Objective To study the relationship of hepatitis and pregnan cy .Methods 49 cases with viral hepatitis of pregnancy were analyze d and compared with viral hepatitis of non-pregnant cases.Results Most of the hepatitis following pregnancy were HBV,with the increment of preg nant weeks,the incidence and mortality rates of hepatitis were increased.PT was remarkably prolonged and ALB lowered in 49 cases.Complications of hepatic enceph alopathy and hepto-renal syndrome were more,the incidence and fatality rates of severe hepatitis were higher than that in healthy group (P

0.05).The death rate of cases with pneumonia combined with ascites was higher than that of cases with ascites only(?2=4.894,P=0.027) and cases without ascites and infections(?2=9.260,P=0.002).Unfavorable prognosis was found in cases with Enterococcus faecium isolated before OLT.CONCLUSIONS Severe lung infection before OLT is one of the main reasons of death.It is important to grasp characteristics of infection,evaluate risk fully,control infections and screen cases strictly before OLT to improve survival rate.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and the frequency of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the peripheral blood in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and its clinical significance.Methods A total of 45 CHB patients including 23 mild-to-moderate CHB patients,22 severe CHB patients,and 15 healthy controls were enrolled.The frequencies of MDSC and Treg in the peripheral blood were studied using flow cytometry and its correlation with clinical data was analyzed by Sepearman correlation analysis.Results The median frequency of MDSC in CHB patients was 0.414％,which was significantly higher than that in healthy controls 0.226％ (Z=-2.356,P=0.018 9).The frequency of MDSC in CHB patients was negatively correlated with the level of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) (r=-0.480,-0.478; both P＜0.01),but had no relations with hepatitis B virus (HBV) viral load (r=-0.049,P=0.75).An increase frequency of MDSC was observed in CHB patients with an ALT of 5 × upper limits of normal (ULN) or less or AST of 3 × ULN or less.The frequency of MDSC in CHB patients was positively correlated with that of Treg (r =0.345,P =0.02).Conclusions The activation and proliferation of MDSC may facilitate and maintain HBV persistent infection.The change of the frequency of MDSC is in line with that of Treg,indicating that immunosuppressive functions of MDSC may be related with the development of Treg in CHB.

Objective To study the expression of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM)CD150 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)isolated from adult non-responders to recombined yeast gene hepatitis B vaccine.Methods A total of 202 cases were recruited.All these subjects had been immunized with recombined yeast gene hepatitis B vaccine for more than one standard scheme in two years(from Sep 2007 to Dec 2009)and remained negative for hepatitis B markers(HBsAg,anti-HBs,HBeAg,anti-HBe and anti-HBc).After recruitment,all 202 subjects received another standard scheme(0,1 and 6 month)revaccination.The blood samples were collected 7 months later after the first injection of revaccination to detect anti-HBs titer.The PBMCs were isolated from 18 adult non-responders(anti-HBs titer<10 mIU/mL)and 18 adult responders(antiHBs titer≥100 mIU/mL).CD150 expression on cell surface was analyzed by flow cytometry.SAS package was used for t test and spearman rank correlation analysis.Results After rHBsAg stimulation,the percentage of PBMCs expressed CD150 was significantly higher in non-responders (39.20%±10.66%)than responders(23.73%±12.41%)(t=2.1947,P<0.05).The same trend was also observed in rHBsAg stimulated C133+CD4+T cells,but the difference was not statistically significant(49.64%±11.94%vs 37.73%±11.02%)(t=1. 7175,P>0.05).After phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)stimulation,the percentage of CD150-positive PBMCs was also significantly higher in non-responders (39.21%±7.37%)than responders(23.18%±12.68%)(t=2.2835,P<0.05).CD150 expressions in both PBMCs and CD3+CD4+T cells were negatively correlated with anti-HBs titer after rHBsAg stimulation (r=-0.726,P<0.05).Conclusion Activation of CD150 may contribute to the non-response to hepatitis B vaccine.

