title: Predictors of loss of hepatitis B surface antigen in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study factors associated with loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 5681 patients followed up at two New York City HIV clinics from January 1999 to May 2007. Clinical and laboratory parameters including baseline and follow-up HIV viral loads, CD4 cell counts, alanine transaminase levels, demographics, presence of hepatitis C infection, and treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy dually active against both HIV and HBV infection, were analyzed to determine factors associated with loss of HBsAg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and fifty five patients (355/5681, 6.84%) were co-infected with HIV and HBV and were evaluated. Of these, 226 patients with more than 12 mo follow-up were included in further analysis to determine factors associated with loss of HBsAg in the long-term follow-up. In the univariate analysis, baseline CD4 cell count was associated with loss of HBsAg (P = 0.052). Cox regression analysis revealed that loss of HBsAg was associated with baseline CD4 cell count > 500 cells/mm(3) (P = 0.016, odds ratio: 76.174, 95% confidence interval: 2.233-2598.481).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed an interesting association of loss of HBsAg in HIV-HBV co-infected patients with higher CD4 cell count, suggesting that T-cell cytolytic activity against HBV may still be effective in clearing HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Center for Comprehensive Care, Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY 10019, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Psevdos
authors.forename: Jong Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Victoria Lee
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Sharp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase