The change of the quantitative HBsAg level during the natural course of chronic hepatitis B

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http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02516.x/abstract

The change of the quantitative HBsAg level during the natural course of chronic

hepatitis B

Yu J. Kim, Hyun C. Cho, Moon S. Choi, Joon H. Lee, Kwang C. Koh, Byung C. Yoo,

Seung W. PaikArticle first published online: 22 MAR 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02516.x

© 2011 Wiley & Sons A/S

Issue

Liver International

Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Abstract

Background: There is insufficient information about HBsAg levels and their

correlation with serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Aims: We aimed to describe HBsAg levels during various phases of CHB and to

investigate the correlation with serum HBV DNA levels.

Methods: A total of 645 treatment-naïve Korean CHB patients were included in

this retrospective cross-sectional study. They were categorized into immune

tolerance (IT, n=56), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH, n=150), inactive carrier

(IC, n=274) and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH, n=165). The baseline HBsAg and

HBV DNA levels were measured.

Results: The mean HBsAg titres (log IU/ml) differed (P<0.001): IT 4.29, EPH

3.64, IC 2.05 and ENH 3.23. In 645 patients, HBsAg and HBV DNA showed a

significant correlation (r=0.693, P<0.001), and this was also observed in the

IT, EPH and IC groups (r=0.664, r=0.541, r=0.505, respectively, all P<0.001),

but not in the ENH group (r=0.093, P=0.321). Age had a negative correlation with

HBsAg (r=−0.451, P<0.001). The cirrhotic patients had a significantly lower

HBsAg level than the non-cirrhotic patients (2.41 ± 1.36 vs. 3.02 ± 1.21 log

IU/ml, P<0.001).

Conclusions: The HBsAg level varied significantly in different phases of CHB and

was correlated with HBV DNA during the IT, EPH and IC phases. These findings can

provide additional information to understand the natural course and pathogenesis

of CHB.