Serum ALT Levels as a Surrogate Marker for Serum HBV DNA Levels in HBeAg-negative Pregnant Women

Implications of abnormal liver function in pregnancy and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Elevated liver enzyme levels can sometimes be encountered in asymptomatic pregnant women. Similar to non-pregnant subjects, women with elevated gamma glutamyltransferase or alanine aminotransferase in early pregnancy have increased risk of subsequent complications, especially gestational diabetes mellitus. In non-pregnant subjects, the commonest cause of abnormal liver function currently is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Risk factors include obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. It can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma through the development of steatohepatitis, and has become the leading cause for liver transplantation in women. Found in as many as 16-18% of pregnant women, it is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications and abnormal foetal growth, which predisposes the offspring to the same problem subsequently. This condition probably explains the majority of the cases of "idiopathic" abnormal liver function in pregnancy, and should be looked out for in high-risk women owing to its implications on their long-term health outcome.

Regional and ethnic aspects of viral hepatitis B among pregnant women

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in districts of Eastern Slovakia with a diverse prevalence of Roma population.

METHODS

Overall 59,279 serum samples from 9 regional departments of clinical microbiology from Eastern Slovakia were collected in the period from January 2008 till December 2009 and analysed.

RESULTS

The number of HBsAg positive samples overall and during pregnancy was 1.74% and 2.12%, respectively. Comparing districts with higher (> 5%) and lower (< 5%) Roma population, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples overall (1.95% vs.1.62%). However, in the subgroup of pregnant women the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples (2.72% vs. 0.95%) differs significantly (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in Eastern Slovakia did not rapidly exceed the estimated nationwide prevalence. However, in districts with higher Roma population the expected higher prevalence of HBV infection was confirmed. This indicates the need to pay special attention to the prevention of hepatitis B in these districts.

Molecular mechanisms of ursodeoxycholic acid toxicity & side effects: ursodeoxycholic acid freezes regeneration & induces hibernation mode

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a steroid bile acid approved for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). UDCA is reported to have “hepato-protective properties”. Yet, UDCA has “unanticipated” toxicity, pronounced by more than double number of deaths, and eligibility for liver transplantation compared to the control group in 28 mg/kg/day in primary sclerosing cholangitis, necessitating trial halt in North America. UDCA is associated with increase in hepatocellular carcinoma in PBC especially when it fails to achieve biochemical response (10 and 15 years incidence of 9% and 20% respectively). “Unanticipated” UDCA toxicity includes hepatitis, pruritus, cholangitis, ascites, vanishing bile duct syndrome, liver cell failure, death, severe watery diarrhea, pneumonia, dysuria, immune-suppression, mutagenic effects and withdrawal syndrome upon sudden halt. UDCA inhibits DNA repair, co-enzyme A, cyclic AMP, p53, phagocytosis, and inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthatase. It is genotoxic, exerts aneugenic activity, and arrests apoptosis even after cellular phosphatidylserine externalization. UDCA toxicity is related to its interference with drug detoxification, being hydrophilic and anti-apoptotic, has a long half-life, has transcriptional mutational abilities, down-regulates cellular functions, has a very narrow difference between the recommended (13 mg/kg/day) and toxic dose (28 mg/kg/day), and it typically transforms into lithocholic acid that induces DNA strand breakage, it is uniquely co-mutagenic, and promotes cell transformation. UDCA beyond PBC is unjustified.

Universal screening for hepatitis B among pregnant women led to 96% vaccination coverage among newborns of HBsAg positive mothers in Denmark

In Denmark selective screening programs of pregnant women for hepatitis B missed 30-50% of high-risk groups and in late 2005 a universal screening of pregnant women for HBsAg was implemented. During a 2-year period a prospective enhanced surveillance of the universal screening was performed to examine the effectiveness of universal HBV-screening of pregnant women and HBV-immunizations of their newborn, and to provide a prevalence-estimate for HBV in Denmark. On a opt out basis all women in Denmark attending antenatal care were tested for hepatitis B serology. Vaccination data of the newborns and households of HBsAg positive pregnant women were assembled. Among 140,376 HBsAg tests of pregnant women, 371 (0.26%) were positive. The prevalence among women of Danish origin was 0.012% and 2.74% among foreign born women, highest for women from Southeast Asia (14.5%). Genotype C was the most prevalent (37%) and 13% had a HBVDNA ≥10(8) IU/ml. The prevalence estimate of chronic hepatitis B in Denmark was 0.2-0.3% in the general population. Among children born within the project period, 96% received vaccination at birth compared to 50% of siblings born prior to universal screening. During 3 years of passive follow-up two transmissions (0.5%) have been notified. Among children born of the positive mothers prior to the trial-period 7.3% had been notified. Thus the prevalence of HBV positive mothers has more than doubled in Denmark over the last 40 years, but among women of Danish origin it has decreased 10-fold. By replacing selective screening with universal, identification of newborns in need of HBV-immunization was increased from 50% to almost complete coverage, and also identifies mothers with high viral load for evaluation of pre-term treatment to interrupt in utero transmission.

Survey of HBsAg-positive pregnant women and their infants regarding measures to prevent maternal-infantile transmission

BACKGROUND

Intrauterine infection is the main contributor to maternal-infantile transmission of HBV. This is a retrospective study of 158 HBsAg-positive pregnant women who delivered children from Jan 1st, 2004 to Dec.31th, 2006 in Wuhan City, China. We investigated the measures taken to prevent maternal-infantile transmission of hepatitis B virus and the infection status of children.

METHODS

HBsAg-positive pregnant women were selected by a random sampling method when they accepted prenatal care in district-level Maternal and Child Health Hospitals. On a voluntary basis, these women completed questionnaires by face-to-face or phone interviews. The collected data were used to evaluate the immunization programs that pregnant women had received for preventing hepatitis B maternal-infantile transmission.

RESULTS

Among the 158 women, 143(90.5%) received Hepatitis B immune globulin during pregnancy, and 86.0% of their children were given Hepatitis B immune globulin and Hepatitis B vaccine. The rate of cesarean section was 82.3%, and 28.5% of these were aimed at preventing HBV infection. The rate of bottle feeding was 51.9%, and 89.0% of bottle feeding cases were for the purpose of preventing HBV infection. There were 71 cases of participants who were HBeAg-positive. Compared with the HBsAg+ HBeAg- group (only HBsAg-positive), the HBsAg + HBeAg+ group (HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-positive) had significantly higher rates of the caesarean section and bottle feeding resulting from hepatitis B (P < 0.05). Five cases were HBsAg-positive by Umbilical Cord Blood detection. The intrauterine infection rate of newborns was 6.7%. The chronic HBV rate of children was 4.0%.

CONCLUSION

Most HBsAg positive pregnant women have a growing awareness of maternal-infantile transmission of Hepatitis B virus and are receiving some form of preventative treatment, like combined immunization. Caesarean and bottle feeding are very common, often primarily to prevent transmission. Relatively few intrauterine infections were identified in this sample, but many infants did not appear to seroconvert after vaccination.