Objective To investigate the revaccination efficacy of different dosages of hepatitis B vaccine among adult non-and hyporesponders so as to improve the protection rate of hepatitis B vaccination.Methods The healthy adults who were immunized with hepatitis B vaccine at least one standard scheme in two years and negative for hepatitis B markers were enrolled in this randomized and open-label study.The hepatitis B vaccine was injected intramuscularly in the deltoid muscle on an upper arm according to routine schedule (month 0,1,6).The adults were randomly given four different dosages:73 in group A were given hepatitis B vaccine 10 μg (made in China) each time;69 in group B were given hepatitis B vaccine (made in China) 20 μg each time;70 in group C were given gene recombinant yeast hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix) 20 μg each time and 48 in group D were given gene recombinant yeast hepatitis B vaccine 40 μg each time.The serum anti-HBs was tested before and 1,2,8,12 months after the first injection.The comparison of means was done by one-factor analysis of variance and the comparison of rates was done by chi square test.Results The anti-HBs positive rates were the highest at months 8 of re-immunization in group B,C and D,which were 68.1%,70.0% and 77.1%,respectively,and were all higher than that in group A (53.4%)(χ2=21.465,P＜0.01).The anti-HBs positive rate increased in group B,C and D with increasing immunized times and over time,but there was no significant difference;it went down at 12 months after re-immunization.The anti-HBs positive rates at 1,2,8 and 12 months after re-immunization in group A were 8.2%,19.2%,53.4% and 43.8%,respectively and differences were significant (χ2=53.07,P＜0.01).The anti-HBs levels in group B,C and D were all higher than that of group A(F=7.551,P＜0.05) at month 12 of re-immunization.There were no significant differences of anti-HBs levels at different re-immunization time points in group B,C and D.Conclusion Revaecination of hepatitis B vaccine can induce immune responses and increasing dosages can improve the immune efficacy in non- and hyporesponders.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)+ ribavirin (RBV) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC),and to evaluate the predictors of treatment response.Methods One hundred and thirty CHC patients treated with PEG-IFN a-2a 180 μg weekly or PegIFNα-2b 80 μg weekly plus RBV 900-1200 mg/d for 48 weeks in Guangdong Province were enrolled.The clinical data including age,gender,body mass index (BMI),spleen index (SPI),the diameter of portal vein (PV),hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype,HCV RNA level were collected at baseline,week 4,12,24,48 of treatment and week 24 of follow-up.Patients obtained sustained virological response (SVR) were compared to those with non-sustained virological response (NSVR).The related factors of SVR were analyzed.The data were compared by t test,chi square test or Logistic regression.Results The total SVR rate was 84％ (109/130),among which rapid virological response ( RVR ),early virological response ( EVR ),and end-of-treatment virological response (ETVR) were 21％ (27/130),72％ (94/130) and 93％ (121/130),respectively.HCV genotype was determined in 70 patients and the SVR rate was 82 ％ (45/55) in the genotype 1 patients and 87％ (13/15) in the genotype non-1 patients.Age,baseline HCV RNA,BMI and SPI were all negatively associated with SVR rate (regression coefficient＜0,all OR＜1,all P＜0.05),while EVR and total cumulative treatment dose of RBV were positively associated with SVR rate (regression coefficient＞0,both OR＞ 1,both P＜0.05).However,RVR,PV and total cumulative treatment doses of PEG-IFN were not associated with SVR rate (P＞0.05).Conclusions The SVR rate of PEG-IFN plus RBV combined treatment is high in CHC patients and more than 80％ of patients can be cured.However,the SVR rates are lower in patients elder than 35 years,with previous treatment failure history,baseline HCV RNA＞6 × 105 IU/mL,BMI＞26 kg/m2,SPI＞40 cm2,or the total cumulative treatment doses of RBV less than 80 ％ of standard dose.

