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)

The impact of dengue on liver function was studied by biochemical tests on 125 male and 145 female patients diagnosed with this disease during an outbreak that extended from November 1987 to December 1988. Abnormal levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (G-GT) were observed in 93.3%, 82.2%, 7.2%, 16.3% and 83.0% of the patients, respectively. The elevation of transaminases was mild to moderate in most cases, but was 10-fold greater than the normal upper limit for AST and ALT in 11.1% and 7.4% of the patients, respectively. Initially, the level of AST was greater than that of ALT, increasing to maximum levels nine days after the onset of symptoms, then decreasing to normal levels within two weeks. Results of the biochemical tests did not differ significantly between the cases with and without hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus infection, but significantly higher elevations of AST, ALT, and G-GT were observed in patients with episodes of bleeding. Liver biopsies of two patients showed features of lobular hepatitis. Of the five fatal cases, three died of hepatic failure. It is concluded that dengue fever may cause hepatic injury and transaminase elevation similar to that in patients with conventional viral hepatitis. In epidemic or endemic areas, dengue fever infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hepatitis.
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PMID:Liver biochemical tests and dengue fever. 135 50

A 71-yr-old male presented with a 2-month history of fever, malaise, and weight loss. Physical exam revealed chorioretinitis. Laboratory studies were notable for elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase. Immunoglobulin G antibody to Toxoplasma gondii was positive to a dilution of 1:4096, whereas serologic studies for hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Brucella, and Tularemia were negative. A percutaneous biopsy of the liver revealed hepatic granulomas. Culture of the biopsy specimen was negative for growth of mycobacteria or fungi. Spontaneous improvement in clinical and laboratory parameters occurred over a 4-month period.
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PMID:Toxoplasmic chorioretinitis and hepatic granulomas. 222 Jul 41

Although primary hepatoma is not very frequent in alcoholics, the incidence of hepatoma in cases of hepatitis B infection combined with heavy alcohol drinking is high. In the present study, the effects of chronic alcohol administration on the development of chemical-induced hepatic cancer in rats were analyzed. In 70% hepatectomized Wistar strain male rats, a single dose (1 mg per 100 gm body weight) of diethylnitrosamine was injected intraperitoneally. Eight weeks after the injection, 20% alcohol-10% sucrose solution (diethylnitrosamine-alcohol group), 0.1% sodium phenobarbital solution (diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital group), 10% sucrose solution (diethylnitrosamine-sucrose group) or tap water (diethylnitrosamine-alone group) was given as drinking water for 32 weeks. The numbers of visible nodules per liver were significantly greater in the diethylnitrosamine-alcohol and diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital groups compared to the diethylnitrosamine-alone and diethylnitrosamine-sucrose groups. The numbers of enzyme-altered foci which were positive to gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase staining per square centimeter of liver section were also greater in the diethylnitrosamine-alcohol and diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital groups than in the diethylnitrosamine-alone and diethylnitrosamine-sucrose groups, although the numbers of nodules and enzyme-altered foci were significantly larger in the diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital group than in the diethylnitrosamine-alcohol group. The enzyme-altered foci areas calculated by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase staining were significantly larger in the diethylnitrosamine-alcohol and diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital groups than in the diethylnitrosamine-alone and diethylnitrosamine-sucrose groups. Histologically, visible nodules observed in diethylnitrosamine-phenobarbital and diethylnitrosamine-alcohol groups showed characteristic features of neoplastic nodules. These results indicate that alcohol has a promoter action on the development of chemically induced hepatic cancer like phenobarbital.
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PMID:Effects of ethanol on experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. 286 66

An enzyme histochemical study was performed to investigate abnormal enzyme activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and, by application of these staining reactions to noncancerous liver disorders, to clarify the true nature of putative percancerous lesions. The enzyme activity of hepatocytes in cirrhotic livers, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive cells, and dysplastic liver cells was investigated. Although the tumor cells in HCC gave an intensively positive reaction for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity at the cytoplasm and the whole-cell membrane, they were essentially deficient in glucose-6-phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and nonspecific esterase activities. Cirrhotic liver showed loss of the orderly zonal difference of enzyme activity that is present in normal liver. However, a pattern of enzyme deviation similar to that of HCC was not recognized anywhere. Neither HBV-positive hepatocytes nor dysplastic liver cells were shown enzymatically to be direct precusors of HCC.
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PMID:Human hepatocellular carcinoma and putative precancerous disorders: their enzyme histochemical study. 611 3

We have noticed that functional disorders of the liver characterized by hepatomegaly and an increase in serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase develop in patients with prostatic cancer who are placed under longterm therapy with massive doses of estrogen after castration. We performed laparoscopy in six cases of prostatic cancer with hepatomegaly so that we could study the morphology of the liver. Our findings were as follows. In five, the histological features of the liver biopsies were very similar to those seen in alcoholic hepatitis. In spite of this fact, two of the five had no history of alcohol consumption. Furthermore, in one other case, liver damage resembling alcoholic hepatitis developed during abstinence. The findings in these three cases suggested that long-term, massive doses of synthetic estrogen may lead to liver injury similar to alcoholic hepatitis in nonalcoholics. The ultrastructural findings of the liver cells were also suggestive of the adverse effect of treatment. All cases were negative for hepatitis B surface antigen. Recent reports have demonstrated some nonalcoholics with histological features of the liver indicative of alcoholic hepatitis. This particular condition was termed "nonalcoholic steatohepatitis" by Ludwig et al. It is quite likely that synthetic estrogen is also responsible for "nonalcoholic steatohepatitis" when it is used in massive doses.
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PMID:"Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis" induced by massive doses of synthetic estrogen. 687 94

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) was investigated in patients with acute hepatitis, and correlated with the clinical features. Sera from 110 patients with acute hepatitis and 60 healthy controls were tested for anti-HEV, antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). There were significant differences in the prevalence of anti-HEV, anti-HCV, and HBsAg between patients and controls (21.8% vs. 0%, 16.3% vs. 1.6% and 58.1% vs. 18.0%, respectively). Anti-HEV was detected in 6 (25.0%) of 24 patients with anti-HCV, 6 (9.3%) of 64 patients with HBsAg, and another 6 (22.2%) of 27 patients with acute hepatitis non-A, non-B, non-C. Anti-HEV was found in 15 men and three women, whose ages ranged from 34 to 75 (median, 57) years old. The median age of patients with anti-HEV was older than that in patients without this antibody (57 vs. 38 years; P = 0.001). The prevalence of anti-HEV in patients with anti-HCV alone (35.2%) was higher than that (11.1%) in patients with HBsAg alone (P = 0.03). Compared to patients without anti-HEV, HEV-infected patients had a higher frequency of travel to a foreign country (P = 0.0001), had a lower HBsAg rate (P = 0.019), and had higher serum alkaline phosphatase levels (P = 0.04) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (P = 0.01). In conclusion, HEV infection occurs in 22.2% of patients with acute hepatitis non-A, non-B, non-C. HEV superinfection may occur in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection.
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PMID:Antibodies to hepatitis E virus among Chinese patients with acute hepatitis in Taiwan. 752 64

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is a suspected human carcinogen. Its metabolite, chloroethylene epoxide, is able to alkylate the DNA molecule and to produce single strand breakage (SSB). A total of 244 workers from 4 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing factories were recruited to assess the SSB of their peripheral lymphocyte DNA. The method of alkaline unwinding and hydroxyapatite chromatography was used to detect and calculate frequencies of SSB. In addition, hepatitis B and C markers and the liver function of the workers were also examined. The worker's cumulative exposures to VCM were retrospectively constructed from the current monitoring data and each worker's job history. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to predict the worker's level of SSB and liver functions based on various exposure indices and variables, such as age, sex, smoking, drinking, and hepatitis markers. The results showed that current smoking and drinking status, and the presence of VCM exposures on the previous day were 3 major determinants of the level of SSB. Among the liver function tests, only gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) was associated with current VCM exposures. In contrast, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were mainly affected by the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). We conclude that GGT should be considered to be included in the regular health screening of VCM workers, and that the SSB method may not be suitable for long-term monitoring of cumulative exposure because of the quick DNA repair mechanism in humans.
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PMID:Changes in lymphocyte single strand breakage and liver function of workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomer. 761 65

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of viral hepatitis B (HBV) seropositivity in an urban veteran population with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the relationship of liver function test (LFT) values to HBV seropositivity. Eighty patients with chronic SCI (44 inpatients and 36 outpatients) had liver function tests (LFTs), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBsAb) and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBcAb) evaluated. Seventy-seven able-bodied (non-SCI) outpatients without known viral hepatitis risk factors served as an urban veteran reference group. Results demonstrated a high prevalence of seropositivity for HBV in both veteran groups (SCI = 29 percent; non-SCI = 22 percent). Subdividing the SCI group by inpatients and outpatients, HBV positivity was found to be significantly higher in the SCI inpatients than in either the SCI outpatient (39 percent vs 17 percent, x2 = 4.67, p < 0.05) or non-SCI groups (39 percent vs 22 percent, x2 = 3.80, p = 0.05). For the whole group, the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) level was greater in the HBV seropositive (n = 40) compared with the HBV seronegative (n = 117) populations (82 +/- 17 vs 46 +/- 7 U/L, p = 0.019, respectively). In addition, the subgroup of spinal cord patients seropositive for hepatitis B (n = 23) had a higher mean GGT than their seronegative (n = 57) counterparts (101 +/- 26 vs 47 +/- 9 U/L, p = 0.018, respectively). We conclude that urban veterans in general, and especially those inpatients with SCI, may be at increased risk of HBV infection. An HBV vaccination program for veteran patients with SCI may be warranted.
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PMID:Prevalence of viral hepatitis B in an urban veteran spinal cord injured population. 873 72

Patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C, who failed to respond to a previous course of either recombinant (rIFN-alpha) or lymphoblastoid (Ly IFN-alpha) interferon-alpha, were randomized to receive either leucocyte (Le) IFN-alpha (patients) or a second course of the same IFN-alpha (controls), to compare the efficacy and safety of these treatment schedules. All patients received the same dose of IFN-alpha as was used during their previous treatment (3 million units (MU) or 6 MU three times weekly) for 6 months. Patients with a normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value at month 6 were treated for a further 6 months. All patients were followed-up for 12 months after treatment. A total of 69 patients were enrolled, 44 in the Le IFN-alpha group and 25 in the control group. At the end of the treatment period, 13 of the 44 patients (29.5%) in the Le IFN-alpha group had a biochemical response (normal ALT) and six of 44 (13.6%) patients had undetectable serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA. At the end of the follow-up period, 10 patients (22.7%) had normal ALT values and serum HCV RNA was undetectable in three (6.8%). None of the patients in the control group showed normal ALT values at any time. Genotype 1b tended to be more frequent among non-responders (61 vs 45%): basal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) values were lower in responders than in non-responders (33.3 +/- 11.70 Ul-1 vs 58.4 +/- 33.04; P = 0.01). Le IFN-alpha was well tolerated by all patients. These results support the use of Le IFN-alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are non-responders to a previous treatment with recombinant or lymphoblastoid IFN-alpha.
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PMID:Human leucocyte interferon-alpha in chronic hepatitis C resistant to recombinant or lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha: a randomized controlled trial. 918 30

Coking workers are regularly exposed to coke oven emissions (COE), which consist mainly of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds. In a previous cross-sectional study, we found that coking and by-product workers with heavy exposure to COE in the older of two coke operation areas in Taiwan had higher serum activities of hepatic aminotransferase than the controls. In this study, we further examine the relationship of exposure to COE with liver function profiles in coking workers. Liver function profiles included serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin (BIL). The exposed group included 88 workers working 3 months or more in the older coke oven plant. Fifty-nine referents, not visiting the coke operation areas in the last 3 months, came from the administrative area in the same company. Each participant wore a personal monitor that was used to measure benzene soluble fraction (BSF) of total particulates, as a surrogate of COE, for 3 consecutive days between August 1995 and February 1996. Serum liver function profiles, hepatitis B surface antigens, and anti-hepatitis C antibodies were examined in the morning following the exposure measurements. Exposure levels were categorized by exposure situations (high, medium, low) among coking workers. The high exposure group (n = 23) worked topside of the oven. The medium exposure group (n = 44) worked at the sideoven for more than 4 hr/day, whereas the low exposure group (n = 21) worked at the sideoven for less than 4 hr/day and mostly remained in the control rooms. The low exposure group was used as an internal comparison group. The median BSF concentrations for various exposure situations were as follows, high exposure group: 372 micrograms/m3, medium exposure group: 61 micrograms/m3, low exposure group: 49 micrograms/m3, and referents: 10 micrograms/m3. The coking workers (n = 88) did not significantly differ from the referents (n = 59) in any of the liver function profiles. Excluding the referents, workers in the high exposure group had a mean AST level that was 31% higher (95% confidence interval (CI) = 9-57%) and a mean ALT level that was 46% higher (95% CI = 7-98%) than those in the low exposure group after adjusting for appropriate confounders in multivariate models. The prevalence of an abnormal hepatocellular pattern (AST > 37 IU/L or ALT > 39 IU/L) was more common in the high exposure group than in the low exposure group (adjusted odds ratio = 4.4; 95% CI = 0.9-22.6). However, these associations were not found in GGT, ALP, or BIL. After controlling for the possible effects of nonoccupational factors on serum activity of AST and ALT, we conclude that increased AST and ALT levels among topside coking workers may be caused by heavy inhalation exposure to COE. Additionally, the adverse hepatic effect seems to be caused by a mixture of hazards, rather than a unique identifiable chemical.
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PMID:Serum liver function profiles in coking workers. 932 71


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