Hepatitis B Virus

The NIH announced a plan to “intensify” ongoing hepatitis B virus research that is focused on finding a cure and improving screening and treatment for the infection.

Screening all patients with solid tumors for hepatitis B before they underwent chemotherapy was the most cost-effective strategy, compared with not screening or only screening high-risk patients, according to a published study.

Patients with liver disease, especially those with advanced liver disease, may face comorbid renal-related complications including impaired renal function and hepatorenal syndrome. Liver disease and kidney care have also been tied lately between use of hepatitis C-infected kidneys in nonviremic patients.

This year’s The Liver Meeting provided many exciting updates for viral hepatitis care ranging from steps toward eliminating hepatitis C to improving hepatitis B treatment options through data on hepatitis D.

Trio Health presented results from four studies at The Liver Meeting 2019 that showed novel outcomes in patients treated for hepatitis B with Vemlidy or hepatitis C with Vosevi.

BOSTON — Triple combination therapy with lonafarnib, ritonavir, and Lambda for chronic hepatitis D appeared safe and tolerable for up to 6 months in most patients and led to high rates of RNA decline, according to data presented at The Liver Meeting 2019.

ATLANTA — Less than a quarter of patients in a national rheumatology registry were screened for hepatitis B or C prior to initiating biologics or a new synthetic DMARDs, despite their potential increased risk for viral hepatitis reactivation, according to data presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting.

BOSTON — In this exclusive video from The Liver Meeting 2019, Douglas T. Dieterich, MD, director of the Institute for Liver Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses results of a study that showed that loss of surface antigen among individuals coinfected with HIV and chronic hepatitis B virus infection was similar to rates previously reported in patients with HBV monoinfection.

Researchers are beginning to define the early steps toward a potential hepatitis B cure. In the meantime, hepatitis B care remains focused on finding patients for treatment, providing long-term therapy, and monitoring viral loads.

NEW ORLEANS — Quality improvement projects focused on education and multidisciplinary cooperation have been successful at improving hepatitis B vaccination rates among neonates, according to a pair of studies presented at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition.