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Biomedical subjects

Y Atono

Publications and source records attributed to Y Atono.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Clinical significance of serum HBVDNA detected by the PCR method.

Changes in serum HBVDNA and their relationship to the prognosis following interferon (IFN) therapy were examined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 4 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection undergoing IFN therapy. The disappearance of HBVDNA was confirmed by the PCR methods in 3 out of 4 patients who showed favorable subsequent courses. The remaining patient was positive for HBVDNA despite the disappearance of the HBe antigen. In this patient, the hepatitis recurred, and was accompanied by a persistent hepatic disorder. The PCR assay was also carried out to clarify the involvement of the hepatitis B virus in 12 patients who were positive for the HBe antibody and who showed fluctuating transaminase levels. The PCR method revealed that all 12 patients were positive for HBVDNA. These findings indicate the clinical usefulness of the PCR assay for hepatitis B virus infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Effectiveness of 6-month intermittent administration of natural human interferon-alpha against non-A non-B chronic hepatitis.

Interferon (IFN) was administered intermittently for 6 months to the patients with non-A non-B chronic hepatitis (CHNANB), and the effectiveness of the treatment for improving the hepatic function was evaluated. Of 26 patients with CHNANB, 16 received intermittent IFN therapy (IFN group), and 10 were treated by conventional therapies without IFN (non-IFN group). All patients were observed for 1 year. IFN was administered once a day at 3 MU in principle (1 MU in some patients and 6 MU in 1 patient) daily for 1 week immediately after the beginning of the therapy and 3 times a week for the subsequent 6 months at the outpatient clinic. The patients were followed up for at least 6 months after completion of the treatment. In the IFN group, the serum GPT level normalized in 11 (68.8%) of the 16 patients 1 year after the beginning of the treatment. In these 11 patients (normalized group), HCV-RNA was negative or became negative in 3 of the 6 patients in whom the serum HCV-RNA could be examined. Histological grades of inflammation in the liver were also markedly alleviated in the normalized group. The hepatic function did not normalize in any of the 10 patients in the non-IFN group. These findings indicate that IFN therapy is useful for CHNANB.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1991

[A study on hepatic dysfunction associated with rubella infection].

We had 11 patients with rubella infection accompanied by hepatic dysfunction from 1979 through 1989. The elevations of sGOT were moderate, but sLDH levels were high. Extra hepatic manifestations were suspected by analysis of LDH isozymes. In 9 out of 11 patients, the sGPT levels returned to normal within 8 weeks. But prolonged courses of abnormal transaminase levels were observed in 2 patients. One was accompanied by underlying chronic hepatitis type non-A, non-B, and the other was supposed to have a prolonged rubella infection. Liver biopsy specimen taken from one patient in the acute phase demonstrated a non-specific reactive hepatitis. These observations suggest that rubella infection should be taken into consideration in making the diagnosis of sporadic hepatitis type non-A, non-B.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Kinetics of C-reactive protein in acute viral hepatitis.

The significance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in acute viral hepatitis was studied by measuring the serum CRP level in patients with acute hepatitis type A (AHA), B (AHB), and non-A, non-B (AHNANB) and examining its localization in liver biopsy specimens by the immunohistochemical method. The mean value of the serum CRP level determined by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), was markedly increased in the acute phase of AHA and AHB, particularly the former. It decreased rapidly in both AHA and AHB during the convalescent phase, but was generally low in AHNANB with no marked difference between the acute phase and the convalescent phase. Under light microscopy, CRP was stained in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, and immuno-reactive products were observed in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) by electron microscopy. In the acute phase, the intensity of staining was slightly greater in AHA, decreasing during the convalescent phase in AHA and AHB, but only weak staining was observed in all patients with AHNANB. Evaluation of CRP may be useful for clarification of differences in clinical manifestations and the mechanisms of inflammation among different types of hepatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

[Hepatitis B vaccination in alcoholics].

The immune response after HB vaccination (20 micrograms, 3 times) was investigated in 15 alcoholics and the immunological background was also studied before the vaccination in some of these cases. Anti-HBs was detected in only 8 (53.3%) out of 15 vaccinated alcoholics and the anti-HBs titers of these 8 responders were less than 16 cut off index at the last observation. Immunologically, peripheral lymphocyte count and/or the OKT4/OKT8 ratio of lymphocytes in 2 alcoholics (non-responders to vaccination) were lower than those in a control case (good responder). But, there were no differences in serum anti-HAV, anti-EBNA positive rates, immunoglobulin levels and blastogenesis by PHA, Con-A between responders and non-responders. These data suggest that poor response to HB vaccination is probably due to an impaired cellular immunity in alcoholics and the necessity of re-vaccination for no or low responders should be considered.

Adult↗