FOROUTAN H, GHOFRANI H, . MIRMOMEN S, KAZEMI ASL S, FARAHVASH M, NASIRI TOUSI M. IMMUNOGENICITY OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN MULTI - TRANSFUSED THALASSEMIC PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT HEPATITIS C INFECTION: A COMP ARA TIVE STUDY WITH HEAL THY CONTROLS. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2004; 18 (3) :211-217
URL:
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-588-en.html
From the Department of1nternal Medicine.Imom Hospital. Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
Abstract: (5653 Views)
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent in thalassemic patients,
and this may decrease the serum antibody response to hepatitis B virus (HBV)
vaccine. There is also some alteration of the immune system in multi-transfused
thalassemic patients, as a consequence of iron overload. We investigated whether
HCY infection may reduce the effectiveness of HBY vaccine in multi -
transfused thalassemic patients. Subjects were cited and studied prospectively in
three groups: group I: 125 multi-transfused thalassemic patients with negative
serum HCY antibody group 2: 96 multi-transfused thalassemic patients with
positive serum HCV antibody (ELISA II), in at least 2 different occasions group
3: 100 healthy subjects. Matching was performed between three groups in sex,
age and body mass index and subjects in all groups had negative serum HBsAg,
anti-HBc and anti-HBs and received three 20 flgr/dose injections of recombinant
HBV vaccine (Heberbiovac HB) in months 0, 1, 6. Anti-HBs titer was obtained
one month after the last dose of vaccine and it was considered seroprotective if it
was 2: 10 lUlL. Seroprotection rate was 83.2% in group 1 and 80.2% in group 2
(p=0.74) and was 86% in healthy subjects, which didn't significantly differ with
HCV positive and negative thalassemics (p>0.05). Moreover, the mean values of
ALT among the responders and non-responder thalassemic patients were 55.5 ±
4 l .9 and 57.4 ± 48.5 U/L respectively(p=0.802). During vaccination periods,
patients in all 3 groups did not show any significant adverse reactions. Our study
shows that three standard doses of HBV vaccine are immunogenic and safe in
multi-transfused thalassemic patients with or without HCV infection.