[Association of HBeAg positivity and alpha fetoprotein level with the prognosis of chronic severe hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association of HBeAg positivity and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level with the prognosis of chronic severe hepatitis B.


METHODS
A total of 325 hospitalized patients with chronic severe hepatitis B were analyzed for serum HBeAg positivity and AFP levels and their association with the prognosis.


RESULTS
Of all the 325 patients, 168 (51.7%) were HBeAg-positive and 157 (48.3%) were HBeAg-negative, and the two groups showed no significant difference in gender distribution, average peak value of total bilirubin and average trough prothrombin activity. Compared with the positive patients, the HBeAg-negative patients had significantly older age (P < 0.001), higher rate of liver cirrhosis (P < 0.001) and lower response rate (P < 0.05). Elevated AFP level was positively correlated to the response rate in both the HBeAg-positive (P < 0.001) and negative patients (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
HBeAg-negative patients with chronic severe hepatitis B have poorer prognosis than the HBeAg-positive patients, and higher AFP levels are associated with more favorable prognosis regardless of the HBeAg positivity.
Peng
Jie
J
Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. pjie@fimmu.com
Wang
Cheng
C
Zhang
Qi
Q
Guo
Ya-bin
YB
Hou
Jin-lin
JL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins