title: HBV recurrence lowered by lamivudine/HBIG combination therapy in liver transplant patients: ten-year experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lamivudine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) are widely used to treat patients with hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation. However, the outcomes are inconclusive. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of combined therapy on patients with hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation from August 2000 to October 2011 were enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 16 received lamivudine plus HBIG (combination therapy group) and 6 were treated with lamivudine alone (lamivudine-treated group). The clinical features were matched in the two groups. HBV recurrence parameters, HBsAg clearance rate, patient survival rate, and survival time were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average time of follow-up was 47.2 months (range 13-99). Significant difference was noted in the HBsAg clearance rate in the lamivudine-treated and combination therapy groups (50% vs 93.8%, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the time of HBV recurrence, patient survival rate and survival time between lamivudine-treated and combination therapy groups (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with lamivudine monotherapy, combination therapy significantly increased the HBsAg clearance rate in patients with HBV recurrence after liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Dian-Rong
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Zhi-Fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-Bing
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tong-Lin
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019259:Lamivudine; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin