Anticomplementary Hepatitis B Antigen: Prognostic Importance in Chronic Active Liver Disease

Gary L. Gitnick, William H.j. Summerskill, Roger D. Soloway, Susan Ritman, Leslie J. Schoenfield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Prognostic importance of anticomplementary hepatitis B antigen (HB Ag) tests among 63 patients with chronic active liver disease was assessed in a prospective controlled treatment trial. Patients were assigned randomly to groups receiving placebo, prednisone, azathioprine, or a prednisone-azathioprine combination. A positive result was correlated with poor prognosis and treatment failure in 11 of 18 patients receiving placebo or azathioprine. In contrast, marked improvement in prognosis occurred in 12 of 14 patients receiving prednisone or a prednisone-azathioprine combination (P<.05). Patients with (P<.05). assays had a worse prognosis than did those whose sera were either HB Ag-positive or HB Ag-negative. Lupus erythematosus and smooth muscle antibody tests did not distinguish subgroups or influence response to treatment or prognosis. Among patients with chronic active liver disease, an anticomplementary assay indicates a more urgent need for prednisone treatment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)502-505
Number of pages4
JournalArchives of Internal Medicine
Volume132
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1973
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

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