title: Persistence of serum hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients with chronic persistent hepatitis treated with prednisone.
abstract: The effect of a short course of prednisone therapy was evaluated in 8 patients with liver biopsy-verified chronic persistent hepatitis B. In 6 of the 8 (75%) patients, an abrupt fall in serum alanine aminotransferase levels after the initiation of prednisone was noted, and in 4 patients, there was an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase values after prednisone was discontinued. However, the serum levels of hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid were consistently greater than or equal to 200 pg before, during, and after the course of treatment in 7 of the 8 (87.5%) patients. All patients were initially hepatitis B e antigen-positive and remained so during the study period. These findings indicate that, unlike some patients with chronic active hepatitis B, immunosuppression with prednisone had no effect in altering hepatitis B viral replication in patients with chronic persistent hepatitis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D011241:Prednisone