model theoretically proves the existance of urethrovesical reflux caused by pseudopolyposis in the zone of the urinary bladder cervix and/or proximal urethra. The data were confirmed by radionuclide investigation. Our studies proved the presence of urethrovesical reflux in patients with pseudopolyposis of the bladder cervix provoking retrograde infection of the lower urinary tract. We think it necessary to combine conventional conservative treatment of cystitis with endourethral surgical interventions aimed at reestablishment of normal urination.
Ha, Austin Y; Nguyen, Joyce E; Doyle, Richard J; Feller, Edward
Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) American population is an under-recognized health issue in the United States. Among foreign-born API, the prevalence of HBV is approximately 10%. The prevalence in the general population is below 0.5%; among non-Hispanic whites it is below 0.2%. We examined beliefs held by the API populations in Rhode Island (RI) about personal HBV status and compared them with their actual HBV status. Of 59 total study participants, only 19 (32%) participants correctly knew their HBV status. Six (10%) participants were carriers of HBV; 18 (31%) lacked immunity to the virus. This pilot study suggests the RI API population is not knowledgeable about their own HBV status and are inadequately screened, vaccinated against, and treated for HBV. Increased statewide screening and education efforts, tailored to address this population, are needed to identify and inform those in need of medical attention or vaccination.
Meidani, Mohsen; Rostami, Mojtaba; Hemmati, Simin; Ashrafi, Farzaneh; Gholamnezhad, Mohammad; Emadi, Maryam; Ghasemian, Rasoul; Ahmadian, Mehdi
Background: Hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) and its complications is one of the most serious problems of the health system in many parts of the world. In the present study, we will assess chronic and occult HBV and isolated anti-Hepatitis B core antigen whose screening and evaluation is not routine in different populations. Materials and Methods: This descriptive analytical study was conducted on 213 patients undergoing chemotherapy - radiotherapy referred to the hematology - oncology clinics of Isfahan, Iran in 2012. In order to determine the serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbSAg), Hepatitis B Antigen and Antibody (HBCAb), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and Alkaline phosphatase (ALK.P), venous blood samples were obtained. If the HBCAb sample was positive, another sample of the serum was sent to the laboratory to perform polymerase chain reaction and to determine viral load. Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.7 ± 9 years, with an age range of 27 -73 years; 98 (46%) and 115 (54%) cases were male and female, respectively, with mean age of 51.9 ± 8.3 and 44.1 ± 8.1 years, and there was no significant difference (P < 0.001). The mean level of liver enzymes including AST, ALT and ALK.P were 34.2 ± 36.02, 38.9 ± 47.1 and 252.1 ± 234.7, respectively. Two cases were HbSAg positive (0.9%) and six cases were HBCAb positive (2.8%) and HbSAg negative. Three cases had a high viral load at the rate of starting treatment among positive anti-HBC patients. Conclusion: Because occult hepatitis is investigated less commonly in routine studies, it seems that screening and evaluating its prevalence is useful in the management of patients. PMID:27274500
Petrella, R J
Coronary artery disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and cognitive disorders become more prevalent as people age. Besides delaying the onset of many of these conditions, regular exercise may improve function and delay disability and morbidity in those who have them. Further, exercise may work synergistically with medication to combat the effects of some chronic diseases. Special adaptations for older patients include lower-intensity exercise (eg, fewer repetitions), low-impact exercise (cycling, exercise while sitting), and modified equipment (smaller weights, special shoes, loose clothing). Unresolved issues include development of optimal strategies for motivating older patients to begin and maintain exercise programs.
Davis, Elizabeth B.; Egri, Gladys; Caton, Carol L.M.
In a study of the postdischarge treatment of 119 comparable chronic schizophrenics hospitalized and treated after release in six community mental health care systems, it was found that lower rehospitalization rates and longer community survivorship correlated significantly with patients' compliance in early postdischarge treatment plans and the frequency of aftercare visits prescribed for them during the early postrelease period. Rehospitalization rates and community survivorship experience were substantially better for patients of two of the six systems, without disproportionate reduction of their clinical or social functioning in the community. Characteristics of the community care systems with better outcomes are described. PMID:6694221
Mora-Gutiérrez, José María; Slon Roblero, María Fernanda; Castaño Bilbao, Itziar; Izquierdo Bautista, Diana; Arteaga Coloma, Jesús; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is widely prevalent worldwide, with a special impact on elderly population. Around half of people aged over 75 meet diagnostic criteria for CKD according to the recent 'Kidney disease improving global outcomes' (KDIGO) 2012 clinical practice guideline on the evaluation and management of CKD. However, geriatric patients have characteristics that may not be addressed by general guidelines. Therefore, it is important to know the natural history of the disease, symptoms, and 'red-flags' that could help in the management of these patients. In this review, a complete approach is presented on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of CKD in the geriatric population.
Heit, J A
Common indications for chronic anticoagulation include mechanical prosthetic heart valve, non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation, and venous thromboembolism. Perioperative management of the chronically anticoagulated patient is a complex medical problem, and includes the following issues: urgency of surgery, risk of thromboembolism in the absence of anticoagulation, bleeding risk, consequences of bleeding, ability to control bleeding physically, and duration of bleeding risk after the procedure. Most patients can be managed safely by stopping oral anticoagulants 4-5 days before surgery and restarting anticoagulation after the procedure at the patient's usual daily dose. In general, dental procedures and cataract extraction can be performed without interrupting anticoagulation. Most other procedures can be safely performed with an INR < or = 1.4. For patients with double-wing prosthetic valves (e.g., St. Jude, Carbomedics) in the aortic position, uncomplicated atrial fibrillation, or a remote (>3 months) history of venous thromboembolism, oral anticoagulants can be stopped 4-5 days before surgery and restarted at the usual daily dose immediately after surgery. For other patients at higher risk of thrombosis, "bridging therapy" with outpatient low molecular weight heparin is safe and effective. For urgent procedures, a small dose of oral vitamin K usually will reduce the INR within 24-36 hours to a level sufficient for surgery and avoids exposure to transfused blood products.
Yang, Ninghan; Bertoletti, Antonio
Chronic hepatitis B infection remains a major disease burden globally, and leads to high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development. Current therapies of nucleot(s)ide analogues and interferon alpha treatment remain limited in their efficacy. Several key findings in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle have led to the development of novel antiviral drugs to inhibit viral replication and persistence. In addition, recent studies on HBV-specific innate and adaptive immune responses have advanced development of immunotherapy to restore immune mediated virus control in chronic hepatitis B patients. In this review, we discuss potential new therapeutic strategies targeting HBV or the host immune system that might lead to a sustained cure for chronic hepatitis B.
Dronov, O I; Koval's'ka, I O; Shvets', Iu P; Vesel's'kyĭ, S P
There was investigated a hepatic bile in 50 persons, aged 35-58 years old, including 20--practically healthy persons (I group), 20 patients, suffering chronic fibrose-degenerative pancreatitis (CHFDP) without jaundice syndrome (II group) and 10 patients, suffering CHFDP with jaundice syndrome (III group). There were determined the contents of the bile acids, the lipids and electrolytic contents of bile. A trustworthy difference in the bile contents was registered in patients, suffering CHFDP with the jaundice syndrome and without it, comparing with such in healthy persons. This have had permitted to add the complex of medicinal preoperative preparation of these patients substantially, and to apply the electrolytes content of a bile to apply as an additional diagnostic marker.
Cojocaru, M; Cojocaru, Inimioara Mihaela; Iacob, Simona Alexandra
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been linked to extrahepatic autoimmune phenomena. In addition, a variety of autoantibodies are found in patients with HCV. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been considered to be highly specific for systemic small vessel vasculitides with renal involvement. The prevalence, nature, a clinical significance of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in serum samples of patients with HCV were therefore investigated. A prospective study of 67 consecutive patients with chronic HCV with no evidence of previous hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection or any other autoimmune disorder. Twenty-seven patients with HBV and 35 healthy volunteers matched for age and sex served as control groups. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in the serum samples were measured by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The group of patients with HCV and ANCA in their serum showed significantly higher total IgG levels, a higher incidence of antinuclear antibodies, and viraemia (HCV RNA) than the ANCA negative patients. None of the patients with HCV and ANCA showed any clinical manifestations related to those autoantibodies. This study clearly shows a high prevalence of ANCA in the serum of patients with HCV. The role of these autoantibodies on the course of HCV infection and their clinical significance has not been determined yet. In conclusion, ANCA are not only markers of small vessel vasculitides, but can also be (false?) positive in patients with HCV infection. A hepatitis C associated vasculitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Determination of target antigens for ANCA is indispensable. Interpretation and therapeutic decisions concerning ANCA associated HCV should only be performed within the clinical context.
Winer, Benjamin Y; Huang, Tiffany; Low, Benjamin E; Avery, Cindy; Pais, Mihai-Alexandru; Hrebikova, Gabriela; Siu, Evelyn; Chiriboga, Luis; Wiles, Michael V; Ploss, Alexander
There are ~350 million chronic carriers of hepatitis B (HBV). While a prophylactic vaccine and drug regimens to suppress viremia are available, chronic HBV infection is rarely cured. HBV's limited host tropism leads to a scarcity of susceptible small animal models and is a hurdle to developing curative therapies. Mice that support engraftment with human hepatoctyes have traditionally been generated through crosses of murine liver injury models to immunodeficient backgrounds. Here, we describe the disruption of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase directly in the NOD Rag1(-/-) IL2RγNULL (NRG) background using zinc finger nucleases. The resultant human liver chimeric mice sustain persistent HBV viremia for >90 days. When treated with standard of care therapy, HBV DNA levels decrease below detection but rebound when drug suppression is released, mimicking treatment response observed in patients. Our study highlights the utility of directed gene targeting approaches in zygotes to create new humanized mouse models for human diseases.
Carretero-Alcántara, Luis; Comes-Górriz, Natividad; Borrás-López, Agustina; Rodríguez-Balo, Alberto; Seara-Aguilar, Germán
Castilla-La Mancha Health Service is developing the integration of care levels due to the challenge of an aging population in the region. Aging is associated with chronic diseases and an increasing number of concomitant diseases. This poses a major care challenge care, with more fragile patients and new needs. This also requires a sustainable approach: the concurrence of several chronic diseases affects the cost of care, which is especially acute in times of severe economic crisis. One of the pillars of the strategy for dealing with chronic diseases in our region is care integration, in an effort to adapt the organization to the new needs. The Balanced Scorecard or Integrated Scorecard of the integration process was introduced as it has been designed. The integration of primary and hospital care at an organizational level has already been completed, and the development of integrated care processes has also been performed in order to achieve real integration at care level. To help finance this, a prospective capitation system is gradually being implemented, achieving a convergence of per capita costs in the different health areas integrated. Nurses has a key role in this process, their skills as educators and trainers in self-care, in the role of case managers of patients with particularly complex conditions, and the role of professional liaison to improve the transition between care areas and units.
Ruan, Peng; Dai, Xiufang; Sun, Zequn; Zhou, Chunfang; Yang, Fan
The present study reported the presence of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) major integration site (MIS) chr16: 51320015 and discussed the significance of quantitative measurement of this site. A total of 30 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive (+) and 30 HBeAg negative (‑) patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were enrolled in the present study, and the levels of intrahepatic (IH) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were detected. Conventional reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) and Sanger sequencing were designed to verify the chr16: 51320015 integration site, and the copy numbers of this site were measured using molecular clone and SYBR Green I RT‑qPCR. This site was found to be present in the hepatocytes of all the enrolled patients, and the average number of copies was 1.46x10‑2 ± 4.94x10‑2 copies/cell (3.48x10‑5‑0.212 copies/cell). No significant difference in the copy numbers of this site were observed between the HBeAg (+) (1.43 ± 9.79x10‑1 copies/cell) and HBeAg (‑) patients (6.58x10‑2 ± 2.47x10‑2 copies/cell; P>0.05), which were positively correlated with the levels of serum HBsAg (P=0.0038), but were not correlated with the levels of IH cccDNA (P=0.7785). In conclusion, the chr16:51320015 integration site may be a novel site, which persists in a several patients with HBV infection, and may accumulate in the hepatocytes due to clonal expansion. The diagnostic and therapeutic values of this site require further investigation.
Bossola, Maurizio; Tazza, Luigi
Xerostomia is the subjective feeling of a dry mouth, which is relatively common in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Xerostomia can be caused by reduced salivary flow secondary to atrophy and fibrosis of the salivary glands, use of certain medications, restriction of fluid intake and old age. In patients undergoing hemodialysis, xerostomia is associated with the following problems: difficulties in chewing, swallowing, tasting and speaking; increased risk of oral disease, including lesions of the mucosa, gingiva and tongue; bacterial and fungal infections, such as candidiasis, dental caries and periodontal disease; interdialytic weight gain resulting from increased fluid intake; and a reduction in quality of life. Unfortunately, no effective treatment exists for xerostomia in patients on chronic hemodialysis. The stimulation of salivary glands by mechanical means (such as chewing gum) or pharmacological agents (such as pilocarpine and angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, the latter alone or in combination with angiotensin-receptor blockers), as well as saliva substitutes, are all ineffective, or effective only in the short term. Xerostomia remains a frustrating symptom for patients on hemodialysis, and further efforts should be made to find an effective treatment for it in the near future.
Huang, Xiangyan; Qin, Yanghua; Zhang, Peng; Tang, Gusheng; Shi, Qingfen; Xu, Jun; Qi, Falian; Shen, Qian
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs antibodies (anti-HBs) may coexist in certain chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. This study was designed to further explore the relationship between this coexistence and hepatitis B Virus (HBV) preS deletions. Sera of 28 patients carrying both HBsAg and anti-HBs (Group I) and those of another 28 HBsAg positive but anti-HBs negative patients (Group II) were collected from CHB patients. Direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products or sequencing of clones was applied to both groups to determine sequences of HBV preS and S genes. Genotyping of the S gene indicated that all sampled HBVs were either Genosubtype Ba or Genosubtype Ce. Seven samples in Group I harbored HBV preS deletion mutations. Three of the seven samples showed large deletion mutations in 3' terminus of preS1 and co-existence of the mutant type and the full-length wild type, and the remaining four samples showed deletion mutations in 5' terminus of preS2. All mutant strains were found to be genosubtype Ce. Only two samples in Group I showed G145R/A mutation. Only one sample in Group II contained preS deletion mutation. It is therefore concluded that HBV preS deletion mutations are likely to be related to the coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs in CHB patients (P-value = 0.024). Some immune reactions may select for the preS deletion in CHB patients with anti-HBs, the possible marker for immune selection.
Guo, Dan; Li, Ziqiong; Jia, Bei; Che, Xiaoqiong; Song, Tianshuang; Huang, Wenxiang
Background: Besides being highly infectious, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. In hospital settings, it is easy for the environment and quilts to be contaminated by HBV patient blood and body fluids. Therefore, HBV can be transmitted to other patients via contaminated environmental surfaces or quilts, resulting in an HBV nosocomial infection. Formaldehyde and ozone are commonly used disinfectants that may influence this infectious situation. Objective: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of formaldehyde and gaseous ozone for the terminal cleaning of hospital quilts contaminated by HBV. Methods: Thin cloth and thick cotton soaked with the serum from high HBV copy number patients were prepared and disinfected using formaldehyde fumigation and gaseous ozone at different times. The copy numbers of HBV DNA in the HBV-contaminated cloth and cotton samples were measured quantitatively with fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: When gaseous ozone was used to disinfect HBV-contaminated quilts for 23 minutes (min), 36 min, 49 min, and 90 min, the HBV DNA copy number displayed no significant decrease compared with the copy number before disinfection (P > 0.05). In comparison, the copy number of the HBV DNA in the cloth group decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after formaldehyde fumigation disinfection for 1 hour (h), and there was no difference when longer times and increased concentrations were used. In the thick cotton group, there was also a significant decrease (P < 0.05) of the HBV DNA copy numbers, but the decrease was not as dramatic. In addition, in this group, the disinfection effect observed at 4 h was the strongest. Conclusions: The application of ozone to disinfect HBV-contaminated hospital quilts possibly has no effect, whereas, formaldehyde oxide fumigation effectively reduced HBV copy numbers. PMID:26770591
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a well-recognized risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is becoming a more prevalent clinical problem, especially in HBV-endemic areas. It is estimated that 1.25 million people in the United States and more than 300 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HBV. Despite the introduction of universal vaccination against hepatitis B in over 100 countries, persistent HBV infection is still a serious problem worldwide, causing an estimated annual death rate of one million. It may take several decades until the effect of vaccination will be translated into reduced transmission and morbidity. Meanwhile, patients with persistent HBV infection require better antiviral therapeutic modalities than are currently available. It is well accepted that antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B is effective to improve prognosis of patients with HBV by preventing development of hepatitis state and HCC. The therapeutic endpoints for hepatitis B treatment are: 1) sustained suppression of HBV replication, as indicated by HBsAg and HBeAg loss, 2) decrease of serum HBV DNA of an undetectable level by a non-PCR method, 3) remission of disease, as shown by normalization of ALT, 4) improvement in liver histology, and 5) reduction of the acute exacerbation, cirrhosis, and HCC. In the present, the antiviral treatment of hepatitis B consists of either interferon alpha or oral lamivudine alone or in combination with existing therapy. Each major antiviral drug of interferon alpha and lamivudine has pros and cons, and effect of combination therapy of both drugs is also still limited. More powerful and safe new antiviral therapies are required to achieve final goal of these therapeutic endpoints. Management of chronic hepatitis B requires significant knowledge of approved pharmacotherapeutic agents and their limitations. Therapeutic options for managing hepatitis infection after liver transplantation (LT
Nauta, Sjoukje; Feibig, Doreen; Wanten, Geert
Telemedicine is a valuable extension of the ways in which patients with chronic diseases can be contacted. Patients can easily contact their caregivers within the safe environment of the digital waiting room. Telemedicine especially offers an advantage for those forms of care where the visual aspect is important. Care should be taken with respect to its implementation into the disease management process with careful synchronisation between all involved parties, e.g. patient, caregiver, and organisation. The effectiveness of telemedicine and the savings that can be achieved should be properly established in order to justify the funding of a telemedicine project. Rather than focusing on the possible drawbacks of telemedicine, e.g. safety concerns and the user-friendliness of the system, we should highlight the possibilities that information technology offers.
Chao, Pei-Jung; Yang, Huang-Yu; Huang, Wen-Hung; Weng, Cheng-Hao; Wang, I-Kuan; Tsai, Aileen I.; Yen, Tzung-Hai
Background. This study investigated the epidemiology of torus palatinus (TP) and torus mandibularis (TM) in hemodialysis patients and analyzed the influences of hyperparathyroidism on the formation of oral tori. Method. During 2013, 119 hemodialysis patients were recruited for dental examinations for this study. Results. The prevalence of oral tori in our sample group was high at 33.6% (40 of 119). The most common location of tori was TP (70.0%), followed by TM (20.0%), and then both TP and TM (10.0%). Of the 40 tori cases, most (67.5%) were <2 cm in size; moreover, the majority (52.5%) were flat in shape. In symmetry, most (70.0%) occurred in the midline, followed by bilateral sides (20.0%). Notably, the levels of intact parathyroid hormone did not differ in patients with or without tori (P = 0.611). Furthermore, patients with tori did not differ from patients without tori in inflammatory variables such as log high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P = 1.000) or nutritional variables such as albumin (P = 0.247). Finally, there were no differences between patients with and without tori in adequacy of dialysis (P = 0.577). Conclusions. Neither hyperparathyroidism nor inflammation malnutrition syndrome was found to contribute to the formation of oral tori in chronic hemodialysis patients. Further studies are warranted. PMID:25918724
Diarra, A B; Guindo, A; Kouriba, B; Dorie, A; Diabaté, D T; Diawara, S I; Fané, B; Touré, B A; Traoré, A; Gulbis, B; Diallo, D A
Red cell transfusion is one of the main treatments in sickle cell disease. However there are potential risks of blood transfusions. In order to propose strategies to improve blood safety in sickle cell disease in Mali, we conducted a prospective study of 133 patients with sickle cell anemia recruited at the sickle cell disease research and control center of Bamako, November 2010 to October 2011. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections by serum screening and the frequency of red cell alloimmunization before and after blood transfusion. The diagnosis of sickle cell syndrome was made by HPLC, the detection of markers of viral infection was performed by ELISA, and the diagnosis of alloimmunization was conducted by the Indirect Coombs test. Prevalence of viral infections observed at the time of enrolment of patients in the study was 1%, 3% and 1% respectively for HIV, HBV and HCV. Three cases of seroconversion after blood transfusion were detected, including one for HIV, one for HBV and one another for HCV in sickle cell anemia patients. All these patients had received blood from occasional donors. The red cell alloimmunization was observed in 4.4% of patients. All antibodies belonged to Rh system only. Blood transfusion safety in sickle cell anemia patients in Mali should be improved by the introduction of at least the technique for detecting the viral genome in the panel of screening tests and a policy of transfusions of blood units only from regular blood donors.
Huang, Ya-Hui; Tseng, Ying-Hsin; Lin, Wey-Ran; Hung, George; Chen, Tse-Ching; Wang, Tong-Hong; Lee, Wei-Chen; Yeh, Chau-Ting
Different types of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core gene deletion mutants were identified in chronic hepatitis B patients. However, their clinical roles in different stages of natural chronic HBV infection remained unclear. To address this issue, HBV core genes were sequenced in three gender- and age-matched patient groups diagnosed as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), respectively. Functional analysis of the identified mutants was performed. A novel type of large-fragment core gene deletion (LFCD) was identified exclusively in HCC patients and significantly associated with unfavorable postoperative survival. The presence of LFCDs resulted in generation of precore-polymerase fusion protein or brought the polymerase reading frame under direct control of HBV precore/core promoter, leading to its over-expression. Enhanced cell proliferation and increased tumorigenicity in nude mice were found in hepatoma cells expressing LFCDs. Because of the epsilon-binding ability of HBV polymerase, we hypothesized that the over-expressed polymerase carrying aberrant amino-terminal sequence could bind to cellular microRNAs. Screening of a panel of microRNAs revealed physical association of a precore-polymerase fusion protein with microRNA-100. A binding inhibition effect on microRNA-100 by the precore-polymerase fusion protein with up-regulation of its target, polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), was discovered. The binding inhibition and growth promoting effects could be reversed by overexpressing microRNA-100. Together, HCC patients carrying hepatitis B large-fragment core gene deletion mutants had an unfavorable postoperative prognosis. The growth promoting effect was partly due to polymerase overexpression, leading to binding inhibition of microRNA-100 and up-regulation of PLK1. PMID:26824500
Yılmaz, Gülin; Kırzıoğlu, Fatma Yeşim; Doğuç, Duygu Kumbul; Koçak, Havva; Orhan, Hikmet
Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that has modulatory effects on the immune system. This study was designed to evaluate plasma ghrelin levels in patients with chronic periodontitis and to investigate if a relationship exists between ghrelin and periodontal parameters, serum cytokines, and bone turnover markers. Thirty-five chronic periodontitis patients (CP) and periodontal healthy individuals (C) were included in this study. Periodontal parameters were recorded. Blood samples were obtained to determine the levels of total and acylated ghrelin, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), the soluble receptor activator nuclear factor kappaB ligand (sRANKL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (OSC). Plasma levels of total and acylated ghrelin were significantly elevated in the CP group compared with the C group (p < 0.05). The difference was significant only between males in the two groups (groups were compared with respect to gender) (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the groups regarding the levels of serum sRANKL, TNF-α, and ALP. A relative increase in the serum levels of IL-1β and a decrease in the serum levels of OSC of the CP group were observed (p < 0.05). In addition, positive correlations between total ghrelin/ALP and total ghrelin/acylated ghrelin were discovered. We found no direct correlation between ghrelin levels and periodontal parameters. Our results indicate an increase of total and acylated ghrelin levels in patients with chronic periodontitis. Further, studies in larger populations (which could include ghrelin levels in gingival tissue, gingival crevicular fluid, and saliva) are needed in order to confirm the role of ghrelin in periodontal disease.
The literature on hepatitis B virus (HBV) in immunocompromised patients is heterogeneous and refers mainly to the pre-antivirals era. Currently, a rational approach to the problem of hepatitis B in these patients provides for: a) the evaluation of HBV markers and of liver condition in all subjects starting immunosuppressive therapies (baseline), b) the treatment with antivirals (therapy) of active carriers, c) the pre-emptive use of antivirals (prophylaxis) in inactive carriers, especially if they are undergoing immunosuppressive therapies judged to be at high risk, d) the biochemical and HBsAg monitoring (or universal prophylaxis in case of high risk immunosuppression, as in onco-haematologic patients and bone marrow transplantation) in subjects with markers of previous contact with HBV (HBsAg-negative and antiHBc-positive), in order to prevent reverse seroconversion. Moreover in solid organ transplants it is suggested a strict adherence to the criteria of allocation based on the virological characteristics of both recipients and donors and the universal prophylaxis or therapy with nucleos(t)ides analogs PMID:21415959
Clark, M L; Paredes, A; Costiloe, J P; Wood, F
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, an attempt was made to evaluate butaclamol in chronic schizophrenic patients using chlorpromazine (CPZ) as the standard comparative drug. With doses up to 50 mg/day, butaclamol was shown to have significant antipsychotic activity comparable to CPZ but with a much higher incidence of extrapyramidal signs. A more reasonable maintenance dose may be in the range of 5 to 20 mg/day. Rebound insomnia was noted again with butaclamol, which warrants further study.
Liddy, Clare; Dusseault, Joanne J.; Dahrouge, Simone; Hogg, William; Lemelin, Jacques; Humber, Jennie
OBJECTIVE To examine the feasibility and efficacy of integrating home health monitoring into a primary care setting. DESIGN A mixed method was used for this pilot study. It included in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys. SETTING A semirural family health network in eastern Ontario comprising 8 physicians and 5 nurses caring for approximately 10 000 patients. PARTICIPANTS Purposeful sample of 22 patients chosen from the experimental group of 120 patients 50 years old or older in a larger randomized controlled trial (N = 240). These patients had chronic illnesses and were identified as being at risk based on objective criteria and physician assessment. INTERVENTIONS Between November 2004 and March 2006, 3 nurse practitioners and a pharmacist installed telehomecare units with 1 or more peripheral devices (eg, blood-pressure monitor, weight scale, glucometer) in patients’ homes. The nurse practitioners incorporated individualized instructions for using the unit into each patient’s care plan. Patients used the units every morning for collecting data, entering values into the system either manually or directly through supplied peripherals. The information was transferred to a secure server and was then uploaded to a secure Web-based application that allowed care providers to access and review it from any location with Internet access. The devices were monitored in the office on weekdays by the nurse practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Acceptance and use of the units, patients’ and care providers’ satisfaction with the system, and patients’ demographic and health characteristics. RESULTS All 22 patients, 12 men and 10 women with an average age of 73 years (range 60 to 88 years), agreed to participate. Most were retired, and a few were receiving community services. Common diagnoses included hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. All patients had blood pressure monitors installed, 11 had wired weight
Boni, C; Bertoletti, A; Penna, A; Cavalli, A; Pilli, M; Urbani, S; Scognamiglio, P; Boehme, R; Panebianco, R; Fiaccadori, F; Ferrari, C
High viral and/or antigen load may be an important cause of the T cell hyporesponsiveness to hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens that is often observed in patients with chronic HBV infection. Reduction of viral and antigen load by lamivudine treatment represents an ideal model for investigating this hypothesis. HLA class II restricted T cell responses and serum levels of HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg were studied before and during lamivudine treatment in 12 patients with hepatitis B e antigen positive chronic active hepatitis B to assess possible correlations between viral and/or antigen load and vigor of the T cell response. Cell proliferation to HBV nucleocapsid antigens and peptides and frequency of circulating HBV nucleocapsid-specific T cells were assessed to characterize CD4-mediated responses. A highly significant enhancement of the CD4-mediated response to HBV nucleocapsid antigens was already detectable in most patients 7-14 d after the start of lamivudine treatment. This effect was dramatic and persistent in 10 patients but undetectable in 2. It occurred concomitant with a rapid and marked reduction of viremia. Interestingly, lamivudine also enhanced the responses to mitogens and recall antigens, showing that its effect was not limited to HBV-specific T cells. In conclusion, an efficient antiviral T cell response can be restored by lamivudine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B concurrently with reduction of viremia, indicating the importance of viral load in the pathogenesis of T cell hyporesponsiveness in these patients. Since lamivudine treatment can overcome T cell hyporeactivity, combining lamivudine with treatments directed to stimulate the T cell response may represent an effective strategy to induce eradication of chronic HBV infection. PMID:9727065
Mobarak, Lamiaa; Omran, Dalia; Nabeel, Mohammed M; Zakaria, Zeinab
It is well known that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops as a consequence of hepatic fibrosis progression. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the inflammatory and fibrosis markers as predictors for HCC development among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related chronic liver disease to help in early diagnosis and management of HCC. A total of 280 patients with chronic liver disease were included in this retrospective study, out of them 140 had liver cirrhosis with HCC and 140 had cirrhosis without HCC. Eight readily available blood indices King score, Fibro Q, AST-ALT ratio (AAR), APRI, LOK index, Goteborg University Cirrhosis Index (GUCI), fibro alpha, and Biotechnology Research Center (BRC) were constructed to compare the accuracies of these non invasive scores in predicting HCC development. All fibrosis scores except APRI were significantly higher in HCC. We found that Fibro alpha and BRC had superior diagnostic performance in prediction of HCC based on area under curve of 0.91 and 0.93, respectively compared to other scores with area under curve ranged from poor to failure (0.59-0.66). Almost all cirrhotic cases were secondary to HCV (93.6%), while HBV was detected in 2.1% of cases only. Anti-HCV positive was reported in 100% of HCC cases (P = 0.002). Fibro alpha and BRC scores can be used for prediction of HCC. J. Med. Virol. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Liaw, Yun-Fan; Kao, Jia-Horng; Piratvisuth, Teerha; Chan, Henry Lik Yuen; Chien, Rong-Nan; Liu, Chun-Jen; Gane, Ed; Locarnini, Stephen; Lim, Seng-Gee; Han, Kwang-Hyub; Amarapurkar, Deepak; Cooksley, Graham; Jafri, Wasim; Mohamed, Rosmawati; Hou, Jin-Lin; Chuang, Wan-Long; Lesmana, Laurentius A; Sollano, Jose D; Suh, Dong-Jin; Omata, Masao
Large volume of new data on the natural history and treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have become available since 2008. These include further studies in asymptomatic subjects with chronic HBV infection and community-based cohorts, the role of HBV genotype/naturally occurring HBV mutations, the application of non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis and quantitation of HBV surface antigen and new drug or new strategies towards more effective therapy. To update HBV management guidelines, relevant new data were reviewed and assessed by experts from the region, and the significance of the reported findings was discussed and debated. The earlier "Asian-Pacific consensus statement on the management of chronic hepatitis B" was revised accordingly. The key terms used in the statement were also defined. The new guidelines include general management, indications for fibrosis assessment, time to start or stop drug therapy, choice of drug to initiate therapy, when and how to monitor the patients during and after stopping drug therapy. Recommendations on the therapy of patients in special circumstances, including women in childbearing age, patients with antiviral drug resistance, concurrent viral infection, hepatic decompensation, patients receiving immune suppression or chemotherapy and patients in the setting of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma, are also included.
Background Chronic musculoskeletal (MS) pain is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing haemodialysis. However, epidemiological data for chronic MS pain and factors associated with chronic MS pain in patients with early- or late-stage CKD who are not undergoing dialysis are limited. Method A cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence of chronic MS pain and factors associated with chronic MS pain in patients with early- and late-stage CKD who were not undergoing dialysis, was conducted. In addition, the distribution of pain severity among patients with different stages of CKD was evaluated. Results Of the 456 CKD patients studied, 53.3% (n = 243/456) had chronic MS pain. Chronic MS pain was independently and significantly associated with hyperuricemia as co-morbidity, as well as with the calcium × phosphate product levels. In CKD patients with hyperuricemia, chronic MS pain showed a negative, independent significant association with diabetes mellitus as a co-morbidity (odds ratio: 0.413, p = 0.020). However, in the CKD patients without hyperuricemia as a co-morbidity, chronic MS pain showed an independent significant association with the calcium × phosphate product levels (odds ratio: 1.093, p = 0.027). Furthermore, stage-5 CKD patients seemed to experience more severe chronic MS pain than patients with other stages of CKD. Conclusion Chronic MS pain is common in CKD patients. Chronic MS pain was independently and significantly associated with hyperuricemia as co-morbidity, and with the calcium × phosphate product levels in early- and late-stage CKD patients who were not on dialysis. PMID:24400957
Aksoy, Nurten; Ozgöztas, Orhan; Sezen, Hatice; Yesilova, Yavuz; Turan, Enver
Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, T-cell-mediated and hyperproliferative skin disease characterized by erythematous, squamous, sharply circumscribed and infiltrated plaques. The metabolisms of the collagen proteins undergo considerable changes due to the acceleration of their turnovers as a result of increased prolidase activity in psoriasis patients. Aim To determine the level of prolidase activity in psoriasis patients and evaluate its relationship with the oxidative system. Material and methods The serum prolidase enzyme activity, total antioxidant levels and total oxidant levels of 40 psoriasis patients and a control group including 47 healthy individuals were analyzed by using their serum samples, and their oxidative stress indices were calculated. Results The prolidase levels (p < 0.01), total oxidant levels (p < 0.01) and oxidative stress index levels (p < 0.001) of the patient group were higher than the corresponding parameters in the control group. The total antioxidant level was low (p < 0.01). Although a positive correlation was found between the prolidase and total antioxidant levels and the total oxidant level, no correlation was found between prolidase and the oxidative stress index. Conclusions It has been determined that the activity of the prolidase enzyme increases due to the increased collage turnover in psoriasis patients. Increased serum oxidant levels and oxidative stress indices values may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. PMID:26015776
Ungtrakul, Teerapat; Sriprayoon, Tassanee; Kusuman, Pattama; Chunnuan, Pitchayachuda; Soonklang, Kamonwan; Sornsamdang, Gaidganok; Auewarakul, Chirayu U.; Tanwandee, Tawesak
Abstract To evaluate quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg) as a diagnostic marker for inactive carriers (ICs) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We retrospectively studied 300 HBeAg-negative CHB patients with initial serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) levels <2000 IU/mL. Serum HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were monitored every 6 months for 24 months. ICs were identified as having persistent HBV DNA levels <2000 IU/mL and normal ALT levels, whereas active carriers (ACs) were identified as having HBV DNA levels ≥2000 IU/mL, with or without elevated ALT levels. The serum qHBsAg level was defined at baseline and evaluated as a diagnostic predictor using a receiver-operating characteristic curve. The study group comprised 134 men and 166 women with a median age of 41.5 years. At baseline, 200 ICs displayed lower levels of qHBsAg (1492 IU/mL) compared with 100 ACs (2936 IU/mL) (P = 0.005). The qHBsAg level was independently associated with the IC state and HBsAg seroclearance. Baseline qHBsAg levels <1000 IU/mL and HBV DNA levels <2000 IU/mL, when detected simultaneously, allowed for identification of ICs with 41% sensitivity and 72% specificity. Fifteen patients (5%) displayed HBsAg seroclearance after 24 months. A qHBsAg cutoff value of <50 IU/mL provided 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity in predicting HBsAg seroclearance. The qHBsAg level at a single timepoint among HBeAg-negative CHB patients with low HBV DNA levels at baseline was not a predictive marker for ICs; however, it accurately predicted spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance at 24 months. PMID:28353619
Sheikh, Muhammad Y; Mouanoutoua, Mouatou; Walvick, Matthew D; Khang, Leepao; Singh, Jasjit; Stoltz, Steven; Mills, Paul K
Chronic hepatitis B infection (HBV) is the major cause of primary liver cancer worldwide and Asians are disproportionately affected. The prevalence of HBV among most Asian American groups has been well documented, except in Hmong immigrants in the United States. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV among Hmong immigrants in the San Joaquin Valley of California. A convenient sample of 534 Hmong age ≥18 years was recruited at various locations throughout Fresno County. Blood samples from study participants were collected and tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by enzyme-immunoassay. Two hundred and eighty-nine females and 245 males of Hmong descent (mean age, 43.93) were screened. Eighty-nine (41 males and 48 females) were positive for HBsAg, which accounts for a prevalence of 16.7% (95% C.I. 13.5-19.9). The majorities of HBsAg positive patients were ≥40 years (64.2%), married (66.7%), born in Laos (87.3%), and had lived in the United States ≥20 years (62.5%). Only 37.5% of the participants reported having a primary care physician. Our study revealed that approximately one out of every six Hmong immigrants screened was infected with HBV. Based on our findings, more than one-third of these infected patients have no primary care physician to provide further treatment, surveillance for liver cancer, or vaccination of their families. This supports the Institute of Medicine's recent recommendations to the Center for Disease Control to engage in a national Hepatitis B surveillance system.
... chronic hepatitis B. For more information visit http://liver.stanford.edu » Get Vaccinated If both your HBsAg ... vaccine is so effective at preventing HBV and liver cancer that it is called “the first anti- ...
Poynard, T; Cacoub, P; Ratziu, V; Myers, R P; Dezailles, M H; Mercadier, A; Ghillani, P; Charlotte, F; Piette, J C; Moussalli, J
In numerous studies of symptoms in patients with chronic hepatitis C there has been no systematic assessment of both fatigue and extrahepatic manifestations. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of fatigue in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and to identify associations between fatigue and clinical and biological hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations. We studied 1614 patients. Data were prospectively recorded during the first visit of patients infected with HCV and the prevalence of fatigue and its association with dermatological, rheumatological, neurological and nephrological manifestations; diabetes; arterial hypertension; auto-antibodies, and cryoglobulinaemia were assessed. Then, using multivariate analysis, we identified demographic, biochemical, immunological, virological, and histological factors associated with the presence of fatigue. Fatigue was present in 53% of patients (95% confidence interval 51-56). In 17% of patients (95% confidence interval 15-19) fatigue was severe, impairing activity. Five other extrahepatic manifestations had a prevalence above 10% including, in decreasing order: arthralgia, paresthesia, myalgia, pruritus, and sicca syndrome. In univariate and multivariate analyses, fatigue, in comparison with the absence of fatigue, was associated with female gender, age over 50 years, cirrhosis, depression and purpura. Independent of these associations, fatigue was associated with arthralgia, myalgia, paresthesia, sicca syndrome and pruritus. The prevalence of fibromyalgia (as defined by the association of fatigue with arthralgia or myalgia) was 19% (95% confidence interval 17-21). There was no significant association between fatigue and the following characteristics: viral load or genotype, alcohol consumption, abnormal thyroid function, and type and level of cryoglobulinaemia. Hence, fatigue is the most frequent extrahepatic manifestation in patients infected with HCV. Fatigue is independently associated with female
Pérez-Cameo, Cristina; Pons, Mònica; Esteban, Rafael
The goal of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment is to achieve seroclearance of HBsAg. Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are one of the first-line treatments for CHB. NAs produce a potent suppression of viral replication but are associated with a low rate of HBsAg seroclearance and a high risk of virological relapse after discontinuation. Because of these reasons, long-term treatment is needed. They are well-tolerated oral drugs, and it seems they do not produce important side-effects in long-term administration. The duration of NA treatment remains unclear, nevertheless, in some patients NAs can be stopped with a low rate of relapse. HBeAg-positive patients could discontinue NA therapy if they achieved HBeAg seroclearance and maintain undetectable HBV DNA. For HBeAg-negative patients, to stop NA treatment is not recommended. In addition to other factors, serum HBsAg titres during treatment have recently been proposed to guide NA-based therapy duration in selected patients. All patients could be stopped from taking treatment if they achieve HBsAg loss.
Wu, Jia-Feng; Chang, Mei-Hwei
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in endemic areas usually starts since infancy and early childhood and persists lifelong. The clinical course varies among different chronic infected subjects. Majority of chronic HBV infected children present with immune-tolerant status initially, experience the immune clearance phase with various degree of liver injury during or beyond puberty, and then enter the inactive phase after hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion. Part of them may have HBV DNA titers elevation with hepatitis flare after HBeAg seroconversion, the so call HBeAg-negative hepatitis flare. Liver cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma may develop afterward.The complex course of chronic HBV infection is associated with the age/route of viral acquisition, host factors such as immune and endocrine factors, viral factors, and host-viral interactions. The adrenarche and puberty onset modulate the start of immune clearance and the severity of liver inflammation in chronic HBV infected children. The genotype and phenotype of human cytokines, innate immunity, and human leukocyte antigens are also associated with the onset of immune clearance of HBV and severity of inflammation. Immune escape HBV mutant strains, emerged during the immune clearance phase under host immune surveillance, may cause different impacts on viral biosynthesis, host immune responses, and clinical course.Early events in childhood during chronic HBV infection may serve as important predictors for the later outcome in adulthood. Understanding the mechanisms triggering liver inflammation and their long-term impacts may enhance the development of better and earlier therapeutic strategies for patients with chronic HBV infection.
Al-Mahtab, Mamun; Bazinet, Michel; Vaillant, Andrew
Previous in vivo studies have suggested that nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) may reduce circulating levels of HBsAg in the blood by blocking its release from infected hepatocytes and that this effect may have clinical benefit. NAP treatment, was evaluated in two clinical studies in patients with HBeAg positive chronic HBV infection. The REP 101 study examined REP 2055 monotherapy in 8 patients and the REP 102 study examined REP 2139-Ca, in monotherapy in 12 patients, 9 of which transitioned to short term combined treatment with pegylated interferon alpha 2a or thymosin alpha 1. In both studies NAP monotherapy was accompanied by 2–7 log reductions of serum HBsAg, 3–9 log reductions in serum HBV DNA and the appearance of serum anti-HBsAg antibodies (10–1712 mIU / ml). Eight of the 9 patients transitioning to combined treatment with immunotherapy (pegylated interferon or thymosin alpha 1) in the REP 102 study experienced HBsAg loss and all 9 patients experienced substantial increases in serum anti-HBsAg antibody titers before withdrawal of therapy. For 52 weeks after removal of REP 2055 therapy, rebound of serum viremia (HBV DNA > 1000 copies / ml, HBsAg > 1IU / ml) was not observed in 3 / 8 patients. Suppression of serum virema was further maintained for 290 and 231 weeks in 2 of these patients. After withdrawal of all therapy in the 9 patients that transitioned to combination therapy in the REP 102 study, 8 patients achieved HBV DNA < 116 copies / ml after treatment withdrawal. Viral rebound occurred over a period of 12 to 123 weeks in 7 patients but was still absent in two patients at 135 and 137 weeks of follow-up. Administration tolerability issues observed with REP 2055 were rare with REP 2139-Ca but REP 2139-Ca therapy was accompanied by hair loss, dysphagia and dysgeusia which were considered related to heavy metal exposure endemic at the trial site. These preliminary studies suggest that NAP can elicit important antiviral responses during treatment which
Luo, Jie; Li, Xiangyong; Wu, Yuankai; Lin, Guoli; Pang, Yihua; Zhang, Xiao; Ao, Yunlong; Du, Zhan; Zhao, Zhixin; Chong, Yutian
Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of entecavir (ETV) treatment for up to 5 years in nucleos(t)ide-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients in real life. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 230 nucleos(t)ide naïve chronic hepatitis B patients who received ETV 0.5 mg/day monotherapy for at least 3 months, of whom 113 were HBeAg positive and 117 were HBeAg negative. The primary endpoints was cumulative probability of achieving a virological response (undetectable serum HBV DNA, <100IU/mL). Secondary endpoints were rates of ALT normalization (ALT < upper limit of normal), HBeAg seroconversion, resistance, and safety. Results: The median follow-up duration was 27.5 months (3-73 months) and mean age was 42 years. With 230, 214, 180, 142, 88, 42 and 11 patients followed-up for at least 3 months,6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years, respectively. In all, Incremental increases were observed in the rates of undetectable HBV DNA. 67.0%, 85.0%, 89.4%, 94.4%, 95.5%, 97.6%, 100% had undetectable HBV DNA at month 3, month 6, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years. Proportions of patients achieving normal ALT were 73.9%, 85.5%, 82.8%, 89.4%, 80.7%, 85.7%, 100%, respectively. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion reached 21.4% and 15.4% at year2, 3, respectively. One patient achieved HBsAg seroclearance after 1 year, and achieved anti-HBs seroconversion at year 3. Of 180 patients, HBV DNA was detectable (partial virological response, PVR) in 19 patients at year 1 of follow-up, twelve of 14 (85.7%) patients with PVR need more than 1 year of continuous ETV therapy to achieved VR. At baseline, no ETV-resistance was detected in 25 ETV-naïve patients. One patient developed ETV-resistance mutations due to noncompliance. No serious adverse event was reported. Conclusion: Long-term ETV treatment of nucleos(t)ide-naïve was effective and safe in real life. Adjustment of ETV monotherapy in nucleos(t)ide-naïve patients with a partial virological response at 1 year may be unnecessary
De Meester, J; Maes, B; De Vriese, A; De Moor, B; Donck, J; Helbert, M; Bammens, B; Jamar, S
In March 2008 and June 2009, an ad hoc working group of nephrologists discussed the status of anaemia therapy with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents [ESA] in patients on chronic haemodialysis, the phenomenon of fluctuations of haemoglobinaemia, and the need for individualisation of ESA treatment. The working group put together the following statements: (1) ESAs increase the haemoglobin concentration and adaptations of the ESA dose adjust the response according to a negative-feedback loop. The long lag time between an ESA dose change and its effect on erythropoiesis is cumbersome. The optimal haemoglobin target concentration is different for every haemodialysis patient; the lowest haemoglobin concentration upon which one could consistently demonstrate a positive subjective and objective clinical benefit in chronic dialysis is 11 g/dL, in contrast to the lowest haemoglobin concentration of 10 g/dL recommended in the current EMEA label for ESAs. (2) Intra-individual fluctuation of haemoglobinaemia over time is unavoidable, not only due to the ESA dose/haemoglobin response interaction, but also, and more importantly, due to the occurrence of acute illnesses and exacerbations of co-morbid conditions. Many different methodologies to characterise haemoglobin variability have been described but there is currently no universally applied definition of the phenomenon. (3) An impact of the haemoglobin level and the amplitude of the haemoglobin fluctuations on patient outcome has been observed. Without disclosing any causal relationship, worse outcomes were associated with haemoglobin fluctuations around the lower target level, but later on, more simply linked to the relative time spent below the haemoglobin concentration of 11 g/dL and to the administration of inappropriately high ESA doses in order to achieve the recommended haemoglobin target range. A plausible mechanism might be that acute illnesses blunt the patients' basal ESA sensitivity; this leads to subnormal and
Ren, F; Shi, H; Zhang, L; Zhang, X; Wen, T; Xie, B; Zheng, S; Chen, Y; Li, L; Chen, D; Duan, Z
Although endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is critical in various liver diseases, its role in acute-on-chronic liver failure (AoCLF) caused by acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is still elusive. This study aimed to analyse ER stress responses in the progression of HBV-related AoCLF. Normal liver tissues (n = 10), liver tissues of CHB (n = 12) and HBV-related patients with AoCLF (n = 19) were used. Electron microscopy of the ultrastructure of the ER was carried out on liver specimens. The gene and protein expression levels of ER stress-related genes were measured. We further analysed the correlation between the expression levels of ER stress-related molecules and liver injury. Electron microscopy identified typical features of the ER microstructure in AoCLF subjects. Among the three pathways of unfolded protein responses, the PKR-like ER kinase and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 signalling pathway were activated in CHB subjects and inactivated in AoCLF subjects, while the activating transcription factor 6 signalling pathway was sustained in the activated form during the progression of AoCLF; the expression of glucose-regulated protein (Grp)78 and Grp94 was gradually decreased in AoCLF subjects compared to healthy individuals and CHB subjects, showing a negative correlation with serum ALT, AST and TBIL; moreover, the ER stress-related apoptosis molecules were activated in the progression of acute exacerbation of CHB. The dysregulated ER stress response may play a complicated role in the pathogenesis of AoCLF, and a severe ER stress response may predict the occurrence of AoCLF caused by acute exacerbation of CHB.
Aoufi, S; Pascasio, J M; Sousa, J M; Sayago, M; Ferrer, M T; Gómez-Delgado, E; De la Cruz, M D; Alamo, J M; Gómez-Bravo, M A; Bernardos, A; Márquez, J L
Vaccination against hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) is generally recommended for patients with chronic liver disease and those evaluated for liver transplantation in the absence of immunity. HAV and HBV infections after liver transplantation are frequent and associated with a worse prognosis. The data suggest that the number of patients with chronic liver disease without naturally acquired immunity against HAV and HBV is substantial, and that new vaccination strategies are needed. The aim of this study was to determine the level of immunity from hepatitis A and B infections and the need for HBV and HAV vaccination among cirrhotic patients evaluated for liver transplantation. We studied HBV and HAV serological markers (HbsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, IgG anti-HAV) in 451 cirrhotic patients evaluated for liver transplantation to investigate the association with gender, age, and etiology of cirrhosis. Negative HBV markers were observed in 57% of patients with 43% displaying one positive HBV marker: HBsAg (+), 9.5%; anti-HBc (+)/anti-HBs (-), 11.5%; anti-HBc (-)/anti-HBs(+), 4.2%; anti-HBc(+)/anti-HBs(+), 17.7%. HBV vaccine indication established in 68.5% of patients was greater among women and hepatitis C virus-negative patients. No differences were observed in age or cause of cirrhosis. HAV vaccination indicated in 6.7% of patients (IgG anti-HVA-negative) was greater among patients with negative HBV markers (9.3% vs 3.3%, P = .018) and younger patients (25.3% of patients =45 years). In conclusion, there are frequent indication, for HBV vaccine among cirrhotic patients evaluated for liver transplantation, as is time for HAV vaccine, especially among patients younger than 45 years of age.
Re-analysis of a human hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolate from an East African wild born Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii: evidence for interspecies recombination between HBV infecting chimpanzee and human.
Magiorkinis, Emmanuil N; Magiorkinis, Gkikas N; Paraskevis, Dimitrios N; Hatzakis, Angelos E
According to current estimates, hepatitis B virus (HBV) has infected 2 billion people worldwide and among them, 360 million suffer from chronic HBV infection. Except humans, HBV or HBV-like viruses have also been isolated from different species of apes and mammals. Although recombination has been described to occur extensively between different genotypes within the human HBV lineage, no recombination event has ever been reported between human and non-human primate HBV sequences. It was our objective to perform an exhaustive search for recombination between human and non-human primate HBV strains among all available full-length human and non-human primate HBV sequences, using bootscanning and phylogenetic analyses. Intriguingly, we found that an HBV sequence isolated from a wild born Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii in East Africa-FG-is a recombinant consisting of HBV infecting chimpanzee (ChHBV) and human genotype C. More specifically, in a fragment of approximately 500 nt (positions 551-1050 spanning half of the RT domain of pol, which overlaps with half of the coding region of the small surface protein), FG grouped with HBV genotype C, while in the rest of the genome it grouped with ChHBV sequences. Phylogenetic analyses showed that in the latter region FG was more closely related to the Pan troglodytes troglodytes subspecies, forming an outlier to this group. Moreover, we show evidence that the recombination event occurred after the initial dispersion of HBV genotype C in humans. Finally, our findings point out that although rare recombination between HBV viruses infecting different species occurs.
Juniastuti; Utsumi, Takako; Aksono, Eduardus Bimo; Yano, Yoshihiko; Soetjipto; Hayashi, Yoshitake; Hotta, Hak; Rantam, Fedik Abdul; Kusumobroto, Hernomo Ontoseno; Lusida, Maria Inge
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence in the Asian-Pacific region. During chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, mutations commonly occur in the basal core promoter (BCP) and precore (PC) regions of HBV, affecting HBeAg expression, particularly following HBeAg serocon-version. Mutations in the B- and T-cell epitopes of the HBV core have also been observed during disease progression. The clinical significance of HBV genome variability has been demonstrated, however the results are a subject of controversy. Considering the characteristics of the virus associated with geographical location, the profiles of BCP, PC and core mutations and their clinical implications in patients with chronic HBV infection in Surabaya, Indonesia, were investigated. The BCP, PC and core mutations and HBV genotypes were detected by direct sequencing. The HBeAg/anti-HBe status and HBV DNA levels were also assessed. This study enrolled 10 patients with chronic HBV infection (UC) from Dr Soetomo General Hospital and Indonesian Red Cross, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, 10 patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis (LC) and 4 patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Dr Soetomo General Hospital. The PC mutation A1896 was predominant in all the groups (60-100%), together with the PC variant T1858, which was associated with HBV genotype B. The number of detected core mutations (Thr/Ser130) was higher in HCC patients (50%). However, the BCP mutations T1762/A1764 were predominant in LC patients (50-60%). The LC and HCC patients carried HBV isolates with additional mutations, at least at BCP or PC, mainly following HBeAg seroconversion. In the majority of anti-HBe-positive samples, the BCP T1762/A1764 mutations were associated with a high viral load, regardless of the PC 1896 status. In conclusion, the PC mutations were found to be predominant in all the groups. However, the
JUNIASTUTI; UTSUMI, TAKAKO; AKSONO, EDUARDUS BIMO; YANO, YOSHIHIKO; SOETJIPTO; HAYASHI, YOSHITAKE; HOTTA, HAK; RANTAM, FEDIK ABDUL; KUSUMOBROTO, HERNOMO ONTOSENO; LUSIDA, MARIA INGE
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence in the Asian-Pacific region. During chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, mutations commonly occur in the basal core promoter (BCP) and precore (PC) regions of HBV, affecting HBeAg expression, particularly following HBeAg serocon-version. Mutations in the B- and T-cell epitopes of the HBV core have also been observed during disease progression. The clinical significance of HBV genome variability has been demonstrated, however the results are a subject of controversy. Considering the characteristics of the virus associated with geographical location, the profiles of BCP, PC and core mutations and their clinical implications in patients with chronic HBV infection in Surabaya, Indonesia, were investigated. The BCP, PC and core mutations and HBV genotypes were detected by direct sequencing. The HBeAg/anti-HBe status and HBV DNA levels were also assessed. This study enrolled 10 patients with chronic HBV infection (UC) from Dr Soetomo General Hospital and Indonesian Red Cross, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, 10 patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis (LC) and 4 patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Dr Soetomo General Hospital. The PC mutation A1896 was predominant in all the groups (60–100%), together with the PC variant T1858, which was associated with HBV genotype B. The number of detected core mutations (Thr/Ser130) was higher in HCC patients (50%). However, the BCP mutations T1762/A1764 were predominant in LC patients (50–60%). The LC and HCC patients carried HBV isolates with additional mutations, at least at BCP or PC, mainly following HBeAg seroconversion. In the majority of anti-HBe-positive samples, the BCP T1762/A1764 mutations were associated with a high viral load, regardless of the PC 1896 status. In conclusion, the PC mutations were found to be predominant in all the groups. However
González Mestre, Assumpció
Due to social, economic and cultural changes, there has been a transformation of Health Services around the world. A new figure has emerged from this: the Active Patient, more responsible, with more information and willing to change his life as a chronic patient. In order to respond to this new situation, several countries have established initiatives such as self-reliance programmes for chronic patients. The aim of this article is to underline the Expert Patient Programme Catalonia(®) and to explain its operation and the results obtained up until now. The purpose of this program is to improve the experience of chronic disease by patients, from meetings in which an expert patient provides his knowledge and experiences to a group of patients with the same disease, with the aim of promoting changes in habits and lifestyles that improve the quality of life and the coexistence of the person with his chronic process.
Fan, Yu-Chen; Zhang, Yuan-Yuan; Sun, Yan-Yan; Wang, Na; Xiao, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Kai
A20 is an important negative immune regulator but its role in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still unknown. This present study was to investigate the potential role of A20 gene in the progression of chronic HBV infection. A total of 236 chronic HBV patients were included and consisted of 63 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 87 liver cirrhosis (LC) and 86 chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The mRNA level of A20 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Receptor operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed to determine the diagnostic value of A20 mRNA in different stages of chronic HBV infection. A20 mRNA levels in all HBV patients were significantly higher than healthy controls (n=30), of whom HCC and LC patients showed higher A20 mRNA level than CHB patients. In CHB patients, A20 mRNA was closely associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin. In LC patients, A20 mRNA was significantly associated with ALT, AST, albumin, haemoglobin and platelet. In HCC patients, elevated A20mRNA was also observed in patients with vascular invasion, liver cirrhosis and ascites, compared with those without. ROC analysis revealed that A20 mRNA could effectively discriminate LC from CHB, decompensated LC from compensated LC, and HCC from CHB. In conclusion, A20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was associated with dynamic progression of chronic HBV infection. A20 gene might be a potential biomarker to determine the different stages of chronic HBV infection.
Hernández, Sergio; Jiménez, Gustavo; Alarcón, Valentina; Prieto, Cristian; Muñoz, Francisca; Riquelme, Constanza; Venegas, Mauricio; Brahm, Javier; Loyola, Alejandra; Villanueva, Rodrigo A
Genotype F is one of the less-studied genotypes of human hepatitis B virus, although it is widely distributed in regions of Central and South American. Our previous studies have shown that HBV genotype F is prevalent in Chile, and phylogenetic analysis of its full-length sequence amplified from the sera of chronically infected patients identified it as HBV subgenotype F1b. We have previously reported the full-length sequence of a HBV molecular clone obtained from a patient chronically infected with genotype F1b. In this report, we established a system to study HBV replication based on hepatoma cell lines transfected with full-length monomers of the HBV genome. Culture supernatants were analyzed after transfection and found to contain both HBsAg and HBeAg viral antigens. Consistently, fractionated cell extracts revealed the presence of viral replication, with both cytoplasmic and nuclear DNA intermediates. Analysis of HBV-transfected cells by indirect immunofluorescence or immunoelectron microscopy revealed the expression of viral antigens and cytoplasmic viral particles, respectively. To test the functionality of the ongoing viral replication further at the level of chromatinized cccDNA, transfected cells were treated with a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and this resulted in increased viral replication. This correlated with changes posttranslational modifications of histones at viral promoters. Thus, the development of this viral replication system for HBV genotype F will facilitate studies on the regulation of viral replication and the identification of new antiviral drugs.
Li, Zhu; Li, Na; Li, Fang; Zhou, Zhihua; Sang, Jiao; Chen, Yanping; Han, Qunying; Lv, Yi; Liu, Zhengwen
Abstract Immune checkpoint proteins programmed death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain containing molecule-3 (TIM-3) expression and their gene polymorphisms have separately been shown to be associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study simultaneously examined PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in liver tissues and PD1 and TIM3 polymorphisms and analyzed their correlations in 171 patients with HBV-related HCC and 34 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis. PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in liver tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry and the genotypes of PD1 rs10204525 and TIM3 rs10053538 polymorphisms were determined using genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood as template. Both PD-1 and TIM-3 expressions in liver infiltrating lymphocytes of HCC tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in tumor adjacent tissues or cirrhotic tissues. The elevated PD-1 and TIM-3 expressions were significantly associated with higher tumor grades. The levels between PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in tumor tissues and tumor adjacent tissues had a significant positive intercorrelation. The expressions of PD-1 and TIM-3 in tumor tissues, tumor adjacent tissues, and cirrhotic tissues were significantly associated with PD1 and TIM3 polymorphisms, with genotype AA of PD1 rs10204525 and genotypes GT+TT of TIM3 rs10053538 being associated with significantly increased PD-1 and TIM-3 expression, respectively. These findings support the potential to improve the efficiency of immune checkpoint-targeted therapy and reduce resistance to the therapy by blocking both PD-1 and TIM-3 and suggest the potential to apply the genotype determination of PD1 rs10204525 and TIM3 rs10053538 as biomarkers of immune checkpoint-directed therapies. PMID:28033288
Li, Zhu; Li, Na; Li, Fang; Zhou, Zhihua; Sang, Jiao; Chen, Yanping; Han, Qunying; Lv, Yi; Liu, Zhengwen
Immune checkpoint proteins programmed death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain containing molecule-3 (TIM-3) expression and their gene polymorphisms have separately been shown to be associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study simultaneously examined PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in liver tissues and PD1 and TIM3 polymorphisms and analyzed their correlations in 171 patients with HBV-related HCC and 34 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis.PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in liver tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry and the genotypes of PD1 rs10204525 and TIM3 rs10053538 polymorphisms were determined using genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood as template.Both PD-1 and TIM-3 expressions in liver infiltrating lymphocytes of HCC tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in tumor adjacent tissues or cirrhotic tissues. The elevated PD-1 and TIM-3 expressions were significantly associated with higher tumor grades. The levels between PD-1 and TIM-3 expression in tumor tissues and tumor adjacent tissues had a significant positive intercorrelation. The expressions of PD-1 and TIM-3 in tumor tissues, tumor adjacent tissues, and cirrhotic tissues were significantly associated with PD1 and TIM3 polymorphisms, with genotype AA of PD1 rs10204525 and genotypes GT+TT of TIM3 rs10053538 being associated with significantly increased PD-1 and TIM-3 expression, respectively.These findings support the potential to improve the efficiency of immune checkpoint-targeted therapy and reduce resistance to the therapy by blocking both PD-1 and TIM-3 and suggest the potential to apply the genotype determination of PD1 rs10204525 and TIM3 rs10053538 as biomarkers of immune checkpoint-directed therapies.
Chen, L; Gan, Q R; Zhang, D Q; Yao, L F; Lin, R S; Li, Q; Lin, M H; Yu, D M; Zhang, X X; Pan, C
Finite treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) remains a great challenge for chronic hepatitis B in the clinic. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity and the NAs off-treatment outcomes in a prospective cohort. Eighteen HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B who achieved the cessation criteria underwent liver biopsy, and stopped treatment thereafter. Patients were followed up prospectively for 1 year. The reverse transcriptase (RT) gene of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) was cloned and sequenced. Intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity and specific gene mutations were analysed using bioinformatic methods. Ten patients achieved sustained response, and eight patients developed viral relapse. The intrahepatic quasispecies Shannon entropy and nucleotide diversity within either RT or the surface (S) region of patients with sustained response were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of patients who had a viral relapse. Intrahepatic quasispecies Shannon entropy at the nucleotide level predicted the sustained off-treatment response (area under receiver operating characteristics curve 0.925; 95% CI 0.807-1.000; p 0.003). More positive selection sites and N-glycosylation mutations within the S region were found in patients with sustained response than in the patients with viral relapse (p < 0.01). Most of the positive selection sites in patients with sustained response were located in reported HLA-I-restricted or HLA-II-restricted epitopes. Intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity at the end of treatment was correlated with off-treatment outcomes in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B. More immune escape mutations were found within the S region in patients with sustained response. The higher intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity indicated a more robust immune control over HBV, which in turn maintained a sustained response after withdrawal of NAs.
Muneer, Badar; Testa, Giuliano; Millis, J M; Mohanty, Smruti R
A 58-year-old Arab-American male with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (HBV), presented with decompensated cirrhosis and a high HBV DNA level. He responded to entecavir with a significant reduction in serum HBV DNA level after 15 weeks of therapy with entecavir. However, he developed a progressive rise in prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) and bilirubin and underwent liver transplantation after receiving 22 weeks of entecavir therapy. Furthermore, with the continued use of combination entecavir and hepatitis B immunoglobulins (HBIG), he showed improvement in his clinical status with a nondetectable serum HBV DNA level 12 weeks after transplantation. He continued to maintain nondetectable serum HBV DNA 2 years following transplantation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with decompensated chronic HBV who responded to entecavir both before and after transplantation without showing any evidence of recurrent HBV. Larger clinical trials are recommended to compare both short-term and long-term efficacy using entecavir among nucleoside-naïve decompensated chronic HBV patients before and after liver transplantation.
Ozsahin, Mustafa; Gonen, Ibak; Ermis, Fatih; Oktay, Murat; Besir, Fahri Halit; Kutlucan, Ali; Sahin, Ahmet; Ataoglu, Safinaz
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterized by widespread and chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, morning stiffness, and sleep disturbance. However, the etiopathogenesis of FM remains unclear. Various etiological factors have been suggested to trigger FM. These include systemic rheumatismal disease, physical trauma, psychological disorders, and chronic infections. We determined the prevalence of FM in patients with chronic active hepatitis B virus (HBV) and inactive hepatitis B carriers, compared with matched healthy controls. Seventy-seven HBV patients (39 HBV carriers and 38 with chronic active hepatitis), were evaluated for FM syndrome. Seventy-seven HBsAg-negative healthy subjects were enrolled as a control group. We found that FM was very prevalent in patients with HBV infections (22% of the total). We found no difference in FM prevalence when patients with chronic active hepatitis B infections (21% FM prevalence) and those who were inactive hepatitis B carriers (23% FM prevalence) were compared. FM was not associated with the levels of HBV-DNA, ALT, or AST. Recognition and management of FM in HBsAg-positive patients will aid in improvement of quality-of-life. We fully accept that our preliminary results require confirmation in studies including larger numbers of patients. More work is needed to allow us to understand the role played by, and the relevance of, infections (including HBV) in FM syndrome pathogenesis. PMID:24179575
Enomoto, Masaru; Nishiguchi, Shuhei; Tamori, Akihiro; Kozuka, Ritsuzo; Hayashi, Takehiro; Kohmoto, Madoka Toyama; Jomura, Hisato; Morikawa, Hiroyasu; Murakami, Yoshiki; Shiomi, Susumu; Kawada, Norifumi
It is unclear whether the combination of a nucleos(t)ide analog and interferon (IFN) is superior to monotherapy for treating chronic hepatitis B. In this study, we report the long-term outcomes of sequential therapy using lamivudine followed by IFN-β. This study included 24 hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C infection who were treated with lamivudine alone for 16-32 weeks, then with both IFN-β and lamivudine for 4 weeks, and finally with IFN-β alone for 20 weeks. All patients were followed up for 7.1±2.8 years post-treatment. The rate of response, defined as transaminase normalization, HBeAg loss, and HBV DNA <10(4) copies/mL, was 5/24 (21%) at 24 weeks post-treatment. The patients with short-term responses were younger than those with no response (P=0.039). More short-term responders had undetectable HBV DNA at the start of IFN-β compared with the nonresponders (P=0.0059). Subsequently, 4 of the 5 short-term responders remained free of the need for further drug treatment for 4.2±3.5 years post-treatment; more short-term responders remained drug free than did nonresponders (P=0.035). In conclusion, the rate of response to sequential therapy was limited in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV genotype C infection at 24 weeks post-treatment. In the majority of the short-term responders, however, the response was sustainable in the long term.
Breccia, Massimo; Alimena, Giuliana
New selective and more potent drugs for the cure of chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients are now available: physicians in some countries must decide the best option, selecting one of the drugs available. What the main prognostic factors are in order to make this selection remains a matter of discussion. Introducing a 'holistic approach' for the first time in chronic myeloid leukemia, as practiced in other diseases, and looking at the patient in a complete picture, considering several variables, such as comorbidities, age, concomitant drugs, lifestyle and patient expectations, may be of help to understand, patient by patient, the best therapeutic strategy.
Chon, Young Eun; Kim, Dong Joon; Kim, Sang Gyune; Kim, In Hee; Bae, Si Hyun; Hwang, Seong Gyu; Heo, Jeong; Jang, Jeong Won; Lee, Byung Seok; Kim, Hyung Joon; Jun, Dae Won; Kim, Kang Mo; Chung, Woo Jin; Choi, Moon Seok; Jang, Jae Young; Yim, Hyung Joon; Tak, Won Young; Yoon, Ki Tae; Park, Jun Yong; Han, Kwang-Hyub; Suk, Ki Tae; Lee, Hyun Woong; Jang, Byoung Kuk; Ahn, Sang Hoon
Abstract Currently, limited data are available regarding the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon alpha-2a (PEG-IFN α-2a) in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), in whom hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C is the most common type. We collected data from 439 patients (HBeAg positive, n = 349; HBeAg negative, n = 90) with CHB who were treated with PEG-IFN α-2a as a first-line therapy from 18 institutions. Treatment responses at the end of treatment (ET) and at 6 months posttreatment (PT6) were compared between the patients who were treated for 24 weeks versus 48 weeks, and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. In HBeAg-positive patients, those who received PEG-IFN α-2a for 48 weeks showed significantly higher HBV DNA suppression (HBV DNA < 2000 IU/mL) than those who were treated for 24 weeks (48 weeks vs 24 weeks; at ET, 44.4% vs 36.7%, P = 0.035; at PT6, 35.9% vs 13.3%, P = 0.035). The HBeAg seroconversion rate at ET was 18.1% in 48-week treatment group, which is significantly higher than the 2.2% (P < 0.001) that was seen in 24-week treatment group. This finding also continued at PT6 (29.0% vs 10.0%, P < 0.001). Following 48 weeks of treatment in HBeAg-negative patients, HBV DNA suppression at ET was higher than in HBeAg-positive patients (87.8% vs 44.4%). AEs were typical of those associated with PEG-IFN α-2a. In naïve Korean HBeAg-positive CHB patients treated with PEG-IFN α-2a, higher rates of HBV DNA suppression and HBeAg seroconversion were achieved in the 48-week treatment group than in the 24-week treatment group without additional risk of AEs. PMID:27057828
Yeh, Ming-Lun; Hsieh, Ming-Yen; Huang, Ching-I.; Huang, Chung-Feng; Hsieh, Meng-Hsuan; Liang, Po-Cheng; Lin, Yi-Hung; Hou, Nai-Jen; Lin, Zu-Yau; Chen, Shinn-Cherng; Huang, Jee-Fu; Dai, Chia-Yen; Chuang, Wan-Long; Yu, Ming-Lung
Abstract We aimed to investigate whether response-guided therapy (RGT) with peginterferon-alpha plus ribavirin by using hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype, pretreatment HCV RNA levels, and rapid virological response (RVR, undetectable HCV RNA at treatment week 4) could be applied for active HCV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) dually infected patients, without compromised the treatment efficacy. A total of 203 patients, seropositive of HCV antibody, HCV RNA and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), and seronegative for HBV e antigen for >6 months, were randomized to receive peginterferon-alpha/ribavirin by either genotype-guided therapy (GGT, n = 102: HCV genotype 1 [HCV-1], 48 weeks; HCV-2/3, 24 weeks) or RGT (n = 101: HCV-1, 48 or 24 weeks if patients with baseline VL <400,000 IU/mL and RVR; HCV-2/3, 24 or 16 weeks if patients with RVR). The primary endpoint was HCV-sustained virological response (SVR). The HCV SVR rate was comparable between the GGT (77.5%, 79/102) and RGT groups (70.3%, 71/101, P = 0.267), either among HCV-1/HBV (69.4% [43/62] vs 63.5% [40/63], P = 0.571) or among HCV-2/3/HBV (90.0% [36/40] vs 81.6% [31/38], P = 0.342) dually infected patients based on intention-to-treat analysis. In HCV-1/HBV dually infected patients, RVR (odds ratio [OR]: 6.05; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.148–17.025, P = 0.001) and lower pretreatment blood glucose levels (OR: 0.97; CI: 0.944–0.989, P = 0.003) were independent predictors of HCV SVR. Although RVR (OR: 10.68; CI: 1.948–58.514, P = 0.006) was the only significant factor associated with HCV SVR in HCV-2/3/HBV dually infected patients. HBsAg loss at 1 year posttreatment was observed in 17 of 185 (9.2%) patients. The rates of discontinuation and adverse events were similar between the 2 groups. RGT with peginterferon-alpha/RBV may be considered for HBeAg-negative HBV/HCV dually infected patients. PMID:26496327
Loureiro, Carmen L.; Aguilar, Julio C.; Aguiar, Jorge; Muzio, Verena; Pentón, Eduardo; Garcia, Daymir; Guillen, Gerardo; Pujol, Flor H.
The genetic diversity of HBV in human population is often a reflection of its genetic admixture. The aim of this study was to explore the genotypic diversity of HBV in Cuba. The S genomic region of Cuban HBV isolates was sequenced and for selected isolates the complete genome or precore-core sequence was analyzed. The most frequent genotype was A (167/250, 67%), mainly A2 (149, 60%) but also A1 and one A4. A total of 77 isolates were classified as genotype D (31%), with co-circulation of several subgenotypes (56 D4, 2 D1, 5 D2, 7 D3/6 and 7 D7). Three isolates belonged to genotype E, two to H and one to B3. Complete genome sequence analysis of selected isolates confirmed the phylogenetic analysis performed with the S region. Mutations or polymorphisms in precore region were more common among genotype D compared to genotype A isolates. The HBV genotypic distribution in this Caribbean island correlates with the Y lineage genetic background of the population, where a European and African origin prevails. HBV genotypes E, B3 and H isolates might represent more recent introductions. PMID:25742179
Ghasemi, Faezeh; Rostami, Sina; Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid; Meshkat, Zahra
Chronic hepatitis B is still a major public health issue despite the successful prophylactic vaccination attempts. Chronicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is mainly due to its ability to debilitate host’s immune system. Therefore, major measures have been taken to stop this process and help patients with chronic hepatitis B infection recover from their illness. While satisfactory results have been achieved using preventive HBV vaccines, a reliable and effective therapeutic treatment is still in need of extensive studies. Current treatments for chronic hepatitis B include direct antiviral agents and nucleoside/nucleotide analogs, which are not always effective and are also costly. In addition, due to the fact that chronic HBV is responsible for debilitation of the immune system, studies have focused on developing therapeutic vaccines to help host’s immune system recover and limit the infection. Several approaches including but not restricted to recombinant peptide-based, DNA-based, viral vector-based, and cell-based approaches are currently in use to develop therapeutic vaccines against the chronic form of HBV infection. In the current review, the authors will first discuss the role of the immune system in chronic hepatitis B infection and will then focus on latest advancements in therapeutic vaccination of HBV especially the clinical trials that have been carried out so far. PMID:27635192
Ghasemi, Faezeh; Rostami, Sina; Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid; Meshkat, Zahra
Chronic hepatitis B is still a major public health issue despite the successful prophylactic vaccination attempts. Chronicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is mainly due to its ability to debilitate host's immune system. Therefore, major measures have been taken to stop this process and help patients with chronic hepatitis B infection recover from their illness. While satisfactory results have been achieved using preventive HBV vaccines, a reliable and effective therapeutic treatment is still in need of extensive studies. Current treatments for chronic hepatitis B include direct antiviral agents and nucleoside/nucleotide analogs, which are not always effective and are also costly. In addition, due to the fact that chronic HBV is responsible for debilitation of the immune system, studies have focused on developing therapeutic vaccines to help host's immune system recover and limit the infection. Several approaches including but not restricted to recombinant peptide-based, DNA-based, viral vector-based, and cell-based approaches are currently in use to develop therapeutic vaccines against the chronic form of HBV infection. In the current review, the authors will first discuss the role of the immune system in chronic hepatitis B infection and will then focus on latest advancements in therapeutic vaccination of HBV especially the clinical trials that have been carried out so far.
Castellano, Gregorio; Manzano, María Luisa
Transient elastography (TE) is a noninvasive method of assessing hepatic fibrosis in a quick, simple and reproducible manner. FibroScan is the best-known elastography apparatus and can assess a tissue volume 100 times greater than hepatic biopsy. Given that it lacks complications, TE can be repeated in the follow-up visit, thereby providing evolutionary information. One of its limitations, however, is its failure rate (4.5% of examinations), mainly in obese patients. TE has certain characteristics in chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Transaminase levels and necroinflammation increase in reactivations, with hepatic stiffness increasing by 1.2 to 4.4 times. The second characteristic is related to macronodular cirrhosis caused by HBV, with less fibrous tissue compared with that produced by hepatitis C. Therefore, the cutoff values are smaller for hepatitis B than for hepatitis C. FibroScan helps categorize patients with chronic HBV infection into 4 fibrosis groups (approximate mean values and adding 1-2 more points with high transaminase levels): not significant (<6 kPa), grey area (6-9 kPa), significant (>9 kPa) and cirrhosis (>12 kPa). Thus, Fibroscan contributes to the treatment decision, and its repeated use during treatment enables us to verify that fibrosis has not progressed. In cases with no indication for treatment (chronic hepatitis with no criteria, inactive carrier state, immune-tolerant), the periodic reapplication of TE helps determine whether the inactivity continues or not. If the results are compatible with cirrhosis, hepatocarcinoma surveillance should be started.
AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-12-1-0388 TITLE: Subgrouping Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients by Genetic and Immune Profiling...2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Subgrouping Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients By Genetic And Immune Profiling 5b. GRANT...at the HLA level that makes you more susceptible to have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or any differences between the cases and controls. In order
Pawłowska, Małgorzata; Smok, Beata; Rajewski, Paweł; Wietlicka-Piszcz, Magdalena; Halota, Waldemar; Tretyn, Andrzej
This study evaluated the long-term (up to 4 years) efficacy and safety of entecavir ETV treatment and analysed the significance of baseline and on-treatment factors in long-term ETV outcomes in adolescents with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We determined the cumulative virological and serological outcomes of 44 adolescents with CHB receiving ETV for up to 4 years. To investigate the dynamics of HBV DNA, ALT activity and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion over time and their associations with the considered factors, generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used. The cumulative rates of undetectable HBV DNA (<20 IU/ml) and HBeAg seroconversion after 4 years were 89.7% and 55.4%, respectively. In the study group, we showed that having undetectable HBV DNA at the 6th or 12th month of therapy predicted the achievement of a sustained response rate (SRR, defined as the loss of HBV DNA, loss of HBeAg and ALT normalization) at year 3 of ETV therapy (P = 0.048, OR = 5.83; P = 0.012; OR = 14.57, respectively). The GEE analysis indicated that of the different factors, the duration of ETV therapy had a strong impact on the achievement of virological suppression, HBeAg seroconversion and SRR in adolescents. Each month after the initiation of therapy, the odds of loss of HBV DNA increased by approximately 5% (OR = 1.05, P<0.0001), on average. Additionally, the GEE analysis revealed that adolescents with an age at infection of ≥10 years had 3 times higher odds of achieving undetectable HBV DNA than patients with a younger infection age (OR = 3.67, P = 0.028). None of the ETV-treated patients reported significant adverse effects. ETV is an effective and safe treatment option for adolescents with CHB. Undetectable HBV DNA in the 6th and/or 12th month of ETV treatment and older age at infection could predict maintained virological suppression. PMID:27685782
Hass, Virginia McCoy
Chronic diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), are the primary threat to global public health in the 21st century. Recently updated guidelines from the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative provide patient care benchmarks that physician assistants can use when caring for patients with diabetes and CKD and developing clinical performance improvement plans.
Clementz, Gunilla; Borsbo, Bjorn; Norrbrink, Cecilia
This study sought to assess burnout and its relation to pain, disability, mood and health-related quality of life in a group of patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). Forty-five patients with chronic WAD ([greater than or equal to] 3 months) referred to a multidisciplinary rehabilitation centre were included. A questionnaire…
Jang, Bohyun; Han, Ji Won; Sung, Pil Soo; Jang, Jeong Won; Bae, Si Hyun; Choi, Jong Young; Cho, Young I; Yoon, Seung Kew
Since liver function is changed by chronic liver diseases, chronic liver disease can lead to different hemorheological alterations during the course of the progression. This study aims to compare alterations in whole blood viscosity in patients with chronic liver disease, focusing on the gender effect. Chronic liver diseases were classified into three categories by patient's history, serologic markers, and radiologic findings: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (n = 63), chronic viral hepatitis B and C (n = 50), and liver cirrhosis (LC) (n = 35). Whole blood viscosity was measured by automated scanning capillary tube viscometer, while liver stiffness was measured by transient elastography using FibroScan®. Both systolic and diastolic whole blood viscosities were significantly lower in patients with LC than NAFLD and chronic viral hepatitis (P < 0.001) in male patients, but not in female patients. In correlation analysis, there were inverse relationships between both systolic and diastolic whole blood viscosity and liver stiffness (systolic: r = -0.25, diastolic: r = -0.22). Whole blood viscosity was significantly lower in male patients with LC than NAFLD or chronic viral hepatitis. Our data suggest that whole blood viscosity test can become a useful tool for classifying chronic liver disease and determining the prognosis for different types of chronic liver diseases.
Since liver function is changed by chronic liver diseases, chronic liver disease can lead to different hemorheological alterations during the course of the progression. This study aims to compare alterations in whole blood viscosity in patients with chronic liver disease, focusing on the gender effect. Chronic liver diseases were classified into three categories by patient’s history, serologic markers, and radiologic findings: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (n = 63), chronic viral hepatitis B and C (n = 50), and liver cirrhosis (LC) (n = 35). Whole blood viscosity was measured by automated scanning capillary tube viscometer, while liver stiffness was measured by transient elastography using FibroScan®. Both systolic and diastolic whole blood viscosities were significantly lower in patients with LC than NAFLD and chronic viral hepatitis (P < 0.001) in male patients, but not in female patients. In correlation analysis, there were inverse relationships between both systolic and diastolic whole blood viscosity and liver stiffness (systolic: r = −0.25, diastolic: r = −0.22). Whole blood viscosity was significantly lower in male patients with LC than NAFLD or chronic viral hepatitis. Our data suggest that whole blood viscosity test can become a useful tool for classifying chronic liver disease and determining the prognosis for different types of chronic liver diseases. PMID:27822933
Sriprapun, Methee; Chuaypen, Natthaya; Khlaiphuengsin, Apichaya; Pinjaroen, Nutcha; Payungporn, Sunchai; Tangkijvanich, Pisit
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is major health problem with high mortality rates, especially in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Telomerase function is one of common mechanisms affecting genome stability and cancer development. Recent studies demonstrated that genetic polymorphisms of telomerase associated genes such as telomerase associated protein 1 (TEP1) rs1713449 and PIN2/TERF1-interacting telomerase inhibitor 1 (PINX1) rs1469557 may be associated with risk of HCC and other cancers. In this study, 325 patients with HCC and 539 non-HCC groups [193 healthy controls, 80 patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and 266 patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis (CH)] were enrolled to explore genetic polymorphisms of both SNPs using the allelic discrimination method based on MGB probe TaqMan real time PCR. We demonstrated that all genotypes of both genes were in Hardy-Wienberg equilibrium (>0.05). Moreover, there was no significant association between rs1713449 genotypes and HCC risk, HCC progression and overall survival (>0.05). Interestingly, we observed positive association of rs1469557 with risk of HCC when compared with the LC group under dominant (CC versus CT+TT, OR=1.89, 95% CI= 1.06-3.40, P=0.031) and allelic (C versus T alleles, OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.04-2.94, P=0.033) models, respectively. Moreover, overall survival of HCC patients with CC genotype of rs1469557 was significantly higher than non-CC genotype (Log-rank P=0.015). These findings suggest that PINX1 rs1469557 but not TEP1 rs1469557 might play a role in HCC progression in Thai patients with LC and be used as the prognosis marker to predict overall survival in HCC patients.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a very complex and intricate DNA structure associated with a particular genomic organization and replication cycle. However, many years of investigations allowed clarification of the real HBV natural history, through a deeper knowledge of the behavior of HBV antigens and viral structures. Several of the old diagnostic tools, such as HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV e antigen (HBeAg) determinations, gained prominence now, since the variation of both HBsAg and HBeAg plasma levels was shown to predict treatment response. In addition, the availability of more sensitive methods, such as HBV DNA detection by real-time PCR, has improved the current knowledge of the relationships between HBV replication levels and the natural history of the disease. It is now well established that some HBV genotypes are associated with a better response to treatment with pegylated interferon. Despite the widely accepted value of liver biopsy as a staging tool, transient elastography is being increasingly acknowledged as a non-invasive method to assess liver stiffness, chiefly for detection of advanced fibrosis. Current international guidelines for the management of chronic hepatitis B have provided several accurate biochemical and serological criteria for selecting patients for treatment, allowing a higher number of cases to be enrolled into antiviral therapy. This review describes the different serological markers used for the study of HBV and their clinical significance. It also deals with methods used for detection of genotypes and HBV DNA, emphasizing the effectiveness of such determinations for both patient selection and chronic hepatitis B therapy/monitoring.
Amedia, C; Oettinger, C W
Four patients developed miliary tuberculosis while undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Two patients had diabetes mellitus. Three of the four patients were hemodialyzed 18--24 months prior to the onset of symptoms. Signs and symptoms included prolonged fever, pleural effusion, pericarditis with pericardial effusion, abdominal pain, weight loss, and ascites. All patients were PPD negative and without historical or radiographic evidence of latent tuberculosis. Disseminated tuberculosis was proven at autopsy in three patients. M. tuberculosis was eventually recovered from pleural fluid and urine in the fourth patient. The immune deficiencies of chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus are suspected predisposing factors to the development of miliary tuberculosis in these patients.
Chang, Il-Chi; Huang, Shiu-Feng; Chen, Pei-Jer; Chen, Chi-Ling; Chen, Chao-Long; Wu, Cheng-Chung; Tsai, Cheng-Chung; Lee, Po-Huang; Chen, Miin-Fu; Lee, Chuan-Mo; Yu, Hsien-Chung; Lo, Gin-Ho; Yeh, Chau-Ting; Hong, Chih-Chen; Eng, Hock-Liew; Wang, John; Tseng, Hui-Hwa; Hsiao, Cheng-Hsiang; Wu, Hong-Dar Isaac; Yen, Tseng-Chang; Liaw, Yun-Fan
Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cancer death in Taiwan. Chronic viral hepatitis infections have long been considered as the most important risk factors for HCC in Taiwan. The previously published reports were either carried out by individual investigators with small patient numbers or by large endemic studies with limited viral marker data. Through collaboration with 5 medical centers across Taiwan, Taiwan liver cancer network (TLCN) was established in 2005. All participating centers followed a standard protocol to recruit liver cancer patients along with their biosamples and clinical data. In addition, detailed viral marker analysis for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were also performed. This study included 3843 HCC patients with available blood samples in TLCN (recruited from November 2005 to April 2011). There were 2153 (56.02%) patients associated with HBV (HBV group); 969 (25.21%) with HCV (HCV group); 310 (8.07%) with both HBV and HCV (HBV+HCV group); and 411 (10.69%) were negative for both HBV and HCV (non-B non-C group). Two hundred two of the 2463 HBV patients (8.20%) were HBsAg(-), but HBV DNA (+). The age, gender, cirrhosis, viral titers, and viral genotypes were all significantly different between the above 4 groups of patients. The median age of the HBV group was the youngest, and the cirrhotic rate was lowest in the non-B non-C group (only 25%). This is the largest detailed viral hepatitis marker study for HCC patients in the English literatures. Our study provided novel data on the interaction of HBV and HCV in the HCC patients and also confirmed that the HCC database of TLCN is highly representative for Taiwan and an important resource for HCC research. PMID:27082566
Gim, Jungsoo; Kim, Won; Kim, Byeong Gwan; Lee, Kook Lae; Cho, Yuri; Yoo, Jeong-Ju; Lee, Minjong; Cho, Young Youn; Cho, Eun Ju; Yu, Su Jong; Kim, Yoon Jun; Yoon, Jung-Hwan
Background Recently, a modified insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF)–Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classification was proposed to improve the original CTP classification. This study aimed to validate the new IGF-CTP classification system as a prognostic maker for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a hepatitis B virus endemic area. Methods We conducted a post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort study. We used Harrell’s C-index and U-statistics to compare the prognostic performance of both IGF-CTP and CTP classifications for overall survival. We evaluated the relationship between HCC stage and the four components of the IGF-CTP classification (serum levels of IGF-1, albumin, and total bilirubin and prothrombin time [PT]) using nonparametric trend analysis. Results We included a total of 393 patients in this study. In all, 55 patients died during the median follow-up of 59.1 months. There was a difference between IGF-CTP class and CTP class in 14% of patients. Overall, the IGF-CTP classification system had a higher prognostic value (C-index = 0.604, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.539–0.668) than the CTP system (C-index = 0.558, 95% CI = 0.501–0.614), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .07 by U-statistics). A lower serum level of IGF-1 was related to a more advanced cancer stage (P < .01). The remaining components of the IGF-CTP classification were not significantly related to tumor stage (P = .11 for total bilirubin; P = .33 for albumin; and P = .39 for PT). Conclusions The IGF-CTP classification was slightly better than the original CTP classification for predicting survival of patients with HCC in a chronic hepatitis B endemic area. This is most likely due to the fact that serum IGF-1 levels reflect underlying HCC status. PMID:28107416
Laurenti, Luca; Autore, Francesco; Innocenti, Idanna; Vannata, Barbara; Piccirillo, Nicola; Sorà, Federica; Speziale, Domenico; Pompili, Maurizio; Efremov, Dimitar; Sica, Simona
Several reports have emphasized the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders undergoing cytotoxic treatment. To determine the prevalence of occult B infection (OBI) in a population with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and management with universal prophylaxis (UP) in all patients undergoing chemoimmunotherapy or targeted prophylaxis (TP) in patients experiencing seroreversion during therapy, we analyzed 397 patients with CLL from our database. The prevalence of OBI in our patients with CLL was 8.6% (34 patients). When comparing patients with OBI/CLL with those with CLL, we did not find any statistical difference among clinical-biological parameters and time dependent endpoints except for a lower peripheral blood lymphocyte count in the OBI/CLL group (p = 0.036). From 2000 to 2010 careful follow-up and TP were adopted; two out of 10 patients (20%) showed seroreversion. From June 2010 we adopted UP during and 12 months after immunosuppressive treatment in all patients with CLL with OBI; no evidence of seroreversion was detected.
Deng, Y-R; Yoshida, K; Jin, Q L; Murata, M; Yamaguchi, T; Tsuneyama, K; Moritoki, Y; Niu, J Q; Matsuzaki, K; Lian, Z-X
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, type I receptor (TβRI) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) phosphorylate Smad3 differentially to create 2 isoforms phosphorylated (p) at the COOH-terminus (C) or at the linker region (L) and regulate hepatocytic fibrocarcinogenesis. This study aimed to compare the differences between how hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affected hepatocytic Smad3 phosphorylated isoforms before and after anti-viral therapy. To clarify the relationship between Smad3 phosphorylation and liver disease progression, we studied 10 random patients in each stage of HBV-related fibrotic liver disease (F1-4) and also 10 patients with HBV-associated HCC. To examine changes in phosphorylated Smad3 signalling before and after anti-HBV therapies, we chose 27 patients with chronic hepatitis B who underwent baseline and follow-up biopsies at 52 weeks from the start of nucleoside analogue treatments (Lamivudine 100 mg daily or Telbivudine 600 mg daily). Fibrosis stage, inflammatory activity and phosphorylated Smad3 positivity in the paired biopsy samples were compared. Hepatocytic pSmad3C signalling shifted to fibrocarcinogenic pSmad3L signalling as the livers progressed from chronic hepatitis B infection to HCC. After nucleoside analogue treatment, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV-DNA levels in 27 patients with HBV-related chronic liver diseases were decreased dramatically. Decrease in HBV-DNA restored pSmad3C signalling in hepatocytes, while eliminating prior fibrocarcinogenic pSmad3L signalling. Oral nucleoside analogue therapies can suppress fibrosis and reduce HCC incidence by successfully reversing phosphorylated Smad3 signalling; even liver disease progressed to cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients.
Deng, Y-R; Yoshida, K; Jin, Q L; Murata, M; Yamaguchi, T; Tsuneyama, K; Moritoki, Y; Niu, J Q; Matsuzaki, K; Lian, Z-X
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, type I receptor (TβRI) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) phosphorylate Smad3 differentially to create 2 isoforms phosphorylated (p) at the COOH-terminus (C) or at the linker region (L) and regulate hepatocytic fibrocarcinogenesis. This study aimed to compare the differences between how hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affected hepatocytic Smad3 phosphorylated isoforms before and after anti-viral therapy. To clarify the relationship between Smad3 phosphorylation and liver disease progression, we studied 10 random patients in each stage of HBV-related fibrotic liver disease (F1–4) and also 10 patients with HBV-associated HCC. To examine changes in phosphorylated Smad3 signalling before and after anti-HBV therapies, we chose 27 patients with chronic hepatitis B who underwent baseline and follow-up biopsies at 52 weeks from the start of nucleoside analogue treatments (Lamivudine 100 mg daily or Telbivudine 600 mg daily). Fibrosis stage, inflammatory activity and phosphorylated Smad3 positivity in the paired biopsy samples were compared. Hepatocytic pSmad3C signalling shifted to fibrocarcinogenic pSmad3L signalling as the livers progressed from chronic hepatitis B infection to HCC. After nucleoside analogue treatment, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV-DNA levels in 27 patients with HBV-related chronic liver diseases were decreased dramatically. Decrease in HBV-DNA restored pSmad3C signalling in hepatocytes, while eliminating prior fibrocarcinogenic pSmad3L signalling. Oral nucleoside analogue therapies can suppress fibrosis and reduce HCC incidence by successfully reversing phosphorylated Smad3 signalling; even liver disease progressed to cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. PMID:24372395
Vilela, Eduardo Machado; Bastos, Jessica Amaral; Fernandes, Natalia; Ferreira, Ana Paula; Chaoubah, Alfredo; Bastos, Marcus Gomes
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of periodontal treatment on serum levels of prohepcidin (the prohormone of hepcidin) and systemic inflammation markers, as well as correlations among these markers, in patients with chronic periodontitis and chronic kidney disease who were not undergoing dialysis. METHODS: We included 56 chronic periodontitis patients, 36 with chronic kidney disease and 20 without systemic diseases and with normal renal function (control group). Chronic kidney disease was defined as suggested by the clinical practice guidelines in the National Kidney Foundation. Chronic periodontitis was defined through clinical attachment level and by probing pocket depth, according to the American Association of Periodontology. The inflammatory markers ultrasensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and prohepcidin were evaluated before and 3 months after periodontal treatment. RESULTS: The efficacy of periodontal treatment was confirmed by the improvement in clinical parameters of chronic periodontitis in the control and chronic kidney disease groups. Periodontal treatment resulted in significant reductions in ultrasensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and serum prohepcidin levels in both groups. Moreover, in multivariate linear regression, the reduction in prohepcidin after periodontal treatment was significantly and independently associated with interleukin-6 levels in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: By inducing a decline in the systemic inflammatory response and a decrease in serum prohepcidin, successful periodontal treatment may represent an important means of ameliorating the inflammatory burden seen in patients with chronic kidney disease. Trial registration: ISRCTN59866656. PMID:21655762
Broides, Arnon; Sagi, Orli; Pinsk, Vered; Levy, Jacov; Yerushalmi, Baruch
Chronic granulomatous disease is a primary immunodeficiency caused by impaired neutrophil production of reactive oxygen species. Non-infectious colitis is common in chronic granulomatous disease, and high levels of antimicrobial antibodies that are associated with Crohn's disease are common even without colitis. Fecal calprotectin concentration is a marker for intestinal inflammation. We sought to determine whether subclinical intestinal inflammation occurs in asymptomatic chronic granulomatous disease patients. Asymptomatic chronic granulomatous disease patients without overt gastrointestinal symptoms suggestive of colitis at the time of enrollment were studied for fecal calprotectin concentration, antibodies associated with Crohn's disease and systemic inflammatory markers. Eight patients were included, aged 54-176 months. In 7/8 (87.5 %) fecal calprotectin concentration was normal (<50) and elevated (137 mg/kg) in only one patient. This patient later developed colitis. In 7/8 (87.5 %) anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody was positive. C-reactive protein, albumin, complete blood count and p-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody were normal in all 8 patients. Subclinical colitis is not evident in most asymptomatic chronic granulomatous disease patients; however, in some patients, fecal calprotectin concentration may be elevated, possibly indicating the presence of subclinical colitis and predicting the occurrence of clinically relevant colitis. Serum anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody concentrations do not seem to correlate with fecal calprotectin concentration in asymptomatic chronic granulomatous disease patients.
Nemati, Shadman; Okhovvat, S Ahmadreza; Naghavi, S Ebrahim; Shakiba, Maryam; Mikaeeli, Saman
Chronic postoperative pain may lead to physical disability and psychosocial distress. In this longitudinal observational study, for the first time we evaluated the relative frequency of chronic postoperative pain in patients operated for chronic otitis media (COM) at two university hospitals. Patients were questioned about pain at the site of the surgical incision 3-6 months after the operation, and again 3 months after the first visit. Pain intensity was quantified by visual analogue scale (VAS). T test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression were used for analyzing data and multivariate analysis. In 155 patients (42 male, 113 female, mean age: 38.57 ± 10.66 years), chronic postoperative pain was observed in 50 cases (32.3 %). A significant decrease in the average score of VAS was observed from 5.18 to 2.64 within 3 months (P = 0.0001). Statistically significant correlation was observed between chronic postoperative pain and age, sex, acute postoperative pain and history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome or migraine, but after multivariate analysis, only the age group and severe acute post-operation pain were effective on incidence of chronic post-operative pain. In conclusion, surgery for COM is followed by chronic pain in about 32 % of patients, and some risk factors for the development of chronic postoperative pain after this surgery exist, including age and severe acute post-operation pain.
Gao, Kenneth; Sulea, Camelia; Wiederhold, Mark D.
Abstract We explored the use of virtual reality distraction techniques for use as adjunctive therapy to treat chronic pain. Virtual environments were specifically created to provide pleasant and engaging experiences where patients navigated on their own through rich and varied simulated worlds. Real-time physiological monitoring was used as a guide to determine the effectiveness and sustainability of this intervention. Human factors studies showed that virtual navigation is a safe and effective method for use with chronic pain patients. Chronic pain patients demonstrated significant relief in subjective ratings of pain that corresponded to objective measurements in peripheral, noninvasive physiological measures. PMID:24892196
Cheatle, Martin D; Foster, Simmie; Pinkett, Aaron; Lesneski, Matthew; Qu, David; Dhingra, Lara
Chronic pain is associated with symptoms that may impair a patient's quality of life, including emotional distress, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. There is a high prevalence of concomitant pain and sleep disturbance. Studies support the hypothesis that sleep and pain have a bidirectional and reciprocal relationship. Clinicians who manage patients with chronic pain often focus on interventions that relieve pain, and assessing and treating sleep disturbance are secondary or not addressed. This article reviews the literature on pain and co-occurring sleep disturbance, describes the assessment of sleep disturbance, and outlines nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment strategies to improve sleep in patients with chronic pain.
Persistent risk of HBV reactivation despite extensive lamivudine prophylaxis in haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients who are anti-HBc-positive or HBV-negative recipients with an anti-HBc-positive donor.
Cerva, C; Colagrossi, L; Maffongelli, G; Salpini, R; Di Carlo, D; Malagnino, V; Battisti, A; Ricciardi, A; Pollicita, M; Bianchi, A; Picardi, A; Cudillo, L; Cerretti, R; De Angelis, G; Cantonetti, M; Andreoni, M; Perno, C F; Arcese, W; Svicher, V; Sarmati, L
The overall rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation was evaluated in a population of 373 haematological stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients treated with lamivudine (LMV) if they were anti-HBc-positive/HBV-DNA-negative recipients or if they were HBV-negative recipients with an anti-HBc-positive donor. The incidence of HBV reactivation was calculated in two groups of autologous (auto) or allogeneic (allo) HSCT patients who were stratified according to their HBV serostatus. The former group included 57 cases: 10 auto-HSCT and 27 allo-HSCT anti-HBc-positive recipients, two auto-HSCT and three allo-HSCT inactive carriers, and 15 allo-HSCT recipients with an anti-HBc-positive donor. Forty-seven (82.4%) patients in this group received LMV prophylaxis (the median (interquartile range, IQR) of LMV treatment was 30 (20-38) months). The second group consisted of 320 anti-HBc-negative auto-HSCT and allo-HSCT recipients with anti-HBc-negative donors. None of these patients received any prophylaxis. Two patients in the first group and two in the second group experienced reactivation of HBV infection, with an incidence of 3.5% (95% CI 0.4-12.1%) and 0.6% (95% CI 0.1-2.2%), respectively. Only one out of four reactivated patients was LMV-treated. The cumulative probability of HBV reactivation at 6 years from HSCT was 15.8% (95% CI 15.2-16.4%). Three of four viral isolates obtained from the HBV-reactivated patients harboured mutations in the immune-active HBsAg-region. In a HSCT population carefully evaluated for HBV prophylaxis, a risk of HBV reactivation persisted in the group of patients who were not LMV-treated. Only one LMV-treated patient experienced reactivation of HBV with a resistant HBV isolate.
Colgecen, Emine; Ozyurt, Kemal; Gul, Ali Irfan; Utas, Serap
In the last few decades, increasing understanding of the pathomechanisms involved in chronic urticaria has highlighted the heterogeneity of different subtypes, and chronic urticaria is now classified as chronic spontaneous urticaria and inducible urticaria. Although many factors are thought to be involved in chronic urticaria, the etiology is yet to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate etiological factors in patients with chronic urticaria. Five hundred patients with chronic urticaria, 351 women and 149 men, were studied for etiological factors. The autologous serum skin test was performed on 197 patients. Provocation testing for physical urticaria was performed on 354 patients. Patients with acute urticaria were excluded from the study. We determined at least one focus of infection that might be involved in the etiology of the disease in 18.8% of cases. Patients with infections were treated, and symptoms resolved after treatment in six cases (5.3%). Autologous serum skin tests were positive in 125 patients (63.5%). Provocation tests for physical urticaria were positive in 131 (37%) patients with urticaria. We suggest that physical stimuli and autoantibodies play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of urticaria.
Pawlik, Michael T; Ittner, Karl Peter
Post-operative pain therapy of chronic pain patients poses a challenge. Here we report the perioperative management of a 39-year-old male under chronic therapy with oxycodon, gabapentin and tolperison. Particular the pharmacointeractions regarding premedication and postoperative dose finding of opioids with intravenous PCIA are discussed.
Li, Kai-Wen; Kramvis, Anna; Liang, Shujia; He, Xiang; Chen, Qin-Yan; Wang, Chao; Yang, Qing-Li; Hu, Li-Ping; Jia, Hui-Hua; Fang, Zhong-Liao
In the era of combination therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), are the major causes of death for patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV. However, the mechanisms remain obscure. We aimed to determine whether HCC-related HBV mutations including 1762T/1764A double mutation and pre-S deletions occur more frequently in HBV/HIV co-infected individuals compared to HBV mono-infected individuals. In this study, the basic core promoter (BCP) and the preS/S regions of HBV isolated from 61 pairs of HBV/HIV co-infected and HBV mono-infected participants were analyzed. We found that the prevalence of HBV isolates with 1762T/1764A and/or preS deletion mutations was 37.7% (95% CI: 29.1-46.3). The prevalence of these mutations in HBV/HIV co-infected group (52.5%, 95% CI: 40.0-65.0) was significantly higher than in the HBV mono-infected group (23.0%, 95% CI: 12.4-33.6) (X(2)=11.307, P<0.05). HBV/HIV co-infection was associated with higher viral loads but these higher viral loads were not associated with the higher prevalence of HCC-related HBV mutations. Individually 1762T1764A (44.3%) or preS deletions (23%) occurred more frequently in isolates from co-infected compared to mono-infected individuals (21.3%, 4.9%, respectively) (X(2)=7.290, P<0.05; X(2)=8.270, P<0.05). Moreover, 1762T/1764A and preS deletions occurred more frequently in genotypes C and I compared to genotype B (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that co-infection with HIV was associated with the development of both 1762T/1764A ((RR: 2.932(1.325-6.488)) and preS deletions ((RR: 5.759(1.562-21.235)). These results demonstrate that co-infection with HIV was associated with increased prevalence of HCC-related mutations in HBV isolates from Chinese patients.
Fiorino, S; Bacchi-Reggiani, L; Sabbatani, S; Grizzi, F; di Tommaso, L; Masetti, M; Fornelli, A; Bondi, A; de Biase, D; Visani, M; Cuppini, A; Jovine, E; Pession, A
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection represents a serious global health problem and persistent HBV infection is associated with an increased risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. Recently, the study of the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the pathogenesis of HBV has gained considerable interest as well as new treatments against this pathogen have been approved. A few studies have investigated the antiviral activity of vitamin E (VE) in chronic HBV carriers. Herein, we review the possible role of tocopherols in the modulation of host miRNA with potential anti-HBV activity. A systematic research of the scientific literature was performed by searching the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases. The keywords used were 'HBV therapy', 'HBV treatment', 'VE antiviral effects', 'tocopherol antiviral activity', 'miRNA antiviral activity' and 'VE microRNA'. Reports describing the role of miRNA in the regulation of HBV life cycle, in vitro and in vivo available studies reporting the effects of VE on miRNA expression profiles and epigenetic networks, and clinical trials reporting the use of VE in patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis were identified and examined. Based on the clinical results obtained in VE-treated chronic HBV carriers, we provide a reliable hypothesis for the possible role of this vitamin in the modulation of host miRNA profiles perturbed by this viral pathogen and in the regulation of some cellular miRNA with a suggested potential anti-HBV activity. This approach may contribute to the improvement of our understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms involved in HBV infection and increase the possibility of its management and treatment.
Cheatle, Martin D
Chronic pain affects nearly one-third of the American population. Chronic pain can lead to a variety of problems for a pain sufferer, including developing secondary medical problems, depression, functional and vocational disability, opioid abuse and suicide. Current pain care models are deficient in providing a necessary comprehensive approach. Most patients with chronic pain are managed by primary care clinicians who are typically ill prepared to effectively and efficiently manage these cases. A biopsychosocial approach to evaluate and treat chronic pain is clinically and economically efficacious, but unique delivery systems are required to meet the challenge of access to specialty care.
Amaddeo, Giuliana; Cao, Qian; Ladeiro, Yannick; Imbeaud, Sandrine; Nault, Jean-Charles; Jaoui, Daphne; Gaston Mathe, Yann; Laurent, Christophe; Laurent, Alexis; Bioulac-Sage, Paulette; Calderaro, Julien; Zucman-Rossi, Jessica
Background and aim Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer. We characterised HCC associated with infection compared with non-HBV-related HCC to understand interactions between viral and hepatocyte genomic alterations and their relationships with clinical features. Methods Frozen HBV (n=86) or non-HBV-related (n=90) HCC were collected in two French surgical departments. Viral characterisation was performed by sequencing HBS and HBX genes and quantifying HBV DNA and cccDNA. Nine genes were screened for somatic mutations and expression profiling of 37 genes involved in hepatocarcinogenesis was studied. Results HBX revealed frequent non-sense, frameshift and deletions in tumours, suggesting an HBX inactivation selected in HCC. The number of viral copies was frequently lower in tumour than in non-tumour tissues (p=0.0005) and patients with low HBV copies in the non-tumour liver tissues presented additional risk factor (HCV, alcohol or non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis, p=0.006). P53 was the most frequently altered pathway in HBV-related HCC (47%, p=0.001). Furthermore, TP53 mutations were associated with shorter survival only in HBV-related HCC (p=0.02) whereas R249S mutations were identified exclusively in migrants. Compared with other aetiologies, HBV-HCC were more frequently classified in tumours subgroups with upregulation of genes involved in cell-cycle regulation and a progenitor phenotype. Finally, in HBV-related HCC, transcriptomic profiles were associated with specific gene mutations (HBX, TP53, IRF2, AXIN1 and CTNNB1). Conclusions Integrated genomic characterisation of HBV and non-HBV-related HCC emphasised the immense molecular diversity of HCC closely related to aetiologies that could impact clinical care of HCC patients. PMID:25021421
Yan, Chun-Hui; Zhao, Cheng-Yu; Ding, Hai; Peng, Ya-Qin; Jin, Peng-Yuan; Yan, Ling; Zhuang, Hui; Li, Tong
The present study was aimed to obtain baseline information of basal core promoter A1762T/G1764A and precore G1896A mutations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 192 HBeAg-positive chronically-infected Chinese patients, who were potential candidates for antiviral treatment. The detection of these mutations (including minor mutant subpopulations) was achieved by direct sequencing, whose sensitivity for minor mutant subpopulations identification was confirmed by clone sequencing. Patients enrolled were infected with either genotype B (46.35%) or C (53.65%) HBV identified by routine tests in our laboratory. The A1762T/G1764A or G1896A mutations were detected in 125specimens (125/192, 65.10%), in which 77 (77/125, 61.60%) existed as subpopulations. The A1762T/G1764A mutations were found to be more prevalent in genotype C than that in genotype B HBV [62.14% (64/103) vs. 20.22% (18/89), P<0.0001]. There is no statistically significant link between G1896A and genotypes. The emergence of A1762T/G1764A mutations was also found to be associated with an older age, an elevated ALT/AST level, and a lower HBsAg level in serum [wild-type vs. mutant: 4.57 (3.46-5.42) vs. 3.93 (2.51-5.36), P<0.0001]. In conclusion, HBV basal core promoter mutations A1762T/G1764A are associated with genotype C and a low serum HBsAg level in chronically-infected HBeAg-positive Chinese patients.
... standing in line at a grocery store, going shopping, or working. Many patients with chronic pain cannot ... Treatment can turn your life around. PTSD Coach Online Tools to help you manage stress. Search Pilots ...
Test, Mary Ann; Stein, Leonard I.
This article describes the Training in Community Living Program, a new approach to chronic care in Wisconsin, which eliminates hospitalization and which teaches patients the coping skills necessary to live in the community. (Author/AM)
Award Number: W81XWH-12-1-0388 TITLE: Subgrouping Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients by Genetic and Immune Profiling PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr...SUBTITLE Subgrouping Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients By Genetic And Immune Profiling 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-12-1-0388 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...tested by two novel methods (CyTOF-phosphoflow and HLA Typing, respectively) to help us better understand the roles of immune responses and genetics
Naghibzadeh, B; Razmpa, E; Alavi, Sh; Emami, M; Shidfar, M; Naghibzadeh, Gh; Morteza, A
Chronic sinusitis is a major cause of morbidity today. Regional variations in the incidence of this disease have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of fungal infection as the causative agent of chronic sinusitis among Iranian patients. A cross sectional hospital based study was designed; the patients underwent paranasal sinus washing and maxillary sinus biopsy. All specimens were studied by light microscopy. Fungal culturing was employed to confirm diagnosis. The patients underwent Computed Tomography for sinus evaluation. Of 162 participants, 12 samples from patients showed fungal elements, 2 of them Aspergillus fulvous (1.2%), 9 of them Alternaria species (5.56%) and 1 of them Psilomysis (0.6%). All patients presented radiologic evidence of sinusitis, ranging from mucosal thickening to total opacity. In conclusion, results obtained showed a low prevalence of fungal sinusitis among Iranian patients with chronic sinusitis. Findings also showed that Alternaria is the most causative agent.
Tsalatsanis, Athanasios; Gil-Herrera, Eleazar; Yalcin, Ali; Djulbegovic, Benjamin; Barnes, Laura
Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are the leading causes of disability and death in the developed world. Technological interventions such as mobile applications have the ability to facilitate and motivate patients in chronic disease management, but these types of interventions present considerable design challenges. The primary objective of this paper is to present the challenges arising from the design and implementation of software applications aiming to assist patients in chronic disease management. We also outline preliminary results regarding a self-management application currently under development targeting young adults suffering from type 1 diabetes.
Gungor, Ozkan; Kircelli, Fatih; Voroneanu, Luminita; Covic, Adrian; Ok, Ercan
Cardiovascular disease constitutes the major cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Arterial stiffness is an important contributor to the occurrence and progression of cardiovascular disease. Various risk factors, including altered hormone levels, have been suggested to be associated with arterial stiffness. Based on the background that chronic kidney disease predisposes individuals to a wide range of hormonal changes, we herein review the available data on the association between arterial stiffness and hormones in patients with chronic kidney disease and summarize the data for the general population.
Kames, L D; Naliboff, B D; Heinrich, R L; Schag, C C
Two studies are presented which describe the development of a problem-oriented psychosocial screening instrument for use in health care settings. Reliability and validity data are presented on the Chronic Illness Problem Inventory (CIPI) which demonstrate its ability to document accurately patient's specific problems in areas of physical limitations, psychosocial functioning, health care behaviors and marital adjustment. A study is also presented which compares the problems of patients with three distinct chronic illnesses: pain, obesity, and respiratory ailments. Results indicate a significantly greater severity of problems for pain patients and especially patients with multiple pain complaints. Problem areas common to all three illness groups are discussed in the context of providing better comprehensive treatment for chronically ill patients.
Swartz, Richard D.; Perry, Erica; Brown, Stephanie; Swartz, June; Vinokur, Amiram
Chronic dialysis imposes ongoing stress on patients and staff and engenders recurring contact and long-term relationships. Thus, chronic dialysis units are opportune settings in which to investigate the impact of patients' relationships with staff on patient well-being. The authors designed the present study to examine the degree to which…
Abdolsamadi, Hamidreza; Eini, Peiman; Kaboli, Seyed Alireza; Hajilooei, Mehrdad; MoghimBeigi, Abbas; Davoudi, Poorandokht; AhmadiMotemayel, Fatemeh; Shalmani, Hamid Mohaghegh
Aim The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of salivary B2M as a marker of viral proliferation in HBS Ag+, HBV DNA PCR+ and Hbs Ag+ and HBV DNA PCR− subjects. Background Beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) is responsible for transmission of viral antigens such as Hepatitis B (HBV) on the surface of liver cells as part of an HLA complex. Patients and methods In this case control study, 25 PCR+ and 2 PCR− patients were included. 5 mL of the saliva sample was obtained from all patients and salivary B2M level was measured using nephelometer. The data was evaluated by the descriptive, chi square and t tests. Results 72% of the PCR+ patients received medications and in contrast, 85.7% of the patients with PCR− did not take any medication (P < 0.001). The average salivary concentration ofBeta-2 microglobulin in the PCR+ group (5.28 ± 5.45 mg/deciliter) was more than PCR− group (1.51±0.77) and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.003). Conclusion The salivary B2Mlevel can be used as a marker of viral proliferation in patients with hepatitis B. PMID:24834278
Sirota, Alan D.; And Others
Followed eight male smokers with chronic pulmonary or cardiac disease through a smoking cessation program of gradual nicotine withdrawal, self-management, and relapse prevention. At one year, half remained abstinent, while relapsers smoked substantially less than before treatment. Reductions in carbon monoxide and thiocyanate levels were…
This article describes the roles of the treatment team responsible for helping to rehabilitate chronic asthmatics at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto. The program can be set up in any local hospital currently having these personnel on staff, and does not require additional financial outlay. PMID:20469185
Tatar, Arzu; Tasdemir, Sener; Sahin, Ibrahim; Bozoglu, Ceyda; Erdem, Haktan Bagis; Yoruk, Ozgur; Tatar, Abdulgani
The aim of this study was to investigate the 4977 and 7400 bp deletions of mitochondrial DNA in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and to indicate the possible association of mitochondrial DNA deletions with chronic suppurative otitis media. Thirty-six patients with chronic suppurative otitis media were randomly selected to assess the mitochondrial DNA deletions. Tympanomastoidectomy was applied for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media, and the curettage materials including middle ear tissues were collected. The 4977 and 7400 bp deletion regions and two control regions of mitochondrial DNA were assessed by using the four pair primers. DNA was extracted from middle ear tissues and peripheral blood samples of the patients, and then polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were performed. PCR products were separated in 2 % agarose gel. Seventeen of 36 patients had the heterozygote 4977 bp deletion in the middle ear tissue but not in peripheral blood. There wasn't any patient who had the 7400 bp deletion in mtDNA of their middle ear tissue or peripheral blood tissue. The patients with the 4977 bp deletion had a longer duration of chronic suppurative otitis media and a higher level of hearing loss than the others (p < 0.01). Long time chronic suppurative otitis media and the reactive oxygen species can cause the mitochondrial DNA deletions and this may be a predisposing factor to sensorineural hearing loss in chronic suppurative otitis media. An antioxidant drug as a scavenger agent may be used in long-term chronic suppurative otitis media.
Tsai, Tzu-Hsin; Huang, Chien-Fu; Wei, James Cheng-Chung; Ho, Mei-Shang; Wang, Lina; Tsai, Wei-Yu; Lin, Chien-Chou; Xu, Fang-Ling; Yang, Chi-Chiang
To study IgG-specific subclasses of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (anti-HBs), in different populations in Taiwan, a comparison was made between 104 chronic carriers (60 male and 44 female) and 439 recovered individuals (247 male and 192 female). Biochemical analyses of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also performed. Among the 104 chronic carriers, 21 patients had abnormal ALT and AST levels (> 25 IU/ml). When comparing the patients with abnormal ALT and AST levels to chronic carriers with normal ALT and AST levels, no statistical difference was observed for anti-HBs levels (p > 0.05). The IgG subclass pattern of the relative anti-HBs IgG subclass titers was IgG1 > IgG3 = IgG4 in both chronic carriers and recovered individuals (p < 0.05). IgG1 is the predominant anti-HBs antibody after HBV infection, in either chronic carriers or in HBV-cured individuals. This finding is partly inconsistent with data reported from other group who suggested in individuals naturally infected, the anti-HBs IgG consists mainly of IgG3 and IgG1. In contrast to that of our previous studies of anti-HBe and anti-HBc, the mean OD values of anti-HBs total IgG, and all IgG subclasses except for IgG2, of either males or females, were significantly higher in recovered individuals than in chronic carriers, while the mean OD values of anti-HBe and anti-HBc were significantly higher in chronic carriers than in recovered individuals (P < 0.05). The IgG subclass profile of anti-HBs in chronic carriers was not changed with liver inflammation and was independent of sex and age, except in individuals with abnormal ALT and AST for whom anti-HBs IgG1 was not significantly higher than IgG3 (p > 0.05), in spite of that whose mean O.D. value is higher.
Henrich, Timothy J.; Li, Jonathan Z.; Felsenstein, Donna; Kotton, Camille N.; Plenge, Robert M.; Pereyra, Florencia; Marty, Francisco M.; Lin, Nina H.; Grazioso, Paul; Crochiere, Danielle M.; Eggers, Daniel; Kuritzkes, Daniel R.; Tsibris, Athe M. N.
We investigated the prevalence of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) in 293 participants seen at academic hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants were recruited from five groups of patients: chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, n = 32), HIV infection (n = 43), rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 97), hematopoietic stem-cell or solid organ transplant (n = 26), or a general cohort of patients presenting for medical care (n = 95). XMRV DNA was not detected in any participant samples. We found no association between XMRV and patients with CFS or chronic immunomodulatory conditions. PMID:20936980
Puche, Mary L; Kay-Valero, Sharon; Michelli, Pedro; Oropeza, Maria D; Loureiro, Carmen L; Devesa, Marisol; Dagher, Lucy; Pujol, Flor H
Globally, about 50% of liver cancer originates as a result of long term infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), and some genotypes and mutations have been associated with an increased severity of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of HBV in patients from Venezuela, with chronic infection, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to compare the occurrence of mutations in all patient groups. Samples from patients with different pathologies of the liver, associated with HBV infection, were collected. The HBV S region was analyzed for genotype determination and, when available, the whole genome sequence was examined for mutations analysis. Genotype F was the most common genotype (87%). While the HBV subgenotype F3 was the most frequent genotype in the whole group of samples (44%), the subgenotype F2 predominated in HCC patients (56%). Mutations were more common in HCC and cirrhosis cases (p=0.01). The A1762T mutation was significantly associated with the advanced stage of liver disease (p=0.008). Additionally, mutations were more common in early stages of liver disease in HBV subgenotype F2-infected patients, and a significant association between this subgenotype and the emergence of T 1753C, A1762T, A1762T/G1764A (p=0.04) and C1773T (p=0.001) mutations in chronic patients was found, when compared to the HBV subgenotype F3. By comparing F2 with all other HBV subgenotypes, a positive association for the three basal core promoter (BCP) mutants (A1762T, A1762T/G1764A p=0.01, G1764A p=0.04) was found. These results suggest that the HBV subgenotype F2 might be associated to more severe forms of liver disease in comparison with the HBV subgenotype F3.
Osiowy, Carla; Giles, Elizabeth; Trubnikov, Max; Choudhri, Yogesh; Andonov, Anton
Objective The prevalence and distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Canada is not known. Genotypic analysis may contribute to a better understanding of HBV strain distribution and transmission risk. Methods HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) positive samples of acute (n = 152) and chronic (n = 1533) HBV submitted for strain analysis or reference genotype testing between 2006 and 2012 were analyzed. The HBsAg coding region was amplified to determine the HBV genotype by INNO-LiPA assay or sequence analysis. Single and multivariate analyses were used to describe genotypes’ associations with known demographic and behavioral risk factors for 126 linked cases of acute HBV. Results Nine genotypes were detected (A to I), including mixed infections. Genotype C (HBV/C) dominated within chronic infections while HBV/D and A prevailed among acute HBV cases. History of incarceration and residing with a chronic HBV carrier or injection drug user were the most frequently reported risks for acute HBV infection. Over time, HBV/A increased among both acute and chronic infections, and HBV/C and HBV/D decreased among chronic infections. Conclusion Chronic and acute HBV genotypes in Canada differ in the relative distribution and their associations with known risk factors, suggesting different routes of transmission and clinical progression of infection. PMID:26406309
Kisic, Bojana; Miric, Dijana; Dragojevic, Ilija; Rasic, Julijana; Popovic, Ljiljana
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem. Patients with CKD have a number of disorders in the organism, and the presence of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation in these patients is the subject of numerous studies. Chronic inflammation joined with oxidative stress contributes to the development of numerous complications: accelerated atherosclerosis process and cardiovascular disease, emergence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, development of malnutrition, anaemia, hyperparathyroidism, and so forth, affecting the prognosis and quality of life of patients with CKD. In this review we presented the potential role of the myeloperoxidase enzyme in the production of reactive/chlorinating intermediates and their role in oxidative damage to biomolecules in the body of patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. In addition, we discussed the role of modified lipoprotein particles under the influence of prooxidant MPO intermediates in the development of endothelial changes and cardiovascular complications in renal failure. PMID:27127544
Ogata, H; Hasegawa, S
An instance of undetectable anti(A+B) was described in a patient, group O, in acute crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia. The finding was not parallel to the level of gamma globulin in the patient and a possibility of functional abnormality of the related antibody was discussed.
Wilson, Charles J.; And Others
Compared effects of six sessions of group counseling of nine chronic home hemodialysis patients with a comparable no treatment control group. Comparisons revealed no significant differences between groups. Subsequent testing a year later suggested that hemodialysis patients use the defensive mechanism of denial in adapting to their condition.…
National and international awareness of the heavy burden of chronic disease has led to the development of new strategies for managing care. Elisabeth Bryant explains how self-care, education and support for more patients with complex needs should be built into planned care delivery, and emphasises that the patient is the key member of the care team.
Nishimura, Yuki; Inoue, Teruo; Nitto, Takeaki; Morooka, Toshifumi; Node, Koichi
A great number of basic and clinical studies have demonstrated that inflammatory cytokines play an important role in development and progress of heart failure. However, there is limited information about allergic cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13). The inflammatory responses mediated by allergic cytokines can cause significant morbidity and mortality when they become chronic. Therefore, we elucidated the role of IL-13 in the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure. We measured plasma IL-13 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 110 patients with chronic heart failure and 20 control subjects. Plasma IL-13 levels were increased in heart failure patients, compared with the controls, in association with NYHA functional class. In addition, IL-13 levels were correlated positively with plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide and C-reactive protein, and negatively with left ventricular ejection fraction. Plasma IL-13 levels may be useful for evaluating disease severity in chronic heart failure.
Belmar Vega, Lara; de Francisco, A L M; Bada da Silva, Jairo; Galván Espinoza, Luis; Fernández Fresnedo, Gema
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) develop bleeding and thrombotic tendencies, so the indication of anticoagulation at the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) is complex. AF is the most common chronic cardiac arrhythmia, and thromboembolism and ischemic stroke in particular are major complications. In recent years, new oral anticoagulant drugs have been developed, and they have shown superiority over the classical AVK in preventing stroke, systemic embolism and bleeding risk, constituting an effective alternative to those resources.
Ghasemian, Nadia; Shahbazi, Majid
Background Based on differences in individual immune responses to the hepatitis B virus (HBV), between 5% and 10% of patients become persistently infected with the virus, which leads to the determination of chronic HBV. Cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) are secretory proteins that play important roles in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Functional studies have demonstrated that the IFN + 874A/T gene polymorphism can increase or decrease the overall expression of IFN-gamma (γ) and ultimately determine the outcome of the infection. Objectives This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the IFN-γ + 874 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to chronic HBV infection. Methods Polymorphism detection analysis was performed on 598 subjects from North-Eastern Iran. The IFN-γ gene polymorphism (+ 874A/T) was genotyped through a specific sequence primer polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR). Results The frequencies of the AA, AT, and TT genotypes were 31%, 51%, and 18% in the chronic HBV patient group, and 40%, 45%, and 15% in the healthy control group, respectively. However, a lack of association of the + 874 polymorphism in the IFN-γ gene of those with chronic HBV infection was found. Evaluation of HBV association with this polymorphism was significant under the dominant genetic model (P = 0.04). Conclusions Ultimately, no association could be characterized between the polymorphism in IFN-γ + 874A/T and susceptibility to chronic HBV infection in this segment of the Iranian population (P > 0.05). PMID:27800132
Srivastava, Manjita; Singh, Neha; Dixit, Vinod Kumar; Nath, Gopal; Jain, Ashok Kumar
Background & objectives: Reduction of viraemia in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection using nucleoside/nucleotide analogues reduces fatal liver disease-related events, but development of resistance in virus presents serious clinical challenge. Therefore, comparative evaluation of prolonged antiviral monotherapy and combination therapies was prospectively studied to assess their influence on viral suppression, rapidity of response, development of drug resistance and surfacing mutants in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients. Methods: A total of 158 (62eAg-ve) chronic hepatitis B patients were prospectively studied for 24 months. Final analysis was performed on patients treated with lamivudine (LAM, n = 28), adefovirdipivoxil (ADV, n = 24), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF, n = 26), entecavir (ETV, n = 25), LAM + ADV (n = 28) and LAM + TDF (n = 27). Quantitative hepatitis B virus DNA was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Multiple comparisons among drugs and genotypic mutations were analyzed. Results: Progressive biochemical and virological response were noted with all the regimens at 24 months except LAM and ADV which were associated with viral breakthrough (VBT) in 46.4 and 25 per cent, respectively. Mutations: rtM204V (39.3%), M204V+L180M (10.7%) while rtA181V (8.1%) and rtN236T (8.3%) were observed with LAM and ADV regimen, respectively. LAM + ADV combination therapy revealed VBT in seven per cent of the cases without mutations whereas TDF, ETV and LAM + TDF therapies neither showed VBT nor mutations. Interpretation & conclusions: LAM was the least potent drug among all therapeutic options followed by ADV. TDF and ETV were genetically stable antivirals with a strong efficacy. Among newer combination therapies, LAM + TDF revealed more efficacy in virological remission and acted as a profound genetic barrier on long term. Hence, newer generation molecules (TDF, ETV) and effective combination therapy should be a certain choice
Liu, Xueni; Tang, Zhenghao; Zhang, Yi; Hu, Jianjun; Li, Dan; Zang, Guoqing; Yu, Yongsheng
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is commonly considered to occur as a result of disturbance of the immune system. T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet) is an essential transcription factor for T helper (Th) cell differentiation and function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of T-bet overexpression on Th cell differentiation and the possible mechanism in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. CD4+ T cells from the peripheral blood of 23 CHB patients, 8 acute hepatitis B (AHB) patients and 10 healthy controls were isolated. T-bet mRNA expression of CD4+ T cells was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The T-bet DNA fragment was subcloned into the pGC-FU vector containing GFP to generate a recombinant lentiviral vector, pGC-FU-T-bet, while a no-load pGC-FU vector was used as the negative control. After transduction into CD4+ T cells from another 22 CHB patients, the induction of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines was assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to measure the mRNA and transcription levels of H2.0-like homeobox (HLX1), GATA-3 and STAT-6. T-bet mRNA expression in CD4+ T cells from AHB patients was enhanced compared with CHB patients and healthy controls. Th1-type cytokines and HLX1 expression was upregulated, while Th2-type cytokines and GATA-3 and STAT-6 expression was repressed after lentiviral introduction of T-bet. In conclusion, lentivirally overexpressed T-bet regulates Th cell lineage commitment in CHB patients, which may be mediated by regulating HLX1, GATA-3 and STAT-6 expression.
Thomas, Emmanuel; Yoneda, Masato; Schiff, Eugene R.
Viral hepatitis is a significant disease afflicting hundreds of millions of people. Hepatitis-causing viruses initiate significant morbidity and mortality by establishing both acute and chronic infections, and several of these viruses are specifically associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Consequently, intense research efforts are focused on increasing our understanding of virus biology and on improving antiviral therapy. Even though viral hepatitis can be caused by several viruses from a range of virus families, the discovery of components of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) became a catalyst for the development of diagnostic assays that differentiate between these viruses as well as strategies for novel methods of vaccine development. Improvements in both the treatment and prevention of viral hepatitis are advancing rapidly. However, HBV, along with the associated infection by the hepatitis D virus, is still among the most common pathogens afflicting humans. PMID:25646383
Sugimine, Satomi; Kawamichi, Hiroaki; Obata, Hideaki; Saito, Shigeru
Background Neuropathic characteristics are highly involved in the development of chronic pain both physically and psychologically. However, little is known about the relationship between neuropathic characteristics and brain morphological alteration. Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms of chronic pain development by examining the above-mentioned relationships by voxel-based morphometry in patients with chronic pain. Methods First, we assessed neuropathic characteristics using the painDETECT Questionnaire in 12 chronic pain patients. Second, to assess the gray matter volume changes by voxel-based morphometry, we conducted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. We applied multiregression analysis of these two assessment methods. Results There were significant positive correlations between painDETECT Questionnaire scores and the gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex and right posterior cingulate cortex. Conclusions Our findings suggest that neuropathic characteristics strongly affect the brain regions related to modulation of pain in patients with chronic pain and, therefore, contribute to the severity of chronic pain. PMID:27284013
She, Sha; Xiang, Yi; Yang, Min; Ding, Xiangchun; Liu, Xiaoyan; Ma, Lina; Liu, Qing; Liu, Bin; Lu, Zhenhui; Li, Shiying; Liu, Yi; Ran, Xiaoping; Xu, Xiaoming; Hu, Huaidong; Hu, Peng; Zhang, Dazhi; Ren, Hong; Yang, Yixuan
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive cancers worldwide and is associated with the high rates of morbidity and mortality. α-fetoprotein (AFP) is common used in diagnosis of HCC; however, a growing body of research is questioning the diagnostic power of AFP. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop additional novel non-invasive techniques for the early diagnosis of HCC, particularly for patients with AFP-negative [AFP(-)] HCC. Accordingly, in the present study, we employed iTRAQ-based mass spectro-metry to analyze the plasma proteins of subjects with AFP(-) HBV-related HCC, AFP(+) HBV-related HCC and non-malignant cirrhosis. We identified 14 aberrantly expressed proteins specific to the HCC patients, including 10 upregulated and 4 downregulated proteins. We verified C-reactive protein (CRP) overexpression by ELISA and immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples. Per ROC curve analyses, CRP was positive in 73.3% of patients with HBV-related HCC, and CRP overexpression had significant diagnostic power for AFP(-) HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, we found that silencing CRP caused a >2-fold decease in HBV replication. Additionally, we determined that this reduction in HBV replication involved the interferon-signaling pathway. However, silencing CRP also promoted HCC invasion and migration in vitro. In conclusion, we demonstrated that CRP can serve as a diagnostic biomarker for AFP(-) HBV-related HCC.
Efficacy and Safety of a Chinese Herbal Formula (Invigorating Kidney and Strengthening Spleen) in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Carrier: Results from a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Trial
He, Jinsong; Zhou, Daqiao; Tong, Guangdong; Xing, Yufeng; Chen, Yingjie; Zhang, Xiaohui; Zhan, Bolin; Gao, Hui; Zhou, Xiaozhou; Xiong, Yiqun; Liu, Xinliang; Peng, Lisheng; Qiu, Mei; Zheng, Yingjun
A Chinese Herbal Formula (CHF) has acquired a certain therapeutic effect on chronic HBV infection. To assess the efficacy and safety of CHF on HBV replication in chronic HBV carriers, we performed a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial involving patients from 16 centers. A total of 300 confirmed chronic HBV carriers were randomized at baseline in a ratio of 2 : 1 to receive either CHF or placebo for 52 weeks. The results showed that a greater proportion of CHF than placebo treated patients achieved virological response at week 52; the mean decline of serum HBsAg levels in the CHF group dropped more obviously than that in the control group at all stages of the treatment; however, the rates of HBeAg loss and seroconversion had no difference between the two groups. Meanwhile, were presented significant increases in IFN-γ; IL-2 levels and reductions in IL-4 and IL-10 levels in the treatment group compared to the control group at week 52. There were no drug-related serious adverse events. In conclusion, the treatment with 52-week CHF is safe and effective in inhibiting HBV replication in chronic HBV carriers. The ability of the compound to modulate host immune function probably contributed to this effect. PMID:23935692
Akgün, Hakan; Taşdemir, Serdar; Ulaş, Ümit Hıdır; Alay, Semih; Çetiz, Ahmet; Yücel, Mehmet; Öz, Oğuzhan; Odabaşı, Zeki; Demirkaya, Şeref
Migraine is a neurovascular disorder characterized by autonomic nervous system dysfunction and severe headache attacks. Studies have shown that changes in the intracranial vessels during migraine have an important role in the pathophysiology. Many studies have been conducted on the increased risk of stroke in patients with migraine, but insufficient data are available on the mechanism underlying the increase. This study aimed to evaluate basal cerebral blood flow velocity and vasomotor reactivity in patients with chronic migraine. We evaluated 38 patients with chronic migraine. Three of them were excluded because they had auras and four of them were excluded because of their use of medication that can affect cerebral blood flow velocity and breath holding index (beta or calcium channel blockers). Our study population consisted of 31 patients with chronic migraine without aura and 29 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals who were not taking any medication. The mean blood flow velocity and breath holding index were measured on both sides from the middle cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery, with temporal window insonation. The breath holding index for middle cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery was significantly lower in the migraine group compared to that of the control group (p < 0.05).The vasomotor reactivity indicates the dilatation potential of a vessel, and it is closely related to autoregulation. According to our results, the vasodilator response of cerebral arterioles to hypercapnia was lower in patients with chronic migraine. These findings showed the existence of impairments in the harmonic cerebral hemodynamic mechanisms in patients with chronic migraine. This finding also supports the existing idea of an increased risk of stroke in patients with chronic migraine due to impaired vasomotor reactivity.
Rehermann, Barbara; Bertoletti, Antonio
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause a large proportion of acute and chronic liver disease worldwide. Over the past decades many immunological studies defined host immune responses that mediate spontaneous clearance of acute HBV and HCV infection. However, host immune responses are also relevant in the context of treatment-induced clearance of chronic HBV and HCV infection. First, the pretreatment level of interferon-stimulated genes as well as genetic determinants of innate immune responses, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms near the IFNL3 gene, are strong predictors of the response to interferon-alpha (IFN-α)-based therapy. Second, IFN-α, which has been a mainstay of HBV and HCV therapy over decades, and ribavirin, which has also been included in interferon-free direct antiviral therapy for HCV, modulate host immune responses. Third, both IFN-α-based and IFN-α-free treatment regimens of HBV and HCV infection alter the short-term and long-term adaptive immune response against these viruses. Finally, treatment studies have not just improved the clinical outcomes, but also provided opportunities to study virus-host interaction. This review summarizes our current knowledge on how a patient's immune response affects the treatment outcome of HBV and HCV infection and how innate and adaptive immune responses themselves are altered by the different treatment regimens.
Win, Khin Than; Hassan, Naffisah Mohd; Oinas-Kukkonen, Harri; Probst, Yasmine
Patient education plays an important role in chronic disease management. The aim of this study is to identify patients' preferences in regard to the design features of effective online patient education (OPE) and the benefits. A review of the existing literature was conducted in order to identify the benefits of OPE and its essential design features. These design features were empirically tested by conducting survey with patients and caregivers. Reliability analysis, construct validity and regression analysis were performed for data analysis. The results identified patient-tailored information, interactivity, content credibility, clear presentation of content, use of multimedia and interpretability as the essential design features of online patient education websites for chronic disease management.
Garolla, Andrea; Pizzol, Damiano; Bertoldo, Alessandro; Menegazzo, Massimo; Barzon, Luisa; Foresta, Carlo
Chronic viral infections can infect sperm and are considered a risk factor in male infertility. Recent studies have shown that the presence of HIV, HBV or HCV in semen impairs sperm parameters, DNA integrity, and in particular reduces forward motility. In contrast, very little is known about semen infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV), herpesviruses (HSV), cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and adeno-associated virus (AAV). At present, EU directives for the viral screening of couples undergoing assisted reproduction techniques require only the evaluation of HIV, HBV, and HCV. However, growing evidence suggests that HPV, HSV, and HCMV might play a major role in male infertility and it has been demonstrated that HPV semen infection has a negative influence on sperm parameters, fertilization, and the abortion rate. Besides the risk of horizontal or vertical transmission, the negative impact of any viral sperm infection on male reproductive function seems to be dramatic. In addition, treatment with antiviral and antiretroviral therapies may further affect sperm parameters. In this review we attempted to focus on the interactions between defined sperm viral infections and their association with male fertility disorders. All viruses considered in this article have a potentially negative effect on male reproductive function and dangerous infections can be transmitted to partners and newborns. In light of this evidence, we suggest performing targeted sperm washing procedures for each sperm infection and to strongly consider screening male patients seeking fertility for HPV, HSV, and HCMV, both to avoid viral transmission and to improve assisted or even spontaneous fertility outcome.
ZHANG, QINGQING; XU, MINGYI; QU, YING; LI, ZHENGHONG; ZHANG, QIDI; CAI, XIAOBO; LU, LUNGEN
Considering the limitations of liver biopsy, reliable non-invasive serum biomarkers of liver fibrosis are required for early diagnosis. The present study analyzed the expression profile of circulating micro (mi)RNAs during the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, aiming to identify novel earlier diagnostic biomarkers. Fresh plasma samples were collected from 50 patients diagnosed with chronic HBV infection and hepatic fibrosis. These patients were classified into five groups (S0, S1, S2, S3 and S4; n=10 per group) based on Scheuer's staging criteria. The differential expression of the circulating miRNAs was determined by performing miRNA microarray hybridization. Finally, the target genes of the miRNAs were predicted and classified using gene ontology analysis. A total of 140 miRNAs were detected in the S1–S4 patient groups, and their expression levels were >2-fold higher compared with those in the S0 group. The numbers of miRNAs differentially expressed in the S1–S4 patient groups were 48, 97, 84 and 56, respectively, with 12 miRNAs differentially expressed at all stages, 10 of which were upregulated and two of which were downregulated. The target genes of the miRNAs identified were found to be involved in 100 signal transduction pathways, the majority of which affected hepatic fibrosis via the TGF-/Smad, Wnt, MAPK, Jak/STAT and VEGF pathways. The differential expression levels of miRNAs were closely associated with the staging of hepatic fibrosis. The results of the present study provide evidence to facilitate the development and application of non-invasive biomarkers for earlier diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis. PMID:26299203
Kalantari, Hamid; Ferdowsi, Faezeh; Yaran, Majid
Background: The absence of a detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with or without hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) or hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) in the presence of hepatitis B virus-DNA (HBV-DNA) is defined as occult HBV infection. This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of occult HBV infection in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done on 400 patients without acute or chronic HBV infection with end-stage renal disease undergoing regular HD. Blood samples were collected prior to the HD session, and serological markers of viral hepatitis B included HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were measured using standard third generation commercially available enzyme immunoassays kit, then samples of positive anti-HBc and negative anti-HBs were tested for HBV DNA using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques. Data were analyzed by SPSS using t-test and Chi-square test. Results: The mean age of patients was 51.6 ± 11.2 years. Anti-HBc positive was observed in 32 (8%) of 400 studied patients with negative HBsAg. Of 32 patients with anti-HBc positive, 15 were males and 17 were females with mean age of 49.7 ± 12.6 years. Among 32 patients with anti-HBc positive, 10 patients were negative for anti-HBs. All of 10 patients were negative for HBV DNA. The prevalence of occult HBV infection was 0%. Conclusions: The prevalence of occult HBV infection in HBsAg negative patients undergoing HD was 0% and look to be among the lowest worldwide. So, occult HBV infection is not a significant health problem in HD patients in this region. PMID:27713872
Nair, C. G.; Jacob, P.; Menon, R.; Babu, M. J. C.
Thyroid hormone level may be altered in chronic renal failure patients. Low levels of thyroxine protect the body from excess protein loss by minimizing catabolism. Hyperthyroidism is rarely encountered in end-stage dialysis dependent patients. Less than 10 well-documented cases of Graves' disease (GD) are reported in literature so far. We report a case of GD in a patient on dialysis. PMID:25484538
Gerontoukou, Evangelia-Ioanna; Michaelidoy, Sofia; Rekleiti, Maria; Saridi, Maria; Souliotis, Kyriakos
The health of an individual depends on both his/her physical and psychological condition. In recent years it has been observed that chronic patients have frequently an affected psycho-emotional state. The purpose of this study is to investigate anxiety and depression in patients with chronic diseases and the correlation of the results with daily physical activity levels and individual health levels, as well comorbidity. This study included patients with chronic diseases that were treated in a local general hospital or were visiting often outpatient clinics of the same hospital due to their condition. The sample in this particular study included 204 patients; 118 of them were women and 86 men. From the total sample that participated in our research, 118 (57.8%) were females and the majority of the participants were secondary/basic education graduates (67%), married (71%), living in urban areas (53%). Hypertension was the most frequent chronic disease in our sample, followed by hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. Comparing the occurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms in both questionnaires in relation to the expected frequency in the general population, significant levels of depression and anxiety symptoms were recorded. Taking into consideration the findings of this research, anxiety and depression symptoms can have profound effects regarding the control of chronic diseases, the patients’ quality of life and their general health. PMID:26973961
Ferm, Ingela; Sterner, Magnus; Wallengren, Joanna
It has been reported that 10-50% of patients with pruritus but no skin rash have an underlying systemic disease and up to 70% a psychiatric one. The aim of this retrospective study was to review the records of a large number of patients with chronic pruritus for concomitant diseases and treatment options. Medical records of 139 patients (52 males, 87 females) with chronic pruritus who visited the outpatient dermatological clinic during a 17-month period were reviewed. Itch was the presenting symptom in 6 of 47 patients with systemic disease and in 17 of 31 patients with psychiatric disease. Twenty-four patients had neuropathic itch and 37 patients had pruritus of unknown origin. The most severe and long-lasting itch was found in patients with multiple systemic diseases and in those with pruritus of unknown origin. Pruritus of the scalp and face was most common in psychogenic pruritus. Phototherapy was found to be a useful therapeutic option. In conclusion, systemic diseases are unlikely to cause chronic pruritus in patients consulting a dermatology department.
De Ferrari, Gaetano M; Sanzo, Antonio; Schwartz, Peter J
Increased sympathetic and reduced vagal activity predict increased mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Experimentally, vagal stimulation (VS) is protective both during acute myocardial ischemia and in chronic heart failure. In man, VS is used in refractory epilepsy but has never been used in cardiovascular diseases. Thus, there is a strong rationale to investigate the effects of chronic VS in patients with CHF. We assesses the feasibility and safety of chronic VS with CardioFit (BioControl Medical), a VS implantable system delivering pulses synchronous with heart beats to the right cervical vagus nerve in a preliminary pilot study in eight advanced CHF patients with favorable results, and subsequently in a larger multicenter study. Overall, 32 patients have been successfully implanted (mostly in NYHA Class III; mean age 56 years, ischemic etiology in 69%; prior implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in 63%; concomitant beta blocker and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in 100%). Preliminary results confirm feasibility of the study, an acceptable side effect profile and promising preliminary efficacy data. Several mechanisms may contribute to the beneficial effect observed in patients with heart failure. Should these results be confirmed in larger controlled studies, chronic vagal stimulation could be a further treatment option for CHF patients, possibly integrated with defibrillator and resynchronization therapies.
Mueller, Edward J.
The `gold standard' therapy for patients with symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia has always been electrocautery TURP. However, in patients with medical problems requiring chronic anticoagulation, this procedure is contraindicated due to the extreme risk of hemorrhage, both during the procedure and the immediate post operative period. With the recent development of contact laser prostatectomy the patient on chronic anticoagulation can safely undergo the procedure. Herein, I present a case of a 60 year old with significant bladder outlet obstruction yielding an AUA symptom score of 18. The patient had a history of multiple episodes of deep venous thrombosis of the left leg with three prior pulmonary emboli. He was maintained on chronic anticoagulation with alternating days of 3.5 mg. and 5.0 mg. of warfarin sodium (coumadin). Preoperative cystoscopy showed a 4 cm prostatic fossa obstructed by tri-lobar hypertrophy, with large kissing lateral lobes and visual obstruction from the verumontanum. The patient underwent a contact laser prostatectomy with the SLT Nd:YAG laser at 50 watts. There was minimal bleeding both during the procedure and in the immediate postoperative period. At three months post-op the AUA symptom score had decreased to 2. This case demonstrated that contact laser prostatectomy can be safely and effectively performed in patients on chronic anticoagulation.
Rossol, S; Marinos, G; Carucci, P; Singer, M V; Williams, R; Naoumov, N V
Interleukin-12, a cytokine with an important role against intracellular pathogens, promotes Th1 cell development, cellmediated cytotoxicity, and interferon-gamma production. We investigated the immunoregulatory role of IL-12 in 72 chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, 33 of whom were monitored longitudinally during interferon-alpha treatment. Serum levels of IL-12 heterodimer, IL-12 p40 subunit, IL-4, and Th1 cytokines were determined by specific ELISAs, and hepatitis B core antigen-specific T cell response by a proliferation assay. Chronic HBV carriers had higher serum levels of IL-12 and IL-12 p40 in comparison with controls (P < 0.01), suggesting that IL-12 production is not impaired. The longitudinal analysis revealed a further substantial increase (> 2.5x baseline level) of bioactive IL-12 and Th1 cytokines in patients who cleared HBV and seroconverted to anti- hepatitis B e, unlike the 23 nonresponders with persistent HBV replication (P < 0.01). The IL-12 peak followed the peak of hepatocytolysis by 9.8+/-2.8 wk and occurred either before or simultaneously with hepatitis B e seroconversion. Hepatitis B core antigen-specific T cell proliferation closely correlated with hepatocytolysis and increased significantly in all patients (8 responders and 15 nonresponders) who developed hepatitis flare, irrespective of the virological outcome. These results provide in vivo evidence that IL-12 may have an important role for viral clearance in chronic HBV infection. PMID:9185527
Etienne, Gabriel; Dulucq, Stéphanie; Lascaux, Axelle; Schmitt, Anna; Bidet, Audrey; Fort, Marie-Pierre; Lippert, Eric; Bureau, Caroline; Adiko, Didier; Hayette, Sandrine; Reiffers, Josy; Nicolini, Franck-Emmanuel; Mahon, François-Xavier
The response definitions proposed by the European Leukemia Net (ELN) have been recently modified. We evaluated the new criteria for de novo imatinib (400 mg/d) chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) patients. Response status according to the 2009 and 2013 criteria were determined in 180 unselected patients. Outcome of the subgroups of patients were then compared. The 180 patients were classified as optimal responders (OR2009; n = 113, 62.7%), suboptimal responders (SOR2009; n = 47, 26.1%) and failures (FAIL2009; n = 20, 11.1%) according to the 2009 ELN criteria and optimal responders (OR2013; n = 77, 42.7%), warnings (WAR2013; n = 59, 32.7%), and failures (FAIL2013; n = 44, 24.4%) according to the 2013 ELN criteria. No difference in terms of outcome was observed between OR2009 patients who became WAR2013 when compared with OR2013 patients. When compared with FAIL2009 patients, SOR2009 patients who became WAR2013 had better EFS, FFS, PFS, and OS. No difference was observed in PFS or OS in SOR2009 patients who became FAIL2013. The 2013 ELN response status criteria have improved patients classification in terms of response status. However, in our patient population this improvement is related to a better definition of failure rather than that of optimal response for CP-CML patients treated with IM frontline therapy.
Li, Pengcheng; Ramm, Grant A; Macdonald, Graeme A
The aim of this study was to examine the role of oxidative DNA damage in chronic liver inflammation in the evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma. The accumulated data demonstrated that oxidative DNA damage and chronic liver inflammation are involved in the transformation of normal hepatocytes and their evolution towards hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the levels of 8-oxy-2′-deoxy-guanosine (8-oxodG), a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage, were overestimated and underestimated in previous reports due to various technical limitations. The current techniques are not suitable to analyze the 8-oxodG levels in the non-malignant liver tissues and tumors of hepatocellular carcinoma patients unless they are modified. Therefore, in this study, the protocols for extraction and hydrolysis of DNA were optimized using 54 samples from hepatocellular carcinoma patients with various risk factors, and the 8-oxodG and 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) levels were measured. The patients enrolled in the study include 23 from The Princess Alexandra Hospital and The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospitals, Brisbane, Australia, and 31 from South Africa. This study revealed that the 8-oxodG/dG ratios tended to be higher in most non-malignant liver tissues compared to hepatocellular carcinoma tissue (p=0.2887). It also appeared that the ratio was higher in non-malignant liver tissue from Southern African patients (p=0.0479), but there was no difference in the 8-oxodG/dG ratios between non-malignant liver tissues and tumors of Australian hepatocellular carcinoma patients (p=0.7722). Additionally, this study also revealed a trend for a higher 8-oxodG/dG ratio in non-malignant liver tissues compared to tumoural tissues of patients with HBV. Significant differences were not observed in the 8-oxodG/dG ratios between non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic non-malignant liver tissues. PMID:26890046
Hamdy, Hussam; El-Kolly, M; Ezzat, H; Abbas, M; Farouk, Y; Naser, M; Magdy, M; Elraouf, A
Critical limb ischemia (CLI) in high surgical risk patients with chronic liver diseases has a grave prognosis with a one-year mortality rate of 20% and a one-year amputation rate of 25% after the initial diagnosis. According to Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC)-II Guidelines, revascularization (surgical & endovascular) is the treatment of choice for patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). The primary goal of revascularization is to relieve ischemic rest pain, heal ulcers, prevent amputation, improve patient's quality of life (limb salvage) and secondary goal was the periprocedural complications. Endovascular techniques include balloon angioplasty, stents, stent-grafts, and plaque debulking procedures. Surgical options, identification of patients at risk of postoperative complications could have an impact on the indications for a procedure as well as permitting modifications of treatment to reduce the surgical risk This study evaluated the treatment out comas after limb salvage angioplasty for patients who otherwise would be candidates for primary amputation due to poor co-morbid conditions as chronic liver disease and diabetes. The clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations and abdominal ultrasonography were performed to all patients to evaluate their liver status. Patients were classified according to Child-pugh classification into child A, B & C. All patients were subjected to either detailed arterial duplex or C.T. angiography to assess their arterial lesions from January 2008- January 2010. 95 patients with critical limb ischemia (Rutherford categories 4, 5, 6) were treated by primary percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). No patient was excluded on the basis of the extent of arterial occlusive disease. The primary end points were immediate technical success, clinical improvement and limb salvages rates. Secondary end points were periprocedural complications and mortality. Most of the patients were male (54.7%) with mean age 62 (48
Sánchez-Martín, C Inmaculada
The increase in chronic diseases and the progressive ageing of the population is a source of concern for the different agencies with responsibility for health care. This has led to the creation of many documents focused on the analysis of the current situation and care of chronic diseases, including the WHO recommendations intended to assist countries and health services design and implement strategies that will address the existing demand, control and prevention of chronic diseases. In addition, there is a need to respond to the demand generated by chronic diseases in every sense, and from the different systems it is becoming more difficult to get enough support from multidisciplinary teams where the nurse has a central importance. While chronic diseases are becoming a threat due to the costs they generate, it is also an opportunity for nursing to be at the forefront for advanced care requirements, performed by professionals with recognized advanced clinical skills and ability for case management while monitoring and controlling complex chronic patients. The different services of the National Health System have introduced nurses that play different roles (cases managers, liaison nurses, advanced practice nurses and so on). However, it could be argued that they are not being trained to a desirable development level. It is therefore time for health care authorities to determine the role of the advanced practice nurse in relation to functional positions, and allow them to make an advance in the development of unified skills for the whole National Health System. From our experience we have learned that the advanced practice nurse is a resource that helps in the sustainability of services, thanks to the efficiency shown in the results obtained from the care given to both chronic and complex chronic patients.
Ozaras, Resat; Inanc Balkan, Ilker; Yemisen, Mucahit; Tabak, Fehmi
The natural history of hepatitis B virus infection is not uniform and affected from several factors including, HBV genotype. Genotype D is a widely distributed genotype. Among genotype D, several subgenotypes differentiate epidemiologically and probably clinically. D1 is predominant in Middle East and North Africa, and characterized by early HBeAg seroconversion and low viral load. D2 is seen in Albania, Turkey, Brazil, western India, Lebanon, and Serbia. D3 was reported from Serbia, western India, and Indonesia. It is a predominant subgenotype in injection drug use-related acute HBV infections in Europe and Canada. D4 is relatively rare and reported from Haiti, Russia and Baltic region, Brazil, Kenya, Morocco and Rwanda. Subgenotype D5 seems to be common in Eastern India. D6 has been reported as a rare subgenotype from Indonesia, Kenya, Russia and Baltic region. D7 is the main genotype in Morocco and Tunisia. D8 and D9 are recently described subgenotypes and reported from Niger and India, respectively. Subgenotypes of genotype D may have clinical and/or viral differences. More subgenotype studies are required to conclude on subgenotype and its clinical/viral characteristics.
Onuigbo, Macaulay A C; Onuigbo, Nnonyelum T C
Hemodialysis (HD) exposes end-stage renal disease patients to significantly higher risks for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection, a major public health scourge. Therefore, current US CDC guidelines, last revised in 2001, call for monthly HbsAg tests. The charge to Medicare per HbsAg test is $100. In an economic analysis, we hypothesized that in the new environment of Medicare Fee Bundling, this is unwise and wasteful if de novo HBV infection rate among HD patients is <1%. We determined de novo HBV infection rate among a Mayo Clinic HD cohort, July 2000-July 2010. A retrospective analysis of all relevant medical records of the cohort was completed to identify de novo HBV infection. Nine hundred sixty-five HD patients were analyzed. One case of de novo HBV infection was identified in a 54-year old known IV drug user, a previous Hepatitis C carrier. This translates to a de novo HBV case incidence rate of 0.1%. De novo HBV infection among HD patients in the US, 2000-2010, is only 0.1%. In the early 1970s, rates were as high as 30%. We recommend 3-monthly HbsAg testing, but to continue current monthly testing for IV drug users and other high-risk groups. Huge cost savings would result, without any compromise of quality outcomes. With over 500,000 HD patients, this represents a mind-boggling $40 billion savings in Medicare charges over 10 years. The US CDC should revise these outdated guidelines, last revised in 2001, to fall in line with current clinical realities on the ground.
Crane, Megan; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Rajasuriar, Reena; Velayudham, Pushparaj; Iser, David; Solomon, Ajantha; Sebolao, Baotuti; Tran, Andrew; Spelman, Tim; Matthews, Gail; Cameron, Paul; Tangkijvanich, Pisit; Dore, Gregory J; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Lewin, Sharon R
We investigated the relationship between microbial translocation, immune activation, and liver disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), soluble CD14, CXCL10, and CCL-2 levels were elevated in patients with HIV/HBV coinfection. Levels of LPS, soluble CD14, and CCL-2 declined following receipt of HBV-active combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), but the CXCL10 level remained elevated. No markers were associated with liver disease severity on liver biopsy (n = 96), but CXCL10, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor α, and interferon γ (IFN-γ) were all associated with elevated liver enzyme levels during receipt of HBV-active cART. Stimulation of hepatocyte cell lines in vitro with IFN-γ and LPS induced a profound synergistic increase in the production of CXCL10. LPS may contribute to liver disease via stimulating persistent production of CXCL10.
Scardi, Sabino; Humar, Franco; Di Lenarda, Andrea; Mazzone, Carmine; Giansante, Carlo; Sinagra, Gianfranco
Healthcare managers are more and more interested in the role of general practitioners (GP) in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Continuing adjustments of the health organization are the old/new challenge in improving patient care. The European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend a disease-management program for heart failure (HF); moreover, observational studies and randomized controlled trials have reported better patient outcomes if patients are in charge of cardiologists rather than GPs or other physicians. Patients with chronic HF are often very old and affected by multiple comorbid conditions, by themselves associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, too many patients receive neither a correct diagnosis nor treatment until advanced disease occurs. New treatment approaches, some of them requiring the expertise of well-trained cardiologists, are ongoing to improve the clinical outcomes. The optimal management of patients with HF needs teamwork, i.e. GPs, cardiologists, nurses and caregivers, since a multidisciplinary program, only, can embody the best answer for outpatients with chronic HF. Currently, the Cardiovascular Center in Trieste is performing an experimental trial, so far never attempted before, in treating patients with chronic HF using a thorough approach with the full involvement of local cardiologists, GPs and nurses. Such approach is, at the same time, as well a challenge as an opportunity: a challenge because conventional clinical habits must be changed; an opportunity because patients can benefit from a proper whole care-group, aimed at prolonging life and reducing morbidity and symptoms.
Kume, Yu; Sato, Fumiyasu; Hiraoka, Yuya; Suzuki, Shingo; Niyama, Yoshitsugu
A deterioration in information-processing performance is commonly recognized in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Although the enhancement of cognitive skills in patients with schizophrenia is important, the types of external stimuli that influence performance have not received much attention. The aim of present study was to clarify the effects of spatial and affordance compatibility in patients with schizophrenia, compared with those in healthy people. The subjects (25 patients with schizophrenia and 25 healthy controls) participated in two experiment examining the effects of the spatial location of stimuli and the action-relevance of objects. The results showed that the effect of spatial compatibility was similar in both the patients and the controls, whereas the influence of action-relevant objects was not highlighted in either patients with chronic schizophrenia or healthy controls. These findings provide important evidence of a normal spatial compatibility effect in patients with chronic schizophrenia. However, further research examining the affordance compatibility effect is needed, taking into consideration the symptomatology and the severity of the social functioning level in patients with schizophrenia.
Zamith, Manuela; Cardoso, Teresa; Matias, Isabel; Marques Gomes, Maria João
For 9 months we evaluated a portable device to transfer patient-clinician data by Internet: oximetry, ECG, clinical questionnaires and messages from the doctor. Fifty-one patients with severe chronic respiratory insufficiency (CRI) were followed at the hospital Pulido Valente and Espírito Santo and 21 asthmatics (A) were followed at the latter hospital. The use and acceptance of this device was evaluated through questionnaires soliciting patients' and health professionals' opinions. Patients with CRI followed in Lisbon were also asked about hospital admissions and quality of life compared with a nine month period before the monitoring programme. CRI patients found learning to use the system more difficult; the majority (80%) reported problems with the equipment, qualified as rare/occasional in 62% of the cases. For 31 CRI patients followed in Lisbon, the use of the system was classified as correct in 12 patients, incorrect in 7 and reasonable in 12 patients. The first group had a reducded number and duration of hospital admissions and also improved quality of life. With this remote monitoring system 80% of CRI patients reported they were more/much more supported and 33 patients (75%) would use this system in the future. 81% of asthmatic patients would also like to maintain this type of monitoring. The service was considered useful by the researchers. We concluded that home telemonitoring was a positive contribution to the management of chronic patients and raised awareness of it should be considered in the future.
Siribamrungwong, Monchai; Yothasamutr, Kasemsuk; Puangpanngam, Kutchaporn
Chronic systemic inflammation, a non traditional risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, is associated with increasing mortality in chronic kidney disease, especially peritoneal dialysis patients. Periodontitis is a potential treatable source of systemic inflammation in peritoneal dialysis patients. Clinical periodontal status was evaluated in 32 stable chronic peritoneal dialysis patients by plaque index and periodontal disease index. Hematologic, blood chemical, nutritional, and dialysis-related data as well as highly sensitive C-reactive protein were analyzed before and after periodontal treatment. At baseline, high sensitive C-reactive protein positively correlated with the clinical periodontal status (plaque index; r = 0.57, P < 0.01, periodontal disease index; r = 0.56, P < 0.01). After completion of periodontal therapy, clinical periodontal indexes were significantly lower and high sensitivity C-reactive protein significantly decreased from 2.93 to 2.21 mg/L. Moreover, blood urea nitrogen increased from 47.33 to 51.8 mg/dL, reflecting nutritional status improvement. Erythropoietin dosage requirement decreased from 8000 to 6000 units/week while hemoglobin level was stable. Periodontitis is an important source of chronic systemic inflammation in peritoneal dialysis patients. Treatment of periodontal diseases can improve systemic inflammation, nutritional status and erythropoietin responsiveness in peritoneal dialysis patients.
Yang, Jiezuan; Yan, Dong; Guo, Renyong; Chen, Jiajia; Li, Yongtao; Fan, Jun; Fu, Xuyan; Yao, Xinsheng; Diao, Hongyan; Li, Lanjuan
Abstract Effective antiviral therapy plays a key role in slowing the progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Identification of serum indices, including hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) expression and seroconversion, will facilitate evaluation of the efficacy of antiviral therapy in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. The biochemical, serological, virological parameters, and the frequency of circulating CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell (Treg) in 32 patients were measured at baseline and every 12 weeks during 96 weeks of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment. The relationship between the hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Treg and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels was analyzed, respectively. The molecular profiles of T-cell receptor beta variable chain (TRBV) were determined using gene melting spectral pattern. For the seroconverted 12 patients, ALT declined to normal levels by week 24 and remained at this level in subsequent treatment; moreover, the predictive cutoff value of ALT for HBeAg seroconversion (SC) was 41.5 U/L at week 24. The positive correlation between HBV DNA and Treg and ALT was significant in SC patients, but not in non-SC patients. Six TRBV families (BV3, BV11, BV12, BV14, BV20, and BV24) were predominantly expressed in SC patients at baseline. The decline of ALT could be used to predict HBeAg seroconversion for CHB patients during TDF treatment. In addition, the profile of Tregs and TRBVs may be associated with HBeAg seroconversion and could also be a potential indicator for predicting HBeAg SC and treatment outcome for CHB patients. PMID:28272219
Yang, Jiezuan; Yan, Dong; Guo, Renyong; Chen, Jiajia; Li, Yongtao; Fan, Jun; Fu, Xuyan; Yao, Xinsheng; Diao, Hongyan; Li, Lanjuan
Effective antiviral therapy plays a key role in slowing the progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Identification of serum indices, including hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) expression and seroconversion, will facilitate evaluation of the efficacy of antiviral therapy in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. The biochemical, serological, virological parameters, and the frequency of circulating CD4CD25 regulatory T cell (Treg) in 32 patients were measured at baseline and every 12 weeks during 96 weeks of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment. The relationship between the hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Treg and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels was analyzed, respectively. The molecular profiles of T-cell receptor beta variable chain (TRBV) were determined using gene melting spectral pattern. For the seroconverted 12 patients, ALT declined to normal levels by week 24 and remained at this level in subsequent treatment; moreover, the predictive cutoff value of ALT for HBeAg seroconversion (SC) was 41.5 U/L at week 24. The positive correlation between HBV DNA and Treg and ALT was significant in SC patients, but not in non-SC patients. Six TRBV families (BV3, BV11, BV12, BV14, BV20, and BV24) were predominantly expressed in SC patients at baseline. The decline of ALT could be used to predict HBeAg seroconversion for CHB patients during TDF treatment. In addition, the profile of Tregs and TRBVs may be associated with HBeAg seroconversion and could also be a potential indicator for predicting HBeAg SC and treatment outcome for CHB patients.
Callinan, Catherine E; Neuman, Mark D; Lacy, Kim E; Gabison, Claudia; Ashburn, Michael A
This study reports the results of a researcher-administered survey with 115 patients receiving chronic opioid therapy (>90 days) to obtain information regarding how chronic opioid therapy was started. Chronic opioids were started after surgery (27.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 18.5-35.5) or for the treatment of acute injury-related pain (27.0%, 95% CI, 18.5-35.5). Many who initiated opioid therapy after surgery reported postoperative complications (61.3%, 95% CI, 50.8-71.8) and many with injury-related pain reported follow-up corrective surgery (58.1%, 95% CI, 47.5-68.7), which led to the continuation of opioids. A large percentage of patients had concurrent depression (43.5%, 95% CI, 34.0-53.0) and anxiety (23.5%, 95% CI, 15.3-31.7). Many participants had a medical history of aberrant drug-related behavior (32.5%, 95% CI, 23.5-41.5) and self-reported history of addiction (21.7%, 95% CI, 13.7-29.7). Almost one-quarter reported taking opioids for a different indication than that for which opioids were started (95% CI, 26.6-45.0). Patients receiving long-term opioid therapy often transitioned to chronic use after starting opioids for the short-term treatment of postoperative or injury-related pain.