BACKGROUND: Chronic severe hepatitis B patients often have limited survival. This investigation aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of nucleoside analog therapy on chronic severe hepatitis B. METHODS: We retrospe...BACKGROUND: Chronic severe hepatitis B patients often have limited survival. This investigation aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of nucleoside analog therapy on chronic severe hepatitis B. METHODS: We retrospectively, randomly collected the data of 129 chronic severe hepatitis B patients: 55 were treated with entecavir, and the remaining 74 were not treated with nucleoside analogues. RESULTS: No significant difference in short-term survival rate was found between the group treated with entecavir and that treated without nucleoside analogues. Although entecavir greatly reduced HBV replication in different periods of therapy (P<0.001), the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and liver function (alanine aminotransferase, albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) showed no significant change. No significant differences were found in MELD scores and liver function in patients with different HBV DNA levels (<= 10(4) copies/ml, >10(4) to <10(6) copies/ml, >= 10(6) copies/ml). Nor correlation was observed between HBV DNA levels and MELD scores in different periods of therapy (P>0.05). The HBV DNA levels of patients who survived for over 3 months or less than 3 months were not significantly different either. However, the MELD score and parameters of liver function (albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) were different between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that short-term suppression of HBV replication may not slow down the progression of liver failure in patients with chronic severe hepatitis B.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Some patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) may require surgery mainly because of intractable pain, suspicion of malignancy, or complications related to CP. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of sur...BACKGROUND: Some patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) may require surgery mainly because of intractable pain, suspicion of malignancy, or complications related to CP. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of surgical treatment for patients with CP in terms of pain relief, control of local complications, and pancreatic endocrine/exocrine function. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with CP were treated surgically at our hospital from June 1985 to November 2005. The clinical data of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The follow-up time ranged from 8 to 130 months with a median of 60.6 months. No patients were lost to follow-up. All patients had improvement of clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, steatorrhea and weight loss, to some degree, especially pain relief in patients with good dilation and high pressure of the main pancreatic duct. The endocrine and exocrine functions were not alleviated in all patients, otherwise the impaired glucose tolerance was improved in 8 (30.8%), 15 (57.7%) maintained the same body weight, one (3.8%) had an acute attack of CP, and 2 (7.7%) developed pancreatic carcinoma in the 16th and 28th month postoperatively and died within 3 years after operation for CP. The 1-, 3-, 5-year pain-free rates of CP patients were 96.2% (25/26), 88.5% (23/26) and 84.6% (22/26), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with CP, surgical treatment is a safe procedure and can effectively relieve pain and control local complications; also, it is helpful to improve the quality of life for patients with pancreatitis, and to control the development of this disease.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND: Chronic severe hepatitis B patients often have limited survival. This investigation aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of nucleoside analog therapy on chronic severe hepatitis B. METHODS: We retrospectively, randomly collected the data of 129 chronic severe hepatitis B patients: 55 were treated with entecavir, and the remaining 74 were not treated with nucleoside analogues. RESULTS: No significant difference in short-term survival rate was found between the group treated with entecavir and that treated without nucleoside analogues. Although entecavir greatly reduced HBV replication in different periods of therapy (P<0.001), the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and liver function (alanine aminotransferase, albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) showed no significant change. No significant differences were found in MELD scores and liver function in patients with different HBV DNA levels (<= 10(4) copies/ml, >10(4) to <10(6) copies/ml, >= 10(6) copies/ml). Nor correlation was observed between HBV DNA levels and MELD scores in different periods of therapy (P>0.05). The HBV DNA levels of patients who survived for over 3 months or less than 3 months were not significantly different either. However, the MELD score and parameters of liver function (albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time) were different between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that short-term suppression of HBV replication may not slow down the progression of liver failure in patients with chronic severe hepatitis B.
文摘BACKGROUND: Some patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) may require surgery mainly because of intractable pain, suspicion of malignancy, or complications related to CP. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of surgical treatment for patients with CP in terms of pain relief, control of local complications, and pancreatic endocrine/exocrine function. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with CP were treated surgically at our hospital from June 1985 to November 2005. The clinical data of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The follow-up time ranged from 8 to 130 months with a median of 60.6 months. No patients were lost to follow-up. All patients had improvement of clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, steatorrhea and weight loss, to some degree, especially pain relief in patients with good dilation and high pressure of the main pancreatic duct. The endocrine and exocrine functions were not alleviated in all patients, otherwise the impaired glucose tolerance was improved in 8 (30.8%), 15 (57.7%) maintained the same body weight, one (3.8%) had an acute attack of CP, and 2 (7.7%) developed pancreatic carcinoma in the 16th and 28th month postoperatively and died within 3 years after operation for CP. The 1-, 3-, 5-year pain-free rates of CP patients were 96.2% (25/26), 88.5% (23/26) and 84.6% (22/26), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with CP, surgical treatment is a safe procedure and can effectively relieve pain and control local complications; also, it is helpful to improve the quality of life for patients with pancreatitis, and to control the development of this disease.
