Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine Levels in Hepatitis B Virus-Positive Patients.

BACKGROUND: High asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels have been associated with endothelial dysfunction and contribute to the development of several diseases. However, data on the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) and ADMA are limited. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between ADMA and HBV by comparing the ADMA levels in patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CHB), inactive HBV carriers (carriers), and healthy volunteers (controls). METHODS: The participants were divided into three groups: 90 patients with CHB, 90 HBV carriers, and 90 controls. Serum ADMA levels were quantified using an ELISA kit (Cusabio, Wuhan, China). The data were analyzed using an ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate, with P<0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Serum ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients with CHB (228.35±91.10 ng/mL) than in HBV carriers (207.80±75.80 ng/mL) and controls (207.61±89.10 ng/mL) (P=0.049). The clinical scores of the patients were positively correlated with ADMA levels. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated serum ADMA levels in patients with CHB confirm that HBV plays a role in vasculitis. Further investigation of the mechanisms contributing to the high levels of ADMA in CHB may contribute toward development of new treatment modalities.

Histological and Serological Epidemiology of Hepatitis Delta Virus Coinfection among Patients with Chronic Active Hepatitis B Virus in Razavi Khorasan Province, Northeastern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV), as well as hepatitis B virus (HBV), are regarded as one of the main public health issues in developing countries. This retrospective study described histological and serological features of HDV coinfection patients with chronic active HBV in Northeastern Iran. METHODS: The frequency of HDV seropositivity and its impact on serum liver enzyme levels and pathological features were investigated by reviewing clinical and laboratory data. This study contained chronic active HBV-infected patients having admitted the department during 2009 and 2014. RESULTS: The rate of HDV coinfection in chronic active carriers was 21.84%, with a male predominance. HDV seropositive carriers showed significantly higher concentrations of liver enzyme than chronic active HBV monoinfection. Moreover, there was a strong association between degrees of inflammation with HDV-positive patients' enzyme levels. CONCLUSION: The HDV seroprevalence in northeastern Iran was higher than that reported from elsewhere in Iran while comparable to some regions in Middle East, which, in turn, requires more comprehensive tools for diagnosing and screening the blood.

Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine Levels in Hepatitis B Virus-Positive Patients

BACKGROUND: High asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels have been associated with endothelial dysfunction and contribute to the development of several diseases. However, data on the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) and ADMA are limited. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between ADMA and HBV by comparing the ADMA levels in patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CHB), inactive HBV carriers (carriers), and healthy volunteers (controls). METHODS: The participants were divided into three groups: 90 patients with CHB, 90 HBV carriers, and 90 controls. Serum ADMA levels were quantified using an ELISA kit (Cusabio, Wuhan, China). The data were analyzed using an ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate, with P<0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Serum ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients with CHB (228.35±91.10 ng/mL) than in HBV carriers (207.80±75.80 ng/mL) and controls (207.61±89.10 ng/mL) (P=0.049). The clinical scores of the patients were positively correlated with ADMA levels. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated serum ADMA levels in patients with CHB confirm that HBV plays a role in vasculitis. Further investigation of the mechanisms contributing to the high levels of ADMA in CHB may contribute toward development of new treatment modalities.

Increased levels of IL-21 responses are associated with the severity of liver injury in patients with chronic active hepatitis B.

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) participates in tissue damage in various immune-mediated diseases. Its role in the pathogenesis of chronic active hepatitis B (CAHB) has not been clarified. The frequency of circulating IL-21(+) T cells and the levels of serum and intrahepatic IL-21 have been characterized in 70 CAHB patients, 32 inactive carrier (IC), 18 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 20 healthy controls (HC). Their potential association with liver injury was analysed. The percentages of IL-21(+) CD3(+) CD8(-) and IL-21(+) CD3(+) CD8(+) T cells and the levels of serum IL-21 in CAHB patients were significantly higher than that in the IC, CHC patients and HC (P < 0.001) and were correlated positively with the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, r = 0.424, P < 0.001; r = 0.392, P = 0.001) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST, r = 0.388, P = 0.001; r = 0.329, P = 0.005) in CAHB patients, respectively. The levels of IL-21 expression in the liver tissues were associated significantly with increased degrees of inflammation and fibrosis in CAHB patients (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that aberrant IL-21 responses may be associated with the progression of CHB.

The Comparison of Adverse Effect and Short-term Effect of Different Dosage of Recombinant Interferon Alpha-2b Treatment in Patients with Chronic Active Hepatitis Type B / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efficacy and adverse effects of two different dosages of recombinant a2b interferon were studied in 45 patients with chronic active hepatitis B from March 1991 to December 1996. METHODS: The 19 patients received in a dose of 3MU thrice weekly for 16 weeks, the 14 patients received in a dose of 5MU thrice weeldy for 16 weeks and the 12 patients received conservative management. We evaluated serologic examination and adverse effects. Results 1) The rate of improvement in aminotransferase was significantly higher in interferon treated group (75.0%) compared to control group (16.7%) and it tended to be higher in 5MU group (85.6%) than 3MU group (68.4%) but, the latter had no statistical signifcance (P=0.27). 2) The disappearance rate of HBV-DNA was significantly higher in interferon treated group (72.7%) compared to control group (0%) and it tend to be higher in 3MU group (78.5%) than 5MU group (62.5%) but, the latter had no stastical significance (P=037). 3) The loss rate of HBeAg was significantly higher in interferon treated group (50.0%) compared to control group (O%) and it tend to be higher in 5MU group (66.7%) than 3MU group (37.5%) but, the latter had no stastical significance(P=0.13). 4) Fever (75.8%), leukopenia (41.2%), headache (30.3%), myalgia (18.2%), thrombocytopenia (17.6%), anorexia (11.8%) were noted and fever was significantly higher in 5MU group compared to 3MU group (P=0.02). Conclusion The effective improvement of liver function test and disappearance rate of HBeAg tended to be higher in 5MU group than 3MU group, but it was not stastistically significant. Fever was significantly higher in 5MU group compared to 3MU group.

The effects of prolonged treatment in children with chronic hepatitis B with combination of alpha-interferon and acyclovir

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of prolonged treatment in children with chronic hepatitis B with combination of alpha-interferon and acyclovir. The study population consisted of 7 patients with chronic hepatitis B who showed histological findings compatible with chronic active hepatitis (4 cases) or chronic persistent hepatitis (3 cases) on liver biopsy and had elevated AST and ALT with positive HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV-DNA for more than 6 months. Recombinant interferon-alpha-2 was given in a dose of 3 million IU/m2 daily for 3 months with acyclovir in a dose of 15mg/Kg of body weight every 12 hours for 7 days of each month for 3 months. Then, the same dose of interferon was given thrice a week for 9 more months. One patient who had vertically transmitted hepatitis B from her mother had received only 6 months of treatment in total as she did not show any effect after 6 months of treatment. Among 6 patients who had positive HBV-DNA on entry to the study, 4 patients (66.7%) showed conversion of HBV-DNA to negative. HBeAg was converted to negative in 3 patients (42.9%). AST and ALT became normal in 6 cases but HBsAg remained positive in all cases. prolonged treatment in children with chronic hepatitis B with combination of alpha interferon and acyclovir seems to be beneficial but the proper dosage and duration of therapy need to be determined with further and controlled study.

Effect of polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid on cellular responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic active hepatitis B

We have investigated in vitro proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and productions of interferon-gamma and soluble interleukin-2 receptors by these cells from 6 patients with chronic active hepatitis B immediately before and 24 hours after a single intravenous injection of 100 mg of polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid. Cell proliferations were assessed by the technique of tritiated-thymidine incorporation and productions of interferon-gamma and soluble interleukin-2 receptors were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The administration of polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid to the patients has resulted in significant increases of in vitro proliferations of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as productions of interferon-gamma by these cells. However, in vitro productions of soluble interleukin-2 receptors were not changed significantly. These results suggest that the enhanced cellular responses by polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid might be due to the increased sensitivity rather than the increased expression of cellular interleukin-2 receptor.