Entecavir versus tenofovir for prevention of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection: study protocol for a randomized, open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: Entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) are standard first-line treatments to prevent viral reactivation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in individuals chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), but the long-term efficacy of the two drugs remains controversial. Also unclear is whether the drugs are effective at preventing viral reactivation or HCC recurrence after hepatectomy to treat HBV-associated HCC. This trial will compare recurrence-free survival, overall survival, viral indicators and adverse events in the long term between patients with HBV-associated HCC who receive entecavir or TDF after curative resection. METHODS: This study is a randomized, open-label trial. A total of 240 participants will be randomized 1:1 into groups receiving TDF or entecavir monotherapy. The two groups will be compared in terms of recurrence-free and overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years after surgery; adverse events; virological response; rate of alanine transaminase normalization; and seroreactivity at 24 and 48 weeks after surgery. DISCUSSION: This study will compare long-term survival between patients with HBV-associated HCC who receive TDF or entecavir monotherapy. Numerous outcomes related to prognosis will be analyzed and compared in this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02650271. Registered on January 7, 2016.

[The expression of visfatin in placenta in women with gestational diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the expression of visfatin in placenta and the pathological process of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: The expression of visfatin mRNA in placenta was measured by RT-PCR in 50 women with GDM (GDM group) and 50 women with normal term pregnancy (control group). The clinical indexes of the pregnant women and their children were assessed by specially trained medical staff. RESULTS: The expression level of visfatin in placenta was as high as house-keeping gene---GAPDH; There was no significant difference in the expression of visfatin between the GDM group and the control group; The partial correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of visfatin mRNA in placenta negatively correlated to glucose screening test (GCT) blood glucose and neonatal body mass index, and positively correlated to body mass index, abdominal circumference and number of pregnancies of the pregnant women. CONCLUSION: Visfatin may be involved in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes mellitus.