Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019163 (hepatitis B)
 38,309 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Serum hepatitis is a dreaded risk in connection with regular dialysis treatment (RDT). Liver damage, however, can be cuased by other diseases, such as infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV). Two cases in our artificial kidney unit revealed signs of liver damage with increased liver enzyme activity. Case 1, a woman, was on RDT after an unsuccessful renal transplantation, and Case 2, a man, belonged to the staff. Serum hepatitis was initially suspected in both cases, but repeated examinations of the sera revealed no hepatitis B antigen or antibodies (HbAg and HbAb). Later on, both showed a significant increase in antibodies in complement fixations reaction (CF) to CMV-antigen. CMV could be isolated from urine in Case 2. Case 1 had been bilaterally nephrectomized. The symptoms (tiredness, muscle pain and headache) and the course of the disease were mild in both cases and liver enzymes became normal within 1-2 weeks. Twenty out of 31 examined patients and staff had antibodies in CF to CMV-antigen, but in none was there any significant increase. The source of infection may have been transfusion of fresh blood in Case 1, but in Case 2 no particular source could be suspected. Thus, in liver damage CMV-infection may be an etiological alternative. In routine work at artficial kidney unite patients and personnel are regularly examined in respect of bilirubin, liver enzymes, HbAg and HbAb in serum. We recommend also examination of serum for antibodies in CF to CMV-antigen. Until a firm differential diagnosis has been established the patient should be isolated and the dialysis equipments used only by that patient.
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PMID:Cytomegalovirus hepatitis in an artificial kidney unit. 18 60

One hundred and four healthy, hepatitis B virus (HBV) seronegative males were enrolled in a single blind, randomized pilot study to compare antibody and clinical responses to a yeast recombinant pre-S2 + S vaccine and a yeast recombinant S antigen vaccine (Recombivax HBR). Participants received either a 12, 24 or 48 micrograms dose of pre-S2 + S vaccine (with a 1:5 ratio by weight of pre-S2 and S antigens) or a 10 micrograms dose of Recombivax HBR by intramuscular injection at 0, 1 and 6 months; their serological and biochemical responses were measured at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 months, while their clinical responses were monitored for 5 days after each injection. The proportion of vaccines with minor local or systemic complaints (mainly sore arm, malaise, myalgia, fatigue) and the proportion developing antibody to surface antigen (anti-HBs) were similar for all vaccine groups. Transient elevations in alanine aminotransferase occurred infrequently. By 7 months almost all vaccinees developed anti-HBs, but titres were generally higher among recipients of pre-S2 + S vaccine. Antibody to pre-S2 antigen developed in 70-75% by 2 months and in 91-96% by 7 months. These data imply that the recombinant yeast pre-S2 + S vaccine is as well tolerated and as immunogenic as Recombivax HBR. Further studies are being conducted to assess antibody responses in larger numbers of healthy adults as well as in special populations with sub-optimal responses to currently licensed hepatitis B vaccines.
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PMID:Comparative safety and immunogenicity of yeast recombinant hepatitis B vaccines containing S and pre-S2 + S antigens. 187 19

The aim of the study was to examine the frequency, severity, persistence and etiology of relapses occurring during the hepatitis A viral infection. Therefore, a prospective study of 910 patients suffering from hepatitis A (HA) was carried out. The clinical examination and determination of glutamyl pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in the serum every 7-14 days till recovery (usually during 6--8 months) were performed. HAV infection was confirmed by detecting anti-HAV IgM in the blood of all the examined by radioimmunoassay. In 876 (93.3%) patients HA had typical clinical features and a monophasic course. All cases made a rapid clinical recovery and liver function tests improved strikingly between 1 and 4 months after the onset of illness. However, in 34 (3.7%) of 910 patients, after an asymptomatic interval of 4--8 weeks, relapsing hepatitis occurred. Mild clinical symptoms: fatigue, myalgia, nausea, epigastric discomfort accompanied by the elevated levels of GPT in the serum were noticed in 11 patients, while 3 of them redeveloped jaundice. In 23 remaining patients relapses of hepatitis were asymptomatic, except for the reappearance of icterus in six cases. The only way to establish the exacerbation of the disease was through the pathological findings of GPT in the serum, which increased 10--60 times above the upper limit of the normal value. While 25 patients had one relapse, in 9 there were two or more relapses, so that hepatitis had a biphasic or polyphasic course. The second relapse was registered 3--6 weeks after the first one disappeared. Through biochemical tests the average values of the GPT were established: 1566 U/L in the acute stage, 107 U/L during the early stage of convalescence and 1016 U/L during the first relapse of hepatitis. After the first relapse and during remission, in 9 patients the average values of GPT in the serum were 84 U/L, while during the second relapse 518 U/L. Clinical signs of relapsing hepatitis disappeared approximately in 4 days, but liver function tests decreased slowly and persisted elevated between 5 and 12 months. A possibility of establishing the etiology of relapsing hepatitis, which has yet remained unknown, is discussed. Anti-HAV IgM were present in all 34 patients during the initial and relapsing phase of hepatitis and in 26 cases in the latter phase of convalescence between 9 and 11 months after the beginning of the disease. Serological tests excluded infection with hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. With a great probability other infections and toxic agents damaging the liver could have been excluded.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:[Recurrences of viral hepatitis A]. 207 29

Alpha-interferon has emerged as the most effective agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis when active replication of virus B, C, or D is present. Exogenous administration of human alpha-interferon, now possible through modern large-scale production methods, is associated with suppression of virus in blood. Amelioration of liver disease occurs in 35% of patients with hepatitis B virus and in 50% with hepatitis C virus with interferon doses of 30 and 10 MU per week, respectively, for 16-26 weeks; after therapy, persistent normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase is observed in 35% and 27%, respectively. Similar results have now also been reported for chronic hepatitis D. Enhanced response rates (greater than 50%) may be obtained by prolonged intermittent interferon therapy. Combination of interferon with another 'antiviral' agent (vidarabine, acyclovir, prednisone) has not increased therapeutic efficacy. Alpha-interferon induces side effects such as fatigue, flu-like syndrome, myalgia, and changes in mood and granulocytes. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are particularly prone to bacterial infection and disease exacerbation and should receive lower doses. Interferon, when applied skillfully, induces the highly beneficial transition of active viral replication into viral latency, thereby greatly reducing infectivity, symptoms, and activity of the liver disease. Prevention of death from liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma is to be expected.
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PMID:Treatment of chronic viral hepatitis anno 1990. 212 46

We conducted a prospective, randomized trial to study the efficacy and tolerance of long-term versus short-term treatment with recombinant interferon alfa-2a in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Ten patients were randomly assigned to a 6-month interferon regimen, and 10 patients were assigned to a 3-week interferon trial. Eleven patients (five assigned to long-term treatment and six to short-term treatment) did not complete interferon therapy: eight had either severe thrombocytopenia or neutropenia; one had pronounced fatigue in relationship to administration of interferon; one had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and sepsis and died; and one had a massive fatal variceal hemorrhage during interferon therapy. Most of the serious hematologic complications occurred in patients with cirrhosis and hypersplenism. In one patient, seroconversion to hepatitis B virus DNA negativity occurred before the onset of treatment. Four of the five patients able to complete the 6-month interferon regimen and only one of four patients able to complete the 3-week trial had seroconversion to hepatitis B virus DNA negativity. Thus, we conclude that the therapeutic response was better among patients who were able to complete a 6-month interferon trial. In patients with cirrhosis and hypersplenism, development of either severe thrombocytopenia or leukopenia associated with interferon therapy precluded completion of treatment.
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PMID:Long-term versus short-term treatment with recombinant interferon alfa-2a in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a prospective, randomized treatment trial. 221 80

Four female patients with severe complications of polycystic liver disease were treated with liver replacement; two patients were also given kidneys from their liver donors. All four of the patients were suffering from extreme fatigue. Three of the recipients have survived for 8, 11, and 60 months with normal liver function and present good health. The fourth patient recovered from a liver-kidney transplantation, but 5 months later, fulminant hepatic failure developed in this patient due to hepatitis B virus, and she died despite emergency hepatic retransplantation.
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PMID:Liver transplantation for polycystic liver disease. 233 Dec 12

As part of a study on the relationship between psychosocial factors and the course of acute viral hepatitis A, B and NANB, bodily complaints of 41 patients were examined and two major complaint factors evolved. One complex of specific liver complaints, consisting of fatigue and an excessive need for sleep, gastrointestinal and skin symptoms, correlated with the degree of liver damage and can most readily be regarded as organdependent. A smaller group of general complaints did not correlate with liver damage. It seems to represent a complex symptomatology, which is probably partly psychologically determined. Patients with hepatitis B suffer the severest liver damage and present the most specific complaints. Patients with hepatitis NANB show the mildest symptomatology and patients with hepatitis A hold a medium position. The hepatitis types do not differ in respect to their general complaints. While sex-related differences in the level of complaints are still visible during the prodromal phase, sex and age-related differences disappear during the acute phase. Further morbidity also does not influence symptomatology at this stage. At discharge, however, sex-related differences and the effects of further morbidity on the remaining complaints reaper.
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PMID:[The symptom picture in patients with acute viral hepatitis. A systematic study using the Giessen Symptom Questionnaire]. 251 79

A case of hepatitis is reported in a 38-year-old alcoholic woman taking disulfiram to aid in maintaining sobriety. She presented with anorexia, vomiting, fatigue, right upper-quadrant pain, pruritus, darkened urine, and jaundice after about two weeks of disulfiram 500 mg/d. The patient also had been taking enalapril 10 mg/d for one year. Hepatocellular enzymes, total bilirubin, and eosinophils were significantly elevated. Hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis A antibody, hepatitis B surface antibody, and antinuclear antibody were negative. After discontinuation of disulfiram, the clinical and biochemical manifestations of hepatitis began to resolve and the patient was discharged in a much improved condition. Seventeen previous cases of disulfiram-induced hepatitis are reviewed. It has been suggested that the mechanism of hepatotoxicity is an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. The findings in this case are consistent with the earlier descriptions of hypersensitivity hepatitis, and lend further support to the possibility that disulfiram may cause hepatitis.
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PMID:Disulfiram-induced hepatitis: case report and review of the literature. 268 28

A series of 320 German i.v. drug abusers (32.2% female, 67.8% male) were tested in a cross-sectional study for antibodies against HIV. Seroprevalence increased from 0 in those who discontinued i.v. drug abuse before 1982 to 37.2% in those who stopped injecting drugs in 1985/1986 or who were still addicted. Antibodies to HIV were significantly associated with lymphadenopathy and clinical symptoms (fever, weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, night sweat, dermal lesions) and with markers of hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus infection. Participants of the study admitted in 92.5% of cases to "needle sharing" and in 83.1% of cases to sexual contacts among drug abusers. Prostitution and drug abuse in prison were significantly correlated with seropositivity. No antibodies to HIV infection were detected in 131 subjects of a control group of household contacts.
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PMID:Risk factors for HIV infection in German i.v. drug abusers. Clinical, serological and epidemiological features. 349 95

Eleven patients of Chinese origin experienced spontaneous reactivation of chronic active hepatitis B. Eight HBsAg-positive patients were followed for an average of 15 months prior to, while three others presented during reactivation. Fatigue, hepatomegaly and jaundice were frequent findings. Elevation of both serum ALT (average = 1,212 units per liter) and hepatitis B virus DNA levels were noted in all patients, and reactivation lasted an average of 4.4 months. During resolution, clinical symptoms abated, serum ALT levels reverted toward normal, and in nine patients, the hepatitis B virus DNA values became undetectable. All patients lacked evidence for acute hepatitis A, Epstein-Barr Virus, cytomegalovirus or hepatitis delta virus infection. Histologic findings of liver tissue from eight patients showed piecemeal necrosis and fibrosis. Within the parenchyma, varying degrees of hepatocytolysis with cuffing, perivenular necrosis and acidophilic bodies were noted. Ground-glass cells and regenerative changes also were observed. Cirrhosis was not present in any of the liver biopsies. These findings suggest that spontaneous reactivation of hepatitis B occurs in heterosexual patients with chronic active hepatitis B and contributes to chronic inflammation and to the progression of their liver disease.
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PMID:Spontaneous reactivation of hepatitis B in Chinese patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. 361 49


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