ABSTRACT
Famciclovir is a novel guanosine nucleoside analogue with activity against herpes viruses and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Several preliminary reports have described efficacy of famciclovir in patients with recurrent hepatitis B after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). This report describes the largest study to date of long-term famciclovir treatment in patients with de novo or recurrent hepatitis B post-OLT. One hundred thirty patients with detectable serum HBV DNA after OLT received oral famciclovir 500 mg tid on a compassionate-use basis. Safety analyses included all treated patients; efficacy was assessed in all patients and a subgroup of 73 patients with complete baseline HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) data who had received > or =6 months of treatment. Efficacy parameters included serum levels of HBV DNA, ALT, and anti-HBe or anti-HBs seroconversion rates. Of the 70 patients treated for > or =6 months who could be evaluated for response/non-response to famciclovir, 52 (74%) were responders, defined as patients who experienced a 70% decrease or more in HBV DNA levels from baseline, or who became HBV DNA-negative, for at least two consecutive visits. In famciclovir responders, HBV DNA levels decreased by a median of 91% after 12 weeks of treatment, 95% after 6 months and >99% after 18 months of treatment. Marked differentiation between responders and non-responders could be made soon after the onset of treatment. Among anti-HBe positive patients with evidence of HBV replication, 12/13 were responders. Patients with high baseline ALT levels experienced more rapid suppression of HBV DNA during therapy with famciclovir. Famciclovir therapy was safe and well tolerated; serious adverse events were reported infrequently. Famciclovir treatment may be beneficial in patients with hepatitis B infection post-OLT.
Subject(s)
2-Aminopurine/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , DNA, Viral/isolation & purification , Hepatitis B/drug therapy , 2-Aminopurine/adverse effects , 2-Aminopurine/analogs & derivatives , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Antiviral Agents/adverse effects , Child , DNA, Viral/genetics , Famciclovir , Female , Hepatitis B/blood , Hepatitis B/etiology , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B virus/genetics , Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification , Humans , Liver Transplantation/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A detailed spectrophotometric study of the complexation of iron(III) with quinizarin-2-sulphonic acid (Q) in 0.1M perchloric acid solution is reported. There is evidence that more than one complex exists in the solution. Analyses of the data were made by a PITMAP-type procedure, and comparison of the results from considering several models of solution composition show the preferred model to be that for two complexes with Fe:Q ratios 1:1 and 4:3. Stability constants and calculated spectra for the species are reported. It is suggested that the ligand is bis-chelating in the polynuclear species.
ABSTRACT
Quinizarin-2-sulphonic acid and its sodium salt have been purified for analytical use. The thermal analysis behaviour and the infrared and NMR spectra of the reagent have been recorded. Absorptiometry at 465 nm is recommended for the assay of solutions. Spectrophotometric measurements, corrected for fading, are treated by a PITMAP-type procedure to obtain acid dissociation constants for the reagent. Finally, some reactions with metal ions are surveyed briefly.
