| surgeon volume is predictive of 5-year survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after resection: a population-based study . | no study has examined associations between physician volume or hospital volume and survival in patients with liver malignancies in the hepatitis b virus-endemic areas such as taiwan. this study was to examine the effect of hospital and surgeon volume on 5-year survival and to determine whether hospital or surgeon volume is the stronger predictor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection in taiwan. | 2009 | 19730957 |
| probabilistic cost-effectiveness analysis of the long-term effect of universal hepatitis b vaccination: an experience from taiwan with high hepatitis b virus infection and hepatitis b e antigen positive prevalence. | to assess cost-effectiveness of hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccination strategies from health care payer and societal perspectives, focusing on the long-term effect, in taiwan where prevalence of hbv and hepatitis b e antigen (hbeag) is high. | 2009 | 19735755 |
| prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis b virus among nonhuman primates in taiwan. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) is a public health problem worldwide, and apart from infecting humans, hbv has been found in nonhuman primates. this study investigated the prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis d virus (hdv) among nonhuman primates in taiwan, an area where human hbv remains endemic. serum samples from 286 captive nonhuman primates (i.e., 32 great apes [pan troglodytes and pongo pygmaeus], 42 gibbons [hylobates sp. and nomascus sp.], and 212 cercopi ... | 2009 | 19746868 |
| risk factors for early and late recurrence in hepatitis b-related hepatocellular carcinoma. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) levels correlate with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc), but the role of viral load in hcc recurrence after tumor resection remains unclear. herein we aimed to investigate the role of viral load in hcc recurrence following tumor resection. | 2009 | 19747749 |
| decreased incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis b vaccinees: a 20-year follow-up study. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. this population-based study aimed to investigate whether prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma by the universal taiwanese hbv vaccine program, launched in july 1984, has extended beyond childhood and to identify the predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma for vaccinated birth cohorts. | 2009 | 19759364 |
| liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in the world: the taiwan experience. | liver transplantation (lt) has been regarded as "potentially curative" in a cirrhotic patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) because it removes the cancer and eradicates the cirrhosis. in taiwan, hcc ranks first among the leading causes of cancer mortality in males and 4th in females. the most common causes are chronic hepatitis b virus-related cirrhosis, hepatitis c virus-related cirrhosis, and combined hepatitis b and c virus-related cirrhosis. the aggregate lifetime cost of hepatitis and ... | 2010 | 19760360 |
| factors associated with isolated anti-hepatitis b core antibody in hiv-positive patients: impact of compromised immunity. | in regions that are hyperendemic for chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection, prevalence of and risk factors associated with isolated anti-hepatitis b core antibody (anti-hbc) in hiv-positive patients are less well described. hiv-positive patients who were tested for hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag), anti-hepatitis b surface antibody (anti-hbs) and anti-hbc at designated hospitals for hiv care in taiwan were included for analysis. hbv dna was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction ... | 2010 | 19818002 |
| influenza b-associated rhabdomyolysis in taiwanese children. | influenza b-associated rhabdomyolysis (ibar) is an infrequent and little-known complication of influenza b virus infection in children. diagnosis is usually made based on clinical history, the presence of influenza in the community and detection of virus in nasopharyngeal specimens. the aim of this study was to describe the clinical and laboratory manifestations, complications and outcomes of ibar in taiwanese children. | 2010 | 19912140 |
| metabolic syndrome in non-obese taiwanese: new definition of metabolically obese, normal-weight individual. | not only the obese, but also the non-obese adults have the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the upper normal weight. the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome and its individual components in non-obese adult taiwanese (body mass index (bmi) <or= 26.9 kg/m(2)). | 2009 | 19951566 |
| effect of puberty onset on spontaneous hepatitis b virus e antigen seroconversion in men. | male predominance is a remarkable phenomenon in hepatitis b virus (hbv)-related liver disease. this study elucidated the effects of puberty on spontaneous hepatitis b virus e antigen (hbeag) seroconversion in boys. | 2010 | 19962986 |
| extended lamivudine consolidation therapy in hepatitis b e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis b patients improves sustained hepatitis b e antigen seroconversion. | longer lamivudine (lam) consolidation therapy after hepatitis b e antigen (hbeag) seroconversion has been demonstrated to reduce the cumulative relapse rate. however, the optimal interval of lam consolidation therapy remains controversial. we evaluated the post-treatment durability of lam-induced hbeag seroconversion and the length of lam consolidation therapy required to maintain sustained hbeag seroconversion. | 2010 | 20030580 |
| hepatitis b virus genotype b has an earlier emergence of lamivudine resistance than genotype c. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) genotype b and c seem not to affect the therapeutic response to lamivudine (3tc). whether a given genotype has an earlier emergence of 3tc resistance remains unclear. we thus conducted this study to elucidate the association of hbv genotype with the emergence of 3tc-resistant strains in taiwanese patients. | 2009 | 20032545 |
| neither diabetes mellitus nor overweight is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in a dual hbv and hcv endemic area: community cross-sectional and case-control studies. | chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infections are well-known risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma, and diabetes mellitus (dm) and overweight have also been reported as risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc). we tried to elucidate the roles of dm and overweight in hcc development in a dual hbv and hcv endemic area of southern taiwan. | 2010 | 20051944 |
| chronic hepatitis c increased the mortality rates of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and diabetes mellitus in a triple hepatitis virus endemic community. | to elucidate the factors associated with mortality rates among older subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) and diabetes mellitus (dm) in a triple hepatitis b virus (hbv), hepatitis c virus (hcv) and hepatitis delta virus (hdv) endemic community. | 2010 | 20054698 |
| ethnic-specific prevalence of hepatitis b/c virus infection in pin-jen, taiwan. | the study aimed to estimate prevalence rate of hepatitis b/c virus infection by three ethnic groups including hakka, minnan, and mainlander in taiwan where there was a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. | 2009 | 20073137 |
| clinical course of de novo hepatitis b infection after pediatric liver transplantation. | the characteristics of hepatitis b virus (hbv) in vaccinated children who acquire de novo hbv infections after orthotopic liver transplantation (olt) remain largely unknown. the aim of this study was to explore hbv mutants in pediatric olt recipients with de novo hbv infections. in all, 50 recipients underwent olt between december 1997 and october 2005, and they were regularly checked for hbv serum markers from november 2005 to april 2009. before olt, all were hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) ... | 2010 | 20104496 |
| carriers of inactive hepatitis b virus are still at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death. | the risk and the predictors of liver disease progression in carriers of inactive hepatitis b virus (hbv) are unclear. | 2010 | 20114048 |
| hepatitis b vaccination in children: the taiwan experience. | the world's first nationwide hepatitis b virus (hbv) universal vaccination program for infants was launched in taiwan in july, 1984. all infants received three to four doses plasma or recombinant hbv vaccines. in addition, infants of hbeag-positive mothers received 0.5ml of hepatitis b immunoglobulin within 24hours after birth. the vaccination coverage rate is as high as 97%. seroprevalence of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) declined from 9.8% (prevaccination period) to 0.6% in children in t ... | 2010 | 20116181 |
| mortality after chronic hepatitis b virus infection: a linkage study involving 2 million parous women from taiwan. | few studies have evaluated survival rates among women who have chronic hepatitis b virus infection. we investigated the overall and disease-specific mortality rates in a nationwide cohort of women after they were screened for hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) during pregnancy. | 2010 | 20187745 |
| no increase in prevalence of hepatitis b surface antigen mutant in a population of children and adolescents who were fully covered by universal infant immunization. | mutants of the a determinant of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) can escape neutralization by vaccine-induced antibodies and prevail in an immunized population. | 2010 | 20210630 |
| coinfection of hepatitis b and c viruses and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis. | a subadditive effect of hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) coinfection is possible because superinfection of one virus tends to inhibit infection of the other virus. however, studies have reported inconsistent findings, and two meta-analyses of studies from various countries (1998) and china (2005) reported a supraadditive effect for hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) risk. thus, we reevaluate hbv/hcv monoinfection and coinfection. of 411 reports, we included 59 studies that assesse ... | 2011 | 20232388 |
| nomograms for risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis b virus infection. | counseling patients with chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) on their individual risk of liver disease progression is challenging. this study aimed to develop nomograms for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with chronic hepatitis b. | 2010 | 20368541 |
| association of hepatitis c and b virus infection with ckd in an endemic area in taiwan: a cross-sectional study. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infections may lead to nephropathy. however, the association between different types of viral hepatitis and chronic kidney disease (ckd) is not well established. | 2010 | 20400217 |
| incidence and determinants of spontaneous hepatitis b surface antigen seroclearance: a community-based follow-up study. | seroclearance of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) is one of the most important clinical outcomes for chronic hepatitis b treatment trials. few studies have explored the incidence and determinants of spontaneous seroclearance using a long-term follow-up study. this study aimed to examine the natural history and predictors of hbsag seroclearance. | 2010 | 20434450 |
| hepatitis delta virus and gbv-c infection in two neighboring hepatitis b virus and hepatitis c virus-endemic villages in taiwan. | previous reports in taiwan have shown that the hepatitis b virus (hbv)- and hepatitis c virus (hcv)-endemic areas are also endemic for hepatitis d virus (hdv), gbv-c and tt virus. this study aimed to elucidate the epidemiology of hdv and gbv-c infection in two neighboring hbv- and hcv-endemic villages, to deduce the epidemiological characteristics of multiple viral infections in communities. | 2010 | 20438665 |
| clinical and laboratory analysis of influenza b infection in children in taichung, taiwan during the 2006-2007 flu season. | an epidemic of influenza b/malaysia/2506/2004 was reported in taiwan during the 2006-2007 flu season. we investigated the flu vaccination history and clinical and laboratory characteristics of children with influenza b infection. | 2009 | 19453079 |
| long-term efficacy of plasma-derived and recombinant hepatitis b vaccines in a rural township of central taiwan. | to assess the differences of long-term efficacy between plasma-derived and recombinant hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccines and the effectiveness of catch-up vaccination in adolescents with undetectable anti-hbs. | 2009 | 19186203 |
| frequencies of hepatitis b and c infections among haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in asia-pacific countries: analysis of registry data. | the impact of dialysis modality on the rates and types of infectious complications has not been well studied. the aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the rates of hepatitis c virus (hcv) and hepatitis b virus (hbv) infections in peritoneal dialysis (pd) and haemodialysis (hd) patients in the asia-pacific region. | 2009 | 19096083 |
| peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for the treatment of dual chronic infection with hepatitis b and c viruses. | dual chronic infection with hepatitis c virus (hcv) and hepatitis b virus (hbv) is common in areas endemic for either virus. combination therapy with ribavirin and pegylated interferon (peginterferon) is the standard of care for patients with hcv monoinfection. we investigated the effects of combination therapy in patients infected with both hbv and hcv (genotypes 1, 2, or 3). | 2009 | 19084016 |
| occult hepatitis b virus infection in hepatitis b vaccinated children in taiwan. | presence of occult hbv infection in hbv vaccinated children remains largely unknown. the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occult hbv infection among hbv vaccinated children in taiwan. | 2009 | 19070923 |
| genetic and epidemiological analysis of influenza virus epidemics in taiwan during 2003 to 2006. | the genetic characterization of taiwanese influenza a and b viruses on the basis of analyses of pairwise amino acid variations, genetic clustering, and phylogenetics was performed. a total of 548, 2,123, and 1,336 sequences of the ha1 genes of influenza a virus subtypes h1 and h3 and influenza b virus, respectively, collected during 2003 to 2006 from an island-wide surveillance network were determined. influenza a virus h3 showed activity during all periods, although it was dominant only in the ... | 2008 | 18256223 |
| solitary pulmonary nodule in the liver transplant candidate: importance of diagnosis and treatment. | our objectives were to define the incidence and etiology of solitary pulmonary nodules (spns) in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (ldlt), describe a diagnostic approach to the management of spns in ldlt, and define the impact of spns on the overall survival of adult ldlt recipients. nine patients (9/152, 5.9%) were diagnosed with an spn on the basis of chest radiography findings during the pretransplant survey. all were male. the mean age was 52 years. all the patients had ... | 2010 | 20517910 |
| correlation between clinical indication for treatment and liver histology in hbeag-negative chronic hepatitis b: a novel role of alpha-fetoprotein. | it is unclear whether clinical indication for antiviral treatment is in agreement with histological indication in hbeag-negative chronic hepatitis b (chb). this study aimed to clarify this relationship and identify factors associated with liver histology. | 2010 | 20557454 |
| obesity and alcohol synergize to increase the risk of incident hepatocellular carcinoma in men. | body mass index (bmi) and alcohol use are risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc). we performed a prospective study to determine if these factors have synergistic effects on hcc risk. | 2010 | 20621202 |
| hepatitis b vaccination: disease and cancer prevention-a taiwanese experience. | prevention is most cost effective toward successful control of hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection and its complications. it is particularly urgent where hbv infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) are prevalent. to achieve better results of primary hcc prevention globally, higher world coverage rates of hbv vaccine, better strategies against breakthrough infection/nonresponder, and good long-term protection are needed. with the universal hepatitis b vaccination program starting from neonates ... | 2010 | 20638029 |
| asymptomatic chronic hepatitis b virus infection does not increase the risk of diabetes mellitus: a ten-year observation. | chronic hepatitis c virus infection has been known to increase the risk of diabetes. whether this association holds true for chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection remains unclear. we thus conducted this study to investigate the influence of asymptomatic chronic hbv infection on the incidence of diabetes in a longitudinal cohort. | 2010 | 20659233 |
| hepatic steatosis with hepatitis b virus/hepatitis c virus dual infection. | | 2010 | 20672387 |
| the clinical significance of occult hepatitis b transfusion in taiwan--a look-back study. | a look-back study was conducted to determine the clinical significance of occult hepatitis b virus (hbv) blood transfusion in an hbv hyperendemic area. aim: to improve the blood transfusion safety. background: occult hbv is transmissible through blood transfusion in hbv-naïve recipients. however, its impact on recipients with prevalent hbv infection in hbv hyperendemic areas is unclear. | 2011 | 20726954 |
| tumour necrosis factor-α promoter region polymorphisms affect the course of spontaneous hbsag clearance. | this study aimed to investigate the roles of tumour necrosis factor-α (tnf-α) gene polymorphisms in the spontaneous clearance of hbsag after a hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection. | 2010 | 20825556 |
| viral hepatitis infections in southern taiwan: a multicenter community-based study. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infections are major causes of liver disease in taiwan and have a great impact on the health of this country. this study investigated the seroprevalence of hbv and hcv in southern taiwan. screening programs were performed from september 1999 to august 2005 for community-based surveillance of liver disease. a total of 28,797 adults from southern taiwan, including kaohsiung city (n = 14,036), kaohsiung county (n = 7,713), and pingtung county (n = ... | 2010 | 20837342 |
| cost-effectiveness of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma among subjects at different levels of risk. | the american association for the study of liver diseases 2005 practice guidelines for management of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) recommends that various high-risk groups of people undergo hcc surveillance. our study aimed to investigate whether screening for hcc among subjects with early-stage cirrhosis is more cost-effective than screening among chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) carriers without cirrhosis. | 2010 | 20874834 |
| lower prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglyceridemia found in subjects with seropositivity for both hepatitis b and c strains independently. | to evaluate the association of chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. | 2010 | 21039839 |
