A Controlled Prospective Study of Transfusion-Associated Hepatitis

NCT ID: NCT00004848

Last Updated: 2008-03-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 2000 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 1981-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2000-05-31

Brief Summary

This protocol represents a continuation of a series of prospective studies to define the incidence and etiology of transfusion-associated hepatitis (TAH) and to examine the impact on TAH of various modifications in the selection of blood donors.

The primary goal of the study will be to determine TAH incidence after the institution of a variety of interventive measures to exclude hepatitis and AIDS virus carriers: including surrogate assays (ALT, anti-HBc), a specific assay for the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a specific assay for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and intensified donor questioning for high-risk behavior patterns. There is high probability that the exclusion of donors at high risk for AIDS transmission will also exclude donors at high risk for hepatitis transmission.

Incidence data obtained in the study will be enhanced by the simultaneous follow-up of a control population undergoing identical surgical procedures, but receiving no blood or only autologous blood. This control population, made possible by the recent dramatic increase in the amount of autologous blood utilized, will allow for a clear distinction between transfusion-associated hepatitis and that due to nosocomial transmission or other background causes of hepatocellular inflammation in cardiac surgery patients.

Detailed Description

This protocol represents a continuation of a series of prospective studies to define the incidence and etiology of transfusion-associated hepatitis (TAH) and to examine the impact on TAH of various modifications in the selection of blood donors.

The primary goal of the study will be to determine TAH incidence after the institution of a variety of interventive measures to exclude hepatitis and AIDS virus carriers: including surrogate assays (ALT, anti-HBc), a specific assay for the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a specific assay for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and intensified donor questioning for high-risk behavior patterns. There is high probability that the exclusion of donors at high risk for AIDS transmission will also exclude donors at high risk for hepatitis transmission.

Incidence data obtained in the study will be enhanced by the simultaneous follow-up of a control population undergoing identical surgical procedures, but receiving no blood or only autologous blood. This control population, made possible by the recent dramatic increase in the amount of autologous blood utilized, will allow for a clear distinction between transfusion-associated hepatitis and that due to nosocomial transmission or other background causes of hepatocellular inflammation in cardiac surgery patients.

Conditions

Hepatitis

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Persons with a history of prior hepatitis will not be excluded, but will be analyzed as a separate cohort.

Patients with close exposure (household or sexual contact) to hepatitis in the preceding six months will be excluded.

Patients with elevated pre-operative alanine aminotransferase (ALT) will be excluded. An aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of between 45 and 75 IU per L will not serve as cause for exclusion if the corresponding ALT is normal on at least two occasions.

A preoperative AST greater than 75 IU/L will serve to exclude patients from study independent of the ALT.

Patients with blood transfusion in the six months preceding surgery will be excluded. Patients will also be retrospectively excluded if they receive blood more than one month after surgery.

The six month followup period will be timed from the date of the last transfusion.

Patients with alcoholism or other known liver or active biliary tract disease at the time of entrance into the study will be excluded.

Patients with inadequate veins from which to obtain required samples will be excluded.

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

NIH

Sponsor Role: lead

Locations

Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Countries

United States

References

Stevens CE, Aach RD, Hollinger FB, Mosley JW, Szmuness W, Kahn R, Werch J, Edwards V. Hepatitis B virus antibody in blood donors and the occurrence of non-A, non-B hepatitis in transfusion recipients. An analysis of the Transfusion-Transmitted Viruses Study. Ann Intern Med. 1984 Dec;101(6):733-8. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-101-6-733.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 6437308 (View on PubMed)

Koziol DE, Holland PV, Alling DW, Melpolder JC, Solomon RE, Purcell RH, Hudson LM, Shoup FJ, Krakauer H, Alter HJ. Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen as a paradoxical marker for non-A, non-B hepatitis agents in donated blood. Ann Intern Med. 1986 Apr;104(4):488-95. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-104-4-488.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 3006567 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

81-CC-0110

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

810110

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id