Hepatocyte enlargement contributes to portal hypertension in chronic liver disease

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THE ANTI-HBc TITRE MAY PREDICT THE RESPONSETO HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN SUBJECTS PRESENTING ANTI-HBc ONLY. P.Filippini,E.Sagne]li,F.M.Felaco,P.Peinetti,C.Pu]elia,E.Buonagurio, L.Aprea, F.Piccinino,G.Giusti. Clin.lnfect.Dis.,Chairs Comm.Med. and Clin.Virol.,Ist School of Medicine,University of Naptes, ltaIy. Thirty-three healthy subjects(median age:37 years,range 31-57;male /female ratio:1.4)wtth anti-HBc as the only serum marker of HBV infection were given 3 doses of HEVAC-B Pasteur at monthly intervals.We also studied a control group of 18 anti-HBs and anti-HBc negativesubjects comparable to the anti-HBc positive group as for age,sex and risk factors involved.The t i t r e of anti-HBs was determined by RIA a month after the 3rd dose.We also determined by RIA antiHBc,in 10-,100-,1000- fold diluted sera obtained before vaccination.One month after the 3rd dose of vaccine the geometric mean of the anti-HBs t i t r e in the anti-HBc positive subjects was below that of the anti-HBc negative contro~1.2 vs.58.3%).No subject showedan anamnestic response to the vaccine.Titres of anti-HBs ~50 mIU/ml were observed in 64% of the 11 subjects with an anti-HBc t i t r e < 1:10, in 38% of the subjects with a t i t r e between 1:10 and 1:100 and in none of 7subjects with a t i t r e ~ 1:100.The two patients with antt-HBc titre 1:1000 did not produce anti-HBs.The response to the vaccine was very scanty indeed in the 7 subjects with an anti-HBc t i t r e between 1:100 and 1:IOOO(geometric mean of anti-HBs=6.77 mIU/ml).The high t t t r e of antt-HBc and the poor response to the vaccine could indicate that these subjects may carry a concealed HBV replication despite the fact that HBsAg was not detected in serum by monociona] EIA.Our data suggest that hepatitis B vaccine is useless for subjects with an anti-HBc t i t r e ~ 1:100. Supported by CNR,Rome, Grant No. 86.01592.52 .

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HEPATOCYTE ~

CONTRIBUTES TO PORTAL HYPERTENSION IN CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE

G.F. Finucci, C. M~rkel, *V.Terribile Wiel Matin, M.T. Fecchio, S. Bellon, A.Gatta R. Zuin. Departments of Clinical M ~ i c i n e * and Pathology- University of Padua- v. Giustiniani 2- 35100 Padua- Italy. The aim of this ~Drk was to evaluate the relationships between hepatocyte enlargement and portal hypertension in chronic liver disease (CLD). Eighteen patients, aged 48+ 9 years (ten affected by alcoholic cirrhosis, seven by non-alcoholic cirrhosis, one by non-cirrhotic chronic li~_r disease) ~-re studied by measuring porto-hepatic gradient (PHG) - using hepatic vein catheterization- and hepatocyte surface area under light microscopy in biopsy specimens (calculated by dividing the surface areas by the nuaber of nuclei of hepatocytes). Results: Mean PHG was 18+ 6 mm Hg. No diffe1"ence was found b e ~

patients with alcoholic

and non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Mean h ~ p a t o c ~ - s u r f a c e area was 337+ 73 ~m z . No difference was observed between patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhosis. A significant correlation was found (r= 0.65; n= 12 ; p
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