[Efficacy of lamivudine monotherapy and combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil for patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis].

To compare the efficacy of Lamivudine (LAM) monotherapy and combination therapy with Adefovir Dipivoxil (ADV) for patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related decompensated cirrhosis for 2 years. A total of 115 patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis were erolled in this study, among 60 patients were treated with LAM combined with ADV and 55 were treated with LAM. The liver and kidney functions, HBV DNA, HBV-M, AFP, Ultrasond or CT scan of liver were tested every 1-3months. the treatment efficacy was evaluated by month 12 and 24. By month 12, the HBV DNA negative rates of combination therapy group and LAM monotherapy group were 51.1% (45 cases) and 47.5% (40 cases) respectively, by month 24 the rates were 86.7% and 60.0% respectively. By month 24 the HBeAg negative rates of combination therapy group and LAM monotherapy group were 43.5% and 30.0% respectively, with significant difference existed between the two therapy groups (P values is less than 0.05). By month 24, the ALT normalization rates of the two groups were 88.9% and 72.5% respectively. Viral breakthrough happened in 2 cases (4.4%) by month 12 and 3 cases (6.7%) by month 24 in LAM and ADV combination group, but no viral resistance observed. Viral breakthrough happened in 9 cases (22.5%) by month 12 and 15 cases (37.5%) by month 24 in LAM monotherapy group with viral resistance observed in 7 cases (17.5%) by month 12 and 13 cases (32.5) by month 24. Significant difference existed between the two groups (P is less than 0.05). Improvement of liver function was more obviously in the combination group. The accumulative total mortality or liver transplantation rate were 16.7% and 20.0% respectively in combination therapy group and LAM monotheapy group. No renal dysfunction observed in both groups. LAM combined with ADV is better choice for patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis as compared to LAM monotherapy.

Mask wearing in pre-symptomatic patients prevents SARS-CoV-2 transmission: An epidemiological analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Pandemic COVID-19 has become a seriously public health priority worldwide. Comprehensive strategies including travel restrictions and mask-wearing have been implemented to mitigate the virus circulation. However, detail information on community transmission is unavailable yet. METHODS: From January 23 to March 1, 2020, 127 patients (median age: 46 years; range: 11-80) with 71 male and 56 female, were confirmed to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China. Epidemiological trajectory and clinical features of these COVID-19 cases were retrospectively retrieved from electronic medical records and valid individual questionnaire. RESULTS: The disease onset was between January 9 to February 14, 2020. Among them, 64 patients are local residents, and 63 patients were back home from Wuhan from January 10 to 24, 2020 before travel restriction. 197 local residents had definite close-contact with 41 pre-symptomatic patients back from Wuhan. 123 and 74 of them contact with mask-wearing or with no mask-wearing pre-symptomatic patients back from Wuhan, respectively. Data showed that incidence of COVID-19 was significantly higher for local residents close-contact with no mask-wearing Wuhan returned pre-symptomatic patients (19.0% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.001). Among 57 close-contact individuals, 21 sequential local COVID-19 patients originated from a pre-symptomatic Wuhan returned couple, indicated dense gathering in congested spaces is a high risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provided valuable details of pre-symptomatic patient mask-wearing and restriction of mass gathering in congested spaces particularly, are important interventions to mitigate the SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Clinical findings in a group of patients infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) outside of Wuhan, China: retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical characteristics of patients in Zhejiang province, China, infected with the 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-2019). DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Seven hospitals in Zhejiang province, China. PARTICIPANTS: 62 patients admitted to hospital with laboratory confirmed SARS-Cov-2 infection. Data were collected from 10 January 2020 to 26 January 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical data, collected using a standardised case report form, such as temperature, history of exposure, incubation period. If information was not clear, the working group in Hangzhou contacted the doctor responsible for treating the patient for clarification. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients studied (median age 41 years), only one was admitted to an intensive care unit, and no patients died during the study. According to research, none of the infected patients in Zhejiang province were ever exposed to the Huanan seafood market, the original source of the virus; all studied cases were infected by human to human transmission. The most common symptoms at onset of illness were fever in 48 (77%) patients, cough in 50 (81%), expectoration in 35 (56%), headache in 21 (34%), myalgia or fatigue in 32 (52%), diarrhoea in 3 (8%), and haemoptysis in 2 (3%). Only two patients (3%) developed shortness of breath on admission. The median time from exposure to onset of illness was 4 days (interquartile range 3-5 days), and from onset of symptoms to first hospital admission was 2 (1-4) days. CONCLUSION: As of early February 2020, compared with patients initially infected with SARS-Cov-2 in Wuhan, the symptoms of patients in Zhejiang province are relatively mild.