Immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in China: A 2-year retrospective study.

Currently, the studies focused on the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in Chinese human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients are limited. In this study, the participants with an initial hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) titer <10 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 1 to receive a standard dose of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, and participants with an initial HBsAb titer between 10 and 100 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 2 to receive a single reinforced recombinant vaccine. In Cohort 1, the immune and high response rates in HIV-positive patients were 93.4%/81.4%, 87.4%/51.5%, and 83.2%/40.7% at 1-3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. Multivariate analysis showed that only age and HIV RNA status at baseline were independent factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination. In Cohort 2, the high immune response rates in HIV-positive patients were 78.8%, 60.6%, and 51.5% at 1-3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. The immune or high response rates did not differ between HIV-positive patients and healthy controls at 1-3 months postvaccination in these two cohorts; however, HBsAb titers were significantly lower in HIV-positive patients. This study summarized the 2-year data of immune response to hepatitis B vaccination and analyzed the factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination in Chinese HIV-positive patients.

[Relationship between liver pathological characteristics and serum HBeAg and HBV DNA in 1057 patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between liver pathological changes and serum HBeAg and HBV DNA in 1057 patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: Liver puncture biopsy for histopathological examinations were performed in 1057 patients with chronic hepatitis B. The quantitative analysis of serum HBV DNA by fluorogenic quantitative PCR and HBeAg by chemoluminescence were also conducted. RESULTS: The inflammatory grade and fibrosis stage were higher in HBeAg-negative patients (G4 and S4 were 7.83% and 12.17% respectively) than in HBeAg-positive patients (G4 and S4 were 3.39% and 5.44% respectively). The inflammatory grade and fibrosis stage were higher in HBeAg-positive patients with low-level HBV DNA (G3G4 was 45.64% and S3S4 was 30.20% for HBV DNA104-105), whereas they were higher in HBeAg-negative patients with high-level HBV DNA (G3G4 was 54.55% for HBV DNA106-107 and S3S4 was 42.85% for HBV DNA108-109). CONCLUSION: There were some correlation between the liver pathological changes and serum HBeAg and HBV DNA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B. It is important to perform the liver pathological examination and antiviral therapy as early as possible in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.