Hope-For-HepB Top10 May 2009
Romeo R, Del Ninno E, Rumi M, Russo A, Sangiovanni A, de Franchis R, Ronchi G, Colombo M.
Gastroenterology. 2009;136(5):1629-38.
Rating & Commentary
** Retrospective cohort study of 299 HDV-HBV co-infected patients with a mean follow-up of 233 months. Approximately one-third of patients demonstrated with liver cirrhosis at baseline. The cumulative probability of cirrhosis at 20 years was 55% with an incidence rate of 4% per year in non-cirrhotic patients at baseline. Clinical decompensation occurred at an annual incidence rate of 2.7%, and HCC developed with an incidence rate of 2.8% per year in all patients. Persistent HDV replication was an important predictor of progressive liver disease and liver-related mortality.
Weinbaum CM, Mast EE, Ward JW.
Hepatology. 2009;49(5 Suppl):S35-44.
Rating & Commentary
** Key publication for awareness of chronic hepatitis B as a public health issue in countries with low-endemicy of hepatitis B.
Side effects of long-term oral antiviral therapy for hepatitis B.
Fontana RJ.
Hepatology. 2009;49(5 Suppl):S185-95.
Rating & Commentary
** Useful balanced summary of safety and potential side-effects of oral antiviral therapy for hepatitis B.
Lanini S, Puro V, Lauria FN, Fusco FM, Nisii C, Ippolito G.
BMC Med. 2009;7:15.
Rating & Commentary
* Systematic review of hepatitis B virus outbreaks published between 1992 and 2007 within the EU and USA, which shows that breaches in infection control measures, such as administration of drugs using multi-vial compounds and capillary blood sampling, are the most frequent routes for patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis B virus.
Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Seroclearance of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen.
Tong MJ, Nguyen MO, Tong LT, Blatt L.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Apr 23. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Small cohort study of 35 chronic hepatitis B patients who experienced HBsAg-loss. During long-term follow-up after HBsAg loss hepatocellular carcinoma developed in 4 cirrhotic patients, which might indicate that HCC surveillance should be continued in HBV patients, even after HBsAg loss.
Fung J, Lai CL, Tanaka Y, Mizokami M, Yuen J, Wong DK, Yuen MF.
Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Observational study in which patients who stopped lamivudine after HBeAg seroconversion (n=22) were compared with 79 patients who continued to receive lamivudine (n=79). During a median follow-up of 20 months after stopping lamivudine 14 (64%) of 22 patients had virological rebound, with a cumulative incidence of 82% at 4 years. None of the patients demonstrated undetectable HBV DNA at the end of follow-up, whereas 62 (78%) of 79 patients who continued lamivudine, had undetectable HBV DNA at last follow-up (median 79 months). Lamivudine-resistant mutations occurred in eight patients (10%) in this group.
Fischer G, Wang S, Ahring S, Fowler K, Hainline S, Chinglong M, Jacques-Carroll L, Bell B, Williams I.
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009 May 18. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Passive-active immunization of neonates from HBsAg-positive mothers was introduced more than a decade ago. This study reviews compliance in daily practice and identifies delivery in hospital as a safety net measure to prevent perinatal HBV transmission in high-risk populations.
Sagnelli E, Coppola N, Pisaturo M, Masiello A, Tonziello G, Sagnelli C, Messina V, Filippini P.
Hepatology. 2009;49(4):1090-7.
Rating & Commentary
* A long-term follow-up study, which compared 29 chronic hepatitis C carriers with a acute hepatitis B superinfection, to 29 HCV-negative patients with acute hepatitis B infection. Although the first group demonstrated a more severe course more frequently, it was shown that HBV superinfection in HCV chronic carriers may also lead to clearance of chronic HCV infection, especially in patients with a severe course.
Chang TT, Chao YC, Gorbakov VV, Han KH, Gish RG, de Man R, Cheinquer H, Bessone F, Brett-Smith H, Tamez R.
J Viral Hepat. 2009 Apr 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Report of second year follow-up of the pivotal entecavir studies in chronic hepatitis B.
Lewin SR, Ribeiro RM, Avihingsanon A, Bowden S, Matthews G, Marks P, Locarnini SA, Ruxrungtham K, Perelson AS, Dore GJ.
Hepatology. 2009;49(4):1113-21.
Rating & Commentary
* A viral kinetics substudy of a randomized (1:1:1) trial of tenofovir (TDF) versus lamivudine (LAM) versus TDF/LAM within an efavirenz based HAART regimen initiated in HIV-1-HBV co infected antiretroviral naïve individuals in Thailand. A biphasic decline in HBV DNA was observed in almost all patients, but no significant differences were seen in HBV viral dynamic parameters between the three treatments groups.