A higher alanine aminotransferase level correlates with earlier hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion in lamivudine-treated chronic hepatitis B patients

[Guest guest]

Liver Int. 2008 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]

A higher alanine aminotransferase level correlates with earlier hepatitis B e

antigen seroconversion in lamivudine-treated chronic hepatitis B patients.

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Wang CC, Chen PJ, Lai MY, Kao JH, Chen DS.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Buddhist

Tzu Chi General Hospital Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background/Aims: A pretherapy serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level above

five times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is known to predict hepatitis B e

antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion during lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B

patients. However, whether an even higher pretherapy serum ALT value or other

viral factors could affect treatment responses remains unclear. Patients and

methods: A total of 253 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who had a

pretherapy serum ALT level over five times ULN and received lamivudine for 12-18

months were retrospectively collected. Among these patients, 38% had received

prior lamivudine treatment. HBeAg seroconversion was the primary endpoint of

treatment. Baseline clinical and viral features were compared between responders

and non-responders at the end of treatment and 6 months post-treatment. Results:

At the end of therapy, the overall HBeAg seroconversion rate was 33.6%. For

lamivudine-naïve patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate was 37.8%. Subgroup

analysis showed that patients with pretherapy ALT levels over 10 times ULN had a

significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than those with a pretherapy ALT

level between five and 10 times ULN at 3 months (P=0.045) and 6 months (P=0.037)

of lamivudine treatment. No significant difference was found in terms of

pretherapy serum ALT values, viral load and genotypes between seroconverters and

non-seroconverters. Conclusions: For lamivudine-treated HBeAg-positive patients

with pretherapy ALT levels over five times ULN, an even higher ALT level could

predict earlier HBeAg seroconversion; however, neither ALT levels nor viral

factors correlate with higher response rates after 12-18 months of treatment.

PMID: 18492018 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Liver Int. 2008 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]

A higher alanine aminotransferase level correlates with earlier hepatitis B e

antigen seroconversion in lamivudine-treated chronic hepatitis B patients.

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Wang CC, Chen PJ, Lai MY, Kao JH, Chen DS.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Buddhist

Tzu Chi General Hospital Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background/Aims: A pretherapy serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level above

five times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is known to predict hepatitis B e

antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion during lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B

patients. However, whether an even higher pretherapy serum ALT value or other

viral factors could affect treatment responses remains unclear. Patients and

methods: A total of 253 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who had a

pretherapy serum ALT level over five times ULN and received lamivudine for 12-18

months were retrospectively collected. Among these patients, 38% had received

prior lamivudine treatment. HBeAg seroconversion was the primary endpoint of

treatment. Baseline clinical and viral features were compared between responders

and non-responders at the end of treatment and 6 months post-treatment. Results:

At the end of therapy, the overall HBeAg seroconversion rate was 33.6%. For

lamivudine-naïve patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate was 37.8%. Subgroup

analysis showed that patients with pretherapy ALT levels over 10 times ULN had a

significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than those with a pretherapy ALT

level between five and 10 times ULN at 3 months (P=0.045) and 6 months (P=0.037)

of lamivudine treatment. No significant difference was found in terms of

pretherapy serum ALT values, viral load and genotypes between seroconverters and

non-seroconverters. Conclusions: For lamivudine-treated HBeAg-positive patients

with pretherapy ALT levels over five times ULN, an even higher ALT level could

predict earlier HBeAg seroconversion; however, neither ALT levels nor viral

factors correlate with higher response rates after 12-18 months of treatment.

PMID: 18492018 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you.

http://www.windowslive.com/mobile/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_mobile_072008

[Guest guest]

Liver Int. 2008 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]

A higher alanine aminotransferase level correlates with earlier hepatitis B e

antigen seroconversion in lamivudine-treated chronic hepatitis B patients.

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Wang CC, Chen PJ, Lai MY, Kao JH, Chen DS.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Buddhist

Tzu Chi General Hospital Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background/Aims: A pretherapy serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level above

five times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is known to predict hepatitis B e

antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion during lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B

patients. However, whether an even higher pretherapy serum ALT value or other

viral factors could affect treatment responses remains unclear. Patients and

methods: A total of 253 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who had a

pretherapy serum ALT level over five times ULN and received lamivudine for 12-18

months were retrospectively collected. Among these patients, 38% had received

prior lamivudine treatment. HBeAg seroconversion was the primary endpoint of

treatment. Baseline clinical and viral features were compared between responders

and non-responders at the end of treatment and 6 months post-treatment. Results:

At the end of therapy, the overall HBeAg seroconversion rate was 33.6%. For

lamivudine-naïve patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate was 37.8%. Subgroup

analysis showed that patients with pretherapy ALT levels over 10 times ULN had a

significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than those with a pretherapy ALT

level between five and 10 times ULN at 3 months (P=0.045) and 6 months (P=0.037)

of lamivudine treatment. No significant difference was found in terms of

pretherapy serum ALT values, viral load and genotypes between seroconverters and

non-seroconverters. Conclusions: For lamivudine-treated HBeAg-positive patients

with pretherapy ALT levels over five times ULN, an even higher ALT level could

predict earlier HBeAg seroconversion; however, neither ALT levels nor viral

factors correlate with higher response rates after 12-18 months of treatment.

PMID: 18492018 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you.

http://www.windowslive.com/mobile/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_mobile_072008

[Guest guest]

Liver Int. 2008 May 19. [Epub ahead of print]

A higher alanine aminotransferase level correlates with earlier hepatitis B e

antigen seroconversion in lamivudine-treated chronic hepatitis B patients.

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Wang CC, Chen PJ, Lai MY, Kao JH, Chen DS.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Buddhist

Tzu Chi General Hospital Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background/Aims: A pretherapy serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level above

five times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is known to predict hepatitis B e

antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion during lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B

patients. However, whether an even higher pretherapy serum ALT value or other

viral factors could affect treatment responses remains unclear. Patients and

methods: A total of 253 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who had a

pretherapy serum ALT level over five times ULN and received lamivudine for 12-18

months were retrospectively collected. Among these patients, 38% had received

prior lamivudine treatment. HBeAg seroconversion was the primary endpoint of

treatment. Baseline clinical and viral features were compared between responders

and non-responders at the end of treatment and 6 months post-treatment. Results:

At the end of therapy, the overall HBeAg seroconversion rate was 33.6%. For

lamivudine-naïve patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate was 37.8%. Subgroup

analysis showed that patients with pretherapy ALT levels over 10 times ULN had a

significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than those with a pretherapy ALT

level between five and 10 times ULN at 3 months (P=0.045) and 6 months (P=0.037)

of lamivudine treatment. No significant difference was found in terms of

pretherapy serum ALT values, viral load and genotypes between seroconverters and

non-seroconverters. Conclusions: For lamivudine-treated HBeAg-positive patients

with pretherapy ALT levels over five times ULN, an even higher ALT level could

predict earlier HBeAg seroconversion; however, neither ALT levels nor viral

factors correlate with higher response rates after 12-18 months of treatment.

PMID: 18492018 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you.

http://www.windowslive.com/mobile/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_mobile_072008