Background and Aims Telomere length has emerged as a promising risk predictor of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the majority of studies in this area measured telomere length in hepatocytes and one in lymphocytes with conflicting results. Moreover, no studies have been reported on using circulating DNA telomere length as a non-invasive HCC biomarker. Methods We conducted a nested case-control study to determine the relative telomere length (RTL) in serum DNA from 140 HBV-related HCC cases and 280 frequency-matched cancer-free HBV controls. Results Cases had a significantly longer RTL (median, 0.31; range, 0.02–2.31) than controls (median, 0.20; range, 0.01–1.60) (P=0.003). Consistently, longer RTLs conferred a significantly increased HCC risk compared to short RTLs in a univariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio [OR]=1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.02–2.33, P=0.038). This association attenuated after multivariate adjustment (OR=1.40, 95% CI=0.90–2.19, P=0.132). In a quartile analysis, a significant dose-response relationship was noted in univariate analysis (Ptrend=0.017) which was again attenuated in multivariate analysis (Ptrend=0.079). Further analyses revealed that the significant association between serum RTL and HCC risk was evident in non-cirrhotic (OR=3.54, 95% CI 1.58–7.93 P=0.002), but not cirrhotic (OR=0.95, 95% CI 0.55–1.64, P=0.860) HBV patients. Moreover, the significantly increased HCC risk conferred by cirrhosis was modulated by RTL with a significant interaction effect (Pinteraction=0.013). Conclusions RTL in circulating cell-free serum DNA could potentially be used as a novel non-invasive biomarker for non-cirrhotic HCC. Prospective cohort studies are warranted to validate this finding and assess its clinical significance in HCC prevention.

BackgroundSerum liver enzymes are frequently tested in clinics to aid disease diagnosis. Large observational studies indicated that these enzymes might predict cancer risk and mortality. However, no prospective study has reported on their relationships with the risk of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methodology/Principal FindingsWe evaluated the predictive values of four routinely tested liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT]) in HCC risk in a prospectively enrolled clinical cohort of 588 Korean American HBV patients. For all four enzymes, the baseline level as well as the average and maximum levels during the first 1 or 2 years of follow-up were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Patients were categorized into a normal or an elevated group based on the clinical cut-off of each enzyme. During a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 52 patients (incidence rate, 8.8%) developed HCC. The incidence rates were higher in the elevated groups for all four enzymes. The most significant finding was for GGT, with the highest incidence rate of 16.4% in the elevated group compared to 4.6% in the normal group (P<0.001). Compared to patients with normal baseline GGT, those with elevated GGT exhibited a significantly increased HCC risk with a hazards ratio (HR) of 2.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–4.77, P = 0.002). Further analyses revealed a cumulative effect between baseline GGT and ALP (HR = 3.41, 95% CI 1.54–7.56, P = 0.003).Conclusions SignificanceSerum GGT might predict HCC risk in HBV patients individually or jointly with other enzymes.

The cumulative incidence of CK elevation after long-term telbivudine use is quite high, and gender and baseline eGFR may be useful predictors. However, when combined with regular monitoring of CK levels, especially for patients with lower eGFR, telbivudine is a relatively safe nucleoside analog treatment for chronic hepatitis B.

Creatine kinase elevation is commonly reported in telbivudine-treated patients. However, little is known about the relationship between this adverse drug reaction and plasma concentration. In this study, a sensitive, rapid and safe quantitative bioanalytical method has been established by using LC-MS/MS for the determination of telbivudine in a clinical study of chronic hepatitis B patients. The assay was linear in a dynamic 10-10,000 ng/mL range (r > 0.999) and total analysis time was 6 min in this method. The validated method was applied to quantitatively determine plasma concentration in chronic hepatitis B patients during long-term telbivudine treatment. The results revealed that telbivudine concentration in the creatine kinase-elevated group (707.92-2788.78 ng/mL) was significantly higher than those with normal creatine kinase (412.63-1108.32 ng/mL). This method was adapted for therapeutic drug monitoring.