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Effect of corticosteroid therapy on levels of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in patients with chronic type B hepatitis
Author(s) -
Sjogren Maria H.,
Hoofnagle Jay H.,
Waggoner Jeanne G.
Publication year - 1987
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.1840070328
Subject(s) - medicine , prednisolone , immunology , antigen , antibody , hepatitis b virus , hepatitis b , hepatitis , virus
Serum levels of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen were tested in 15 patients who participated in a randomized, placebo‐controlled trial of a 28‐day course of prednisolone therapy. During treatment, serum levels of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen decreased in all 10 treated patients, but in none of five controls (p < 0.05). Also during therapy, ALT activity decreased by an average of 50% and serum IgG levels by 30% (both p <: 0.05). Serum levels of hepatitis B virus DNA and DNA polymerase activity did not change significantly. Four to 10 weeks after discontinuation of prednisolone, a rebound of serum ALT and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen levels occurred, which usually resolved within the subsequent months of follow‐up evaluation. In three patients, however, there was a prolonged exacerbation of the disease following prednisolone withdrawal; in these three, levels of IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and ALT remained elevated above pretreatment values. The close correlation between changes in serum ALT activity and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen levels suggests that corticosteroids can modulate disease activity in chronic type B hepatitis by suppression of the host‐immune response to hepatitis B virus antigens.