Correlation between intrahepatic hepatitis B virus cccDNA levels and other activity markers in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B infection

September 27, 2011

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011 Sep 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Correlation between intrahepatic hepatitis B virus cccDNA levels and other

activity markers in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B infection.

Guner R, Karahocagil M, Buyukberber M, Kandemir O, Ural O, Usluer G, Inan D,

Koksal I, Baykam N, Hizel K, Yamazhan T, Esen S, Tasyaran MA.

Source

aAnkara Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Clinic of Infectious Diseases

and Clinical Microbiology, Ankara bDepartments of Infectious Diseases and

Clinical Microbiology cDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine,

Yuzuncu Yil University, Van dDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical

Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin eDepartment of

Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk

University, Konya fDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology,

Faculty of Medicine, Osman Gazi University, Eskisehir gDepartment of Infectious

Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University,

Antalya hDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of

Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon iAnkara Numune Education and

Research Hospital, Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology,

Ankara jDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of

Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara kDepartment of Infectious Diseases and

Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir lDepartment of

Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz

Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relation between intrahepatic (IH)

hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels and the

other HBV replicative intermediates and hepatocyte expression of HBV antigens.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity, hepatitis B early

antigen negativity, serum HBV DNA levels 10 copies/ml or more, and constantly or

intermittently increased alanine aminotransferase levels were included.

RESULTS:

Fifty-nine patients were included. There was a good correlation between the

levels of IH HBV cccDNA and serum HBV DNA (P<0.001). Serum HBsAg levels were

weakly correlated with IH HBV cccDNA levels and moderately correlated with serum

HBV DNA (r=0.322, P=0.017; r=0.489, P=0.001, respectively). There were no

significant correlation between serum HBsAg level and histologic activity index

groups (P=0.691), but stage 0, 1, and greater than 2 fibrosis groups were

positively correlated with serum HBsAg levels (P=0.019). IH cccDNA and serum HBV

DNA were significantly different in hepatitis B core antigen staining groups

(P=0.008 and <0.001, respectively) but there was no significant correlation

between HBsAg staining groups and HBV replication markers. There was a weak

correlation between serum HBsAg levels and IH HBsAg and hepatitis B core antigen

levels (r=0.333, P=0.012; r=0.366, P=0.006, respectively). In multivariate

analysis, alanine aminotransferase, age, fibrosis stage, and serum HBsAg

quantitation were the most important factors predicting IH HBV cccDNA level.

CONCLUSION:

Histopathologic damage, serum HBV DNA levels, and IH HBV replication markers

have a more complex and dynamic process. However, both serum and IH HBV

replication markers provide important knowledge about the activity of the

disease.

PMID: 21934508 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

September 27, 2011