Background Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious health problem worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have been widely used to treat chronic liver diseases, and many controlled trials have been done to investigate their efficacy. Objectives To assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for chronic hepatitis B infection. Search strategy Searches were applied to the following electronic databases: the CHBG Trials Register, the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field Trials-Register, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and BIOSIS. Five Chinese journals and conference proceedings were handsearched. No language restriction was used. Selection criteria Randomized or quasi-randomized trials with at least three months follow-up. Thais of Chinese medicinal herbs (single or compound) compared with placebo, no intervention, general non-specific treatment or interferon treatment were included. Trials of Chinese medicinal herbs plus interferon versus interferon alone were also included. Trials could be double-blind, single-blind or not blinded. Data collection and analysis Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The methodological quality of trials was evaluated using the Jadad-scale plus allocation concealment. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Main Resuits Nine randomized trials, including 936 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was considered adequate in only one trial. There was a significant funnel plot asymmetry (regression coefficient= 3.37, standard error 1.40, P=0.047). Ten different medicinal herbs were tested in the nine trials. Compared to non-specific treatment or placebo, Fuzheng Jiedu Tang (compound of herbs) showed significantly positive effects on clearance of serum HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA; Polyporus umbellatus, polysaccharide on serum HBeAg and HBV DNA; Phyllanthus amarus on serum HBeAg. Phyllanthus compound and kurorinone showed no significant effect on clearance of serum HBeAg and HBV DNA and on alanine aminotransferase normalization compared to interferon treatment. There were no significant effects of the other examined herbs. Reviewer’s conclusions Some Chinese medicinal herbs may work in chronic hepatitis B. However, the evidence too weak to recommend any single herb. Rigorously designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are required.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of genus Phyllanthus for chronic HBV infection. Design a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Methods Randomized trials comparing genus Phyllanthus versus placebo, no intervention, general non-specific treatment, other herbal medicine, or interferon treatment for chronic HBV infection were identified by electronic and manual searches. Trials of Phyllanthus herb plus interferon versus interferon alone were also included. No blinding and language limitations were applied. The methodological quality of trials was assesses, by the Jadadscale plus allocation concealment. Results Twenty-two randomized trials (n=1 947) were identified. The methodological quality was high in five double blind trials and rest was low. The combined results showed that Phyllanthus species had positive effect on clearance of serum HBsAg (relative risk 5.64, 95%C1 1.85 to 17.21) compared with placebo or no intervention. There was no significant difference on clearance of serum HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA between Phyllanthus and interferon. Phyllanthus species were better than non-specific treatment or other herbal medicines on clearance of serum HBeAg, HBeAg, HBV DNA, and liver enzyme normalization. Analyses showed a better effect of the Phyllanthus plus interferon combination on clearance of serum (1.56, 1.06 to 2.32) and HBV DNA (1.52, 1.05 to 2.21) than interferon alone. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions Based on the review Phyllanthus species may have positive effect on antiviral activity and liver biochemistry in chronic HBV infection. However, the evidence is not b due to the general low methodological quality and the variations of the herb. Further large trials are needed.
Objective To investigate the current situation of randomized controlled trials or clinical controlled trial (RCT/CCT) on chronic hepatitis B and whether to offer reliable evidence for clinical practice in China. Methods RCT/CCT identified from six Chinese clinical journals were searched manually and assessed according to international standard of evidence-based medicine. Results 308 issues containing 212 therapeutic articles and 88 RCT/CCT on chronic hepatitis B were identified and analyzed. Conclusion the quantity and quality of RCT/CCT of chronic hepatitis B did not meet the need of clinical practice.
Objective To assess the efficacy of lamivudine in patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B.Methods MEDLINE, SCI, Current Content Connect, The Cochrane Library, and Chinese Biomedical Database were searched from the beginning to September 2005, and the references of eligible studies were manually screened. R.andomized controlled trials comparing lamivudine with non-antiviral interventions （ placebo, no treatment and standard care ） in patients with chronic hepatitis B were eligible for inclusion. Two investigators independently assessed the quality and extracted the data. Heterogeneity was examined by Chi-square test. Fixed and random effect meta-analysis were used to pool the data. Subgroup analyses were used in treatment course. Results Eleven R.CTs were included （ n = 1 237 ）. All reported the effect of lamivudine （100 mg/d） , and one of them included lamivudine （25 mg/d）. The treatment duration of 52 weeks and less than 26 weeks were reported in eight and three RCTs, respectively. Six RCTs adequately applied randomization, while other five RCTs were not reported in detail. Four RCTs adequately enforced allocation concealment, five RCTs enforced blinding bitterly. The others were not reported in detail. It was found by meta-analysis that, compared with the control, lamivudine （100 mg/d, 52 W） could significantly clear HBeAg [42.6% vs. 13% , RR 3.20, 95% CI （2.33, 4. 38）] and clearHBVDNA [71.78% vs. 20, 36%, RR3.42, 95%CI （2.80,4.19）], normalize ALT [65% vs. 34.9%, RR1.91, 95%CI （1.64,2.21）], achieve HBeAgseroconversion [16.1% vs. 7.29% , RR2.12, 95%CI （1.24,3.80） ] and histology response [57. 9% vs. 26.2%, RR 2. 17, 95% CI （ 1.67,2.81 ） ] ; Lanfivudine （100 mg/ d, 12 W） could effectively clear HBV DNA [ 50.7% vs 3.92% , RR 8.68, 95% CI （1.72,43.74 ） ] , but was not effective in loss of HBeAg, HBeAg seroconversion and normalization of ALT, Lamivudine （25 mg/d） could effectively clear HBV DNA [97.7% vs. 22.2% , RR 4.41, 95% CI （2.86,6.79） ] and improve histology response [59.3% vs. 30% , RR1.98, 95% CI （1.31,2.99 ） ], but was not effective in HBeAg seroconversion. Conclusions Lamivudine （100 mg/ d） is effective in clearing HBV DNA and HBeAg, normalizing ALT and achieving HBeAg seroconversion.
目的 观察阿德福韦酯联合胸腺五肽治疗乙型肝炎病毒e抗原（HBeAg）阳性慢性乙型肝炎2年的疗效。 方法 2007年1月－2009年1月间178例慢性乙型肝炎患者随机分为试验组91例和对照组87例。试验组给予胸腺五肽1 mg，隔日皮下注射，疗程52周；同时阿德福韦酯10 mg/d口服104周。对照组给予阿德福韦酯10 mg/d，口服104周。治疗26、52、104周及停药52周时，分别检测血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）DNA含量及HBV血清标志物。 结果 治疗52周后，试验组在ALT复常率、AST复常率、HBV DNA转阴率、HBeAg转阴率与HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率方面都比对照组高。停药52周时，试验组与对照组的ALT复常率、AST复常率、HBV DNA转阴率、HBeAg转阴率、HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率分别为74.73%与51.72%、75.82%与54.02%、25.27%与8.05%、26.37%与10.34%、18.68%与8.05%（χ2=10.652、9.313、9.421、7.574、4.313，P＜0.05）。 结论 阿德福韦酯联合胸腺五肽治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎比单独使用阿德福韦酯抗病毒治疗效果更好，有助于提高HBeAg/HBeAb血清转换率，减少停药后病毒学突破，并且使用安全。Objective To evaluate the efficacy of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) combined with thymopentin on chronic hepatitis B patients with positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). Methods Between January 2007 and January 2009, 178 chronic hepatitis B patients with positive HBeAg were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group (91 cases) and the control group (87 cases). All patients in two groups received 10 mg of ADV once a day for 104 weeks, while the patients in the treatment group received 1 mg of thymopentin for subcutaneous injection every other day for 52 weeks. The rates of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) normalization, serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA clearance and HBeAg loss and anti- HBeAg seroconversion were evaluated at pretreatment, and 52, 104 and 156 weeks after treatment, respectively. Results After 52-week treatment, The rates of ALT and AST normalization, serum HBV DNA clearance and HBeAg loss and anti- HBeAg seroconversion in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group. In 52-week follow-up after 104 weeks treatment, the rates of ALT and AST normalization , serum HBV DNA clearance and HBeAg loss and anti- HBeAg seroconversion of two groups were 74.73% versus 51.72%, 75.82% versus 54.02%, 25.27% versus 8.05%, 26.37% versus 10.34%, 18.68% versus 8.05%, respectively (χ2 = 10.652, 9.313, 9.421, 7.574, 4.313; P＜0.05). Conclusions It is more effective for adefovir dipivoxil combined with thymopentin on HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B than using adefovir alone. Combination treatment could improve the rates of HBeAg seroconversion and reduce the breakthrough of HBV after drug withdrawal. And it is safe.
目的 评估替比夫定与阿德福韦酯联合治疗优化阿德福韦酯单药治疗应答不佳的阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者的疗效。 方法 选择2008年6月－2009年8月间共26例阿德福韦酯治疗至少12个月且病毒学应答不佳的乙型肝炎病毒e抗原（HBeAg），阳性的慢性乙型肝炎患者，在10 mg阿德福韦酯治疗的基础上，加用600 mg替比夫定。肝功能和乙型肝炎病毒（HBV） DNA每3个月评估1次，乙型肝炎两对半和腹部B型超声每半年评估1次。 结果 在第1年的治疗期间，所有患者血清HBV DNA水平均呈进行性下降，其中24例（92.3%）血清HBV DNA水平在联合治疗12个月时低于检测值下限，有25例（96.2%）患者丙氨酸转氨酶水平复常。治疗6个月时，分别有7例（26.9%）和2例（7.7%）患者发生HBeAg消失和血清学转换；治疗12个月时，分别有11例（42.3%）和8例（30.8%）患者发生HBeAg消失和血清学转换。整个治疗期间，26例患者均未出现病毒学突破。 结论 阿德福韦酯单药治疗应答不佳时，加用替比夫定可有效控制病毒，使患者获得较好的病毒学、生化学和免疫学应答。Objective To evaluate the curative efficacy of telbivudine combined with defovir dipivoxil on positive-HBeAg chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal response to adefovir dipivoxil. Methods A total of 26 HBeAg-positive patients with suboptimal response to adefovir dipivoxil (treated with adefovir dipivoxil for more than 12 months) were treated with adefovir dipivoxil 10 mg in addition to telbivudine 600 mg between June 2008 and August 2009. Liver function and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA tests were assessed at the baseline and 3-month intervals, whereas HBV serological markers and abdominal ultrasonography were carried out every 6 months. Results During the first year of treatment, all patients showed a progressive decline of serum HBV DNA levels; while undetectable serum HBV DNA and normalization of alanine aminotransferase was achieved in 24(92.3%) and 25 (96.2%) patients, respectively, at the end of the first year of treatment. The 6- and 12-month cumulative rates of HBeAg loss were 26.9% (7/26) and 42.3% (11/26), respectively; and corresponding cumulative rates of HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion were 7.7% (2/26) and 30.8 (8/26), respectively. During the observation period, no virological breakthrough was detected. Conclusion Telbivudine combined with defovir dipivoxil may be a good choice for patients with suboptimal response to adefovir dipivoxil, which could induce effective viral inhibition and help patients obtain more virological, biochemical and immunological responses.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of adefovir monotherapy (ADF) versus adefovir-Matrine combination therapy (ADF+M) for chronic hepatitis B. Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, CBM, CNKI, WanFang and VIP Database were searched from the date of their establishment to July 2010, and the references of all included studies were also traced so as to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ADF versus ADF+M. Quality assessment and data extraction were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook 5.0.2 by two reviewers independently. Meta-analyses were conducted by using RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 24 RCTs involving 2 092 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that at the end of the treatment for both six months and 12 months, respectively, the ADF+M group was superior to ADF group with a significant difference in both the HBeAg seroconversion rate as the primary outcome (six months: RR=2.05, 95%CI 1.53 to 2.74; 12 months: RR=2.13 95%CI 1.74 to 2.60) and the secondary outcome such as HBV-DNA negative conversion, HBeAg negative conversion, ALT normalization, HBV-DNA variation, complete response and HBsAg negative conversion, etc. Conclusion As the current evidence shows, ADF+M therapy is superior to ADF therapy for chronic hepatitis B. The significant difference can even be observed at the end of the treatment for six months. However, the results should be interpreted with caution because of the low quality of the included studies. High-quality, large-scale RCTs are needed to further prove the results.
Objective To compare the combination of Xiao Chai Hu Tang and interferon versus the simple interferon for the management of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in terms of clinical therapeutic effect and safety. Methods Such databases as PubMed, CBM disc, CNKI, VIP, Japana Centra Revuo Medicina were searched to include the randomized control trials (RCTs) of treating chronic hepatitis B by using Xiao Chai Hu Tang plus interferon as the treatment group and the interferon as the control group. The quality of the inclusive methodology was evaluated by two reviewers independently. RevMan5.0.24 software was employed for meta-analyses. Results Seven RCTs involving 668 patients were included and all of them were classified as Grade C methodologically. The results of meta-analyses demonstrated: compared with the simple interferon treatment, adding Xiao Chai Hu Tang to interferon was able to significantly increase the HBV-DNA negative conversion ratio (RR=1.44, 95%CI 1.18 to 1.76, P=0.000 4) and the HBeAg negative conversion ratio (RR=1.54, 95%CI 1.21 to 1.94, P=0.000 4); when the intervention duration was more than 12 weeks, the ALT normalization rate was improved significantly (24 weeks: RR=1.39, 95%CI 1.17 to 1.66, P=0.000 2; 12 weeks: RR=1.79, 95%CI 1.23 to 2.61, P=0.002) and the incidence of flu-like symptoms induced by interferon was significantly reduced (liver-protection treatment: RR=0.54, 95%CI 0.40 to 0.73, Plt;0.000 1; Non-liver-protection treatment: RR=0.75, 95%CI 0.59 to 0.95, P=0.02). The funnel plot was asymmetric, indicating publication bias. Conclusion Although Xiao Chai Hu Tang maybe has certain potential supplementary benefits to interferon for the management of CHB. The results of the above meta-analyses should be interpreted prudently because there exit disparities in domestic and international trails with the shortage of double blind or multi-centered clinical trials with high quality. The current evidence provides no way to compare the combination of Xiao Chai Hu Tang plus interferon with the simple interferon for the treatment of CHB and no accurate conclusion in terms of clinical therapeutic effects and safety.
Objective To review the efficacy and safety of Kushenin combined with Adefovir Dipivoxil for Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB). Method Randomized controlled trails of Kushenin combined with Adefovir Dipivoxil for CHB were gathered from PubMed, CBMdisc (1978 to 2009), and CSJD (1989 to 2009), while other relative researches were searched manually; every research was evaluated, and then analyzed with RevMan 5.0.0 software. Result Ten randomized controlled trials were included; among total 855 patients, 436 were in trial group and the other 419 were in control group. As the Meta-analysis showed, the therapeutic effect of kushenin combined with Adefovir Dipivoxil was better than that of Adefovir Dipivoxil in aspects of improving the negative rate of serum ALT (RR=1.28, 95%CI 1.17 to 1.40), the negative rate of serum HBV-DNA (RR=1.27, 95%CI 1.13 to 1.42), the negative rate of serum HBeAg (RR=1.80, 95%CI 1.32 to 2.44), and the conversion rate of HBeAg and anti-HBe (RR2.06, 95%CI 1.43 to 2.95). Conclusion Kushenin combined with Adefovir Dipivoxil in treating CHB can improve the conversion rate of HBeAg and anti-HBe and further take better therapeutic effect.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Gansu for chronic hepatitis B. Methods We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CCTR), PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases up to Dce. 2009. The methodological quality assessment and data extraction of the included studies were conducted by two reviewers independently according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed for homogeneous studies using RevMan 4.2.10 software. Results A total of 14 studies involving 1 755 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of which, 12 studies did not report randomization method, and the other two studies reported inadequate methods of randomization. None of the studies enforced allocation concealment and performed blinding. We conducted subgroup analyses based on the outcome measures and interventions. The results of meta-analyses showed: (1) In terms of reducing ALT, Gansu + conventional therapy was superior to conventional therapy alone. (2) In terms of the HBsAg seroconversion rate, no significant difference was found between the two groups. (3) In terms of the HBeAg, no significant difference was found between the two groups at 3 months’ follow-up. (4) In terms of the HBV-DNA, Gansu + conventional therapy was superior to conventional therapy alone at 3 and 6 months’ follow-up, but theses differences were not found between Gansu + Lamivudine/ Adefovir and Lamivudine/ Adefovir alone. In terms of reducing the index of hepatic fibrosis, Gansu + conventional therapy was superior to conventional therapy alone. Conclusion Gansu might be effective in normalizing ALT levels, clearing HBV DNA, achieving virus seroconversion and improving hepatic fibrosis, without any serious adverse effects. However, because the overall effects cannot be pooled for analysis, more evidence is needed to support this finding.