The effects of nucleoside analogues on hepatitis B virus in hepatic lymph nodes of hepatitis B virus-associated liver transplantation recipients / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of nucleoside analogues on hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatic lymph nodes of hepatitis B related liver transplantation recipients who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive but negative for serum HBV DNA.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From June 2010 to March 2011, thirty-six cases of hepatitis B related liver transplantation recipients [32 males, 4 females, average age (54 ± 7) years] were divided into drug treatment group and non-drug treatment group according to the utility of nucleoside analogues. Drug treatment group was divided into two subgroups drug treatment > 3 months group and drug treatment ≤ 3 months group. The hepatic lymph nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligament were taken during the operation of liver transplant. Using nested or semi-nested PCR, HBV DNA and the replicative form HBV cccDNA in hepatic lymph nodes were detected. Data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of HBV DNA the difference was not statistically significant between drug treatment group (72.7%, 16/22) and non-drug treatment group (14/14) (P = 0.062), the difference was not statistically significant between drug treatment > 3 months group (10/14) and drug treatment ≤ 3 months group (6/8) in the subgroups of drug treatment group (P = 1.000). The positive rate of HBV cccDNA drug treatment group (22.7%, 5/22) was significantly lower than the non-drug treatment (12/14) (P = 0.000), drug treatment > 3 months group (1/14) was significantly lower than drug treatment ≤ 3 months group (4/8) in the subgroups of drug treatment group (P = 0.039).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hepatic lymph nodes maybe one of the extrahepatic HBV reservoirs. Treating with nucleoside analogues more than 3 months can significantly decrease the replication of HBV in hepatic lymph nodes of HBV associated liver transplantation recipients.</p>