Double-dose hepatitis B vaccination in cirrhotic patients on a liver transplant waiting list

• Main Author: Bonazzi,Patricia R.
• Publication Date: 2008
• Other Authors: Bacchella,Telesforo, Freitas,Angela C., Osaki,Karina T., Lopes,Marta H., Freire,Maristela P., Machado,Marcel C.C., Abdala,Edson
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702008000400009
• topic: Vaccine; cirrhotic; hepatitis B; liver transplant

Development of immunity to hepatitis B virus in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplantation is highly desirable. Though a double-dose regimen is available, little is know about its effectiveness. We examined the efficacy of double-dose hepatitis B virus vaccination in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplantation. We studied 43 patients who were waiting for liver transplantation. They were vaccinated with three doses of 40 mg hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months; the normal dose is 20 mg. Efficacy was measured based on seroconversion of anti-HBs. Global response to the primary vaccination scheme was 67.5% (29 patients). Forty-one per cent of responders had anti-HBs titers above 1,000 IU/mL. No factors were associated with response, based on multivariate analysis. The vaccination scheme of 40 mg at 0, 1 and 6 months was superior to conventional vaccination doses (20 mg) for cirrhotic patients on a waiting list for liver transplantation.