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Hepatitis B vaccination

Response of alcoholic with and without liver injury

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Abstract

Alcoholics are at risk to develop hepatitis B infections, chronic active hepatitis, and even hepatoma. Hence, immunization with hepatitis B vaccine is recommended. However, immune abnormalities may coexist which alter their responsiveness to vaccination. This study compares the immune response to this vaccine in controls (group I), alcoholics without overt liver disease (group II), and alcoholics with clinical liver disease (group III). By the seventh month after the initial vaccination, 89% in group I, 70% in group II, and 18% in group III had a response >36 RIA units. The magnitude of the response was significantly different in groups I, II, and III (19,456 vs 8,326 vs 153 RIA units, respectively; P <0.05, group I vs III). In those who did not respond, a significant (P < 0.02) lower helper/inducer (T 4)class of lymphocytes was observed as compared to patients who exhibited an adequate response. These observations suggest: (1) that the response to hepatitis B vaccine is a T-cell-dependent event and (2) that in this population, using the existing vaccine, postvaccination evaluations of antibody concentrations are needed before protection against hepatitis B infection can be assumed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VA Medical Center, Hepatic Research Laboratory, 151F, 3200 Vine Street, 45220, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Charles Mendenhall MD, PhD, Gary A. Roselle MD, Lisa A. Lybecker PharmD, Laine E. Marshall PharmD, Charles J. Grossman PhD, Steven A. Myre PharmD, Robert E. Weesner MD & David D. Morgan PhD

  2. Department of Medicine, The College of Pharmacy, USA

    Charles Mendenhall MD, PhD, Gary A. Roselle MD, Lisa A. Lybecker PharmD, Laine E. Marshall PharmD, Charles J. Grossman PhD, Steven A. Myre PharmD, Robert E. Weesner MD & David D. Morgan PhD

  3. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Charles Mendenhall MD, PhD, Gary A. Roselle MD, Lisa A. Lybecker PharmD, Laine E. Marshall PharmD, Charles J. Grossman PhD, Steven A. Myre PharmD, Robert E. Weesner MD & David D. Morgan PhD

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Charles Mendenhall MD, PhD, Gary A. Roselle MD, Lisa A. Lybecker PharmD, Laine E. Marshall PharmD, Charles J. Grossman PhD, Steven A. Myre PharmD, Robert E. Weesner MD & David D. Morgan PhD

Authors
  1. Charles Mendenhall MD, PhD
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  2. Gary A. Roselle MD
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  3. Lisa A. Lybecker PharmD
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  4. Laine E. Marshall PharmD
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  5. Charles J. Grossman PhD
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  6. Steven A. Myre PharmD
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  7. Robert E. Weesner MD
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  8. David D. Morgan PhD
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Additional information

This research was funded by the Veterans Administration, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Merck, Sharp and Dohme Laboratories.

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Mendenhall, C., Roselle, G.A., Lybecker, L.A. et al. Hepatitis B vaccination. Digest Dis Sci 33, 263–269 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01535747

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01535747

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