Hope-For-HepB Top10 June 2010
Artz AS, Somerfield MR, Feld JJ, Giusti AF, Kramer BS, Sabichi AL, Zon RT, Wong SL.
J Clin Oncol. 2010 Jun 1. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
** Provisional clinical opinion of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on the CDC “Recommendations for Identification and Public Health Management of Persons with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection”. It states that it is justified to only screen those patients belonging to groups at heightened risk for chronic HBV infection, and that HBsAg and anti-HBc is sufficient.
Efficacy of entecavir in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis.
Shim JH, Lee HC, Kim KM, Lim YS, Chung YH, Lee YS, Suh DJ.
J Hepatol. 2010 Feb;52:176-82.
Rating & Commentary
** Prospective cohort study of 214 patients which demonstrated that ETV therapy was similarly effective in both compensated (n=144) and decompensated liver disease (n=70) HBV patients, and that, more importantly, entecavir therapy improved underlying liver function in decompensated patients leading to 87% 1-year transplantation free survival.
Durability of peginterferon alfa-2b treatment at 5 years in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.
Wong VW, Wong GL, Yan KK, Chim AM, Chan HY, Tse CH, Choi PC, Chan AW, Sung JJ, Chan HL.
Hepatology. 2010 Jun;51:1945-53.
Rating & Commentary
* Long-term follow-up study of 85 HBeAg-positive patients who received peginterferon alfa-2b 1.5 microg/kg/week for 32 weeks and lamivudine 100 mg/day for 52 or 104 weeks, and were prospectively monitored thereafter. After 5 years of follow-up approximately 30% of patients demonstrated HBeAg seroconversion and HBV DNA < 10.000 copies/mL. Of the 28 initial responders, 57% still demonstrated sustained response at five years. Only two patients achieved HBsAg seroconversion.
Serum hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B e antigen titers: disease phase influences correlation with viral load and intrahepatic hepatitis B virus markers.
Thompson AJ, Nguyen T, Iser D, Ayres A, Jackson K, Littlejohn M, Slavin J, Bowden S, Gane EJ, Abbott W, Lau GK, Lewin SR, Visvanathan K, Desmond PV, Locarnini SA.
Hepatology. 2010 Jun;51:1933-44.
Rating & Commentary
* This study tested the hypothesis that HBsAg and HBeAg titers may vary independently of viral replication in vivo. In 149 treatment-naïve CHB patients (HBeAg-positive, n=71; HBeAg-negative, n=78) the correlation between quantitative HBsAg titer and serum and intrahepatic markers of HBV replication differs between patients with HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB. HBeAg titers may fall independent of viral replication as HBeAg-defective variants emerge prior to HBeAg seroconversion. These findings support the use of quantitative serology as a clinical biomarker.
Do we need to determine viral genotype in treating chronic hepatitis B?
Cooksley WG.
J Viral Hepat. 2010 May 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Expert opinion which build a case for determination of viral genotype, although this issue is lacking in the current guidelines.
Liver grafts from anti-hepatitis B core positive donors: a systematic review.
Cholongitas E, Papatheodoridis GV, Burroughs AK.
J Hepatol. 2010 Feb;52:272-9. Epub 2010 Jan 19. Review.
Rating & Commentary
** Systematic review which states that liver grafts from anti-HBc positive donors can be used without loss of survival expectancy. Anti-HBV prophylaxis reduced de novo infection rates. Prophylaxis using nucleoside-analogues seemed sufficient.
Management of chronic viral hepatitis in patients with thalassemia: an international panel's recommendations.
Di Marco V, Capra M, Angelucci E, Borgna-Pignatti C, Telfer P, Harmatz P, Kattamis A, Prossamariti L, Filosa A, Rund D, Gamberini MR, Cianciulli P, De Montalembert M, Gagliardotto F, Foster G, Grangè JD, Cassarà F, Iacono A, Cappellini MD, Brittenham GM, Prati D, Pietrangelo A, Craxi A, Maggio A.
Blood. 2010 Jun 15. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* Guideline on the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis in patients with thalassemia.
Long-Term Outcome of Renal Transplant Recipients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection-Impact of Antiviral Treatments.
Yap DY, Tang CS, Yung S, Choy BY, Yuen MF, Chan TM.
Transplantation. 2010 Jun 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
** Sixty-three hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+) and 63 HBsAg- patients who have undergone kidney transplantation from 1985 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The survival rate of HBsAg+ patients transplanted in the recent era of antiviral treatment was 81% at 10 years. Treatment of HBsAg+ renal transplant recipients with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues confers long-term survival benefit.
Validation of the INNO-LiPA HBV DR assay (version 2) in monitoring hepatitis B virus-infected patients receiving nucleoside analog treatment.
Niesters HG, Zoulim F, Pichoud C, Buti M, Shapiro F, D'Heuvaert N, Celis L, Doutreloigne J, Sablon E.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Mar;54:1283-9.
Rating & Commentary
* An updated drug resistance test, the INNO-LiPA HBV DR v2, which includes detection of mutations associated with lamivudine, adefovir, emtricitabine, and telbivudine resistance, was compared with consensus sequencing of serum samples from patients treated with HBV antivirals. The ability of the test to detect mixed infections and minority viral populations associated with resistance to the current generation of antivirals, makes it a useful tool for HBV therapy monitoring.
Cost-Effectiveness of Nucleoside Analog Therapy for Hepatitis B in China: A Markov Analysis.
Wu B, Li T, Chen H, Shen J.
Value Health. 2010 Apr 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Rating & Commentary
* To investigate the economic consequences of nucleoside analog therapy for hepatitis B treatment in China, a cost-utility analysis of treatments for HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B was conducted using a Markov model. For both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB populations, entecavir is the most cost-effective option when compared with lamivudine, adefovir, and telbivudine.