Impact of early viral kinetics on T-cell reactivity during antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND: The patterns of hepatitis B viral dynamics during different antiviral therapies and the associated changes in HBV-specific T-cell reactivity are not well defined. METHODS: We investigated the impact of early viral load decline on virus-specific T-cell reactivity in 30 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B randomized to monotherapy with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) or in combination with emtricitabine (ADV/FTC). Viral kinetics were analysed by mathematical modelling. T-cell reactivity to HBV core and/or surface antigens and natural killer T cell frequency were tested longitudinally, baseline to week 48, using EliSPOT assays and/or flow cytometry. RESULTS: Mathematical modelling of early HBV kinetics identified two subsets of patients: 11 fast responders (undetectable viraemia by week 12; eight on ADV/FTC three on ADV) and 19 slow responders who remained viremic (six on ADV/FTC 13 on ADV). The rate of infected hepatocyte loss was higher in fast than in slow responders (P = 0.0007), and correlated inversely with pre-treatment levels of intrahepatic covalently closed circular HBV DNA. The frequency of HBV core-specific CD4+ T-cells increased significantly only in fast responders, peaking between week 16 and 24, while the HBV surface-specific CD4+ T-cells increased in both subsets. These changes in CD4+ T-cell reactivity were transient however, and no increase in HBV-specific CD8+ T-cells was observed. By week 48, HBeAg seroconversion occurred only in 3/30 (10%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Early viraemia clearance facilitates recovery of virus-specific CD4+ T-cell reactivity, but appears insufficient to establish clinically relevant antiviral immunity.     

阿德福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎的疗效和安全性研究

目的评价一种国产阿德福韦酯用于治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的疗效和安全性。方法采用多中心、随机、双盲、安慰剂对照的临床试验,选择HBeAg阳性的慢性乙型肝炎患者211例,按1∶1的比例随机分为阿德福韦酯组和拉米夫定组。完成12周治疗后均进入阿德福韦酯开放治疗期。完成12周和48周治疗时,检测血清HBVDNA及ALT水平。结果治疗12周时阿德福韦酯组（107例）血清HBVDNA水平平均下降2.94log10拷贝/ml,77.6%的受试者血清HBVDNA水平下降≥2log10拷贝/ml或血清HBVDNA≤104拷贝/ml,ALT均值下降76.9IU/L;而安慰剂组（104例）血清HBVDNA水平平均下降0.57log10拷贝/ml,血清HBVDNA水平下降≥2log10拷贝/ml或血清HBVDNA≤104拷贝/ml的受试者比例仅为13.5%,ALT均值下降20.9IU/L。两组血清HBVDNA水平下降值和血清ALT下降值比较,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。治疗48周时,阿德福韦酯组血清HBVDNA水平平均下降3.54log10拷贝/ml,ALT均值下降100.6IU/L;安慰剂组血清HBVDNA水平平均下降3.28log10拷贝/ml,ALT均值下降92.7IU/L;两组血清HBVDNA水平下降值和血清ALT下降值比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。阿德福韦酯组不良事件发生率与安慰剂组相比,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论阿德福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎可在病毒学及生化学方面取得较好疗效,且安全性良好。     

Sequential combination therapy leads to biochemical and histological improvement despite low ongoing intrahepatic hepatitis B virus replication

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that 48 weeks of combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha2b (PEG-IFN-alpha2b) and adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) in patients with chronic hepatitis B led to marked decreases of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) (-2.4 log10 copies/ml). Combination therapy was followed by 96 weeks of ADV monotherapy. METHODS: Here, we report on the final outcome after 144 weeks of sequential antiviral treatment. Twenty-four patients were analysed, triplet liver biopsies (taken at baseline, week 48 and week 144) were available from 16 patients. RESULTS: At week 144, 12/15 patients positive for hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) had lost HBeAg, alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were normal in 23 patients (96%), median serum HBV DNA had decreased by -4.9 log10 copies/ml and was undetectable (<100 copies/ml) in 11/24 individuals (46%). Median total intrahepatic HBV DNA had decreased by -2.2 log. Although no further significant cccDNA changes occurred between week 48 and week 144, two years of ADV monotherapy proved capable of controlling cccDNA levels in most patients. Analysis of intrahepatic HBV DNA species demonstrated that combination therapy with PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ADV inhibited viral productivity by 99% and subsequent ADV monotherapy by 76%, respectively. Virus suppression to undetectability within the first 12 weeks of treatment was strongly associated with long-term virological response and HBeAg and hepatitis B virus surface antigen HBsAg seroconversion. Histological improvement was determined in 11/16 patients at week 144. Two patients developed ADV resistance during the third year of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction of intrahepatic viral load achieved after 48 weeks of combination therapy with PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ADV was maintained in the following 96 weeks of ADV monotherapy and translated into long-term clinical benefit for most of the treated patients.     

Hepatitis B virus genotype-associated variability in antiviral response to adefovir dipivoxil therapy in Chinese Han population

It is well known that different genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) have a different sensitivity to interferon-alpha or lamivudine (nucleoside analogue) antiviral therapy. However, for adefovir dipivoxil (ADV, a nucleotide analogue), the antiviral response of the different genotypes remains to be clarified. In order to evaluate the response of HBV genotypes to ADV therapy and to identify factors that might affect initial virological response, we performed a retrospective analysis on patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Chinese Han population. The study included 183 patients, who had been tested positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and had been treated with ADV (10 mg/day) for 48 weeks. The numbers of patients infected with HBV genotype B and genotype C were 98 and 75 cases, respectively, and the remaining 10 patients were mixture infection of genotypes B plus C or genotypes B plus D. The mean HBV-DNA reduction and HBV-DNA seroclearance of genotypes B and C at 48 weeks were 3.6 log(10) and 3.1 log(10) copies/ml (p < 0.05) and 41.8% and 34.6% (p < 0.05), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between genotypes B and C in terms of HBeAg loss, anti-HBe seroconversion and normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Multivariate analysis showed that young age, low pretreatment HBV-DNA and/or elevated ALT level might be independent predictive factors associated with initial virological response. Thus, in Han CHB patients who are HBeAg-positive, HBV genotype B shows a better virological response to ADV therapy than does genotype C.     

Adefovir dipivoxil for treatment of breakthrough hepatitis caused by lamivudine-resistant mutants of hepatitis B virus

OBJECTIVE: Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits wild-type hepatitis B virus (HBV) and lamivudine-resistant HBV mutants in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ADV against lamivudine-resistant mutants and of adefovir and interferon (IFN) add-on to lamivudine for patients with severe acute exacerbation of hepatitis caused by lamivudine-resistant mutants. METHODS: Fourteen patients with breakthrough hepatitis were treated with ADV. Four of the 14 patients also received IFN as combined treatment for severe acute exacerbation of hepatitis. RESULTS: At week 24, serum HBV DNA levels had significantly decreased by a median of over 4.8 log copies/ml in the ADV group and over 5.9 log copies/ml in the ADV + IFN group compared to baseline. The median decrease in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels from baseline to week 24 was -1.05 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) in the ADV group [significant at week 24 compared with baseline (p = 0.012)] and -22.3 times the ULN in the ADV + IFN group. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of ADV add-on to lamivudine for patients with breakthrough hepatitis reduced HBV DNA and ALT levels. ADV and IFN add-on to lamivudine could prevent a fatal course in patients with severe acute exacerbation of hepatitis.     

Randomized trial of entecavir plus adefovir in patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B who show suboptimal response to lamivudine plus adefovir

A substantial proportion of patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) show suboptimal virologic response during rescue combination treatment with lamivudine plus adefovir. In this randomized active-control trial, 90 patients with serum HBV DNA levels of >2,000 IU/ml after at least 24 weeks of treatment with lamivudine-plus-adefovir therapy for lamivudine-resistant HBV were randomized to combination treatment with entecavir plus adefovir (ETV+ADV, n = 45) or continuation of lamivudine plus adefovir (LAM+ADV, n = 45) for 52 weeks. At baseline, patients' mean serum HBV DNA level was 4.60 log(10) IU/ml (standard deviation [SD], 1.03). All 90 patients completed 52 weeks of treatment. At week 52, the proportion of patients with serum HBV DNA levels of <60 IU/ml, the primary endpoint, was significantly higher in the ETV+ADV group than in the LAM+ADV group (n = 13, 29%, versus n = 2, 4%, respectively; P = 0.004). The mean reduction in serum HBV DNA levels from baseline was significantly greater in the ETV+ADV group than in the LAM+ADV group (-2.2 log(10) IU/ml versus -0.6 log(10) IU/ml, respectively; P < 0.001). At week 52, additional mutations causing resistance to adefovir or entecavir were analyzed in all patients with detectable HBV DNA by restriction fragment mass polymorphism assays and detected in none of the ETV+ADV group but in 15% of patients in the LAM+ADV group (P = 0.018). Safety and adverse event profiles were similar in the two groups. In conclusion, entecavir-plus-adefovir combination therapy provides superior virologic response and favorable resistance profiles, compared with the continuing lamivudine-plus-adefovir combination, in patients with lamivudine-resistant HBV who fail to respond to lamivudine-plus-adefovir combination therapy.     

干扰素α-2b加用阿德福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙肝的疗效观察

[目的]探讨加用阿德福韦酯(ADV)治疗单用干扰素α-2b 24周未能有效抑制HBV DNA复制病例的疗效.[方法]干扰素α-2b治疗的65例HBeAg阳性慢性乙肝患者在第24周时进行HBVDNA荧光定量PCR检测,若HBV DNA＞1×103拷贝/mL,则加用ADV重叠24周(A组,23例)及不加用ADV (B组,2...     

Adefovir and lamivudine in combination compared with adefovir monotherapy in HBeAg-negative adults with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and clinical or virologic resistance to lamivudine: a retrospective, multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label study

Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV), administered in combination with lamivudine (LAM) or as monotherapy, and the rate of resistance to ADV, in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative adult patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and clinical or virologic resistance to LAM. Furthermore, we evaluated in these selected patients the clinical co-variates associated with a sustained virologic response. Methods:Data from adult outpatients aged >18 years with chronic HBV infection and clinical or virologic resistance to LAM were used in this retrospective, multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label study. Patients were selected if they received ADV 10 mg PO QD + LAM 100 mg QD PO or ADV 10 mg PO QD as monotherapy for 24 to 32 months between June 2003 and July 2006. End points were the proportions of patients who achieved virologic response (undetectable HBV-DNA [<3.3 log(10) copies/mL]) and biochemical response (normalization [<40 IU/L] of alanine aminotransferase [ALT]), and the proportions in whom resistance to ADV (rebound serum HBV-DNA >1 log(10) copies/mL compared with on-treatment nadir, as confirmed on molecular analysis) was found. HBV-DNA and ALT levels were checked every month during the first 3 months of treatment and every 3 months thereafter until 28 months. Data from each center were stored in a centralized database and analyzed by a blinded independent investigator. Results:Data from 70 patients were included (48 men, 22 women; median age, 51 years; ADV + LAM, 36 patients; ADV monotherapy, 34). The median duration of the pharmacologic treatment in the 2 groups of patients was 28 months (range, 24-32 months). By month 3, virologic response was achieved in 30 patients (83%) in the ADV + LAM group and in 26 patients (76%) in the ADV monotherapy group. At 12 months, virologic response was achieved in 5 additional patients in the ADV + LAM group and 2 additional patients in the ADV monotherapy group. Biochemical response was found to be time dependent: in the 2 groups, the rates of biochemical response were, respectively, 56% and 54% at month 3, 80% and 71% at month 6, and 96% and 79% at month 12, persisting up to the end of the study period. The rates of clinical resistance to ADV were 3% with ADV + LAM and 18% with ADV monotherapy (with a 6% rate of resistance due to rtA181 mutation in the monotherapy group). Logistic regression analysis found that pre-treatment levels of HBV-DNA <5 log(10) copies/mL, ALT levels >150 IU/L, an inflammation score >7, and a fibrosis score <2 were the strongest covariates independently associated with a sustained virologic response in both groups of patients. No adverse events were reported in any of the patients. Conclusion:ADV, administered in combination with LAM or as monotherapy, appeared to be effective in this small, selected group of HBeAg-negative patients with clinical or virologic resistance to LAM, especially in those with low pretreatment HBV-DNA levels, high ALT levels, and low fibrosis scores.     

In vitro susceptibility of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus to adefovir and tenofovir

Emergence of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major concern in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HBV coinfected patients. Following selection of resistant mutants, hepatitis flare or rapid progression to cirrhosis may occur. Treatment of patients with new nucleotide analogues such as adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has shown good efficacy in controlling wild-type or lamivudine-resistant HBV replication. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro efficacy of new nucleotide analogues on HBV strains isolated from lamivudine-treated patients. After purification of HBV DNA from patient sera, the whole HBV genome was PCR-amplified and cloned. Drug sensitivity was measured after transfection of the isolated full genomes into HepG2 cells and measurement of HBeAg, HBsAg and viral replication in the culture media under increasing drug concentrations. A wild-type strain isolated from an untreated patient served as control. In a clinical study of ADV (Gilead 460i study), seven of the 35 patients carried HBV strains with the triple lamivudine resistance-associated amino-acid changes rtV173L/L180M/M204V at baseline. Although all patients responded to ADV in this clinical study, the serum HBV reduction was lower in the seven patients with the triple mutation (median -3.3 log copies/ml) compared to the patients who had only the rtL180M/M204V mutations (median -4.1 log copies/ml) at week 48 (P=0.04, Mann-Whitney test). In our in vitro system, lamivudine IC50 on lamivudine-resistant HBV carrying amino-acid substitutions rtL180M and rtM204V within the polymerase encoding region increased by more than 16,000-fold (from 6 nM to over 100 microM) when compared to wild-type HBV. For ADV and TDF, comparison of wild-type and lamivudine-resistant HBV IC50 (rtL180M-M204V) showed, respectively, 2.85-fold (from 0.07 to 0.2 microM) and 3.3-fold (from 0.06 to 0.2 microM) increases, indicating a mild decrease of both drug activities, in vitro. At the ADV concentration of 0.1 microM, presence of the V173L mutation reduced the inhibition of HBsAg production from 50 to 30% (P<0.01) and the viral replication from 45 to 32% (P<0.01, Mann-Whitney). Conversely, tenofovir had similar potency on both HBV mutation profiles with 60% inhibition of HBsAg production and 45% inhibition of viral replication at 0.1 microM. Our study supports the high efficacy of ADV and TDF seen in patients after lamivudine breakthrough. The excellent activity of TDF on lamivudine-resistant virus independently of the resistance mutation profile offers an interesting treatment alternative to HIV-HBV coinfected patients.     

Suboptimal response to adefovir dipivoxil therapy for chronic hepatitis B in nucleoside-naive patients is not due to pre-existing drug-resistant mutants

BACKGROUND: Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) has demonstrated activity against wild-type and lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV). After 1 year of therapy, a median 3.5-4.0 log10 decrease in viral load is observed. Our aim was to characterize the different profiles of response to ADV in relation to the in vitro susceptibility of viral strains to ADV. METHODS: In an international Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled study of ADV in patients positive for hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg), different profiles of virological response to ADV 10 mg/day were identified at week 48. The top 25% patients (quartile 1, Q1) showed > 4.91 log10 reduction in serum HBV DNA at week 48, in Q2 patients demonstrated a 3.52 to 4.90 log10 reduction of viral load, whereas in Q3 a 2.22 to 3.51 log10 reduction in viral load was observed. The bottom 25% of patients (Q4) showed < 2.22 log10 reduction in HBV DNA levels. The influence of baseline characteristics and drug compliance on response was investigated. The replication capacity and drug susceptibility of HBV genomes of selected clinical isolates that were considered representative of the treatment response quartiles were analysed using a phenotypic assay. RESULTS: The lowest quartile of response (Q4) appears to have worse compliance. Higher alanine aminotransferase levels at baseline are associated with improved response. Phenotypic analysis of viral strains in vitro in Huh7 and HepG2 cells showed that HBV genomes remained susceptible to ADV, regardless of treatment response observed in patients. CONCLUSION: Suboptimal response to ADV might result from a host pharmacological effect or from patient compliance issues rather than from a reduced susceptibility of HBV to ADV.     

基线HBeAg水平对HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎阿德福韦酯治疗52周疗效的预测价值

目的评价HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的HBeAg基线水平对阿德福韦酯治疗1年疗效的预测价值。方法 98例HBeAg阳性、年龄18～60岁的慢性乙型肝炎患者进入研究。筛选时血浆HBV DNA定量≥1×106拷贝/ml,血清ALT水平1.5～10倍正常参考值上限,无其他原因引起的肝病。患者接受阿德福韦酯胶囊10mg/d治疗,共52周。定期随访,统一由专人检测HBV血清标志及HBV DNA。HBV血清标志物用Abbott试剂检测。HBeAg半定量采用样本值与截止值之比（s/co）表示,HBV DNA用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测,灵敏度为1×103拷贝/ml（3log10拷贝/ml）。结果阿德福韦酯治疗52周,HBV DNA水平较基线下降（3.63±1.26）log10拷贝/ml,HBV DNA检测不到率48.0%（47/98）,ALT复常率为83.7%（82/98）,HBeAg血清转换率为23.5%（23/98）。52周HBeAg血清转换组与无转换组患者的基线HBeAg水平分别为（251.9±117.3）s/co和（339.6±137.3）s/co（P=0.002）,基线HBeAg水平≤350s/co者分别占78.3%（18/23）和36%（27/75,P〈0.001）,而两组基线HBV DNA水平和ALT水平无统计学意义。基线HBeAg≤350s/co（n=45）组和〉350s/co（n=53）组比较,治疗12周两组HBV DNA检测不到率分别为35.6%和13.2%（P=0.009）,HBeAg阴转率为22.2%和0（P〈0.001）,ALT复常率为55.6%和17.0%（P〈0.001）;治疗52周HBV DNA检测不到率为64.4%和34.0%（P=0.003）,HBeAg血清转换率为42.2%和7.5%（P〈0.001）,ALT复常率为84.4%和83.0%。结论基线HBeAg水平对阿德福韦酯治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的12周及52周疗效预测有一定的价值。基线HBeAg水平较低者能获得更好的早期病毒学应答和HBeAg血清转换率。     

阿德福韦酯联合胸腺五肽治疗乙型肝炎病毒e抗原阳性慢性乙型肝炎的近期疗效观察

目的观察阿德福韦酯联合胸腺五肽治疗乙型肝炎病毒e抗原(HBeAg)阳性慢性乙型肝炎2年的疗效。方法 2007年1月-2009年1月间178例慢性乙型肝炎患者随机分为试验组91例和对照组87例。试验组给予胸腺五肽1 mg,隔日皮下注射,疗程52周;同时阿德福韦酯10 mg/d口服104周。对照组给予阿德福韦酯10 mg/d,口服104周。治疗26、52、104周及停药52周时,分别检测血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)DNA含量及HBV血清标志物。结果治疗52周后,试验组在ALT复常率、AST复常率、HBV DNA转阴率、HBeAg转阴率与HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率方面都比对照组高。停药52周时,试验组与对照组的ALT复常率、AST复常率、HBV DNA转阴率、HBeAg转阴率、HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率分别为74.73%与51.72%、75.82%与54.02%、25.27%与8.05%、26.37%与10.34%、18.68%与8.05%(χ2=10.652、9.313、9.421、7.574、4.313,P<0.05)。结论阿德福韦酯联合胸腺五肽治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎比单独使用阿德福韦酯抗病毒治疗效果更好,有助于提高HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率,减少停药后病毒学突破,并且使用安全。     

Randomized, double-blind study of emtricitabine (FTC) plus clevudine versus FTC alone in treatment of chronic hepatitis B

Emtricitabine (FTC) is approved for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus. FTC and clevudine (CLV) have activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV). This report summarizes the results of a double-blind, multicenter study of patients with chronic hepatitis B who had completed a phase 3 study of FTC and were randomized 1:1 to 200 mg FTC once daily (QD) plus 10 mg CLV QD or 200 mg FTC QD plus placebo for 24 weeks with 24 weeks of follow-up. One hundred sixty-three patients were treated (82 with FTC plus CLV [FTC+CLV] and 81 with FTC); 72% were men, 53% were Asian, 47% were Caucasian, and 52% were hepatitis B e antigen positive, and the median baseline HBV DNA level was 6 log(10) copies/ml. After 24 weeks of treatment, 74% (FTC+CLV) versus 65% (FTC alone) had serum HBV DNA levels of <4,700 copies/ml (P = 0.114) (Digene HBV Hybrid Capture II assay). Twenty-four weeks posttreatment, the mean change in serum HBV DNA levels from baseline was -1.25 log(10) copies/ml (FTC+CLV), 40% had undetectable viremia (versus 23% for FTC alone), and 63% had normal alanine aminotransferase levels (versus 42% for FTC alone) (P < or = 0.025 for all endpoints). The safety profile was similar between arms during treatment, with less posttreatment exacerbation of hepatitis B in the combination arm. In summary, after 24 weeks of treatment, no significant difference between arms was observed, but there was a significantly greater virologic and biochemical response 24 weeks posttreatment in the FTC+CLV arm.     

阿德福韦酯与苦参素联合治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎的疗效观察

目的:观察和比较单用阿德福韦酯与阿德福韦酯联合苦参素治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎的疗效。方法:将2005年12月至2007年3月收治的63例HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者分成联合组和单用组。联合组31例,同时使用阿德福韦酯及苦参素26周,随后继续单用阿德福韦酯26周。单用组32例,单用阿德福韦酯10mg/d,疗程52周。定期检测丙氨酸氨基转氨酶(ALT)复常率,HBVDNA转阴率,HBeAg/抗HBe血清转换率,两组在治疗结束时进行疗效评价。结果:两组ALT复常率在12、26、52周差异无显著性(P>0.05)。联合组HBVDNA阴转率在12周时为19.4%,单用组为12.5%,两组比较差异无显著性(P>0.05),但在第26周(54.8%vs28.1%),52周(64.5%vs46.9%)时,两组比较差异有显著性(P<0.05)。联合组与单用组HBeAg/抗HBe血清转换率12周时无明显差异,在第26周(25.8%vs9.4%),52周(38.7%vs18.8%)时,两组比较差异有显著性(P<0.05)。两组治疗过程中,未发现明显副作用。结论:阿德福韦酯和苦参素联合治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎,安全性与...     

Long-term lamivudine monotherapy in renal-transplant recipients with hepatitis-B-related cirrhosis

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in renal-transplant recipients. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of long-term lamivudine monotherapy in renal-transplant recipients with HBV-related cirrhosis. METHODS: Seventeen such patients [median age: 45 years; 7 with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)] received daily oral doses of 75-150 mg lamivudine for a median of 48 (range 11-81) months. All patients had baseline serum levels of HBV DNA of over 6 log10 copies per ml and of alanine transaminase (ALT) of over 1.5 times the upper normal limit (UNL). Clinical lamivudine resistance was defined as a rebound of serum HBV DNA above 5.3 log10 copies per ml and of serum ALT of over 1.5 times the UNL in patients who initially responded with HBV DNA levels of less than 5.3 log10 copies per ml and normal ALT values. Controls were 14 renal-transplant patients (median age 44 years; 3 with HBeAg) with HBV-related cirrhosis, naive to any anti-HBV therapy, followed for 58 months (4-135). RESULTS: Thirteen (77%) treated patients had a persistent response throughout the study period, including three (18%) who developed genotypic resistance, compared with none of the untreated controls (77% versus 0%, P < 0.0001). Four (23%) developed clinical resistance. Two of three patients with initially decompensated cirrhosis had a durable response and clinical improvement compared with the transient responder, whose liver function worsened following lamivudine resistance. Two responders developed chronic rejection requiring chronic haemodialysis. Overall, one treated patient developed liver-related complications, compared with eight untreated controls (6% versus 57%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Most renal-transplant patients treated with lamivudine achieved a rapid and durable suppression of HBV, which substantially lowered the risk of liver decompensation and death.     

血清乙型肝炎病毒大蛋白水平与病毒复制程度的关系

目的 探讨慢性乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染者血清大蛋白(HBV-LP)水平与HBV复制程度的关系.方法 采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法对血清HBV-LP进行检测;乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)、乙型肝炎病毒e抗原(HBeAg)采用微粒子酶免疫分析法(MEIA)检测;HBV DNA利用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(PCR)技术检测.结果 293份HBsAg阳性血清中HBV-LP阳性检出率(75.1%)与HBV DNA阳性检出率(74.4%)差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).血清HBV-LP与HBV DNA水平具有良好的正相关性(r=0.724),在HBeAg阳性患者中,HBeAg定量结果与HBV DNA水平具有一定的相关性(r=0.368).结论 HBV-LP较HBeAg能够更好地反映血清HBV DNA水平,HBeAg阳性患者HBeAg定量检测值也在一定程度上反映出血清HBV DNA水平.     

B淋巴细胞肿瘤患者胸腺近期的输出功能

本研究了解B细胞肿瘤患者胸腺近期输出naiveT细胞的水平,以评价其T细胞免疫潜能。利用实时定量PCR(TaqMan)方法检测61例B细胞肿瘤患者(成人B-ALL20例,儿童B-ALL6例,B-CLL4例,B-NHL17例,MM14例)外周血单个核细胞(PBMNC)中T细胞受体重排删除DNA环(T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles,TREC)的含量,并根据外周血中CD3阳性率计算CD3细胞中TREC水平。5例ALL-CR病人和17例正常人外周血作为对照。实验结果显示,正常人外周血中TREC拷贝数为3.76±3.42/1000PBMNC和5.87±4.96/1000CD3 细胞,而各B细胞肿瘤组的TREC水平均显著低于正常人水平,其TREC水平在成人B-ALL为0.53±1.52拷贝/1000PBMNC和2.01±3.93拷贝/1000CD3 细胞(p=0.0005和p=0.0123),在B-CLL为0.11±0.15拷贝/1000PBMNC,0.23±0.27拷贝/1000CD3 细胞(p=0.0015和p=0.0381),在B-NHL为0.71±1.34拷贝/1000PBMNC(p=0.0017),在MM为0.53±0.90拷贝/1000PBMNC(p=0.0018)。ALL-CR组TREC水平同样低于正常人水平,儿童B-ALL组TREC水平明显高于成人组。结论:各类B细胞肿瘤胸腺近期输出naiveT细胞功能均明显降低,个体差异较大,在病人达到完全缓解期时,胸腺近期输出功能仍没有得到恢复,提示对病人有动态观察的必要性。     

Restoration of blood total glutathione status and lymphocyte function following alpha-lipoic acid supplementation in patients with HIV infection

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a glutathione-replenishing disulfide, modulates whole blood total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) levels and improves lymphocyte function in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected subjects with history of unresponsiveness to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial conducted at two study sites: an eye clinic at a county hospital in San Jose and a research clinic in San Francisco, California. SUBJECTS: A total of 33 HIV-infected men and women with viral load >10,000 copies/cm(3), despite HAART, aged 44-47 years, approximately 36% nonwhite, were enrolled. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either ALA (300 mg three times a day) or matching placebo for 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The change over 6 months in blood total glutathione status, lymphocyte proliferation response to T-cell mitogens, CD4 cell count, and viral load in patients receiving ALA compared to placebo. RESULTS: The mean blood total glutathione level in ALA-supplemented subjects was significantly elevated after 6 months (1.34+/-0.79 vs. 0.81+/-0.18 mmol/L) compared to insignificant change (0.76+/-0.34 vs. 0.76+/-0.22 mmol/L) in the placebo group (ALA vs. placebo: p=0.04). The lymphocyte proliferation response was significantly enhanced or stabilized after 6 months of ALA supplementation compared to progressive decline in the placebo group (ALA vs. placebo: p<0.001 with phytohemagglutinin; p=0.02 with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody). A positive correlation was seen between blood total glutathione level and lymphocyte response to anti-CD3 stimulation (R(2)=0.889). There was no significant change in either HIV RNA level or CD4 count over 6 months in the ALA-supplemented compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid may positively impact patients with HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome by restoring blood total glutathione level and improving functional reactivity of lymphocytes to T-cell mitogens.     

乙肝病毒血清标志物、外周血T淋巴细胞与HBV-DNA的相关性分析

目的 探讨乙肝病毒血清标志物、外周血T淋巴细胞与HBV-DNA的相关性。方法 273例乙肝患者采用ELISA法测定乙肝血清标志物HBsAg,HBsAb,HBeAg,HBeAb和HBcAb,采用流式细胞术测定T淋巴细胞亚群CD3⁺,CD4⁺和CD8⁺,并采用荧光定量PCR法测定HBV-DNA,比较不同血清标志物模式间HBV-DNA阳性表达情况,并分析其相关性。结果 HBsAg(+)HBeAg(+)HBcAb(+)组的HBV-DNA阳性率最高,为88.9%,HBV-DNA高浓度组CD3⁺ CD4⁺细胞百分比及CD3⁺CD4⁺/CD3⁺ CD8⁺比值低于HBV-DNA阴性组(P<0.05),CD3⁺ CD8⁺细胞百分比高于HBV-DNA阴性组(P<0.05); HBV-DNA拷贝数与CD3⁺ CD8⁺细胞百分比及HBeAg(r²=0.550,0.657,P<0.01)呈正相关,与CD3⁺ CD4⁺细胞百分比(r²=-0.602,P<0.05),HBeAb(r²=-0.473,P<0.01),HBcAb(r²=-0.151,P<0.05)呈负相关。结论 HBV-DNA与T淋巴细胞及HBeAg检测相关性较好,联合检测乙肝血清标志物、外周血T淋巴细胞及HBV-DNA能提高乙肝的检出率,有助于全面监测乙肝病情及评价药物疗效。