[The response to hepatitis B vaccine prior to orthotopic liver transplantation].

UNLABELLED: HBV hepatitis is a severe complication of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) due to the immunosuppression therapy.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the active HBV immunization on these patients before OLT.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This was a prospective trial, with 34 patients (20 M and 14 F), that received a double dose (40 micrograms) of HBV surface proteic Ag, on the 0th, 30th and 60th days of the study and posterior control of anti-HBs levels. If there wasn't a response, they received two more doses on the 90th and 120th days.

RESULTS

There was a seroconversion in 22 patients (64.7%). Chronic alcoholism determined a lower rate of response than other etiologies (p < 0.05); this was the same in HCV chronic liver disease (p < 0.01). During their follow up, two patients had acute HBV hepatitis: one of them presented a negative response from the beginning, and in the other, anti-HBs developed transiently, when the HBV markers appeared.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous HBV active immunization in OLT patients with double dose in a quick sequence, determined a positive response in a high number of patients with a higher rate of seroconversion than in other studies. The response was not so high in patients with chronic alcoholism or HVC chronic liver disease. We conclude that HVB vaccination should be done in these patients.