title: Immunogenicity of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in dialysis patients.
abstract: Eighty-eight dialysis patients were vaccinated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine prepared in yeast. Fourty-nine patients were immunized 3 times (months 0, 1, 6) intragluteally with 40 micrograms hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) per dose. Only 32 of them (65.3%) showed anti-HBs concentrations above 10 IU/l with a geometric mean titer (GMT) of 180.7 IU/l after 3 vaccinations, whereas all of the 16 healthy controls, vaccinated 3 times with a 10-micrograms dose of the same vaccine batch, had specific antibodies higher than 10 IU/l (GMT 897.4 IU/l). Responses of patients were slightly higher than those of dialysis patients vaccinated in an earlier study with plasma-derived vaccine according to the same schedule. Results in 20 patients immunized 6 times intragluteally with 40 micrograms HBsAg/dose in monthly intervals were not better (at month 7, 65% showed anti-HBs concentrations greater than 10 IU/l; GMT = 126.6 IU/l), and 19 patients receiving 6 times 20 micrograms HBsAg monthly showed significantly lower responses (anti-HBs greater than 10 IU/l in 42% of vaccinees, GMT = 89.5 IU/l). The vaccine was tolerated well; side-effects were slight, and no serious adverse reactions were observed. In conclusion, recombinant hepatitis B vaccine is comparable to plasma-derived vaccine also in the case of dialysis patients; a 6-dose schedule does not seem to have much advantage compared to the conventional 3-dose regimen.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines