Treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

The treatment of the patient with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) must be carried out with the knowledge that the percentage of patients infected with the B virus that develop chronic hepatitis remains between 5-10%. Of these, 10-30% will present chronic infection with active viral replication, necroinflammatory hepatic lesion, evolution to hepatic cirrhosis and the risk of developing hepatocarcinoma. For this reason, the aim of treatment is to achieve negativisation of the HBeAg, seroconversion to anti-HBe and a reduction of viral replication to undetectable values (estimated by level of DNA-HBV), for protracted periods of time. When a sustained loss of HBeAg and a reduction of viral replication are obtained, a biochemical, clinical and histological remission is achieved. Up until now the therapeutic alternatives in chronic infection by the B virus have been immunomodulation with Interferon alpha and the blocking of viral replication with lamivudine or adefovir dipivoxil. A difference must be drawn between the biochemical response, defined as a fall in the transaminases to normal values, and the virological response, which refers to a fall in the levels of DNA-HBV below 10(5) copies/ml. Finally, the complete response is defined as the virological and biochemical response with negativisation of the HBsAg. If a sustained response is obtained for several months, a histological response can be predicted with reduction in the intensity of the hepatic lesion and an absence or stabilisation in the process of fibrosis. The sustained response should last for no less than 6 to 12 months following the end of treatment.     

Treatment of hepatitis B

Treatment of hepatitis B. Treatment of acute icteric hepatitis B is similar to the principles of treatment of acute hepatitis syndrome. Special care must be given to the possibility of fulminant outcome and to the trend to chronicity. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B serves prevention of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma as well as elimination of the sources of further infections. Interferon-alpha treatment results in sustained clinical and virological response in about half of the patients. Nucleoside analogues as lamivudine, entecavir, adenovir dipivoxil are the alternatives. They are effective also in endstage liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus and able to prevent reinfection and graft loss after liver transplantation. Evaluation of the benefits and disadvantages of the antiviral agents help to determine the individual, patient-tailored treatment.     

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Since last 5 years there have been several important advances that significantly impact therapy. The most notable advances have been the availability of sensitive, specific, and standardized tests for identifying hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the serum, the addition of ribavirin to alpha interferon, the pegylation of alpha interferon, and the demonstration that sustained virological response (SR) is the optimal surrogate endpoint of treatment. The combination of high-dose peginterferon and ribavirin is more efficacious than standard interferon and ribavirin in persons infected with HCV genotype 1 (Genotype HCV1 patients may show SR of about 40%.) Compensated HCV cirrhosis patients may also be treated with PEG-IF and ribavirin combination. Decompensated cirrhosis needs liver transplantation. Strategies to enhance response to current therapies include the development of novel interferons, nucleoside analogues, inosine 5' monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitors, and other immunomodulators that are being evaluated as adjunctive therapy to interferon-based regimens.     

阿德福韦酯联合苦参素治疗慢性乙型肝炎疗效观察

在我国,约有1．5亿人口感染了乙肝病毒,慢性乙型肝炎严重威胁着人类健康。目前公认抗病毒治疗是慢性乙型肝炎治疗的关键。阿德福韦酯和苦参素是近年应用于临床的抗病毒药物,为了探讨阿德福韦酯联合苦参素治疗慢性乙型肝炎的疗效,文章观察了100例慢性乙型肝炎患者的近期疗效。现报道如下：     

Importance of vaccination chronic hepatitis B

Weak therapeutic responses and weak immune cytotoxic CD8 and CD4 response in chronic hepatitis B emphasize the necessity to find new therapeutic strategies especially as specific immunotherapy. Vaccination, whose principle was to widen immune repertoire, was used as a curative treatment of chronic hepatitis B. It would be the therapeutic procedure with the lowest cost and the potentially greatest benefit. Our purpose was to enhance the interest of therapeutic vaccination in chronic hepatitis B in order to debate later its usefulness in developing countries.     

慢性乙型肝炎的治愈现状

慢性乙型肝炎（chronic hepatitis B, CHB）是一种广泛的全球感染性疾病,是肝细胞癌和肝衰竭的主要原因。目前可以通过接种乙型肝炎疫苗降低CHB的新发感染率,主要的治疗方法是通过聚乙二醇化干扰素α和核苷（酸）类似物抑制病毒,延缓CHB患者的疾病进展,但不能治愈CHB。如何清除稳定的DNA中间体共价闭合环状DNA,以及如何恢复肝脏微环境中疲惫的免疫系统是目前面临的挑战。为此肝病学者们不断探索新的靶标和药物,研究通过针对HBV生活周期不同阶段的药物联合疗法实现持久功能性治愈。本文将对目前CHB的多种治疗策略以及正在研发的新靶标和新药物进行回顾。     

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

At present the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection is based on the combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) and rivabirin (RBV) and basically attempts to eradicate the viral infection (sustained viral response). The pattern depends above all on the viral genotype, hence, patients with genotype 1, 4 and 5 require 48 weeks of treatment and high doses of RBV, while those with genotype 2 and 3 require 24 weeks of treatment and low doses of RBV. All patients with chronic C infection are possible candidates for antiviral therapy. However, given that the response to treatment is variable, that the treatment has secondary effects and supposes a high economic cost, it is recommendable in patients with hypertransaminasemia and moderate-severe chronic hepatitis in the histological study, as long as there are no counter-indications. This does not exclude other groups of patients who should be evaluated individually. In those patients with compensated hepatic cirrhosis, treatment can stabilise the disease and reduce the risk of complications appearing, although the rate of response is lower and some adverse effects are more frequent. In patients who have received previous antiviral treatment with standard interferon, alone or in association with RBV, without response to this or with response but later relapse, the decision on treatment must be individual. In patients with coinfection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), special attention must be paid to the degree of evolution of the disease due to HCV and to HIV, as well as the possible hepatoxicity of the antiretroviral treatment and the risk of secondary effects.     

慢性乙型肝炎免疫治疗的研究进展

慢性乙型肝炎是严重威胁我国人民健康的疾病,目前尚缺少有效的根治方法。乙型肝炎的慢性化和持续感染与机体抗病毒免疫关系密切,因此免疫治疗将有助于攻克这一难题。此文就慢性乙型肝炎免疫治疗的研究进展作一综述。     

慢性乙型肝炎的联合抗病毒治疗

慢性乙型肝炎的主要疗法是抗病毒,而联合抗病毒已逐渐发展为一个新的方向.此文旨在对治疗乙型肝炎的不同抗病毒药物联合应用的目的、疗效及其进展进行综述.     

慢性乙型肝炎免疫发病机制新进展

此文介绍了慢性HBV感染的免疫发病机制研究进展,并阐述免疫耐受在乙型肝炎慢性化机制中作用的一些研究热点问题.     

乙型肝炎病毒大蛋白在慢性乙型肝炎患者中检测的临床价值探讨

目的探讨乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原大蛋白(HBV-LP)反映HBV复制的可靠性及其检测的临床价值和意义。方法采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测304份慢性乙型肝炎患者血清标本的HBV-LP和乙型肝炎两对半结果,并应用实时荧光定量PCR方法平行检测HBV-DNA结果。结果 304例慢性乙型肝炎患者标本中,HBV-DNA的阳性率67.76%,HBV-LP的阳性率75.66%,两者差异无统计学意义;其中186例HBeAg阴性患者HBV-LP阳性率65.59%,高于HBV-DNA的阳性率(50.54%),差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);186例HBeAg阴性患者中,HBV-DNA和HBV-LP检出一致率为76.34%;血清中HBV-LP(OD值)与HBV-DNA拷贝数之间具有良好的相关性,相关系数(r)=0.853。结论 HBV-LP能反映出乙型肝炎病毒的复制情况;在HBeAg阴性乙型肝炎患者中,HBV-LP较HBV-DNA更能敏感反映HBV的感染复制状态;在无条件开展HBV-DNA检测的一些基层医院,HBV-LP可以作为反映乙型肝炎病毒的复制情况的一个很好的血清学指标。     

慢性乙型肝炎患者配偶乙型肝炎病毒感染状况调查和分析

目的 通过对慢性HBV感染者及其配偶HBV感染状况的调查和分析,评价婚后生活接触与慢性HBV感染之间的关系.方法 选择婚前即为慢性HBV感染者、且婚后血清HBV DNA阳性的慢性HBV感染者,调查其配偶人群的家族史、献血史、输血史、吸毒史、健康体检史、婚检史、婚外性接触史及乙型肝炎疫苗接种史等,排除婚前已感染HBV或接...     

慢性乙型肝炎重叠戊型肝炎病毒感染的临床分析

目的 探讨慢性乙型肝炎(慢乙肝)患者合并戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)感染的临床特点及HEV感染后病情的转归.方法 采用ELISA法检测嗜肝病毒血清标志物,PCR法检测HBV DNA,同时检测肝功能及凝血酶原时间(PT).随机选择慢乙肝合并HEV感染的患者(重叠感染组)与同期单纯慢乙肝患者(对照组)各50例,对两组进行临床比较分析.结果 重叠感染组与对照组中AST与球蛋白差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05),但总胆红素、ALT、白蛋白、PT和HBeAg阳性率,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).重叠感染组重型肝炎病死率为47%.结论 HBV与HEV重叠感染肝细胞损害加重,病情趋向重症化.HBeAg阴性的慢乙肝患者可能比HSeAg阳性者更易重叠感染HEV.     

IgM-antibody response to the hepatitis B core antigen in acute and chronic hepatitis B.

A solid phase M-antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA) and a serum fractionation method were used to quantitate the IgM response to the hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc) in acute and chronic hepatitis B infections. Antibody to the core antigen was predominantly of the IgM class during the acute phase of hepatitis B. Resolving acute infections remained positive by MACRIA, but at decreasing levels, for as long as 6 months. IgM anti-HBc persisted in HBsAg carriers but at levels very much lower than seen in acute infections. There was no correlation of IgM anti-HBc with severity of chronic liver disease in carriers. Measurement of IgM anti-HBc by MACRIA enabled accurate identification of acute hepatitis B on single serum specimens.