Oral anti-viral agents nucleos (t)ide analogues (NAs) are widely used in treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) since they are well-tolerated in most patients.But clinical relapse occurs in a considerable part of patients after the cessation of NAs therapy.This paper reviews factors related to clinical relapse, including time for drug withdrawal, cccDNA level, age, baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV DNA levels, type of NAs, serum level of HBsAg and the immune status of patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of 3 therapeutic schemes in the treatment of chronic Hepatitis B with YMDD mutation.METHODS: 90 patients were randomly assigned into three groups: the patients in Group A were assigned to receive Adefovir Dipivoxil in combination with Lamivudine for 12 weeks followed by administration of Adefovir alone for 36 weeks;Group B received Adefovir in combination with Lamivudine for 48 weeks,while Group C received Entecavir alone for 48 weeks.The cost-effectiveness of the 3 groups were analyzed.RESULTS: In the three groups(A,B,and C),the cost-effectiveness ratios for HBV DNA negative-conversion ratewere 12 685.6,15 481.3,and 31 462.2,respectively and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of Group B and Group C were 29 501.5 and 106 907.8 respectively as against Group A.The cost-effectiveness ratios of the three Groups(A,B,and C) for serum alanine aminotransferase normalization rate were 12 685.6,14 284.9,31 462.2 respectively,and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of Group B and Group C were 19 618.5 and 106 907.8 respectively as against Group A.The cost-effectiveness ratios of the three Groups(A,B,and C) for HBeAg/HBeAb seroconversion rate were 76 227.9,93 120.3,and 209 664.0 respectively,and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of Group B and Group C were 178 350.0 and 1 267 621.4 respectively as against Group A.In Group A,1 case showed rtA181V mutation and another one showed rtN236T mutation after 48-week treatment.CONCLUSION: Group B(ADV in combination with LAM) is more cost-effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B with YMDD mutation.

0.05).At week 52,there was significant difference in the undetectable HBV DNA rate between group C and group B(P0.05),and the rate of drug resistant genotype was 21.9%(7/32)、0、0(P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of enteeavir (ETV) in patients with advanced schistosomiasis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection.Methods Totally sixty patients with advanced schistosomiasis and HBV co-infection were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into ETV treatment group (n=30) and rhubarb treatment group who refused to receive antiviral treatment (n=30).The patients were treated with ETV or rhubarb thelepus ball on the basis of routine supportive therapy for 52 weeks.The hepatic fibrosis markers (e.g.hyaluronic acid,type Ⅲ procollagen,type Ⅳ collagen,laminin and fibronectin),alanine transaminase (ALT),HBV DNA,Child-Pugh score between two groups were compared.Intention to treat (ITT) population was used for analysis.The measurement data and the enumeration data were analyzed by t test and x2 test,respectively.ResultsAfter 52-week treatment,the hepatic fibrosis markers (hyaluronic acid,type Ⅲ procollagen,type Ⅳ collagen,laminin and fibronectin) were significantly improved in ETV treatment group compared to the rhubarb treatment group (t =3.952,3.765,3.857,3.122 and 3.735,respectively; all P＜0.05),and the fibrosis of liver tissue in ETV treatment group was significantly improved compared with rhubarb treatment group (x2 =11.207,P＜0.05).The ALT level,HBV DNA,Child-Pugh score after 52-weeks treatment in ETV treatment group were statistically reduced compared with rhubarb treatment group (t =3.287,4.382 and 3.872,respectively; all P＜0.05),meanwhile,the ALT normalization rate and HBV DNA undetectable rate were significantly increased in ETV treatment group (x2 =17.376 and 39.095,respectively; both P＜0.05).In addition,no obvious adverse reaction was observed during ETV treatment.Conclusion Entecavir is safe and effective in patients with advanced schistosomiasis and HBV co-infection.

Hepatitis B virus core antibody（anti-HBc）is widely used in the disease staging，prediction of liver inflammation and fibrosis，antiviral efficacy and virus reactivation after drug withdrawal in patients with chronic hepatitis B（CHB）. Recent studies have found that the positive anti-HBc status may interact with disease progression and prognosis in patients with other viral infections（such as HCV，HDV and HIV），malignant tumors，autoimmune liver diseases，metabolic-associated fatty liver disease，and rheumatic diseases. This article reviews the research progress on the application of anti-HBc detection in these special patients，to provide reference for their disease assessment and clinical treatment.

Objective To study the correlation between interleukin(IL)-21 and the recurrence of chronic hepatitis B(CHB)in hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)-positive patients after discontinuation of entecavir(ETV).Methods A total of 112 HBeAg-positive CHB patients treated with ETV were enrolled.Serum levels of IL-21 at week 0,12,24 and 52 after ETV discontinuation were detected.The Cox regression model was used to analyze the correlation between IL-21 and the recurrence after ETV discontinuation.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to determine the predictive value of IL-21 for CHB recurrence after ETV discontinuation.The expression differences of IL-21 were compared between sustained viral response(SVR)group and viral relapse(VR)group.The t test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.Results The serum levels of IL-21 in SVR group at week 0,12,24 and 52 after ETV withdrawal were(60.0 ± 10.8),(60.2 ± 14.7),(60.6 ± 19.5)and (61.2 ± 15.4)ng/L,respectively,which were all significantly higher than those in VR group(47.5 ± 10.7),(47.3 ± 12.9),(46.9 ± 12.2)and(46.4 ± 12.8)ng/L,respectively(t=6.153,4.926,4.382 and 5.515,respectively,all P< 0.01).The area under curve(AUC)was 0.811(95% CI:0.728 ~0.893,P<0.01)and the best cut-off value of serum IL-21 level was 49.8 ng/L.The recurrence rates of patients with serum IL-21 level ≥49.8 ng/L and <49.8 ng/L at time of ETV withdrawal was 25.4%(16/63)and 77.6%(38/49),respectively.The difference was statistically significant(χ2=30.027,P<0.01).The serum IL-21 level at the time of drug withdrawal(P= 0.005),serum hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)level at the time of HBeAg seroconversion(P= 0.008)and age(P= 0.016)were factors associated with CHB recurrence after ETV withdrawal by multivariate Cox model analysis.The serum levels of ALT,HBV DNA,HBeAg and HBsAg in SVR group were significantly lower than those of VR group at week 12,24 and 52 after ETV withdrawal(t= -5.968,-7.691,-8.093; -3.047,-9.477,-28.900;-2.872,-10.424,-18.330;-4.633,-4.030 and -5.032,respectively;all P<0.01).Serum level of IL-21 was negatively correlated with HBsAg in SVR group after ETV withdrawal (r= -0.241,P<0.01),while positively correlated with HBsAg in VR group(r=0.286,P<0.01). Conclusions The serum IL-21 level at the time of drug withdrawal is associated with the recurrence after ETV discontinuation.IL-2l may play an important role as an immunomodulatory factor in maintaining virological responses in HBeAg-positive CHB patients after ETV withdrawal.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between antithrombin Ⅲ(AT-Ⅲ) activity and survival, bleeding and thrombosis complications in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and to explore the prediction value of AT-Ⅲ activity in the prognosis of ACLF patients.Methods:The clinical data of 130 hospitalized patients with ACLF were retrospectively collected in Wuxi No.5 People′s Hospital from January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2019. The liver function, international normalized ratio (INR), and 90-day survival rate were detected. The AT-Ⅲ activity values at admission, week two, week four, and week eight of hospitalization were recorded, and the occurrences of fecal occult blood and femoral vein thrombosis were also recorded. The measurement data were compared by t test, analysis of variance, or rank sum test, and the categorical data were compared by chi-square test. The risk factors affecting the survival of ACLF patients were analyzed by Cox regression. The survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results:At the end of 90-day follow-up of 130 patients, 56 patients died, 20 patients (15.38%) were fecal occult blood positive and 15 (11.54%) had femoral vein thrombosis. The baseline AT-Ⅲ activity in the death group was lower than that in the survival group ((17.89±13.68)% vs (36.03±11.96)%), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-8.045, P<0.01). The baseline AT-Ⅲ activities in fecal occult blood positive and negative patients were (18.26±11.52)% and (25.06±10.97)%, respectively, and in femoral vein thrombosis and non-thrombotic patients were (17.55±10.33)% and (32.48±11.88)%, respectively. The differences were both statistically significant ( t=8.746 and 8.090, respectively, both P<0.01). Through dynamic monitoring of AT-Ⅲ, the AT-Ⅲ activity showed a downward trend in the death group, while that showed an upward trend in the survival group, but the differences were not statistically significant ( F=0.282 and 0.401, respectively, both P>0.05). The Cox regression analysis suggested INR (odds ratio ( OR)=1.364, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.078-1.726, P=0.010) and AT-Ⅲ activity ( OR=0.930, 95% CI 0.906-0.954, P<0.01) were the independent factors affecting the survival of patients with ACLF. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of the AT-Ⅲ activity for predicting 90-day survival outcome of the patient was 0.706 (95% CI 0.773-0.952, P<0.01), and the cut-off value was 25%. Patients with AT-Ⅲ activity ≥ 25% had a higher survival rate than those with AT-Ⅲ activity <25% ( χ2=58.20, P<0.01). Conclusions:AT-Ⅲ activity is associated with fecal occult blood positive and femoral vein thrombosis in ACLF patients. The AT-Ⅲ activity is an independent influencing factor for predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients. Patients with AT-Ⅲ activity less than 25% have the higher mortality rate.