The significance of enzyme immunoassay for the assessment of hepatitis B virus core-related antigen following liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Recently, a new enzyme immunoassay for the detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core-related antigen (HBcrAg) has been reported. In this study, we proposed to account for feasibility of HBcrAg assay, and discuss the dynamics of HBV seen in patients following HBV-related living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).


RESULTS
This study involved 12 patients; 11 patients had positive serum HBcrAg, and 6 patients had negative HBV-DNA. In the post-operation period, all cases were negative for HBV-DNA and HBsAg in sera under prophylaxis therapy. At post-operation, 5 of the 12 had positive serum HBcrAg, and at stable state, 6 had positive serum HBcrAg postoperatively. The mean levels of HBcrAg following LDLT were significantly lower than those seen in the preoperative-operation stage.


CONCLUSIONS
This enzyme immunoassay is a readily utilizable marker of HBV replication in the post transplantation stage. Furthermore, the evaluation of HBV activity by HBcrAg assay must be studied to determine the appropriate prophylaxis for controlling replication of HBV following LDLT.
Fujimoto
Masumi
M
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Ichikawa
Tatsuki
T
Nakao
Kazuhiko
K
Miyaaki
Hisamitsu
H
Shibata
Hidetaka
H
Eguchi
Susumu
S
Takatsuki
Mitsuhisa
M
Nagaoka
Shinya
S
Yatsuhashi
Hiroshi
H
Kanematsu
Takashi
T
Eguchi
Katsumi
K
D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D063065:Organophosphonates; D019259:Lamivudine; C053001:adefovir; D000225:Adenine