[An analysis of clinical features in HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the frequency and the clinical and virological features of HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.


METHODS
Four hundred and seventeen chronic hepatitis B patients, 286 males and 131 females seen in our center were studied. Liver biopsies were taken from 83 patients.


RESULTS
The cases with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B were 241 (57.8%), with an average age of 43.7+/-10.8 and a history of 16.8+/-8.5 years. HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B cases were 176 (42.2%), with an average age of 36.95+/-11 and a history of 12.3+/-8.0 years. HBeAg-negative patients were significantly older (P < 0.01) in age and had a longer disease history. ALT levels and the percentage of HBV DNA were higher than 10(5) copies/ml in HBeAg-negative patients and were significantly lower than those in the HBeAg-positive patients [(37.66+/-32.93) U/L vs. (82.09+/-107.57) U/L, 38.2% vs. 94.3%, P < 0.01]. Liver biopsies from 47 HBeAg-negative patients showed that the number of cases with inflammation scores of G1, G2, G3 and G4 were 5, 27, 14, 1 and the number of cases with fibrosis scores of S1, S2, S3 and S4 were 10, 12, 5, 20, respectively. In the 36 HBeAg-negative patients the respective number of cases with inflammation scores of G1, G2, G3 and G4 were 5, 14, 15, 2, and with fibrosis scores of S1, S2, S3, S4 were 8, 12, 6, 10. Although histopathological inflammation and fibrosis scores had no statistical difference between HBeAg-negative and positive patients (P > 0.05), 53.2% patients of HBeAg-negative group and 44.5% patients of HBeAg-positive group had a fibrosis score of >or= S3.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite lower serum ALT and HBV DNA, HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B still has a significant disease progression. This observation may help to develop better clinical management in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients.
Ou
Xiao-juan
XJ
Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China. ouxj16@sina.com
Wang
Xiao-ming
XM
Wang
Bao-en
BE
Wang
Tai-ling
TL
Ma
Hong
H
You
Hong
H
Jia
Ji-dong
JD
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens