Characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B in France: predominant frequency of HBe antigen negative cases.
OBJECTIVE
An increasing prevalence of HBe antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B has been recently reported in many countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and the characteristics of HBeAg-negative as compared with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B in France.


METHODS
Eight hundred and sixty-five patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis B seen in 26 University centers were included. The proportion with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B was 72% and higher in patients born in Africa, Middle East, Eastern, and Southern Europe than in those of French or Asian origin. HBeAg-negative patients were significantly older (p<0.001) and had lower ALT levels and HBV DNA serum levels (p<0.01) than HBeAg-positive patients. An unknown source of infection was more prevalent in HBeAg-negative patients (p<0.05). Fibrosis score (p<0.05) and proportion of cirrhosis (p<0.01) were significantly higher in HBeAg-negative patients. Age older than 50 years, male gender and viral load lower than 5 logs10 copies/mL were independently associated with cirrhosis.


RESULTS
HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B is predominant in France. This observation is important for an optimized clinical management and future therapeutic trials in chronic hepatitis B.
Zarski
Jean-Pierre
JP
Département d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, CHU de Grenoble-BP 217-38043 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France. JPZarski@chu-grenoble.fr
Marcellin
Patrick
P
Leroy
Vincent
V
Trepo
Christian
C
Samuel
Didier
D
Ganne-Carrie
Nathalie
N
Barange
Karl
K
Canva
Valérie
V
Doffoel
Michel
M
Cales
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase