Positive seroconversion rate of hepatitis B antibody after hepatitis B vaccination by birth weight and gestational age / 대한주산의학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported that the immune response of hepatitis B vaccine is decreased in preterm or low birth weight babies compared to healthy term babies. To evaluate this notion, we investigated the positive seroconversion rate of hepatitis B antibody after hepatitis B vaccination according to gestational age and birth weight. METHODS: We retrospectively studied medical records about the positive seroconversion rate of a total of 968 infants who were given DNA recombinant hepatitis B vaccine as scheduled at Il Sin Christian Hospital, Busan from January 2002 to Mar 2007. RESULTS: The postive seroconversion failure rate (non-responder or poor-responder) of hepatitis B antibody by gestational age was 15.6% (28 weeks, 32 weeks, 1,000 g, 1,500 g, 2,000 g). CONCLUSION: The seropositive rate of hepatitis B antibody after hepatitis B vaccination decreased as the gestational age and the birth weight decreased. And gestational age more than 37 weeks and birth weight above 2,000 g were independently associated with a higher seropositive rate of hepatitis B antibody after hepatitis B vaccination.