C L Lai

..Entecavir is a novel and selective nucleoside analogue with potent activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV)...

..In conclusion, these results support expanded clinical studies of this new agent for the treatment of hepatitis B...

..In patients with decompensated CHB the combination of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil showed significant efficacy. After only 24 weeks, clinical improvements in liver function were seen...

..Patients with YMDD variants losing clinical response with a significant increase in the HBV DNA and ALT levels may require additional therapy...

..A previous 4-week trial of telbivudine in patients with chronic hepatitis B indicated marked antiviral effects with good tolerability, leading to the present 1-year phase 2b trial...

..Entecavir is a potent and selective antiviral agent that has demonstrated efficacy in phase 2 studies in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B...

..It was concluded that in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B infection, lamivudine achieved effective suppression of HBV DNA levels within 4 weeks of therapy whereas famciclovir had a significantly weaker action...

..Lamivudine, and presumably other nucleoside analogues, can reverse cirrhosis of the liver...

..5 times the upper limit of normal...

..Reducing hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication to minimal levels is emerging as a key therapeutic goal for chronic hepatitis B...

..However, lamivudine may have to be given on a long-term basis, as withdrawal of lamivudine results in rebound of HBV-DNA to pretreatment levels. The long-term effects of lamivudine are currently being assessed...

..However, continuing viral replication, even at a relatively low level of <10(4) copies/mL (<2000 IU/mL), is probably the most important factor for the development of complications...

..Long-term effect of YMDD mutations on liver histology in Chinese hepatitis B patients is unknown...

..062). In Chinese HBsAg carriers, IFN-alpha was of no long-term benefit in inducing HBeAg seroconversion or in the prevention of hepatoma and other cirrhosis-related complications...

..To report the results of liver transplantation in 31 Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B using lamivudine prophylaxis in an open-label study...

..034), but not with HAI-F score (P = 0.3). CP mutations were associated with more severe necroinflammation. The association between genotype C and poor histology was probably because of the association between genotype C and CP mutations...

..Safety of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with chronic hepatitis B is unknown...

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..To investigate the level of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in Chinese chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients below which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unlikely to occur...

..Combination therapy with two or three nucleoside analogues or immunomodulators plus nucleoside analogues will be the future direction of treatment of chronic hepatitis B...

..The efficacy of nucleoside and nucleotide analogues for hepatitis B has been linked to the magnitude and durability of hepatitis B virus (HBV) suppression...

..The details of liver histology of patients with precore and core promoter mutations are still not clear...

..038, =0.016 respectively). HBV genotype B induces a greater Th1 and lesser Th2 response than genotype C. This provides immunologic evidence for the higher chance of HBeAg seroconversion in patients with genotype B...

..CONCLUSION: The prevalence of familial hepatocellular carcinoma is significant in Hong Kong. These patients show specific clinical features when compared with patients with sporadic hepatocellular carcinoma...

..The former had a higher chance of earlier HBeAg seroconversion and lower ALT levels. The prevalence of genotype B was lower in patients with age <50, probably related to influx of immigrants from China since 1949...

..Complications of endoscopic sphincterotomy are closely related to the endoscopic technique. To date, there have been no studies to indicate that aspirin increases the risk of bleeding after endoscopic sphincterotomy...

..There was no increase in the rate of development of YMDD variants or L528M mutation in patients receiving lamivudine 25 mg daily or famciclovir 500 mg 3 times a day before being given lamivudine 100 mg daily...

..We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of seven forms of maintenance treatment of duodenal ulcer, including a mealtime regimen of antacids...

..Antiviral therapy and follow-up ALT levels were independent significant factors associated with a decline in LSM...

..To examine the risks for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with respect to hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, specific viral mutations (MT), serum HBV DNA levels, and cirrhosis...

..CccDNA becomes the dominant form of HBV DNA during viral suppression and is possibly responsible for viral rebound after short-term antiviral therapy...

..Patients with delayed HBeAg seroclearance had a higher frequency of HBeAg seroreversion...

..A study on the outcome of open-access upper endoscopy in contrast with the conventional referral system was conducted...

..Our aim was to investigate the effects of long-term lamivudine treatment and lamivudine-resistant virus (YMDD) on the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in asymptomatic patients without advanced disease...

..CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the non-tumor tissues, the levels of HBV replication in the tumor tissues appeared to be lower, and cccDNA was the predominant form of HBV DNA in the tumor tissues...

..Intrahepatic HBV DNA level was low and predominantly in the form of cccDNA. However, HCC could still develop, particularly in patients with cirrhosis who had HBsAg seroclearance at an older age...

..In conclusion, serum HBcrAg levels correlated with HBV virological markers and reflected the chronic hepatitis B disease activity in the liver...

..Adefovir dipivoxil can be recommended as a first-line treatment but can also be used in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection who are failing lamivudine therapy...

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..CONCLUSIONS: Though the majority of patients with severe hepatitis exacerbations due to YMDD mutants had uneventful course, early liver transplantation should be considered in patients with pre-existing cirrhosis and HBeAg seroreversion...

..For HBV infection, antiviral therapy and vaccination have been shown to decrease the risk of HCC. Antiviral therapy for HCV can also reduce the risk of HCC...

..Liver biopsy in the woman demonstrated balloon degeneration with scattered foci of hepatocytic necrosis, suggesting a complement-mediated hepatocellular damage...

..In HBeAg-negative CHB patients, a liver stiffness measurement of ≥ 10 kPa was associated with a significantly increased risk of subsequent HCC development and mortality...

..8% and a specificity of 59.6%. CONCLUSIONS: As patients with severe acute cholangitis show a higher mortality, we recommend that emergency ERCP be performed in patients with one or more of the four prognostic factors...

..Determination of HBV genotypes before lamivudine therapy was probably not an important pretreatment investigation to predict antiviral responses in Chinese patients...

..To determine the prevalence of precore and core promoter (CP) mutations before, at and after HBeAg seroclearance in Chinese patients...

..5 months). In conclusion, there is no influence of HBV genotypes on the development of long-term complications and lamivudine therapy in Hong Kong...

..Biochemical flares were common, with 16% being severe in nature. High pretreatment ALT levels were associated with a higher chance of biochemical flares...

..In conclusion, acute pancreatitis complicating acute exacerbation of chronic HBV infection carried an extremely poor prognosis with high mortality...

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..842; P < 0.001) and with the degree of fibrosis (P = 0.014). We conclude that the method that we describe is reliable and convenient for the measurement of intrahepatic HBV DNA levels and has potential clinical significance...

..35 vs 0.8 logs respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: One-year lamivudine treatment decreased serum cccDNA level by 2 logs. The chance of YMDD mutations at week 52 was related to the magnitude of viral suppression at week 24...

..The association between HBV genotype C and HCC was probably not genuine but was due to the high percentage of CP mutations in patients with genotype C...

..3% patients had established fibrosis. Further studies to define a better cut-off HBV DNA level to differentiate low- and high-risk patients for disease progression are required...

..To identify the risk factors for recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after resection...

..To document the prevalence and factors associated with severe fibrosis and cirrhosis in a large population of Asian chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients...

..The treatment can be continued for those with HBV DNA levels of less than 4 log copies/mL (2000 IU/mL). The addition of or switch to alternative antiviral agents should be considered for patients who fail to achieve this early target...

..In view of the changing epidemiology, postexposure prophylaxis will be necessary for young adults and children, and hepatitis A vaccine may be indicated for high risk groups when it is generally available...

..Few studies have evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Southern Chinese with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection...

..CONCLUSION: Serum soluble E-cadherin is a potential valid prognostic marker for gastric cancer. A high concentration predicts palliative/conservative treatment and T4 invasion...

..8% of patients. In the treatment of inoperable HCC, rIFN is superior to doxorubicin in causing more tumour regression, less serious marrow suppression and less fatal complications...

..Nucleotide/nucleoside analogues will become the mainstay of treatment. Future treatment strategic plans should target maximising antiviral potency and minimising the chance of drug resistance...

..2%, with only 4.5% showing alanine aminotransferase flares. Telbivudine is probably one of the most potent antiviral agents for hepatitis B virus that will become available in the near future...

..In conclusion, patients with HCV genotype 6 gain a better response to combined treatment with IFN-alpha and ribavirin than those with HCV genotype 1 and achieve a significantly higher rate of sustained virological response...

..We aimed to determine the efficacy of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for treating infection with genotype 6 versus genotype 1...

..Comprehensive study on viral factors predicting treatment responsiveness to lamivudine is lacking...

..3%; P=.004). Patients with severe exacerbation of hepatitis B with poor prognostic factors should be considered for early liver transplantation...

..The antibody is likely to be of donor origin, suggesting the possibility of adoptive immunity transfer through a liver graft...

..This study evaluates the survival outcomes of patients who underwent LDLT using right-lobe liver grafts for acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure...

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..In conclusion, lamivudine therapy can result in HBsAg seroclearance at an early age even though the phenomenon is rare...

..With combination of adefovir and high-dose HBIG, however, long-term survival can be achieved after retransplantation...

..Our aims were to study the virologic, histologic, and clinical outcome in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance...

..05). A sustained virological response (SVR) was present in 10 (62.5%) patients with genotype 6 and in 7 (29.2%) patients with genotype 1 (P=.04). Genotype 6 has a better response than genotype 1 and is associated with a higher SVR...

..It is effective against both wild-type and YMDD mutant HBV. LB80380 is converted to its parent drug, LB80331, after oral absorption, and further metabolized to its active form, LB80317...

..All involved recovered uneventfully from their respective operations...

..The coordinated expression of c-fos and c-jun in HCC may reflect the coordinated tumor cell cycle of progression and proliferation; however, future studies are required to elucidate this possibility...

..Combined with markers of liver reserve and performance status, accurate scoring systems and models have been developed to predict patients' survival and match best treatment option...

..1%) probably because of a higher susceptibility as a result of immunosuppression. However, hepatitis GB virus-C viraemia did not cause liver biochemistry derangement in renal transplanted patients...

..The cost for assaying each serum sample by using different strategies was calculated. The COBAS-AM assay was more sensitive than the Digene HC II assay and more suitable for monitoring low levels of HBV viremia...

..The development of complications was not related to precore mutations but was probably due to the persistence of significant viremia after HBeAg seroconversion...

..Serum and intrahepatic total HBV DNA and cccDNA levels become lower as the disease progresses from HBeAg-positive to anti-HBe-positive phase, with cccDNA becoming the predominant form of intrahepatic HBV DNA...

..Patients infected with genotype B had a significantly higher mortality due to hepatic decompensation than did patients with genotype C (70% vs. 27.8%; P=.05)...

..Because of the highly effective anamnestic responses, a booster dose was not necessary at least up to 18 years after the primary vaccination...

..9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SM-HCV Rapid Test is a reliable test with high sensitivity and specificity. The anti-HCV result can be available within a very short period of time. It is a useful screening test for anti-HCV...

..Extreme caution should be taken when a patient develops allergy to one type of antithyroid drug, because cross-reactivity may develop to the other type...

..300 copies/ml), shorter assay time (6 vs. 10 hr), and wider dynamic range (8 vs. 3 logs), and was more cost-effective in a clinical setting. These data indicate that the TaqMan test is an excellent tool for HBV DNA quantitation...

..Further studies should be performed in patients with less advanced disease and/or different etiology to evaluate its benefit...

..Despite the high percentage of patients who developed hepatic decompensation after TACE, irreversible damage occurred in only a minority...

..The quantities of A(1762)T-G(1764)A mutant were positively and G(1896)A mutant negatively correlated with liver inflammation and viral replication...

..001). CONCLUSION: Cholecystectomy did not prevent recurrent acute cholangitis in Asian patients. In these patients, early endoscopic papillotomy lowered the frequency of recurrent acute cholangitis...

..036). CONCLUSION: CC in cirrhotic liver presented at a younger age and patients who developed CC were prone to PVT. The survival period was also shorter in comparison to that of non-cirrhotic liver patients...

..In patients with both gallbladder and CBD stones, however, the risk of RAP was not further reduced by cholecystectomy after ES and complete removal of CBD stones...

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..The cause of mirtazapine-induced liver toxicity was unknown, and to our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of mirtazapine-induced prolonged jaundice...

..In conclusion, 48 weeks of adefovir dipivoxil resulted in significant improvements in virologic, biochemical, and clinical parameters in CHB patients pre- and post-LT with lamivudine-resistant HBV...

..No study has compared the liver fibrosis progression rates among chronic liver diseases and the risk factors in order to better organize screening strategies...

..This study assessed the efficacy and safety of up to 4 years of lamivudine treatment and the clinical relevance of the emergence of YMDD-variant hepatitis B virus (HBV)...

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