Objective To investigate the effect of Peg-Interferon α-2a therapy on the quality of life (QOL) of patients with chronic hepatitis C,and to evaluate the effect of healthcare insurance policy in Guangzhou city on these patients.Methods Totally 102 patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled.Forty-two patients (group A) were treated with Peg-Interferon α-2a plus ribavirin whose medical expenses were covered by medical insurance; 30 patients (group B ) received the same therapy but at their own expenses ; and the other 30 patients ( group C) were not treated with Peg-Interferon α-2a.QOL of patients in three groups were investigated using the general quality of life inventory questionnaire (GQOLI-74) before and after Peg-Interferon α-2a treatment.Wilcoxon test was used to compare on all scales and total scores before and after treatment in each group,and Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare on all scales and total scores among three groups.Results Before treatment,the physical function,psychological function,social function,material life and total score of group A were 55.3,58.8,61.9,60.6 and 58.5 ; those of group B were 57.5,60.4,61.1,55.2 and 58.3; those of group C were 58.6,60.3,57.5,54.8 and 56.4.There was no statistic difference on all scales and total scores among three groups (Z =- 1.177,- 0.846,- 1.062,-0.377 and - 1.085,P ＞ 0.05).After treatment,group A had higher QOL on all scales (67.1,76.4,68.1,70.1) and total score (72.6) than group C (54.6,54.0,53.3,57.5 and 54.6,P ＜0.01) ; group B had higher QOL (P ＜0.05) on three scales (65.1,65.0 and 69.6) and total score ( 64.3 ) except material life ( 56.3 ) than group C ; group A had higher QOL on psychological function,material life and total score than group B ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions QOLs of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with Peg-Interferon α-2a are higher than those without Peg-Interferon α-2a treatment.Patients whose medical expenses are covered by medical insurance may have higher QOLs than those at their own expenses.

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in the treatment of previously untreated HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with a high viral load. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 152 HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load (HBV DNA≥10⁶ IU/ml) who were firstly treated with ETV (ETV group) or TDF (TDF group), with 76 patients in each group. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA, HBeAg, anti-HBe, creatinine, and creatine kinase were measured at baseline, and the patients were followed up and evaluated at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and 96 of treatment. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze cumulative complete virologic response, HBeAg seroconversion, and ALT normalization rate. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for virologic response. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were no significant differences in ALT normalization rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 of treatment (18.1%/55.6%/83.3%/90.3%/93.1%/97.2% vs 16.0%/53.6%/75.4%/94.2%/100%/100%, P > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in virologic response rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 48 and 96 of treatment (89.5%/97.3% vs 93.4%/98.7%, P > 0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that the baseline parameters were not predictive factors for virologic response. At week 48 of treatment, the TDF group had a significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than the ETV group (14.5% vs 3.9%, P = 0.048); at week 96 of treatment, there was no significant difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate between the two groups (15.8% vs 7.9%, P = 0.132). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in cumulative ALT normalization rate, cumulative HBV DNA undetectable rate, and cumulative seroconversion rate. Only one patient in the ETV group experienced virologic breakthrough from weeks 60 to 72 of treatment, and there were no serious adverse reactions. Conclusion TDF and ETV had similar clinical effects, HBeAg seroconversion rate, and safety in previously untreated HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load.

Background and aim:Few studies have reported hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)kinetics after nucleos(t)ide analog(NA)discontinuation in patients with noncirrhotic chronic hepatitis B(CHB).The study specifically investigated long-term HBsAg kinetics after NA discontinuation. Methods:Between January 2014 to January 2024,this study prospectively enrolled 106 outpatients with noncirrhotic CHB who met the discontinuation criteria after NA consolidation treatment.Demographic,clinical,and laboratory data were collected and analyzed after NA discontinuation. Results:Ninety-six patients who finished 5 years of follow-up were included.HBsAg remained unde-tectable in 29 patients with end of treatment(EOT)HBsAg negativity.Among 67 patients with EOT HBsAg positivity,HBsAg seroclearance occurred in 12(17.9％)patients with an estimated annual inci-dence of HBsAg seroclearance of 3.6％.Patients with EOT HBsAg levels of ≤1000 IU/mL had a higher HBsAg seroclearance rate than those with EOT HBsAg levels of＞1000 IU/mL(33.3％vs.5.4％).The pro-portion of patients with HBsAg ≤1000 IU/mL increased during follow-up.Logistic regression analysis indicated that the EOT HBsAg level was an independent factor for HBsAg seroclearance and an HBsAg level decline exceeding 1 log10 IU/mL.The optimal EOT HBsAg cutoff for both HBsAg seroclearance and an HBsAg level decline exceeding 1 log10 IU/mL was 359 IU/mL. Conclusions:Patients with EOT HBsAg negativity experienced no relapse and maintained HBsAg sero-clearance during 5 years of follow-up after NA discontinuation.A higher HBsAg seroclearance rate can be obtained in patients with EOT HBsAg levels of ≤1000 IU/mL during 5 years of follow-up after NA discontinuation.Close monitoring and proper NA retreatment are recommended to guarantee the safety of NA discontinuation.