A pilot study of peginterferon alfa-2a combined with short-term lamivudine therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the efficacy of by combining a 12-week course of lamivudine in those HBeAg-positive hepatitis B patients receiving peginterferon alfa-2a (peg-IFN alpha-2a) therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 58 patients initiated a 52-week course of peginterferon alfa-2a were enrolled and divided into 3 groups. The patients with HBV DNA undetectable or HBeAg negative at week 12 were divided into group A, in this group treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone; The rest patients were divided into group B1 and B2, in group B1, lamivudine was combined at a course of 12 weeks, while in group B2 treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone. Clinical responses were assessed at week 52.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>8 out of 58 patients achieved undetectable HBV DNA or HBeAg loss at week 12 and divide into group A. In this group the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate were 100% (8/8), 75% (6/8), 0% (0/8) and 100% (8/8) respectively at the end of treatment. In this group the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate were 100% (8/8), 75% (6/8), 0% (0/8) and 100%(8/8) respectively at the end of treatment. The rest 50 patients without early response to peg-IFN alpha-2a at week 12 were divided into group B1 (24 patients enrolled) and B2 (26 patients). At the end of treatment, the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate in Group B1 were 50% (12/24), 38% (9/24), 4% (1/24) and 63% (15/24) respectively, and 31% (8/26), 27% (7/26), 0% (0/26) and 35% (9/26) respectively in group B2.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Those patients with early responses to peg-IFN alpha-2a therapy can achieve high clinical responses at the end of 52-week treatment. The combining therapy of lamivudine for a course of 12-weeks can improve the clinical responses for the patients without early responses to peg-IFN alpha-2a.</p>

Toxic effects of ammonium perchlorate on thyroid of rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of toxicity of ammonium perchlorate (AP) on thyroid of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-eight Wistar rats were treated orally with different dosages of AP. Three treated groups received 129, 257, 514 mg.kg(-1).d(-1) of AP respectively and one control group drunk water for 13 weeks. Another 3 groups received 1.2, 46.5, 465.0 mg.kg(-1).d(-1) of AP respectively and one control group drunk water for 36 weeks. The behavior and change of body weight in rats were observed. The levels of thyroid hormones in serum were measured and the pathological changes of thyroid tissue were observed as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no differences in behavior and change of body weight between different AP exposure time. When the rats were treated with AP 514 mg for 13 weeks, free triiodothyronine (FT3, 2.48 pmol/L), free thyroxin (FT4, 13.33 pmol/L) were lower than those in control group (3.24, 20.92 pmol/L respectively, P<0.05). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, 0.375 mIU/L), thyroglobulin (TG, 3.37 microg/L) were higher than those in control group (0.29 mIU/L, 2.00 microg/L respectively, P<0.05). When the rats were treated with AP 465 mg for 36 weeks, FT3 (2.65 pmol/L) was lower than that in control group (4.97 pmol/L, P<0.01). FT4 in 46.5, 465 mg groups (10.63, 2.17 pmol/L respectively) were lower than that in control group (15.74 pmol/L, P<0.05, P<0.01). TSH in 465 mg group (0.34 mIU/L) was higher than that in control group (0.14 mIU/L, P<0.05). Histopathologic examination showed that follicle proliferation, no colloid in follicle, gore, follicular diminishing or atresia were found in 46.5, 465 mg groups with a dose-effect relationship.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The toxic effects of AP on the growth of rats were not found, but those on the thyroid of rats were found significantly. Thyroid is the target organ of AP. It is considered that none effect dose of AP for rat thyroid may be 1.2 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), its threshold dose may be 46.5 mg.kg(-1).d(-1).</p>