[Hepatitis B vaccine in dialyzed patients: persistence of antibody titres after a 48-month follow-up].
The persistence of a protective level of HBV antibodies 48 months after vaccination has been evaluated in 52 dialysis patients (32 vaccinated with Pasteur vaccine--group A--and 20 with recombinant vaccine--group B). A protective titer was present after 48 months in 32 group A patients (100%) and in 18 group patients (90%). After the standard vaccination program (5 micrograms at 0, 1, 2, 6, 18 months for group A and 40 micrograms at 0, 1, 2, 6, 12 months for group B) 20 group A and 6 group B patients maintained during the whole observation period of 48 months a protective titer. In 24 patients, 12 for each group, classified as non responders after the standard vaccination programme or which presented in the control during the observation time a titer lower than 50 mIU/ml, additional doses were necessary. Patients not treated with additional doses showed in both groups, after 4 and 7 months, significantly higher antibody titers in comparison with patients for which additional doses had been necessary. These patients were significantly younger in Group A. The monitoring of the antibody titers and the administration of additional doses has allowed to maintain after 48 months a protective HBV antibody level in 96.15% of the patients (50/52).
Delle Volpe
M
M
Divisione di Nefrologia e Dialisi, Ospedale Civile, Alessandria.
Caraccio
V
V
Iberti
M
M
Odone
P
P
Ortensia
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines