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Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the antibody response to the standard dose of hepatitis B vaccine, retrospectively, and compare the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics between responders and nonresponders.
Methods: Data on serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection belonging HIV/AIDS patients followed in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Outpatient Clinic, Istanbul Education and Research Hospital between January 2002 and April 2010 were reviewed in this retrospective study. Patients determined as HBsAg- or anti-HBs-positive during their serological evaluation before vaccination were not included in the study. Anti-HBs responses of HBsAg- and anti-HBs-negative patients, measured at least 1 month after a course of vaccination at 0, 1, and 6 months with a total of 3 doses, were evaluated.
Results: Among 112 patients who had complete serological data, 56 seronegative patients had vaccination, and 15 (26.8%) of them showed at least 10 mIU/mL of anti-HBs level. There was no statistically significant difference in age, sex, comorbidity, alcohol and drug use, smoking, and antiretroviral drug use among seroconverters and nonseroconverters (p>0.05). While there was no statistically significant difference in CD4 counts between seroconverters and nonseroconverters, HIV RNA viral load was significantly higher in nonseroconverters (p<0.05).
Conclusions: In our study, immune response rate to vaccine was low in HIV-infected patients, and this response was affected by HIV viral load most importantly. Seroconversion should be monitorized after hepatitis B vaccination in HIV-infected patients and a booster shot or higher vaccine doses may be considered.