Immunogenicity and side‐effects of the inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in periodic fever,aphthous stomatitis,pharyngitis, and adenitis patients

The aim of this study was to compare the immunogenicity and side‐effects of hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination between periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) patients and healthy controls who have not been previously exposed to HAV. A prospective observational study was carried out of 28 PFAPA patients and 76 controls who received two doses of the vaccine. Immunogenicity was expressed as seroconversion and seroprotection rates; mean HAV‐immunoglobulin G concentration was measured at 0, 1, 7 and 18 months. Side‐effects were defined as incidence of adverse events and the effect of vaccination on PFAPA symptoms. All participants were seronegative and seroconverted at 1 month. One month after primary vaccination, 92.9% of PFAPA patients and 77.6% of the controls attained seroprotection, while the rates increased to 100% and 96.1%, respectively, 1 month after the second dose. Seroprotection rates remained adequate 1 year after completion of vaccination. In conclusion, two doses of the inactivated HAV vaccine are well‐tolerated and effective in children with PFAPA.     

Risk stratification of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence using a fibrosis-4-based prediction model in patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving antiviral therapy: a nationwide real-world Taiwanese cohort study

A total of 1,589 patients who had received interferon-based treatment were enrolled and analyzed for the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a real-world nationwide Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C cohort (T-COACH). We aimed to stratify HCC risk by non-invasive fibrosis index-based risk model. Of 1589 patients, 1363 (85.8%) patients achieved sustained virological response (SVR). Patients with SVR had 1, 3, 5 and 10-year cumulative HCC incidence rates of 0.55%, 1.87%, 3.48% and 8.35%, respectively. A Cox proportional hazards model revealed that non-SVR (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-3.12, p = 0.008), diabetes mellitus (aHR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.25-3.55, p = 0.005), and fibrosis (FIB)-4 at the end of follow-up (EOF; aHR: 5.60, 95% CI: 2.97-10.57, p < 0.0001) were independent predictors of HCC. Risk score models based on the three predictors were developed to predict HCC according to aHR. In model 1, the 10-year cumulative incidence rates of HCC were 43.35% in patients at high risk (score 9-10), 25.48% in those at intermediate risk (score 6-8), and 4.06% in those at low risk (score 3-5) of HCC. In model 2, the 10-year cumulative incidence rates of HCC were 39.64% in patients at high risk (at least two risk predictors), 19.12% in those at intermediate risk (with one risk predictor), and 2.52% in those at low risk (without any risk predictors) of HCC. The FIB-4-based prediction model at EOF could help stratify the risk of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C after antiviral treatment.     

护理风险预警机制在慢性乙型病毒性肝炎肝衰竭病人护理中的应用效果

目的:探讨护理风险预警机制在慢性乙型肝炎肝衰竭病人护理中的应用效果。方法:选取2018年1月—2019年12月我院收治的104例慢性乙型肝炎肝衰竭病人,按照病人入院顺序,并采用单双号抽签方式分为对照组和观察组,各52例。对照组给予常规护理干预,观察组临床护理中引入护理风险预警机制,对比两组肝功能指标、并发症发生情况、护理满意度、护理质量评分、护理缺陷评分及住院时间。结果:干预后,两组肝功能指标均有所改善,且观察组下降幅度较对照组大(P<0.001);观察组与对照组并发症发生率分别为7.69%、25.00%,观察组与对照组总满意度分别为96.15%、76.92%,观察组病人护理质量评分高于对照组,护理缺陷评分及住院时间低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:将护理风险预警机制用于慢性乙型肝炎肝衰竭病人的临床护理中,有利于改善病人肝功能指标,减少并发症及护理缺陷,提高护理满意度,提升护理质量,缩短病人住院时间。     

慢性乙型肝炎组织中肝前体细胞的免疫组化特征

目的研究肝前体细胞（hepatic progenitor cells,HPCs）、小管样反应、中间型肝细胞在慢性乙型肝炎组织中的分布特征和数量变化,以及与肝细胞再生之间的可能联系。方法对42例慢性乙型肝炎组织行常规病理HE染色,按炎症活动度（G）分为轻、中、重三度,免疫组织化学方法观察肝胆细胞标记（AFP、GST-π、CK7、CK19）和造血干细胞标记（c-kit、CD34）的表达,并以Ki-67标记增殖的肝细胞,用CK7／CK19作为标记物对符合定义的HPCs、中间型肝细胞进行计数,小管样反应程度的判定利用彩色病理图象分析系统。结果慢性乙型肝炎的早期阶段即存在HPCs的活化和小管样反应,其数量随着炎症活动度的增加而增加,均表达CK7、CK19、GST-π和AFP,肝细胞增殖指数在轻、中度肝炎中逐渐增加,重度肝炎、肝硬化患者增殖的肝细胞数下降,而中间型肝细胞数量显著增加。小管样反应面积百分比与HPCs数目正相关（r=0．739,P〈0．05）,中间型肝细胞数目与HPCs数目正相关（r=0．614,P〈0．05）。结论慢性乙型肝炎中不仅有成熟肝细胞增殖,也存在肝前体细胞活化和分化,可能参与肝脏损伤后的再生修复。     

MR扩散加权像在急性病毒性肝炎中的初步应用

目的探讨MR扩散加权像在急性病毒性肝炎患者中对肝功能评价的价值。方法健康志愿者20例作为对照组,急性病毒性肝炎（AVH）患者56例（其中肝功能正常组26例,肝功能异常组30例）作为研究组。分别测量各例的表观扩散系数（ADC）并与转氨酶对比分析。结果在扩散敏感系数（b值）取200、400、600 s/mm2时肝功能正常组及异常组的ADC值均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义。肝功能异常组的ADC值与转氨酶呈正相关。结论在急性病毒性肝炎患者中,DWI是一种具有潜力无创的评价肝功能的重要手段,有待于进一步的探索和提高。     

The Biomarkers for Predicting Viral Hepatitis-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world, and more than half of the newly diagnosed cases are chronic hepatitis B patients. Due to the lack of specific clinical manifestations, many patients are already at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis and therefore have missed the best time for treatment. Organs in a pathological state usually secrete specific substances into the blood, which can indirectly indicate the pathological state of the organ, so some biological markers in the blood can be used as a tool to predict the incidence of HCC.MethodsThe Research articles related to HCC were collected by searching PubMed databases with the keywords “hepatocellular carcinoma”, “serum biomarker”, “hepatitis B”, “prediction” and “prognosis”, and Additional articles were identified by manual search of references found in the primary articles, followed by a summary and review.ResultsViral hepatitis is the main cause of HCC worldwide, and this phenomenon is particularly prominent in Asian and African populations. A variety of serological markers including M2BPGi, IL-6 and COMP can be used to predict the incidence of long-term HCC in patients. The risk of HCC is dynamic rather than constant, and dynamic detection will help improve prediction accuracy. For hepatitis B patients, HBV DNA load and HBcr Ag are important predictive markers of HCC.ConclusionFor a high-risk population of HCC, early risk prediction is helpful to guide clinical work, and timely adjustments of the screening frequency and treatment plan are helpful to prolong the survival time of HCC patients.     

Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is DNA-based virus, member of the Hepadnaviridae family, which can cause liver disease and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in infected individuals, replicating within the hepatocytes and interacting with several cellular proteins. Chronic hepatitis B can progressively lead to liver cirrhosis, which is an independent risk factor for HCC. Complications as liver decompensation or HCC impact the survival of HBV patients and concurrent HDV infection worsens the disease. The available data provide evidence that HBV infection is associated with the risk of developing HCC with or without an underlying liver cirrhosis, due to various direct and indirect mechanisms promoting hepatocarcinogenesis. The molecular profile of HBV-HCC is extensively and continuously under study, and it is the result of altered molecular pathways, which modify the microenvironment and lead to DNA damage. HBV produces the protein HBx, which has a central role in the oncogenetic process. Furthermore, the molecular profile of HBV-HCC was recently discerned from that of HDV-HCC, despite the obligatory dependence of HDV on HBV. Proper management of the underlying HBV-related liver disease is fundamental, including HCC surveillance, viral suppression, and application of adequate predictive models. When HBV-HCC occurs, liver function and HCC characteristics guide the physician among treatment strategies but always considering the viral etiology in the treatment choice.     

Vitamin D Status Presents Different Relationships with Severity in Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease Patients with or without Hepatitis B Infection

Whether the associations between serum vitamin D (VitD) and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) vary with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection has not been well established. This study aims to investigate the relationships between serum VitD and metabolism, liver fat content (LFC) and fibrosis among MAFLD patients with and without CHB. Consecutive subjects (healthy controls: 360, CHB: 684, MAFLD: 521, CHB with MAFLD: 206) were prospectively enrolled between January 2015 and December 2021. Anthropometric, laboratory, imaging, and histological evaluations were conducted, with LFC measured via magnetic resonance imaging-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). Serum VitD levels were lower in MAFLD patients than in healthy controls and patients with CHB alone or overlapping with MAFLD (24.4 ± 8.1 vs. 29.0 ± 9.5 vs. 27.4 ± 9.6 vs. 26.8 ± 8.4 ng/mL respectively; p < 0.001 in one-way ANOVA test). After adjusting for confounding factors, including season, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, insulin resistance, liver stiffness measurements, sun exposure, exercise and dietary intake, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that VitD remained significantly negatively correlated with LFC in MAFLD patients (β = −0.38, p < 0.001), but not in CHB with MAFLD patients. Moreover, quantile regression models also demonstrated that lower VitD tertiles were inversely associated with the risk of insulin resistance and moderate–severe steatosis in the MAFLD group (p for trend <0.05) but not in the MAFLD with CHB group. VitD deficiency was associated with the severity of metabolic abnormalities and steatosis independent of lifestyle factors in MAFLD-alone subjects but not in MAFLD with CHB subjects.     

Antiviral activities of extracts isolated from Terminalis chebula Retz., Sanguisorba officinalis L., Rubus coreanus Miq. and Rheum palmatum L. against hepatitis B virus.

The antiviral effects of aqueous extracts of Terminalis chebula Retz., Sanguisorba officinalis L., Rubus coreanus Miq. and Rheum palmatum L. were examined by a cell culture system using a hepatitis B virus (HBV) producing cell line, HepG2 2.2.15. The extracts were assayed for the inhibition of HBV multiplication by measurement of HBV DNA and surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in the extracellular medium of HepG2 2.2.15 cells after an 8-day treatment. All extracts decreased the levels of extracellular HBV virion DNA at concentrations ranging from 64 to 128 microg/mL and inhibited the secretion of HBsAg dose dependently. Of the four tested plants, Terminalis chebula exhibited the most prominent anti-HBV activities.     

慢性乙型病毒性肝炎中医虚实辨证的分子生物学研究概述

中医药对慢性乙型病毒性肝炎（慢乙肝）治疗已积累了丰富的经验,而邪实正虚是中医临床慢性乙型病毒性肝炎基本病机特点,在传统中医四诊辨证的基础上,将现代分子生物学理论及技术与慢乙肝中医虚实辨证相结合,通过比较慢乙肝中医常见虚证与实证之间在乙肝病毒基因型及变异、人类白细胞抗原等位基因多态性、以及转录组、蛋白组学等系统生物学等方面分子生物学领域的差异性,揭示慢乙肝虚实证型之间分子生物学意义,为慢乙肝的中医临床辨证分型和个体化治疗提供新的参考依据,同时也为中医慢乙肝辨证客观化和药物作用机制研究奠定基础.