title: Hepatitis B viral markers in severe viral hepatitis: influence of steroid therapy.
abstract: In our double-blind randomized trial of methylprednisolone vs. placebo in severe viral hepatitis, 16 patients with hepatitis B (8 on steroid, 8 on placebo) were followed for at least 4 weeks. Four of the eight patients receiving methylprednisolone eventually died and all patients on placebo survived. Despite marked reduction in serum IgG in steroid-treated patients, the decline in HBsAg titer and disappearance of Dane particle markers was the same in both treatment groups. A nonspecific depression of anti-HBc was noted in patients given steroid. There is no evidence that corticosteroid therapy accelerates viral replication when the acute hepatitis is severe.
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D008775:Methylprednisolone