Booster dose vaccination for preventing hepatitis B.
BACKGROUND
Antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs) wane over time after vaccination for hepatitis B (HB); hence, the duration of protection provided by the vaccine is still unknown but may be evaluated indirectly by measuring the anamnestic immune response to booster doses of vaccine.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the benefits and harms of booster dose hepatitis B vaccination for preventing HB infection.


METHODS
We searched The Cochrane Hepato-biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 4, 2010) in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, conference databases, and reference lists of articles to May 2010. We also contacted authors of articles and manufacturers.


METHODS
Randomised clinical trials addressing anamnestic immune response to booster of HB vaccine five years or more after primary vaccination in apparently healthy participants, vaccinated in a 3-dose or 4-dose schedules of HB vaccine without receiving additional dose or immunoglobulin.


METHODS
Two authors made the decisions if the identified publications on studies met the inclusion criteria or not. Primary outcome measures included the proportion with anamnestic immune response in non-protected participants and signs of hepatitis B virus infection. Secondary outcomes were the proportion with local and systemic adverse event events developed following booster dose injection. Weighted proportion were planned to be reported with 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
There were no eligible randomised clinical trials fulfilling the inclusion criteria of this review.


CONCLUSIONS
We were unable to identify randomised clinical trials on the topic. We need randomised clinical trials to formulate future booster policies for preventing hepatitis B infection.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (UMSHA), Shahid Fahmideh Avenue, Hamadan, Hamadan, Iran, 6517838695.
Jalal
J
Poorolajal
Mahmood
M
Mahmoodi
Aliakbar
A
Haghdoost
Reza
R
Majdzadeh
Siavosh
S
Nasseri-Moghaddam
Leila
L
Ghalichi
Akbar
A
Fotouhi
D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines