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Hepatitis B viral markers in severe viral hepatitis: Influence of steroid therapy
Author(s) -
Greenberg Harry B.,
Robinson William S.,
Michael Knauer C.,
Gregory Peter B.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840010109
Subject(s) - medicine , methylprednisolone , placebo , viral hepatitis , hbsag , gastroenterology , hepatitis , corticosteroid , immunology , titer , steroid , hormone , pathology , virus , hepatitis b virus , alternative medicine
In our double‐blind randomized trial of methylprednisolone vs. placebo in severe viral hepatitis, 16 patients with hepatitis B (8 on steroid, 8 on placebo) were followed for at least 4 weeks. Four of the eight patients receiving methylprednisolone eventually died and all patients on placebo survived. Despite marked reduction in serum IgG in steroid‐treated patients, the decline in HB s Ag titer and disappearance of Dane particle markers was the same in both treatment groups. A nonspecific depression of anti‐HBc was noted in patients given steroid. There is no evidence that corticosteroid therapy accelerates viral replication when the acute hepatitis is severe.