title: Vaccination against hepatitis B in children and adolescent patients on dialysis.
abstract: Twenty-one children and adolescent patients, 2-19 years of age, on renal replacement therapy were immunised at monthly intervals with three doses of 20 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine (Heptavax B, Merck Sharp & Dohme). In the absence of seroconversion, vaccination was continued with monthly doses of 40 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine until antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen became positive. The rate of seroconversion increased from 33.3% (7 of 21) to 76.1% (16 of 21) and 85.6% (18 of 21) with three, four and five vaccine injections respectively. Three patients had no immune response despite six to seven vaccine dosages; they had previously received immunosuppressive therapy. Antibody titres measured 1 year after seroconversion were found to be within the protective range (85-2500 mIU/ml). These results show that the impaired immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in young dialysis patients can be overcome by increasing the number of injections and the dose of the vaccine. Protective antibody titres are maintained for at least 1 year after vaccination. Immunosuppressive therapy may interfere with the vaccine response.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Nephrology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drachman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isacsohn
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rudensky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drukker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines