title: Double-dose hepatitis B vaccination in cirrhotic patients on a liver transplant waiting list.
abstract: Development of immunity to hepatitis B virus in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplantation is highly desirable. Though a double-dose regimen is available, little is know about its effectiveness. We examined the efficacy of double-dose hepatitis B virus vaccination in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplantation. We studied 43 patients who were waiting for liver transplantation. They were vaccinated with three doses of 40 mg hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months; the normal dose is 20 microg. Efficacy was measured based on seroconversion of anti-HBs. Global response to the primary vaccination scheme was 67.5% (29 patients). Forty-one per cent of responders had anti-HBs titers above 1,000 IU/mL. No factors were associated with response, based on multivariate analysis. The vaccination scheme of 40 microg at 0, 1 and 6 months was superior to conventional vaccination doses (20 microg) for cirrhotic patients on a waiting list for liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Division, Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. patricia_bonazzi@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Patricia R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bonazzi
authors.forename: Telesforo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bacchella
authors.forename: Angela C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Karina T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Marta H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Maristela P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Marcel C C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014850:Waiting Lists; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines