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Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (hepatitis + b_immune_globulin)
Selected AbstractsHepatitis B immune globulin to prevent hepatitis B virus graft reinfection following liver transplantation: A concise reviewHEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2000Daniel Shouval First page of article [source] Public health measures to control hepatitis B virus infection in the developing countries of the Asia,Pacific regionJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2000Ding-Shinn Chen Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is prevalent in the Asia,Pacific region and the disease burden caused by chronic HBV infection has been enormous. Although vaccination programmes have been implemented in the past decade, and there are extremely successful countries in the region, many countries still cannot afford a control program. These countries are often populous and highly endemic for HBV infection. To overcome this, aid from developed countries or private foundations should be actively sought. In the developing countries of this region, HBV infection in early childhood is the main cause of chronic HBV status, and thus universal vaccination of all infants is the best way to control HBV infection. Because of the expense and extra costs of screening pregnant women, the use of hepatitis B immune globulin may not be essential. To achieve the goal of universal infant vaccination, public education should be done in parallel with education of health professionals and control measures. The Asia,Pacific region has more people with chronic hepatitis B than any other part of the world, and control of HBV infection in this region will no doubt be the most important and challenging task to be taken in the beginning of the new millennium. [source] Prophylaxsis against recurrance of hepatitis B virus after liver transplantation: a retrospective analysis spanning 20 yearsLIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2008Nevin Yilmaz Abstract Liver transplantation (LT) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with a high rate of graft loss and poor survival, unless re-infection can be prevented. Human hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) has long been utilized to prevent re-infection. More recently, an anti-viral agent has been utilized along with HBIG. However, the regimens utilized have varied considerably among LT programmes and the optimal regimen has never been defined. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 41 patients who underwent LT for HBV at our centre since 1985 and received either HBIG with or without an anti-viral agent. The mean age of these patients was 46 years; 81% were male and 88% white. The mean and maximal follow-up were 5.9 and 15 years respectively. Eight out of 15 E-antigen-positive patients who received HBIG alone developed recurrence after a mean of 17 months. In contrast, none of 10 E-Ag-negative patients who received HBIG alone and none of the 10 E-antigen-positive patients who received both HBIG and either lamivudine or adefovir developed recurrence. As long as the anti-HB surface remained detectable, no absolute minimum serum level appeared to lead to recurrent HBV. We concluded that recurrence of HBV following LT can be prevented in E-antigen-positive patients with a combination of HBIG and an anti-viral agent. In contrast, recurrence can be prevented in E-antigen-negative patients with HBIG alone. Maintaining a serum anti-HB surface level above a minimum arbitrary titre of 200 pg/mL did not appear to be necessary for effective HBIG prophylaxis. [source] How to diagnose and treat hepatitis B virus antiviral drug resistance in the liver transplant settingLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue S2 2008Anna S. F. Lok Key Points 1Hepatitis B virus variants with antiviral drug,resistant mutations and/or hepatitis B immune globulin,resistant mutations are the main cause of hepatitis B virus reinfections post,liver transplant. 2Early diagnosis of antiviral drug resistance and prompt initiation of rescue therapy are important in preventing hepatitis flares and hepatic decompensation. 3Virologic breakthrough is the first indication of antiviral drug resistance. 4Genotypic resistance testing should be performed when possible to avoid unnecessary modification of treatment in patients who do not have confirmed antiviral drug resistance and to permit appropriate selection of rescue therapy in those who have confirmed antiviral drug resistance. 5Choice of rescue therapy requires knowledge of the past history of hepatitis B virus treatments and virologic response to those treatments, patterns of mutations detected at the time of virologic breakthrough, and in vitro cross-resistance data. 6Occurrence of antiviral drug resistance can be reduced by the use of the most potent nucleos(t)ide analogue(s) with the highest genetic barrier to resistance, emphasis of medication compliance, and close monitoring of virologic response. Liver Transpl 14:S8,S14, 2008. © 2008 AASLD. [source] Prevention of recurrent hepatitis B post,liver transplantationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 10B 2002Anna S.F. Lok MD 1Factors associated with a lower rate of recurrent hepatitis B post,liver transplantation (LT) are negative hepatitis B e antigen and/or serum hepatitis B virus DNA pre-LT, hepatitis D virus superinfection, and fulminant hepatitis B. 2Long-term intravenous hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) monotherapy can reduce the overall rate of recurrent hepatitis B to 20% to 35%. 