Published online Jan 14, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i2.584
Peer-review started: May 20, 2014
First decision: June 27, 2014
Revised: August 4, 2014
Accepted: November 11, 2014
Article in press: November 11, 2014
Published online: January 14, 2015
Processing time: 244 Days and 3.1 Hours
AIM: To evaluate the prophylactic efficacy of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in combination with different nucleos(t)ide analogues.
METHODS: A total of 5333 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients from the China Liver Transplant Registry database were enrolled between January 2000 and December 2009. Low-dose intramuscular (im) HBIG combined with one nucleos(t)ide analogue has been shown to be very cost-effective in recent reports. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) prophylactic outcomes were compared based on their posttransplant prophylactic protocols [group A (n = 4684): im HBIG plus lamivudine; group B (n = 491): im HBIG plus entecavir; group C (n = 158): im HBIG plus adefovir dipivoxil]. We compared the related baseline characteristics among the three groups, including the age, male sex, Meld score at the time of transplantation, Child-Pugh score at the time of transplantation, HCC, pre-transplantation hepatitis B e antigen positivity, pre-transplantation HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) positivity, HBV DNA at the time of transplantation, pre-transplantation antiviral therapy, and the duration of antiviral therapy before transplantation of the patients. We also calculated the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates and HBV recurrence rates according to the different groups. All potential risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses.
RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 42.1 ± 30.3 mo. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were lower in group A than in groups B (86.2% vs 94.4%, 76.9% vs 86.6%, 73.7% vs 82.4%, respectively, P < 0.001) and C (86.2% vs 92.5%, 76.9% vs 73.7%, 87.0% vs 81.6%, respectively, P < 0.001). The 1-, 3- and 5-year posttransplant HBV recurrence rates were significantly higher in group A than in group B (1.7% vs 0.5%, 3.5% vs 1.5%, 4.7% vs 1.5%, respectively, P = 0.023). No significant difference existed between groups A and C and between groups B and C with respect to the 1-, 3- and 5-year HBV recurrence rates. Pretransplant hepatocellular carcinoma, high viral load and posttransplant prophylactic protocol (lamivudine and HBIG vs entecavir and HBIG) were associated with HBV recurrence.
CONCLUSION: Low-dose intramuscular HBIG in combination with a nucleos(t)ide analogue provides effective prophylaxis against posttransplant HBV recurrence, especially for HBIG plus entecavir.
Core tip: Little is known about which protocol has the optimal prophylactic effects against hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence. In this study, we used data from the China Liver Transplant Registry database to evaluate the long-term prophylactic efficacy of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in combination with different nucleos(t)ide analogues and determine the risk factors for HBV recurrence. This nationwide multicenter study demonstrated that low-dose intramuscular HBIG in combination with a nucleos(t)ide analogue provides effective prophylaxis against recurrent HBV infection posttransplantation at approximately 5% of the cost of conventional high-dose intravenous HBIG regimens. Among them, low-dose intramuscular HBIG combined with entecavir has better prophylactic efficacy than the combination of low-dose intramuscular HBIG and lamivudine.