Antibody persistence of standard versus double three-dose hepatitis B vaccine in liver transplant children: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Rapid hepatitis B (HB) surface antibody (anti-HBs) loss is prevalent after liver transplantation (LT). Herein, we evaluated anti-HBs persistence after HB vaccination using two regimens in LT children. We recruited 66 previously immunized LT children with anti-HBs level of < 100 mIU/mL. Participants were randomly reimmunized with standard-three-dose (SD) and double-three-dose (DD) intramuscular HB vaccination at 0, 1, and 6 months. Anti-HBs were assessed at every outpatient visit. Antibody loss defined as anti-HBs levels < 100 mIU/mL after three-dose vaccination. After three-dose vaccination, 81.8% and 78.7% of participants in the SD and DD groups, had anti-HBs levels > 100 mIU/mL, with a geometric mean titer (GMT) of 601.68 and 668.01 mIU/mL (P = 0.983). After a mean follow-up of 2.31 years, the anti-HBs GMT was 209.81 and 212.61 mIU/mL in the SD and DD groups (P = 0.969). The number of immunosuppressants used and an anti-HBs level < 1 mIU/mL at baseline were independently associated with anti-HB loss. The DD regimen strongly increased the risk of anti-HBs loss (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.97 [1.21–7.31]; P = 0.018). The SD HB reimmunization regimen effectively maintained protective anti-HBs levels in children undergoing LT, making it the preferred regimen for such children with anti-HB loss. Trial registration: TCTR20180723002.