Serum HBV DNA level at week 12 is superior to viral response at week 24 in predicting long-term treatment outcome of telbivudine for chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: Telbivudine, one of the five nucleos(t)ide antiviral drugs, was reported to be superior to lamivudine in a better biochemical, virological, and histological response for treatment-naive patients in the GLOBE trial. The aim of this study was to determine the antiviral potency, viral resistance, and the signifcance of early response for long-term telbivudine treatment.

Methods: We recruited 161 patients of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) on telbivudine between January 2009 and September 2011 in Macau, China.

Clinical features of initial cases of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in Macau, China.

Background: The first case of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China was documented on June 18, 2009. Subsequently, persons with suspected infection or of contact with suspected cases received screening. All the confirmed cases were hospitalized and treated with oseltamivir.

[Effectiveness of combined therapies using two types of peginterferon and ribavirin in treating chronic hepatitis C virus genotypes 1b/6a infections].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of a combined therapy using two types of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1b/6a infections.

Methods: The clinical data of 171 patients with chronic HCV genotypes 1b/6a infection in Common Hospital Centre S. Januario, Macau SAR, China, were retrospectively analyzed.

Prognostic factors in severe exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B.

Forty-seven patients with severe hepatitis B exacerbation were compared with patients who had mild exacerbation (n=96) or no exacerbation (n=96). Seventeen patients (36.2%) died or underwent liver transplantation.