Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains an important public health problem in China, and adults need to be vaccinated. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the appropriate immunization of adults in China. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible, and seroprotection was defined as anti-HBs≥ 10 mIU/ml; 18,308 participants in 27 studies were included. Relative risk (RR) and random effects models were used. Twenty micrograms of HBV vaccine resulted in a better response than 10 μg (RR: 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02 to 1.08), and the 0-, 1-, and 6-month schedule was more effective than the 0-, 1-, and 2 - or 3-month schedule (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.00). No significant differences were observed between 10 μg and 5 μg (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.01); (yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccines) YDV and recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell (CHO) hepatitis B vaccine (RR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.04); domestic and imported (RR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.05); or 0-, 1-, and 6-month and 0-, 1-, and 12-month schedules (RR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.08). In conclusion, 20 μg of vaccine is recommended for adults in China, and the 0-, 1-, and 12-month immunization program schedule is also worth choosing when it is not possible to complete the 0-, 1-, and 6-month schedule.
Keywords: Hepatitis B virus; adult; anti-HBs; hepatitis B vaccine; meta-analysis.