Renal safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and entecavir with hepatitis B immunoglobulin in liver transplant patients

Therapeutic and immune-regulation effects of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi polysaccharide on pseudorabies in piglets

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) can cause fatal encephalitis in newborn pigs and escape the immune system. While there is currently no effective treatment for PRV, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi polysaccharides (SGP) and Rodgersia sambucifolia Hemsl flavonoids (RHF) are traditional Chinese herbal medicines with potential preventive and therapeutic effects against PRV infection. In order to explore which one is more effective in the prevention and treatment of PRV infection in piglets. We investigate the therapeutic effects of RHF and SGP in PRV-infected piglets using clinical symptom and pathological injury scoring systems. The immune regulatory effects of RHF and SGP on T lymphocyte transformation rate, cytokines, T cells, and Toll-like receptors were also measured to examine the molecular mechanisms of these effects. The results showed that SGP significantly reduced clinical symptoms and pathological damage in the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys in PRV-infected piglets and the T lymphocyte conversion rate in the SGP group was significantly higher than that in the other treatment groups, this potential dose-dependent effect of SGP on T lymphocyte conversation. Serum immunoglobulin and cytokine levels in the SGP group fluctuated during the treatment period, with SGP treatment showing better therapeutic and immunomodulatory effects in PRV-infected piglets than RHF or the combined SGP + RHF treatment. In conclusion, RHF and SGP treatments alleviate the clinical symptoms of PRV infection in piglets, and the immunomodulatory effect of SGP treatment was better than that of the RHF and a combination of both treatments. This study provides evidence for SGP in controlling PRV infection in piglets.

Renal safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and entecavir in liver transplant patients: a nationwide Korean registry study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) have been recommended after liver transplantation to prevent recurrence of hepatitis B virus infection. Despite its proven efficacy, the renal safety of TDF has not been established in liver transplant recipients. We aimed to compare the effects of TDF and ETV on renal function in liver transplant recipients and to evaluate risk factors for renal dysfunction after liver transplantation.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, observational multicenter study of data from the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry. We included adults who underwent liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus-related complications from April 2014 to December 2017 and received TDF or ETV post-transplantation. Renal dysfunction was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate decline by at least 20% from baseline (1 month post-transplantation). Median duration of follow-up was 29 months (interquartile range 19-42).

RESULTS

A total of 804 liver transplant patients were included. The cumulative probability of renal dysfunction was significantly higher in the TDF group than in the ETV group. Multivariable analysis confirmed that TDF was independently associated with an increased risk of renal dysfunction (hazard ratio = 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.92; p = 0.005). Independent risk factors for renal dysfunction included older age, worse baseline renal function, and low body mass index. Overall survival rate was significantly lower in patients with renal dysfunction than in those without.

CONCLUSIONS

In this nationwide study, the use of TDF was associated with an increased risk of renal dysfunction, when compared with ETV.