A nomogram based on HBeAg, AST, and age to predict non-minimal liver inflammation in CHB patients with ALT <80 U/L.

Objective: Precise assessment of liver inflammation in untreated hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can determine when to initiate antiviral therapy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram model for the prediction of non-minimal liver inflammation based on liver pathological injuries combined with age and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HBeAg, and HBV DNA quantification.

Methods: We retrospectively included 735 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with ALT < 80 U/L as the primary cohort and prospectively enrolled 196 patients as the validation cohort.

Postpartum hepatitis and host immunity in pregnant women with chronic HBV infection.

In order to develop immune tolerant to the fetal, maternal immune system will have some modification comparing to the time before pregnancy. Immune tolerance starts and develops at the maternal placental interface. In innate immunity, decidual natural killer (dNK) cells, macrophages and dendritic cells play a key role in immue tolerance.

Study on pathological and clinical characteristics of chronic HBV infected patients with HBsAg positive, HBV DNA negative, HBeAg negative.

Aims: Study of clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA)-negative, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients based on liver histopathology.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with chronic HBV infection diagnosis at Beijing Ditan Hospital from May 2008 to November 2020. To study the differences between patients with significant hepatic histopathology and those without significant hepatic histopathology.

Efficacy and Safety of Glycyrrhizic Acid in Treatment of Autoimmune Hepatitis.

To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of glycyrrhizic acid preparation and hormone treatment in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, we enrolled 377 patients in a study that lasted from January 2009 to January 2020. After performing propensity score matching, we included 58 patients in the hormone group and 58 in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group in statistical analysis. We then compared the ratio of sustained biochemical responses at 48 weeks after treatment.

A PCSK9 inhibitor induces a transient decrease in the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia patients.

Background And Aims: Extremely elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) contribute to long-term chronic systemic inflammation in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) patients. The aims of this study is to describe the inflammatory profile of HoFH patients and explore the effect of a PCSK9 inhibitor (PCSK9i) on a series of inflammatory biomarkers, including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-HDL ratio (MHR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and mean platelet volume-lymphocyte ratio (MPVLR).

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 25 definitive HoFH patients on high-intensity statins plus ezetimibe were administered subcutaneous injections of 420 mg PCSK9i every 4 weeks (Q4W).

Nomogram for evaluating obvious liver inflammation in treatment-naïve HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients with normal ALT.

The purpose of this study was to develop an effective and non-invasive nomogram for evaluating liver obvious inflammation in untreated HBeAg positive patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. A nomogram was established on a model cohort of 292 treatment-naïve HBeAg positive patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT ≤40 U/L) at Beijing Ditan Hospital from January 2008 to March 2018. Then the nomogram was prospectively validated in a cohort of 88 patients from July 2019 to May 2021.

Sustained viral response and relapse after discontinuation of oral antiviral drugs in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Objective: To investigate the sustained virological response and relapse in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive after stopping oral antiviral drugs, and to monitor the disease progression and the incidence of adverse events such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study. Patients who continued nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment after achieving HBeAg seroconversion for more than 3 years were enrolled.

Study on liver histopathology of chronic HBV infected patients with different normal ALT values.

Aims: Comparison of liver histopathological findings to explore the occurrence of liver inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) under different alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normal values.

Methods: The patients who were diagnosed as chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by liver histopathology at the Department of Pathology, Beijing Ditan Hospital due to clinical difficulty in defining the degree of liver inflammation or fibrosis were retrospectively enrolled from May 2008 to November 2020. Study of the incidence of significant hepatic histopathology in enrolled patients according to different ALT normal values.

Functional molecular expression of nature killer cells correlated to HBsAg clearance in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients during PEG-IFN α-2a therapy.

Objective: To explore whether the frequencies and functional molecules expression of Natural Killer cells (NK cells) are related to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) disappearance in hepatitis B e envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) throughout peginterferon alpha-2a (PEG-IFN α-2a) treatment.

Methods: In this prospective research, HBeAg-positive patients with CHB received PEG-IFN α-2a treatment, completing 4-year follow-up. After PEG-IFN α-2a treatment, undetectable HBV DNA, HBsAg loss, and HBeAg disappearance were defined as functional cure.

Maternal and neonatal safety of COVID-19 vaccination during the peri-pregnancy period: A prospective study.

Background: To investigate the safety of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in Chinese pregnant women and their fetuses when inoculated during the peri-pregnancy period.

Methods: Eligible pregnant women were prospectively collected and divided into a vaccine group (n = 93) and control group (n = 160) according to whether they had been vaccinated against COVID-19 within 3 months before their last menstruation period (LMP) and after pregnancy. Demographic data of couples, complications during pregnancy and delivery of pregnant women, and data of newborns at birth were collected.

The relation of the frequency and functional molecules expression on plasmacytoid dendritic cells to postpartum hepatitis in women with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Objective: To explore the correlation between postpartum hepatitis and changes of plasmacytoid dendritic cells' (pDC) function and frequency in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Methods: Pregnant women with chronic HBV infection receiving antiviral treatment (treated group) or not receiving antiviral treatment (untreated group) were enrolled and demographic information was collected before delivery. Clinical biochemical, virological serology, pDC frequency and functional molecular expression were tested before delivery and at 6, 12, 24 weeks after delivery.

Upregulation of GLT25D1 in Hepatic Stellate Cells Promotes Liver Fibrosis via the TGF-β1/SMAD3 Pathway and .

Background And Aims: Collagen β(1-O) galactosyltransferase 25 domain 1 (GLT25D1) is associated with collagen production and glycosylation, and its knockout in mice results in embryonic death. However, its role in liver fibrosis remains elusive, particularly in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the primary collagen-producing cells associated with liver fibrogenesis. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the role of GLT25D1 in HSCs.

Multi-target regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine production by transcription factor Blimp-1.

Objective: Cytokine storm syndrome is a fatal condition related to infectious and autoimmune diseases. Here, we aim to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of Blimp-1 on multiple cytokine production.

Methods: The Blimp1 shRNA was transfected into RAW264.

Anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances among people on long-term efavirenz-based treatment for HIV: a cross-sectional study in Beijing, China.

Background: Efavirenz (EFV)-induced neuropsychiatric toxicity bothers people living with HIV (PLHIV). Neuropsychiatric adverse effects of EFV may differ by length of time on EFV-based antiretroviral treatment (ART).

Methods: A cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted at Beijing Ditan Hospital in China from June-August 2020 among ART-experienced PLHIV who were on long-term EFV-based ART.

Role of the Quorum-Sensing System in Enterococcus faecalis Bloodstream Infection.

Enterococcus faecalis is an important intestinal colonizing bacteria and can cause various tissue infections, including invasive blood infection (BI). The annual incidence of E. faecalis BI has been estimated to be ~4.

Cytokine profiles and CD8+ T cells in the occurrence of acute and chronic hepatitis B.

Objective: We explore the expression of functional molecules on CD8+ T lymphocytes, cytokines concentration, and their correlation to occurrence of hepatitis B and hepatitis B virus (HBV) desoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in patients infected with HBV.

Methods: This is a single center study. 32 patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB), 30 patients with immune tolerant (IT) phase chronic HBV infected, and 50 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were enrolled.

Role of triglycerides as a predictor of autoimmune hepatitis with cirrhosis.

Background: Metabolism-related indicators have been suggested as possible prognostic indicators of liver disease in recent relevant studies, but their value in predicting autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) cirrhosis is unclear. This study evaluated the role of lipid levels in determining the prognosis of AIH-related cirrhosis.

Methods: We retrospectively included 345 patients with AIH who were initially diagnosed at Beijing Ditan Hospital from 2010-2019, and ultimately screened 196 patients who met the criteria.

Dynamic changes of cytokine profiles and virological markers during 48 weeks of entecavir treatment for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the kinetic changes of serum, virological, and immunological markers during entecavir (ETV) antiviral therapy and to explore whether these indicators can predict the antiviral efficacy of ETV in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods: HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled and treated with ETV 0.5 mg/day.

Emerging nanobiotechnology for precise theranostics of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Primary liver cancer has become the second most fatal cancer in the world, and its five-year survival rate is only 10%. Most patients are in the middle and advanced stages at the time of diagnosis, losing the opportunity for radical treatment. Liver cancer is not sensitive to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

An optimized mode of interferon intermittent therapy help improve HBsAg disappearance in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: To investigate the effect of intermittent interferon therapy mode on the disappearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in CHB patients who were suspended from pegylated interferon α (PEG-IFNα) therapy due to a plateau in HBsAg decline during the initial treatment period, and resumed interferon therapy after an interval of 3-6 months. Patients received entecavir or tenofovir during the interval period.

Effects of antiviral therapy and drug withdrawal on postpartum hepatitis in pregnant women with chronic HBV infection.

Objective: To investigate the effect of antiviral therapy and drug withdrawal on the incidence of hepatitis B after delivery in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection who received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment.

Methods: Eligible CHB pregnant women were enrolled, and received TDF at 32 weeks gestation. The drug was stopped immediately or at 6 weeks after delivery.

Baseline lymphocyte and cholinesterase levels may be the predictors of chronic herbal drug-induced liver injury.

To investigate the factors influencing the chronicity of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by Chinese herbal medicine. Patients with DILI diagnosed by using the RUCAM score were enrolled retrospectively. The subjects were patients with DILI induced by taking Chinese herbal medicine and were followed up for 48 weeks.

Elevated Foxp3 double-negative T cells are associated with disease progression during HIV infection.

Persistent immune activation, which occurs during the whole course of HIV infection, plays a pivotal role in CD4 T cells depletion and AIDS progression. Furthermore, immune activation is a key factor that leads to impaired immune reconstitution after long-term effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), and is even responsible for the increased risk of developing non-AIDS co-morbidities. Therefore, it's imperative to identify an effective intervention targeting HIV-associated immune activation to improve disease management.

Antiviral Therapy for Prevention of Perinatal Hepatitis B Virus Transmission Reduces the Incidence of Postpartum Hepatitis Flare.

: Currently, there are few studies on the effect of prophylactic anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy (AVT) for mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy on postpartum hepatitis flare (PHF) and the risk factors for postpartum hepatitis flare in women with chronic hepatitis B infection. : To analyze the effect of AVT on the postpartum hepatitis flare and risk factors related to postpartum hepatitis flare. : This study retrospectively enrolled hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive women with HBV DNA ≥ 10  IU/mL.