Comparative analysis of the efficacies of entecavir capsules and lamivudine in chronic hepatitis B patients / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy profile of entecavir capsule (ETV) as a chronic hepatitis B therapy, as compared to lamivudine (LAM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group evaluation of ETV, 232 subjects were administered a 96-week course of 0.5 mg/day ETV or 100 mg/day LAM. PCR measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was conducted throughout the treatment course to determine achievement of complete virologic response (CVR; defined as less than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA) or experience of virology rebound ( more than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA after achievement of CVR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After week-48 of treatment, the ETV group showed a higher CVR rate (90.3% vs. LAM: 59.4%) and lower virology rebound rate (1.9% vs. LAM: 13.9%). After week-96 of treatment, the ETV group continued to have a higher CVR rate (86.0% vs. LAM: 71.4%), and virology rebound was experienced by significantly less subjects in the ETV group (1.2% vs. LAM: 11.9%, P = 0.005).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ETV therapy can quickly and continuously suppress HBV replication in chronic hepatitis B patients, and has a lower resistance rate than LAM. Compared to LAM, ETV may be a superior long-term treatment choice for chronic hepatitis B.</p>

Study on HLA-DRB1 alleles in patients with familial hepatitis B in Shanxi / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and familial hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HLA-DRB1 alleles of 151 people in the familial hepatitis B families were detected,by using the the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probing (PCR-SSOP) technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The allele frequency of HLA-DRB1 * 0701 in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) group was markedly higher than that in the normal control group (17.8% vs 7.4%), with significant correlation between them (P < 0.05, A = 1/0.367 approximately 2.725). The allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 0401/0403/0405 and HLA-DRB1 * 1301/1302 in the normal control group (16.2%, 4.4% ) were markedly higher than that in the CHB group (5.1%, 0), with statistical significance (P < 0.05, A = 3.602; P < 0.05). The other alleles between the CHB group and the normal control group are no significant differences.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HLA-DRB1 * 0701 is closely associated with the susceptibility to familial hepatitis B,and may be the susceptible or linkage gene. HLA-DRB1* 0401/0403/0405 and HLA-DRB1 * 1301/1302,in inverse proportion to the susceptibility to familial hepatitis B, may be the resistant gene. They may regulate the outcome of familial HBV infection in a patient.</p>