Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
 26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In 1,149 clients of an institution for the mentally retarded, the prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B virus markers were 12 per cent and 66 per cent, respectively. HBsAg prevalence was higher in males, Down syndrome, ambulatory, and older clients, and those with longer institutionalization. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels were abnormal in 31 per cent of HBsAg positive and 10 per cent of HBsAg-negative clients.
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PMID:Epidemiology of hepatitis B infection in institutionalized mentally retarded clients. 294 Aug 79

A cross-sectional survey on the prevalence of hepatitis B serologic markers and hepatitis B virus DNA was performed in a population of 493 mentally handicapped males. Special interest was focused on age-related variables such as age at entry into the institution and on duration of residency. Furthermore, the differences with regard to the prevalence of hepatitis B markers found in Down's syndrome residents and other mentally retarded persons were analyzed. In a longitudinal study, the impact of the presence of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum was studied. Overall, 62.1 per cent of residents had serologic evidence of infection with hepatitis B virus, while 16.7 per cent of those residents with markers of infection were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Hepatitis B virus DNA was found in 24 per cent of HBsAg carriers (all positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). In residents whose age at entry was less than 15 years, those with Down's syndrome were more often carriers of HBsAg than other mentally retarded residents. In addition, Down's syndrome residents more often had serum hepatitis B virus DNA compared with residents with other forms of mental retardation. A young age at entry was recognized as an important factor with regard to the prevalence of hepatitis B markers. From the longitudinal studies, it appeared that loss of hepatitis B virus DNA from serum indicated imminent loss of HBeAg and normalization of alanine aminotransferase values. Knowledge of the hepatitis B virus DNA status of HBsAg carriers in these institutions may therefore provide a valuable tool in attempts to reduce the transmission of this infection.
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PMID:Hepatitis B virus infection in an institution for the mentally retarded. 297 Jul 93

A confidential self-administered questionnaire was given to all blood donors prior to donation (n = 95,917). The questionnaire describes groups at increased risk of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and requires the donor to designate his blood either for laboratory purposes or for transfusion. In a previous communication, we reported that donors in the former group had a much higher prevalence of antibody to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) than age, sex and clinic matched controls or a group of "miscellaneous" donors who did not fill out the form properly. In this communication, we report results of tests for other viral markers performed on the three designation groups, namely laboratory-designated, miscellaneous and controls. We found that the former two groups had a higher prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV) than controls, but there were no differences in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels among the groups. In addition, the laboratory-designated group had a higher prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) than the general donor population. These data indicate that a questionnaire designed to ascertain AIDS high-risk donors is valuable in excluding donors who may be carriers of other viruses as well.
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PMID:Evaluation of a confidential method of excluding blood donors exposed to human immunodeficiency virus: studies on hepatitis and cytomegalovirus markers. 302 5

The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether interferon alone could affect the course of chronic hepatitis B. A total of 66 patients have so far been randomly assigned to receive six months of interferon therapy or no therapy; three patients in the interferon group and two in the control group have withdrawn from the study. Loss of hepatitis B virus-DNA and hepatitis B e antigen was significantly higher in the patients receiving interferon than in the control group; a significant loss of hepatitis B surface antigen was observed only in patients who received interferon. The time to alanine aminotransferase normalization was significantly shorter in patients receiving interferon than in the control group. These data encourage the use of interferon in treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
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PMID:Human lymphoblastoid interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. A randomized controlled trial. 304 77

Sera and biopsied liver specimens from 45 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers both with or without overt liver diseases and negative for anti-delta antibody, were examined for markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection: hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA) in serum and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in liver. HBV-DNA in serum was assayed by the spot hybridization technique, and HBcAg in the liver was investigated by the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method. Among the parameters showing active replication of HBV, serum HBeAg, serum HBV-DNA and intrahepatic HBcAg were found in 27 (60%), 27 (60%) and in 22 (48.9%) of 45 HBsAg carriers, respectively. The presence of serum HBV-DNA and of intrahepatic HBcAg in HBeAg positive cases and the absence of serum HBV-DNA and of intrahepatic HBcAg in anti-HBe positive cases was the rule with few disparate cases among those with chronic liver disease. These parameters were not useful in predicting the histology on liver biopsy. The activity of hepatic inflammation in the HBsAg chronic carriers assessed by serum alanine aminotransferase level closely paralleled HBV-DNA in serum but not HBeAg in serum, HBcAg in liver or histologic picture on biopsy. HBV-DNA may be the most sensitive parameter of replication of hepatitis B virus and of the activity of inflammation in the liver.
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PMID:Relationship between hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid, HBeAg/anti-HBe status in serum and HBcAg in liver: its clinical significance in chronic HBsAg carriers. 305 67

Five hundred seventy-six consecutive patients from the surgical, obstetrical, and medical services who had received transfusions of volunteer blood were followed-up at regular intervals for 6 mo. Fifty-three (9.2%) developed acute posttransfusion non A, non B hepatitis. Forty-seven (89%) had an incubation period between 2 and 8 wk. The frequency was not related to the age or sex of the patient, the indications for transfusion, the type of surgery, anesthesia, the presence of perioperative hypotension, or the number of units of blood transfused. There were no cases of fulminant hepatitis. Nineteen of the 53 patients (36%) with acute posttransfusion hepatitis progressed to chronic hepatitis. Development of chronic hepatitis was not related to the age or sex of the patient, the incubation period of the preceding acute hepatitis, the presence of shock or malignancy, or the number of units of blood transfused. Patients with higher levels of alanine aminotransferase during the acute hepatitis were more prone to develop chronic hepatitis. The finding of 9.2% of transfusion-related hepatitis in recipients of hepatitis B surface antigen-screened blood from volunteer donors underscores the potential sequelae of blood transfusion, especially as a source of contribution to the pool of chronic liver disease.
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PMID:Posttransfusion hepatitis in Toronto, Canada. 313 69

To elucidate the influence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) superinfection on the clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated antigens in HBV carriers, we examined for antibody to hepatitis delta antigen (anti-HD) serial sera collected from 1,029 HBV carriers in Kure, Japan. Of the 242 HBV carriers with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), 28 became seropositive for anti-HD, of whom 18 (64.3%) cleared HBeAg; 214 did not become seropositive for anti-HD, of whom 70 (32.7%) cleared HBeAg. Thus, HBeAg clearance was observed in a significantly higher proportion of HDV-superinfected carriers as compared with carriers without HDV infection (P less than 0.005). In the 56 HBV carriers who cleared hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HD was detected in three cases with increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity preceding HBsAg clearance. The duration of anti-HD seropositive state was less than 5 years, and the titer of anti-HD was relatively low in every case. These data suggest that the HDV infection rate in Japan is higher than previously reported, that HDV superinfection can be one of the factors that induce the HBeAg clearance and HBsAg clearance in HBV carriers, and also that the most likely outcome of HDV superinfection in HBV carriers in Japan may be acute self-limited infection.
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PMID:Influence of hepatitis delta virus superinfection on the clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers in HBV carriers in Japan. 318 34

Ninety-four patients, who were admitted with symptoms of liver disease and found to be positive for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis B e antigen (anti-HBe), were examined for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum and immunoglobulin antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and liver biopsies were stained for hepatic hepatitis B core antigen. Of 94 patients, 34 (36%) had evidence of HBV replication and 35 (37%) evidence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) superinfection. Most of the latter two groups of patients (greater than 70%) had evidence of chronic active hepatitis or active cirrhosis in their liver biopsies. The majority of these patients (greater than 80%) also had high levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (greater than 200 U/L) during the acute stage of their illness, and suffered from prolonged hepatic inflammation (greater than 1 year). Many of the patients (59%) also experienced frequent (1-6 episodes) relapsing exacerbations during a two-year follow-up period. Thus, persistent replication or reactivation of HBV and HDV superinfection were the two major causes of clinical exacerbations in anti-HBe-positive chronic HBV carriers in Taiwan, and also played an important role in the progression of their liver diseases and unfavorable outcomes.
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PMID:Symptomatic anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B in Taiwan with special reference to persistent HBV replication and HDV superinfection. 339 22

Fifty-one asymptomatic Chinese hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier children (34 boys, 17 girls), age 1 to 15 years (median: 10 years), were prospectively followed for up to 4 years (median: 30 months) to determine the natural evolution of clinical, biochemical and virological features during the early phase of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatomegaly was the only abnormal finding on examination, being present in five children initially and four at follow-up. Serum ALT levels were normal in 80% of the children at presentation and remained within the normal range during the study in 60%. Fluctuations in ALT levels were mild. In four of 12 instances, transient elevations in ALT levels were associated with a fall in serum hepatitis B virus DNA levels. At presentation, 43 (84%) children were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive; only two (7%) cleared HBeAg on follow-up. None of the eight children who were initially positive for the antibody to HBeAg reverted back to HBeAg positivity. All the children remained HBsAg positive. In this study, we demonstrated that chronic hepatitis B virus infection in asymptomatic Chinese children is usually associated with a mild and stable liver disease despite high levels of hepatitis B virus replication. This may reflect an immunological tolerance to the hepatitis B virus induced by early exposure to the virus and accounts for the persistently high levels of hepatitis B virus replication on follow-up.
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PMID:A longitudinal follow-up of asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen-positive Chinese children. 341 35

Twelve hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase (HBV-DNAp) and hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV-DNA) positive patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) were treated with doses of either 20 X 10(6) IU/m2 or 10 X 10(6) IU/m2 body surface of recombinant interferon (rIFN)-alpha-2A, I.M., twice a week, during a period of 6 months. No appreciable differences with respect to clinical history, liver function tests and markers of HBV replication between the two groups were apparent at the time of entry into the trial. At the third month of treatment HBV-DNAp became negative in 10 out of 12 patients (83%). After a 15-month follow-up, HBV-DNAp, HBV-DNA and HBeAg were negative in 7 out of 12 patients (38%) (responders). Furthermore, at 24 months, 2 non-responder patients became HBV-DNA and HBV-DNAp negative and one responder lost serum HBsAg. In addition, HBsAg concentration, GPT level and histological Knodell's index decreased significantly in the responder patients, while no changes were observed in non-responders. Five out of six patients who received a low rIFN dose responded to the treatment, and only 2 out of 6 with a higher dose. No unacceptable toxicity was noted in any of the 12 patients. All of them completed the course of treatment. The results suggest that long-term rIFN-alpha-2A therapy has an antiviral effect in CAH due to HBV infection and is well tolerated.
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PMID:Prolonged (6 months) treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection with recombinant leukocyte A interferon. 343 94


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