Treatment of hepatitis B virus-associated glomerulonephritis: A meta-analysis

Table 1 Characteristics of 9 included studies

Study	Country or region	Patients		Study design
		Gender	Age (yr)
Lin[16], 1995	Taiwan, China	29M, 11F	6.2 ± 2.4	RCT (3 score)
Bhimma et al[17], 2002	South Africa	34M, 5F	8.7, 9.2	Cohort study
Lai et al[18], 1991	Hong Kong, China	14M, 2F	27.2 ± 6.2	Cohort study
Tang et al[19], 2005	Hong Kong, China	14M, 8F	48.3 ± 12.8, 43.1 ± 22.8	Cohort study
Panomsak et al[20], 2006	Thailand	14M, 10F	39.8	Cohort study
Yang et al[21], 2003	Wenzhou, China	28M, 5F	8.01 ± 1.23	Cohort study
Lai et al[22], 1990	Hong Kong, China	10M, 5F	22.8 ± 14.4, 17.2 ± 8.2	Cohort study
Ozdamar et al[23], 2003	Turkey	11M, 3F	10	Cohort study
Peña et al[24], 2001	Spain	11M, 1F	4.52 ± 2.34	Cohort study

RCT: Randomized controlled trial.

Table 2 Design of 6 clinical trials on efficacy of antiviral therapy for HBV-GN

Author	Group	Case (n)	Intervention	Dropped-out (n)	Outcome			Follow-up
					CR	VR	Renal insufficiency (n)
Lin[16], 1995	Control	20	The same supportive treatment as treatment group	0	7 complete remission, 10 partial remission	0 HBeAg clearance	UA	24 mo
	Treatment	20	rIFNα, 5 mU (weight < 20 kg), 8 mU (weight ≥ 20 kg), 3 t/w for 12 mo	0	20 complete remission	16 HBeAg clearance	UA
Bhimma et al[17], 2002	Control	20	Anti-hypertension and diuretics if needed	0	0 complete remission, 5 partial remission	1 HBeAg clearance	0	40 wk
	Treatment	24	rIFNα-2b, 10 mU/m2, 3 t/w for 16 wk	5	10 complete remission, 4 partial remission	10 HBeAg clearance, 4 reverters, 5 failures	2
Lai et al[18], 1991	Control	11	Diuretic agents or dipyridamole or none	0	0 complete remission, 8 partial remission	0 HBeAg clearance	4	60 mo
	Treatment	5	2 wk of prednisolone 40 mg/d followed by 12 wk of rIFNα-2b 3 mU, 3 t/w	0	1 complete remission, 4 partial remission	1 HBeAg seroconversion	1
Tang et al[19], 2005	Control	12	ACEI or ARB	0	2 complete remission, 2 partial remission	1 HBeAg clearance, 2 HBeAg seroconversion	5 ESRD	49.2 ± 16.5 mo
	Treatment	10	3TC, 100 mg/d, 49.2 ± 16.5 mo, plus ACEI or ARB	0	7 complete remission, 3 partial remission	8 HBV-DNA clearance (5 HBeAg clearance)	0
Panomsak et al[20], 2006	Control	10	ACEI, fish oil, or neither	3	2 complete remission	0 HBeAg clearance	2 ESRD	5-120 mo
	Treatment	7	1 month of prednisolone followed by 3TC in 6 case and IFNα in one case	0	2 complete remission, 5 partial remission	1 HBeAg seroconversion	0
Yang et al[21], 2003	Control	14	The supportive or symptomatic treatment	0	9 complete remission, 2 partial remission	3 HBeAg seroconversion	0	3.8 ± 2.4 yr
	Treatment	6	rIFNα, 1-3 mU, 3 t/w for 3-6 mo	0	3 complete remission, 2 partial remission	3 HBeAg seroconversion	0

HBV-GN: Hepatitis B virus-associated glomerulonephritis; CR: Clinical response; VR: Virologic response; UA: Unavailable; 3TC: Lamivudine; rIFNα: Recombinant α-interferon; HBeAg: Hepatitis B e-antigen; ACEI: Angiotension converting enzyme inhibitors; ARB: Angiotensin II receptor blocker; ESRD: End-stage renal disease; t/w: Times per week.

Table 3 Design of 5 clinical trials on efficacy of corticosteroid therapy for HBV-GN

Author	Group	Case (n)	Intervention	Dropped-out (n)	Outcome		Follow-up
					CR	Renal insufficiency (n)
Lai et al[22], 1990	Control	7	Diuretic agents	0	2 complete remission	UA	14-37 mo
	Treatment	8	Prednisolone 60 mg/d (adult), 40 mg/m2 per day (< 15 yr), for 6 mo	0	3 complete remission, 4 partial remission, 1 relapse	UA
Ozdamar et al[23], 2003	Control	4	None	0	4 complete remission	UA	5-120 mo
	Treatment	8	Prednisolone, 2 mg/kg per day	2	1 complete remission, 4 partial remission, 1 death due to sepsis	UA
Panomsak et al[20], 2006	Control	10	ACEI, fish oil, or neither	3	2 complete remission	2 ESRD	5-120 mo
	Treatment	6	Prednisolone, 2 mg/kg per day	1	3 complete remission, 2 partial remission	0
Yang et al[21], 2003	Control	14	The same supportive and symptomatic treatment as treatment group	0	9 complete remission, 2 partial remission	0	3.8 ± 2.4 yr
	Treatment	8	Prednisolone, 1.5-2 mg/kg per day, for 3 mo	0	4 complete remission, 2 partial remission	0
Peña et al[24], 2001	Control	4	Symptomatic treatment	0	4 complete remission	UA	9.95 ± 5.88 yr
	Treatment	7	Prednisone, 1.5-2 mg/kg per day, a minimun of 4 wk (1 case prednisone + CTX)	0	7 steroid-resistant during therapy, but all complete remission at the end of follow-up	UA

CTX: Cytoxan.