3Long-term lamivudine monotherapy is associated with a risk for drug resistance and overall 3-year rate of recurrent hepatitis B of 40% to 50%. 4Combination prophylaxis with HBIG and lamivudine can reduce the overall rate of recurrent hepatitis B to 0% to 10%. 5The dose and duration of HBIG therapy needed when used in combination with lamivudine may be lower, but the optimal regimen remains to be determined. 6Lamivudine resistance before LT is associated with an increased risk for recurrent hepatitis B post-LT. 7A cost-effective prophylactic regimen to prevent recurrent hepatitis B should be tailored according to risk. [source] Late hepatic allograft dysfunctionLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 11B 2001Professor of Medicine Russell H. Wiesner MD Key Points 1Lifelong monitoring of graft function, immunosuppressive levels, and screening for drug toxicity is required in all liver recipients. 2Late hepatic allograft dysfunction is common and is caused by a variety of etiologies including rejection, infection, biliary/vascular abnormalities, recurrence of disease, and drug hepatotoxicity. 3In all patients with late hepatic allograft dysfunction, liver biopsy should be performed to assess for the presence of rejection, and to thus avoid excessive use of bolus corticosteroid therapy and guide appropriate immunosuppressive management. 4Recurrence of disease is the most common cause of late hepatic allograft dysfunction. 5Hepatitis C universally reinfects the hepatic allograft, and is associated with decreased patient and graft survival and leads to the recurrence of cirrhosis in 28% of patients within 5 years of transplantation. 6Major advances have been made in preventing recurrence of hepatitis B by the use of hepatitis B immune globulin in combination with lamivudine therapy. 7Autoimmune liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis have a recurrence rate of approximately 20% to 30%. 8In patients developing recurrence of autoimmune hepatitis, steroid withdrawal is the most common cause. 9Recurrent hepatocellular cancer can be markedly reduced if strict guidelines are adhered to in selecting patients. 10Drug hepatotoxicity must always be considered in the differential diagnosis of late hepatic allograft dysfunction. [source] Lamivudine after hepatitis B immune globulin is effective in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2000S. Forrest Dodson MD The prevention of recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) is expensive and requires indefinite parenteral administration. Lamivudine is a nucleoside analogue capable of inhibiting HBV replication. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of lamivudine in the prevention of recurrent HBV infection after a course of HBIG in patients who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) negative before OLT. Patients at high risk for recurrent HBV infection (HBeAg positive and HBV DNA positive) were excluded. Thirty HBsAg-positive, HBeAg-negative patients underwent OLT from January 1993 to June 1997. All 30 patients were administered HBIG after OLT and, after 2 years, were given the option of continuing with HBIG or switching to lamivudine. Five patients were excluded: 3 patients were lost to follow-up and 2 patients died of technical complications. Three patients terminated HBIG therapy at 8, 24, and 29 months after OLT, and reinfection with HBV occurred in 1 patient. Six patients elected to continue HBIG therapy for life; 1 patient died of melanoma and the remaining 5 patients are HBsAg negative, with an average follow-up of 73 months. Sixteen patients were converted to lamivudine after a course of HBIG, and all 16 patients are HBsAg negative, with an average follow-up of 51 months after OLT. Five patients have been on lamivudine monotherapy for more than 24 months. These results suggest that lamivudine administered after a posttransplantation course of HBIG can effectively prevent the recurrence of HBV infection in patients who are HBsAg positive and HBeAg negative before OLT. [source] Impact of Virologic Breakthrough and HBIG Regimen on Hepatitis B Recurrence After Liver TransplantationAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2010B. Degertekin The availability of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and several oral antiviral therapies has reduced but not eliminated hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence. We aimed to determine the rate of HBV recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in relation to virologic breakthrough pre-OLT and HBIG regimens post-OLT. Data from the NIH HBV-OLT database were analyzed. A total of 183 patients transplanted between 2001 and 2007 followed for a median of 42 months (range 1,81) post-OLT were studied. At transplant, 29% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) (+), 38.5% had HBV DNA > 5 log10 copies/mL, 74% were receiving antiviral therapy. Twenty-five patients experienced virologic breakthrough before OLT. Post-OLT, 26%, 22%, 40% and 12% of patients received intravenous (IV) high-dose, IV low-dose, intramuscular low-dose and a finite duration of HBIG, respectively as maintenance prophylaxis. All but two patients also received antiviral therapy. Cumulative rates of HBV recurrence at 1 and 5 years were 3% and 9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that listing HBeAg status and HBV DNA level at OLT were the only factors associated with HBV recurrence. In conclusion, low rates of HBV recurrence can be accomplished with all the HBIG regimens used when combined with antiviral therapy including patients with breakthrough pre-OLT as long as rescue therapy is administered pre- and post-OLT. [source] Virologic and Clinical Outcomes of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in HIV-HBV Coinfected Transplant RecipientsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2010C. S. Coffin Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for end-stage liver disease, but is controversial in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Using a prospective cohort of HIV-hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfected patients transplanted between 2001,2007; outcomes including survival and HBV clinical recurrence were determined. Twenty-two coinfected patients underwent LT; 45% had detectable HBV DNA pre-LT and 72% were receiving anti-HBV drugs with efficacy against lamivudine-resistant HBV. Post-LT, all patients received hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) plus nucleos(t)ide analogues and remained HBsAg negative without clinical evidence of HBV recurrence, with a median follow-up 3.5 years. Low-level HBV viremia (median 108 IU/mL, range 9,789) was intermittently detected in 7/13 but not associated with HBsAg detection or ALT elevation. Compared with 20 HBV monoinfected patients on similar HBV prophylaxis and median follow-up of 4.0 years, patient and graft survival were similar: 100% versus 85% in HBV mono- versus coinfected patients (p = 0.08, log rank test). LT is effective for HIV-HBV coinfected patients with complications of cirrhosis, including those who are HBV DNA positive at the time of LT. Combination HBIG and antivirals is effective as prophylaxis with no clinical evidence of HBV recurrence but low-level HBV DNA is detectable in ,50% of recipients. [source] Characterization of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen and Polymerase Mutations in Liver Transplant Recipients Pre- and Post-TransplantAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2003Jeffrey J. Germer We evaluated serum samples from 18 chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients who underwent liver transplantation for the presence of HBV polymerase and S gene mutations and HBV genotype using a new commercially available sequencing assay. All three patients with hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) treatment failure followed by nucleoside analogue treatment failure were infected with HBV genotype C; a pre-existing HBV S antigen (HBsAg) mutation (sD144A) was identified in one patient pretransplant, while sG145R mutations emerged in the other two patients post-transplant. These HBsAg mutations persisted for the duration of the study (5,6 years), despite the absence of HBIG administration for a 4,5-year period. Significant viral polymerase mutations (rtL180M and rtM204I/V) also emerged in all of these patients following treatment with lamivudine and/or famciclovir. Four of six patients with HBIG breakthrough without nucleoside analogue treatment failure yielded potentially significant HBsAg mutations post transplant. These data do not support previous reports highlighting the disappearance of HBsAg mutants in liver transplant recipients after discontinuation of HBIG. Determination of HBV genotype, as well as identification of HBV polymerase and S gene mutations in liver transplant candidates may be warranted to optimize HBV management strategies post transplant. [source] Subcutaneous administration of hepatitis B immune globulin in combination with lamivudine following orthotopic liver transplantation: effective prophylaxis against recurrenceCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2006James J. Powell Abstract:, Prophylaxis against recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), in combination with antiviral agents such as lamivudine, has allowed transplantation for this condition to become feasible and accepted. Current protocols allow for HBIG administration either intravenously or intramuscularly. To date, there has been no reported experience with the subcutaneous route of post-transplant HBIG delivery. We report our experience of a 60-yr-old man for whom liver transplantation was performed for chronic HBV. HBIG was administered intramuscularly during the anhepatic phase of surgery. The finding of a portal vein thrombosis requiring repeated thrombectomy necessitated chronic anticoagulation. Post-operatively, HBIG was administered subcutaneously, in four separate injections, for a daily dose of 2170 IU along with continued lamivudine dosing. Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titres reached a serum concentration of >500 IU/L by seven d post-transplant and approximately 1000 IU/L by nine d post-transplant. Five months post-transplant, with continued combination of subcutaneous HBIG and lamivudine, there has been no recurrent HBV infection and anti-HBs titres have been at target levels. Our experience suggests that subcutaneous delivery of HBIG may be a feasible consideration when intramuscular/intravenous dosing is not possible. [source] |