title: [e/Anti-e system in liver disease].
abstract: HBeAg and anti-HBe were tested by RIA (Abbott Kits) in 53 patients (38 HBsAg +) with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), in 27 patients (5 HBsAg +) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), in 54 (8 HBsAg +) with cirrhosis, in 32 (17 HBsAg +) undergoing haemodialysis, in 6 HBsAg carriers and in 45 controls. Most of the patients with HBsAg + AVH were HBeAg + in the first week and showed seroconversion to anti-HBe within the fourth week of the illness. Two from the four patients still HBeAg + in the fourth week seroconverted later on and clinically recovered, one is still HBsAg +/HBeAg + in the seventh week and one developed CAH HBsAg +/HBeAg +. High prevalence of HBeAg was found in the haemodialysed (94%) and in the patients with CAH (80%) while anti-HBe was more frequent in the HBsAg carriers (100%) and in the cirrhotics (62,5%). Among the patients HBsAg-, none was HBeAg + while 18% with CAH, 21,7% with cirrhosis, 26,6% of the haemodialysed and 4% of the controls were anti-HBe +. Our data, relating to AVH, are similar to those referred in the literature, but show conversely high prevalence of anti-HBe in CAH and in cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
vernacular_title: Sistema e/anti e in patologia epatica.