| acquirement and disappearance of hbsag and anti-hcv in an aged population: a follow-up study in an endemic township. | background: hbsag and anti-hepatitis c virus (anti-hcv) are stable markers and widely used. the seroconversion and seroclearance of hbsag and anti-hcv are important for disease control and prognosis of diseases. aims: to investigate acquirement and disappearance of hbsag and anti-hcv in an endemic area. methods: seven years after a community screening, 1002 of 2909 residents of tzukuan township were recruited. hbsag, anti-hcv and alanine transaminase (alt) were checked in all who participated an ... | 2010 | 21054768 |
| molecular epidemiology of hepatitis d virus infection among injecting drug users with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection in taiwan. | an outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection occurred among injecting drug users (idu) in taiwan between 2003 and 2006, when an extremely high prevalence of hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection was also detected. to determine whether clusters of hepatitis d virus (hdv) infection occurred in this outbreak, 4 groups of subjects were studied: group 1, hiv-infected idu (n = 904); group 2, hiv-infected non-idu (n = 880); group 3, hiv-uninfected idu (n = 211); and group 4, hiv-uninfected n ... | 2010 | 21191061 |
| waning immunity and booster responses in nursing and medical technology students who had received plasma-derived or recombinant hepatitis b vaccine during infancy. | the national hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccination program was launched in taiwan in 1984. after november 1992, a recombinant hbv vaccine replaced the plasma-derived hbv vaccine. | 2011 | 21255876 |
| risk of liver injury associated with chinese herbal products containing radix bupleuri in 639,779 patients with hepatitis b virus infection. | chinese herbal products (chps) containing radix bupleuri are often prescribed for chronic hepatitis. there have been no epidemiological studies in populations with hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection. our study was conducted to determine the association between the use of chps containing radix bupleuri and the risk of hospitalisation related to liver injury among hbv-infected patients in taiwan. | 2011 | 21264326 |
| secular trend of the viral genotype distribution in children with chronic hepatitis b virus infection after universal infant immunization. | genotypes b and c are the major hepatitis b virus (hbv) genotypes in taiwan, and genotype c is associated with more severe liver disease than genotype b. whether the implementation of the hepatitis b immunization program has affected the secular trend of the hbv genotype distribution remains unknown. we thus investigated the hbv genotypes in hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag)-carrier children born before the implementation of the universal infant immunization program and in those born afterward ... | 2011 | 21274864 |
| natural history of chronic hepatitis b revealed. | chronic hepatitis b is a worldwide public health challenge. knowledge of natural history of chronic hepatitis b is important for the management of the disease. a community-based prospective cohort study was carried out to evaluate the risk predictors of progression of chronic hepatitis b in taiwan. a total of 23,820 participants were enrolled in 1991-1992 from seven townships in taiwan. their serum samples were collected at study entry and tested for hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) and e ant ... | 2011 | 21323729 |
| hepatitis b virus genotype b results in better immediate, late and sustained responses to peginterferon-alfa in hepatitis-b-e-antigen-positive patients. | this study investigated outcome predictors in hepatitis-b-e-antigen (hbeag)-positive chronic hepatitis b patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a. | 2011 | 21332543 |
| performance of rapid-test kits for the detection of the pandemic influenza a/h1n1 virus. | the early detection of pandemic influenza strains is a key factor for clinicians in treatment decisions and infection control practices. the aims of this study were to determine the analytical sensitivity and clinical performance of the commercially available influenza rapid tests in taiwan. four rapid tests for influenza virus (binaxnow test, quickvue test, tru test, and formosa rapid test) were evaluated for their detection limit against four influenza viruses (the 2009 pandemic influenza a vi ... | 2011 | 21333688 |
| impact of universal vaccination on intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis b virus. | to control hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection, a nationwide vaccination program was launched in 1984 and resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of persistent infection of children. however, the relative contribution of vaccination to the intrafamilial clustering of hbv infection remains unclear. the rate of intrafamilial hbv transmission in vaccinated children was investigated. eighty-four sera from vaccinated children were enrolled and hbv serum markers were determined. the modes of int ... | 2011 | 21360549 |
| comparable ten-year outcome in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis c virus and hepatitis b virus coinfection and single hepatitis b virus infection. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) coinfection in comparison with single hbv infection causes more severe liver disease in nonuremic population. the long-term impact of hbv/hcv coinfection on severity of liver diseases and patient survival in hemodialysis patients is unclear. forty-eight hbv-positive patients and 19 hbv/hcv-positive patients were followed up from february 1996 to september 2006. during 10-year follow-up, there was no difference in acute hepatitis episodes, abnor ... | 2011 | 21372566 |
| incidence and associated risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma in a dural hepatitis b and c virus endemic area: a surveillance study. | the purposes of this study were to determine the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) in dual hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) endemic areas and to assess the associated risk factors of hcc development in the community. during april 2004 to november 2005, 4,127 residents of tainan county, aged 40 years or older, had participated in a comprehensive health examination. among them, residents with hbv or hcv infection; platelet count less than or equal to 150×10(9)/l; and n ... | 2011 | 21421195 |
| insulin, glucose and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in male hepatitis b carriers: results from 17-year follow-up of a population-based cohort. | this study aimed to investigate the association of fasting insulin and glucose levels with hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) risk in a case-cohort study within a cohort (1989-2006) of 2903 male government employees chronically infected with hepatitis b virus (hbv) in taiwan. insulin, glucose and hbv-related factors were assayed in baseline plasma among 124 hcc cases and a random subcohort of 1084 of the total cohort. after adjustment for demographics and hbv-related factors, including viral load an ... | 2011 | 21464041 |
| hepatitis b virus infection and risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and non-hodgkin lymphoma: a cohort study of parous women in taiwan. | few studies have evaluated the risk of cancers other than hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection. this study aimed to estimate incidence rates of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (icc) and non-hodgkin lymphoma (nhl) and its major subtypes in a nationwide cohort of parous women and to assess their associations with chronic hbv infection. we conducted a cohort study including 1,782,401 pregnant taiwanese women whose hbv serostatus was obtained from the national h ... | 2011 | 21480326 |
| development of immunity against hepatitis b virus after donor lymphocyte infusion in a peripheral blood stem cell transplantation recipient with chronic hepatitis b. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection is one of the main concerns in blood and marrow transplantation (bmt) patients for possible breakthrough hepatitis. active recipient immunization against hbv was found to be ineffective and many studies had showed that the adoptive transfer of immunity against hepatitis b virus would be possible by bmt with unknown duration and mechanism. a 46-year-old female patient with chronic hepatitis b had persistent detectable hbv dna and positive serum hepatitis b e anti ... | 2011 | 21544586 |
| efficacy of the nationwide hepatitis b infant vaccination program in taiwan. | background: taiwan launched a nationwide infant vaccination program for hepatitis b (hb) in 1984. objectives: this study evaluated the seroprevalence of hepatitis b virus (hbv) and the incidence of high alanine aminotransferase (alt) level among young adults prior to, during, and since the introduction of the nationwide hbv vaccination program. study design: researchers recruited 101,584 freshmen (male:female=1.114:1; mean age, 18.5±0.5 years) from 21 universities between 1995 and 2009 (birth co ... | 2011 | 21767983 |
| long-term effect of maternal hbeag on delayed hbeag seroconversion in offspring with chronic hepatitis b infection. | background and aims: this cohort study investigated the long-term effect of maternal hepatitis b virus (hbv) sero-status on the spontaneous hbeag seroconversion in offspring with chronic hbv infection. methods: a total of 185 hbeag-positive chronic hbv-infected children, with maternal hbv seromarkers checked, were enrolled. the median age at enrolment and follow-up duration was 5.7 years (range, neonate to 16.5 years) and 20.2 years (range, 4.2-31.0 years) respectively. these children were group ... | 2011 | 21745315 |
| aboriginal taiwanese hepatitis b carriers have more favorable viral factors than han chinese carriers. | several viral factors are associated with disease progression in hepatitis b virus (hbv) carriers. compared with taiwanese han chinese, taiwanese aborigines have a higher prevalence of chronic hbv infection and a higher standardized mortality rate of chronic liver diseases but a lower standardized mortality rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc). the aim of this study was to investigate whether aboriginal taiwanese hbv carriers have more favorable viral factors which reduce the risk for hcc than ... | 2011 | 21678436 |
| changes in serum levels of hbv dna and alanine aminotransferase determine risk for hepatocellular carcinoma. | background & aims: it is not clear whether risk for hepatocellular carcinoma can be accurately determined from long-term changes in serum levels of hepatitis b virus (hbv) dna or alanine aminotransferase (alt). methods: we measured serum levels of hbv dna and alt at enrollment and during follow-up analysis of 3160 participants in the reveal-hbv study. development of hepatocellular carcinoma was determined from follow-up examinations and computerized linkage with national cancer registry and nati ... | 2011 | 21703214 |
| hepatitis b surface antigen confirmatory testing for diagnosis of hepatitis b virus infection in taiwan. | this study aimed to examine the application of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) confirmatory testing when diagnosing hepatitis b infection among young persons in taiwan with a low prevalence rate of hepatitis b infection. hbsag status, the presence of antibodies against hbsag (anti-hbs), and the presence of antibodies against hepatitis b core antigen (anti-hbc) were compared among 403 graduate students (mean age 22.8 -¦ 0.7 years) and 1,745 undergraduate students (18.6 -¦ 1.0 years) from one ... | 2011 | 21739440 |
| Use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-a therapy in hepatitis B virus carriers with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis: A case series in Taiwan. | The use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a therapy in patients with psoriasis who are hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers is usually not recommended, and routine antiviral prophylaxis is suggested for those who need the treatment. We report our experience on the safety of anti-TNF-a therapy in patients with psoriasis who are HBV carriers in our clinic using HBV viral load as a guide for HBV treatment. Between 2007 and 2011, seven HBV carriers receiving TNF-a inhibitors for psoriasis in our clini ... | 2011 | 22077677 |
| Pyogenic liver abscess as the initial manifestation of underlying hepatocellular carcinoma. | Pyogenic liver abscess and hepatocellular carcinoma are common in Taiwan. We investigated the frequency of, risk factors for, and prognosis of pyogenic liver abscess as the initial manifestation of underlying hepatocellular carcinoma over a 12-year period in Taiwan. | 2011 | 22114829 |
| association between chronic viral hepatitis infection and breast cancer risk: a nationwide population-based case-control study. | abstract: introduction: in taiwan, there is a high incidence of breast cancer and a high prevalence of viral hepatitis. in this case-control study, we used a population-based insurance dataset to evaluate whether breast cancer in women is associated with chronic viral hepatitis infection. methods: from the claims data, we identified 1958 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer during the period 2000-2008. a randomly selected, age-matched cohort of 7832 subjects without cancer was selected ... | 2011 | 22115285 |
| cost-effectiveness analysis of prophylactic lamivudine use in preventing vertical transmission of hepatitis b virus infection. | as neonates born to mothers with positive hepatitis b e antigen may not be completely protected by hepatitis b vaccination, prophylactic lamivudine use in mothers with high viraemia has been proposed. however, the overall effectiveness and the balance between cost and benefit for such a prophylactic strategy have rarely been addressed. | 2011 | 22077578 |
| effects of maternal screening and universal immunization to prevent mother-to-infant transmission of hbv. | background & aims: mother-to-infant transmission is the major cause of hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection among immunized children. there has been much debate about screening pregnant women and administering hepatitis b immunoglobulin (hbig) to newborns. we analyzed the rate of hbv infection among children born to hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag)-positive mothers and whether hbig administration reduces transmission. methods: we analyzed data from 2356 children born to hbsag-positive mothers, i ... | 2011 | 22198276 |
| comparison of cryoglobulinemia in children and adults. | background: cryoglobulinemic vasculitis is a systemic vasculitis resulting from circulating immune complex deposition in the small vessels and is characterized by variable clinical features, including purpura, raynaud's syndrome, ulcerations, arthralgia, glomerulonephritis, and peripheral neuropathy. cryoglobulinemia can also result from hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection. the clinical spectrum and associated or underlying diseases of cryoglobulinemia in different age groups is not well understoo ... | 2012 | 22237397 |
| statins and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis b virus infection. | purposestatins have potential protective effects against cancers, but no studies have focused on patients with chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection. the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the use of statins in hbv-infected patients and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc). patients and methodswe conducted a population-based cohort study from the taiwan national health insurance research database. a total of 33,413 hbv-infected patients were included as th ... | 2012 | 22271485 |
| towards the eradication of hepatitis b in taiwan. | viral hepatitides are important public health problems in humans. the etiologic agents were not identified until 1965, when baruch s. blumberg found the relationship of australia antigen to serum hepatitis. the antigen was found to be the surface antigen of the hepatitis b virus (hbv). this observation launched a new era in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hepatitis b. over 15-20 years, the natural history of hbv infection was elucidated, and more importantly, an effective vaccine beca ... | 2012 | 22226055 |
| hospital- and community-based screenings for hepatocellular carcinoma in taiwan. | in taiwan, hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) has been the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality in recent decades. the majority of patients have hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection. the hbv carrier rate and incidence of hcc in children have declined with the implementation of a hepatitis b vaccination program for newborns since 1984. a combination of α-fetoprotein and ultrasonography (us) has been used for surveillance in patients with chronic hbv and hcv infecti ... | 2011 | 22212934 |
| rather than interleukin-27, interleukin-6 expresses positive correlation with liver severity in naïve hepatitis b infection patients. | aims: effective cytokines can drive the commitment of naive t cells to regulate immune response after antigen-mediated activation. aims are to elucidate the clinical role of serum il-27 and il-6 in the different stages of naïve hepatitis b virus (hbv)-infected patients. methods: samples with well-characterized clinical profiles were assessed from 395 hbv-infected patients including chronic hepatitis b (chb) group in 291 patients, liver cirrhosis (lc) group in 57 patients, hepatocellular carcinom ... | 2012 | 22230324 |
| more than a quarter of a century of liver transplantation in kaohsiung chang gung memorial hospital. | liver transplantation has been an accepted treatment for end-stage liver disease since the 1980s. the development of living donor liver transplantation (ldlt) was driven by limited deceased donor organ donation and a response to the growing demand for the option of liver replacement. ldlt is now performed with high rates of success due to judicious donor and recipient selection, careful preoperative planning, excellent anesthesia management, and prompt detection and treatment of complications. t ... | 2011 | 22755415 |
| seroprevalence of hepatitis b virus among adults at high risk for hiv transmission two decades after implementation of nationwide hepatitis b virus vaccination program in taiwan. | seroprevalence of hepatitis b virus (hbv) after implementation of universal neonatal hbv vaccination and catch-up vaccination programs remains rarely investigated among the adults who were born in the vaccination era (in or after 1986) and engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors. | 2014 | 24587275 |
| clinical cancer chemoprevention: from the hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccine to the human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccine. | approximately 2 million new cancer cases are attributed to infectious agents each year worldwide. vaccines for the hepatitis b virus (hbv), a risk factor of hepatocellular cancer, and human papillomavirus (hpv), a risk factor of cervical cancer, are considered major successes in clinical chemoprevention of cancer. in taiwan, the first evidence of cancer prevention through vaccinations was provided by hbv vaccination data in infants. the taiwanese hbv vaccination program has since become a model ... | 2015 | 25951712 |
| on temporal patterns and circulation of influenza virus strains in taiwan, 2008-2014: implications of 2009 ph1n1 pandemic. | it has been observed that, historically, strains of pandemic influenza led to succeeding seasonal waves, albeit with decidedly different patterns. recent studies suggest that the 2009 a(h1n1)pdm09 pandemic has had an impact on the circulation patterns of seasonal influenza strains in the post-pandemic years. in this work we aim to investigate this issue and also to compare the relative transmissibility of these waves of differing strains using taiwan influenza surveillance data before, during an ... | 2016 | 27139905 |
| effects of corticosteroid and neuraminidase inhibitors on survival in patients with respiratory distress induced by influenza virus. | neuraminidase inhibitors (nais) including oseltamivir and peramivir are used for influenza treatment. a systemic corticosteroid is usually administrated for acute respiratory distress syndrome. the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a systemic corticosteroid and its interaction with nais in patients with influenza infection and respiratory distress. | 2015 | 26542650 |
| predicting hepatitis b virus (hbv) surface antigen seroclearance in hbv e antigen-negative patients with chronic hepatitis b: external validation of a scoring system. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) surface antigen (hbsag) seroclearance is the ultimate serological end point in chronic hepatitis b. this study aimed to develop and validate a prediction score for spontaneous hbsag seroclearance in hbv e antigen (hbeag)-negative patients with chronic hepatitis b due to hbv genotype b or c. | 2015 | 25430663 |
| perspectives and control of hepatitis b virus infection in taiwan. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection is endemic in taiwan. after the implementation of universal hepatitis b vaccination, there was a significant reduction of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) seropositivity and hbv-related hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) incidence in children, teenagers, and young adults. however, the incidence of hbv-related hcc in adults remains high. through several community- and hospital-based cohort studies, the viral factors affecting the prognosis of hbv carriers have bee ... | 2015 | 26184565 |
| association between level of hepatitis b surface antigen and relapse after entecavir therapy for chronic hepatitis b virus infection. | we investigated the rate of relapse of hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection after entecavir therapy for chronic hepatitis b and the association between level of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) and relapse. | 2015 | 26073492 |
| metformin and esophageal cancer risk in taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. | this study evaluated whether metformin might reduce esophageal cancer risk. patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed during 1999-2005 were recruited from the reimbursement database of taiwan's national health insurance. those newly treated with metformin (n = 288013, "ever users of metformin") or other antidiabetic drugs (n = 16216, "never users of metformin") were followed until december 31, 2011. sensitivity analyses were conducted in a matched-pair sample of 16216 never users and 1621 ... | 2016 | 27861146 |
| incidence and clinical characteristics of hepatitis b virus reactivation in hbsag-negative/hbcab-positive patients receiving rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis. | to analyse the incidence, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (ra) and hepatitis b virus (hbv) surface antigen negative/core antibody positive serostatus (hbsag-/hbcab+), who underwent rituximab therapy and developed hbv reactivation. | 2017 | 28375829 |
| the impact of hepatitis b virus infection and vaccination on the development of non-hodgkin lymphoma. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection has been documented as a risk factor for non-hodgkin lymphoma (nhl). however, there are few large cohort studies, and there is no report about the impact of hbv vaccination. we conducted this study to evaluate these issues. | 2017 | 28375587 |
| statins decrease the risk of decompensation in hbv- and hcv-related cirrhosis: a population-based study. | statin decreased the risk of decompensation and mortality in veteran patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis c virus (hcv). whether this beneficial effect can be extended to cirrhosis in general population or cirrhosis with other causes, such as hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection and alcohol, remains unknown. statin also decreased the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) in patients with chronic hbv and hcv infection. it is unclear whether the effect can be observed in patients already with ci ... | 2017 | 28318053 |
| multicenter study of skin rashes and hepatotoxicity in antiretroviral-naïve hiv-positive patients receiving non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor plus nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors in taiwan. | two nucleos(t)ide reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (nrtis) plus 1 non-nrti (nnrti) remain the preferred or alternative combination antiretroviral therapy (cart) for antiretroviral-naive hiv-positive patients in taiwan. the three most commonly used nnrtis are nevirapine (nvp), efavirenz (efv) and rilpivirine (rpv). this study aimed to determine the incidences of hepatotoxicity and skin rashes within 4 weeks of initiation of cart containing 1 nnrti plus 2 nrtis. | 2017 | 28222098 |
| chronologic changes in serum hepatitis b virus dna, genotypes, surface antigen mutants and reverse transcriptase mutants during 25-year nationwide immunization in taiwan. | we investigated breakthrough infection and hepatitis b virus (hbv) genetic changes in immunized subjects after 25 years of a universal infant immunization. specifically, serum hbv dna, genotypes, surface antigen mutants and nucleoside analog-resistant (nar) mutants were assessed in 2853 subjects (<25 years old) surveyed in 2009, and these data were compared with the data from previous serosurveys. a comparison across different age-stratified groups using the 2009 data revealed a significant incr ... | 2017 | 28182307 |
| a follow-up study on the renal protective efficacy of telbivudine for hepatitis b virus-infected taiwanese patients after living donor liver transplant. | preservation of renal function is an important issue after living donor liver transplant. we aimed to examine the renal protective efficacy of telbivudine in hepatitis b virus-infected patients after living donor liver transplant. | 2017 | 28004999 |
| hepatitis b viremia in completely immunized individuals negative for anti-hepatitis b core antibody. | the presence of anti-hepatitis b virus (hbv) core antibody (anti-hbc) is considered a sensitive lifetime marker of hbv infection. here, we examined this dogma by investigating the prevalence of hepatitis b viremia in anti-hbc negative complete vaccines in taiwan.a total of 795 participants (1.7-20.0 years old) had completed hbv vaccination in infancy and were anti-hbc negative. serum samples were available for 460 individuals with isolated anti-hbv surface antibodies (anti-hbs) (hbsag-negative a ... | 2016 | 27930595 |
| relationship between uveitis, different types of viral hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis: a 12-year nationwide population-based cohort study. | this study investigates whether patients with viral hepatitis and cirrhosis are at risk of uveitis in the years following hepatitis. | 2016 | 27870801 |
| kidney cancer linked to chronic hepatitis in the asia-pacific: a population-based analysis. | the association of renal cancer with viral hepatitis infection remains unclear. using an insurance data set, this population-based case-control study evaluated the association of renal cancer with chronic hepatitis virus infection in an endemic area of hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection. | 2017 | 27866208 |
| chronic hepatitis infection is associated with extrahepatic cancer development: a nationwide population-based study in taiwan. | hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) are the major causes of chronic hepatitis infection (chi). this longitudinal cohort study investigated the association of chi with hepatic and extrahepatic cancer development in taiwan. | 2016 | 27821099 |
| hepatitis d virus infections among injecting drug users with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection in taiwan. | in taiwan, injecting drug use has been the main route of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) transmission since 2005, with hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis d virus (hdv) also having similar transmission routes. this has now become an important public health issue. the aim of this study is to explore the conditions of hdv infections between injecting drug users (idus) with and without hiv infection in southern taiwan. in this study, 87 idus were enrolled, including 27 anti-hdv seronegative id ... | 2016 | 27742037 |
| association of hepatitis b virus infection with decreased ischemic stroke. | inflammatory processes (both infections and autoimmune diseases) may cause endothelial dysfunction and arterial atherosclerosis, subsequently increasing the risk of acute ischemic stroke (ais). in this investigation, we analyzed the association between hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection and ais risk. | 2016 | 27696367 |
| predictive factors for anti-hbs status after 1 booster dose of hepatitis b vaccine. | in taiwan, infants need to receive 3 doses of hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccine under the public health policy from the government. however, there are many young adults who even though received complete hbv vaccination in their childhood would lose the positive response of anti-hepatitis b surface antibody (hbs) and need the booster dose of hbv vaccine. the aim of our study is to determine the powerful predictive factor for screening the candidates who need only 1 booster dose of hb vaccine then t ... | 2016 | 27684874 |
| antiplatelet therapy is associated with a better prognosis for patients with hepatitis b virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection. | recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) with unsatisfactory survival is common after surgical resection. antiplatelet therapy with aspirin or clopidogrel was recently shown to prevent hepatic carcinogenesis in a murine model, but its effect in humans had not been clarified. this study aimed to investigate the association between antiplatelet therapy and the outcomes for patients with hepatitis b virus (hbv)-related hcc after liver resection. | 2016 | 27541812 |
| does pay-for-performance program increase providers adherence to guidelines for managing hepatitis b and hepatitis c virus infection in taiwan? | many people are concerned about that the quality of preventive care for patients with hepatitis b virus (hbv) and hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection is suboptimal. taiwan, a hyperendemic area of chronic hbv and hcv infection, implemented a nationwide pay-for-performance (p4p) program in 2010, which aimed to improve the preventive care provided to hbv and hcv patients by increasing physicians' adherence to guidelines through financial incentives. the objective of this study was to evaluate the ear ... | 2016 | 27517172 |
| long-term effects of hepatitis b immunization of infants in preventing liver cancer. | the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) increases with age, but protective antibody responses decrease with time after infants are immunized against hepatitis b virus (hbv). we investigated whether immunization of infants against hbv prevents their developing hcc as adults. we also searched for strategies to maximize the cancer-preventive effects. | 2016 | 27269245 |
| hepatitis b virus infection is a risk factor for periprosthetic joint infection among males after total knee arthroplasty: a taiwanese nationwide population-based study. | periprosthetic joint infection (pji) is a grave complication that can affect patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (tka). in this study, we aim to determine whether hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection is a risk factor for pjis.all patients (1184 males, 3435 females) undergoing primary tka in taiwan from 2001 to 2010 were recruited for analysis.the incidence of pji was 523 among the males with hbv infection and 110 among the males without hbv (per 10,000 person-years, p < 0.001). the males wi ... | 2016 | 27258517 |
| statin-induced liver injury in an area endemic for hepatitis b virus infection: risk factors and outcome analysis. | statin-induced liver injury (sili) is quite rare, but may be severe. little is known about the impact of chronic hepatitis b infection (chbi) on sili. we aimed to investigate the risk factors and outcome of sili, with special reference to its interaction with chbi. | 2016 | 27197051 |
| continuing decrease in hepatitis b virus infection 30 years after initiation of infant vaccination program in taiwan. | taiwan began a universal hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccination program for infants in july 1984. the seroprevalence of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) decreased from 9.8% before the vaccination program to less than 1% by 25 years afterward. we continued to monitor hbv infections in this population. | 2016 | 27155556 |
| sexual dimorphic metabolic alterations in hepatitis c virus-infected patients: a community-based study in a hepatitis b/hepatitis c virus hyperendemic area. | the impact of sex on metabolic alterations in individuals with hepatitis b virus (hbv) or hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection remains elusive.a community-based study was performed to assess sex, age, body mass index, the lipid profile, blood pressure, glucose, alanine aminotransferase, hbv surface antigen (hbsag), and hcv antibody levels, smoking and alcohol drinking habits, and cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular events, and renal diseases. the hcv-rna level ... | 2016 | 27149466 |