To investigate the effects of entecavir combined with short-term use of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation (LT).

Thirty-five patients who underwent LT in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between December 2013 and October 2015 were enrolled in this prospective study. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. According to the anti-virus regime after LT, the patients were divided into the study group (n=15) and control group (n=20). In the study group, 13 were males and 2 were females, aged 19-51 years old with a median age of 43 years old. They received antiviral therapy of entecavir after LT combined with short-term intravenous administration of high-dose HBIG during the perioperative period. In the control group, all patients were males, aged 29-71 years old with a median age of 49 years old. They received antiviral therapy of entecavir combined with long-term intramuscular injection of low-dose HBIG after LT. During the postoperative follow-up, anti-HBs titer, HBsAg titer, hepatitis B virus-deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA) level and the recurrence rate of hepatitis B of two groups were observed.

In the study group, anti-HBs titer gradually decreased as time went on after surgery, and the median anti-HBs titer was respectively 2.6(0-351.0) and 1.5(0-8.2) IU/ml at 6 and 12 months. At every time points during follow-up, HBsAg titer was all <1 IU/ml and HBV-DNA level was all <100 IU/ml in two groups. No hepatitis B recurrence was observed in two group.

Entecavir combined with short-term use of HBIG during perioperative period can receive good recent effects in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after LT.