DocTop Publications January 2010
Entecavir treatment for up to 5 years in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.
Chang TT, Lai CL, Kew Yoon S, Lee SS, Coelho HS, Carrilho FJ, Poordad F...
Hepatology. 2010;51(2):422-430.
Rating & Commentary
*** Five-year follow-up study of entecavir in 183 HBeAg-positive HBV patients demonstrating maintenance or increased rates of HBV DNA suppression and ALT normalization, progressive HBeAg loss and occasionally HBsAg loss. Entecavir resistance emerged in only one patient. These results indicate that monotherapy with a 3rd generation antiviral drug is highly effective therapy for chronic hepatitis B.
Long-term efficacy of tenofovir monotherapy for hepatitis B virus-monoinfected patients after failure of nucleoside/nucleotide analogues.
van Bömmel F, de Man RA, Wedemeyer H, Deterding K, Petersen J...
Hepatology. 2010;51(1):73-80.
Rating & Commentary
** Retrospective study demonstrating that TDF is very effective as rescue therapy in both LAM- and ADV- experienced patients, although the efficacy was impaired in the presence of ADV-resistant mutations at baseline. These data also challenge currently recommended add-on strategies in NA-experienced HBV patients.
An evaluation of transient elastography in the discrimination of HBeAg-negative disease from inactive hepatitis B carriers.
Maimone S, Calvaruso V, Pleguezuelo M, Squadrito G, Amaddeo G...
J Viral Hepat. 2009;16(11):769-74.
Rating & Commentary
** Liver biopsy is frequently required in HBeAg-negative disease to determine the stage of fibrosis. This study shows the utility of transient elastography (TE) to differentiate between in HBeAg-negative patients and inactive HBsAg carriers.
Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B reinfection in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients after liver transplantation.
Saab S, Yeganeh M, Nguyen K, Durazo F, Han S, Yersiz H, Farmer DG...
Liver Transpl. 2009;15(11):1525-34.
Rating & Commentary
* This study evaluated the effects of both hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence and hepatitis B re-infection on the long-term survival of 175 patients after orthotopic liver transplantation.
Different models of HBeAg seroconversion predicated by on-treatment ALT and HBV DNA profiles.
You H, Ma H, Liu T, Cong M, Wang P, Ou X, Wang X, Ren J, Li H, Wang B...
J Viral Hepat. 2009;16(12):876-82.
Rating & Commentary
** The dynamic changes of on-treatment ALT for seroconversion were studied in 170 naïve HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients, treated with a nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NA), for at least 2 years.
Virological and clinical characteristics of delta hepatitis in Central Europe.
Heidrich B, Deterding K, Tillmann HL, Raupach R, Manns MP, Wedemeyer H.
J Viral Hepat. 2009;16(12):883-94.
Rating & Commentary
* A large descriptive study of 258 HDV-infected patients which were compared to 2083 anti-HDV negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive individuals. Most important findings are that delta hepatitis patients often presented with an advanced stage of liver disease, and that about one third of our delta hepatitis patients tested anti-HCV positive, however, without being associated with more advanced liver disease.
The influence of hepatitis B DNA level and antiviral therapy on recurrence after initial curative treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
Chuma M, Hige S, Kamiyama T, Meguro T, Nagasaka A, Nakanishi K...
J Gastroenterol. 2009;44(9):991-9.
Rating & Commentary
** This retrospective study involved 103 patients who underwent hepatic resection or radiofrequency ablation for initial HCC. Patients were divided into four groups, based on HBV DNA level and antiviral therapy. For patients with high HBV DNA levels, antiviral therapy before the development of HCC is important for prevention of recurrence.
Model of life expectancy of chronic hepatitis B carriers in an endemic region.
Wang T.
J Epidemiol. 2009;19:311-8.
Rating & Commentary
* Population mortality statistics, combined with data on the contribution of HBV to HCC and CLD deaths, were used to model carrier mortality by sex and e antigen status. An abridged life table was used to calculate carrier life expectancy in Taiwan, a high endemic region.
Hepatitis B and long-term HIV outcomes in coinfected HAART recipients.
Hoffmann CJ, Seaberg EC, Young S, Witt MD, D'Acunto K, Phair J, Thio CL.
AIDS. 2009 Sep;23:1881-9.
Rating & Commentary
* Long-term follow-up study which demonstrates that HBV status did not influence HIV suppression or CD4 cell increase. However, AIDS-related and non-AIDS-related mortality, primarily due to liver disease, was highest among those with chronic hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B: liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Lok AS.
Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2009;33:911-5.
Rating & Commentary
* This review discusses the performance of non-invasive tests for liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B. FibroTest may be superior to the Forns index, APRI, Goteborg University Cirrhosis Index (GUCI) and Hui model in detecting significant fibrosis (Metavir>F2) or cirrhosis (Metavir F4) but an algorithm that uses APRI for screening, FibroTest for confirmation, and biopsy for indeterminate cases has the greatest accuracy.