title: The significance of enzyme immunoassay for the assessment of hepatitis B virus core-related antigen following liver transplantation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: The First Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Tatsuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Hisamitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyaaki
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Mitsuhisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takatsuki
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuhashi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D063065:Organophosphonates; D019259:Lamivudine; C053001:adefovir; D000225:Adenine