Hope-For-HepB Top10 March 2009

Lamivudine in late pregnancy to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus infection: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Xu WM, Cui YT, Wang L, Yang H, Liang ZQ, Li XM, Zhang SL, Qiao FY, Campbell F, Chang CN, Gardner S, Atkins M.

J Viral Hepat. 2009 Feb;16(2):94-103. Epub 2008 Oct 8.

Rating & Commentary
*** Pivotal randomized controlled trial showing that lamivudine in late pregnancy is associated with a 50% reduction of HBsAg positivity in neonates of women with chronic hepatitis B and very high viremia.

Long-term monitoring shows hepatitis B virus resistance to entecavir in nucleoside-naïve patients is rare through 5 years of therapy.

Tenney DJ, Rose RE, Baldick CJ, Pokornowski KA, Eggers BJ, Fang J, Wichroski MJ, Xu D, Yang J, Wilber RB, Colonno RJ.

Hepatology. 2009 Feb. [Epub ahead of print]

Rating & Commentary
*** Pivotal study documenting the cumulative probability of antiviral resistance to entecavir at 1.2% over 5 years in nucleoside-naive patients. This finding enables prolonged simple, single drug treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

2-Year GLOBE trial results: telbivudine Is superior to lamivudine in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Liaw YF, Gane E, Leung N, Zeuzem S, Wang Y, Lai CL, Heathcote EJ, Manns M, Bzowej N, Niu J, Han SH, Hwang SG, Cakaloglu Y, Tong MJ, Papatheodoridis G, Chen Y, Brown NA, Albanis E, Galil K, Naoumov NV; GLOBE Study Group.

Gastroenterology. 2009 Feb;136(2):486-95. Epub 2008 Nov 1.

Rating & Commentary
** Large, 2-year randomized controlled trial showing significantly improved efficacy, less resistance and equal safety of telbivudine in comparison with lamivudine.

Peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for the treatment of dual chronic infection with hepatitis B and C viruses.

Liu CJ, Chuang WL, Lee CM, Yu ML, Lu SN, Wu SS, Liao LY, Chen CL, Kuo HT, Chao YC, Tung SY, Yang SS, Kao JH, Liu CH, Su WW, Lin CL, Jeng YM, Chen PJ, Chen DS.

Gastroenterology. 2009 Feb;136(2):496-504.e3. Epub 2008 Oct 29.

Rating & Commentary
* Clinically important finding of a large cohort study that efficancy of peginterferron-ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis B is not affected by concommittant chronic hepatitis B.

Predictive factors for early HBeAg seroconversion in acute exacerbation of patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Kim HS, Kim HJ, Shin WG, Kim KH, Lee JH, Kim HY, Jang MK.

Gastroenterology. 2009 Feb;136(2):505-12. Epub 2008 Nov 27.

Rating & Commentary
* Clinically important finding that in HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B patients with an acute exacerbation, early HBeAg seroconversion more frequent is in those with non-vertical transmission and serum HBV DNA below 107 copies per ml.

On-treatment monitoring of adefovir therapy in chronic hepatitis B: virologic response can be assessed at 24 weeks.

Reijnders JG, Leemans WF, Hansen BE, Pas SD, de Man RA, Schutten M, Janssen HL.

J Viral Hepat. 2009 Feb;16(2):113-20. Epub 2008 Sep 26.

Rating & Commentary
** Cohort study indicating that virologic response to ADV therapy can be assessed at 24 weeks of therapy instead of the generally recommended 48 weeks.

How big is the financial burden of hepatitis B to society? A cost-of-illness study of hepatitis B infection in Singapore.

Ong SC, Lim SG, Li SC.

J Viral Hepat. 2009 Jan;16(1):53-63.

Rating & Commentary
* Original cost-of-illness analysis that can complement mortality data to assess the burden of disease related to hepatitis B for a country.

Acute hepatitis B in a healthcare worker: a case report of genuine vaccination failure.

Boot HJ, van der Waaij LA, Schirm J, Kallenberg CG, van Steenbergen J, Wolters B.

J Hepatol. 2009 Feb;50(2):426-31. Epub 2008 Dec 6.

Rating & Commentary
* Case report describing the rare occurrence of HBV-vaccine failure in a health care worker.

Complete cure of HBV-HDV co-infection after 24weeks of combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in a patient co-infected with HBV/HCV/HDV/HIV.

Gozlan J, Lacombe K, Gault E, Raguin G, Girard PM.

J Hepatol. 2009 Feb;50(2):432-4. Epub 2008 Dec 6.

Rating & Commentary
* Case report describing the ‘cure’ of HBV and HDV in a patient with HBV, HDV, HCV and HIV receiving peginterferon-ribavirin combination therapy for 24 weeks.

EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: management of chronic hepatitis B.

European Association For The Study Of The Liver.

J Hepatol. 2009 Feb;50(2):227-42. Epub 2008 Oct 29. Review. No abstract available.

Rating & Commentary
** A pillar guideline for hepatologists from Europe and the Middle-East.