Current Issues and Treatment of Fulminant Hepatic Failure including Transplantation in Hong Kong and the Far East

Content Provider	Scilit
Author	Lau, Gkk Cheng, Vcc Lo, Cm
Copyright Year	2003
Description	In the Far East, fulminant hepatic failure is mainly due to viral hepatitis. In areas where hepatitis B infection is endemic, exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B infection, either spontaneously or on withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy, is the major cause of fulminant hepatic failure. For hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients treated with intense immunosuppressive or cytotoxic therapy, preemptive use of lamivudine has drastically reduced the incidence of hepatitis due to hepatitis B exacerbation. Recently, the application of orthotopic liver transplantation, in particular living donor liver transplantation, has markedly improved the survival of patients with fulminant hepatic failure. In Hong Kong, the phenomenon of adoptive transfer of immunity to hepatitis B virus in liver transplantation has recently been reported. The mechanisms by which transfer of immunity occurs and its potential relationship with grafts from living related donors should be further explored.
Related Links	http://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-2003-42642.pdf
Ending Page	250
Page Count	12
Starting Page	239
ISSN	02728087
e-ISSN	10988971
DOI	10.1055/s-2003-42642
Journal	Seminars in Liver Disease
Issue Number	3
Volume Number	23
Language	English
Publisher	Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Publisher Date	2003-10-02
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Journal: Seminars in Liver Disease Fulminant Hepatic Failure Hepatitis B Infection Liver Transplantation
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Hepatology