Oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis B before and after interferon alpha-2b treatment / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the impacts of interferon alpha-2b (IFN alpha-2b) on the oxidative stress states in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with different genotypes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five patients with chronic hepatitis B and 18 healthy volunteers as a control were enrolled in this present study. In control and patients group, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, serum total antioxidative stress capacity (TAC) were measured spectrophotometrically. After the therapy with interferon alpha-2b at the dose of 300 million units via intramuscular injection thrice a week for 12 weeks, these parameters were measured again in the patient group. The genotypes of hepatitis B virus were detected by polymerase chain reaction and hybridization. The effective group was defined as the patients with complete response and partial response.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The elevated concentrations of MDA and impaired levels of TAC in the patients with CHB were observed as compared to the healthy controls (P < 0.05 for both). There were no significant differences in serum levels of MDA and TAC in CHB patients with various genotypes (P > 0.05). The serum levels of MDA after the treatment with IFN alpha-2b were significantly lower than the pretreatment levels (P < 0.05), which even returned to the normal concentration (P > 0.05) in the effective group. There were significant increases in the TAC after the IFN alpha-2b therapy in the effective group. However, the significant differences in the TAC levels before and after the INFalpha-2b treatment were not observed in the non-responsive group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The oxidative stress could be improved with IFN alpha-2b treatment of chronic hepatitis B patients. The results suggest that antioxidant treatment for chronic hepatitis B patients may help improve the effect of anti-virus therapy.</p>

Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in patients with chronic hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase, including inducible NOS (iNOS) and constitutive NOS (cNOS), were measured in patients and control groups, then were statistically analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>NO and iNOS were significantly higher in patients with hepatitis B than in the controls (P < 0.05). NO and iNOS were significantly higher in patients with increased ALT than in the controls and in patients with normal ALT (P < 0.05). NO was significantly higher in patients with normal ALT than in the controls (P < 0.05). cNOS were not significant different among these groups. NO and iNOS significantly correlated with ALT in patients with hepatitis B (r=0.367 and r=0.474). No significant relationship was found among NO, NOS and HBV DNA. Among different genotype groups, NO and NOS had no significant difference.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NO and NOS were higher in patents with chronic hepatitis B. In patients with increased ALT, NO's damage was severe. In patients with normal ALT, there was no significant damage caused by NO. NO should be detected in patients with hepatitis B in addition to HBV markers.</p>

Hemorheologic changes in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the variation of the hemorheology in patients with chronic hepatitis B and study its relations with HBV DNA, liver function and oxidative stress markers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Indices for hemorheology, oxidative stress markers, liver function, and HBV DNA were measured in 55 patients with chronic hepatitis B and correlative analysis was made.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The low-shear whole blood viscosity (BV), RBC aggregation index were significantly higher in hepatitis B group than those in the control group (P < 0.05), Hematocrit (HCT), the low-shear BV, RBC aggregation index were significantly higher in the patients whose ALT was higher than the patients whose ALT was normal and the controls. No significant difference was found in HBV DNA and indices of hemorheology (P > 0.05), nor in indices of hemorheology and oxidative stress markers (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is disturbance of microcirculation and oxidative stress in the body of patients with chronic hepatitis B. The hemorheology and oxidative stress markers should be regarded as useful indexes in patients with chronic hepatitis B in addition to HBV markers.</p>