Serum HBsAg levels during peginterferon α-2a treatment with or without thymosin α-1 in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
The importance of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level as a surrogate marker for viral load and a predictor of treatment response remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum HBsAg correlates with serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA during peginterferon (PEG-IFN) α-2a treatment (with or without thymosin α-1) in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B patients and whether it can predict treatment response. Sera from 37 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients receiving 48-weeks PEG-IFN α-2a with (n = 20) or without (n = 17) an initial 12-weeks thymosin α-1 were obtained at baseline and at weeks 12, 24, 36, 48 (end of treatment), 56, 72, 84, and 96 (end of follow-up). Taqman HBV DNA tests (Roche) and Architect HBsAg QT (Abbott) were performed. There was a moderate correlation between the HBsAg and HBV DNA levels (r = 0.452, P < 0.001). Median HBsAg levels at baseline and at week 96 were 6,218 IU/ml and 4,038 IU/ml, respectively. The mean HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were 7.48 log(10) IU/ml and 173 IU/L at baseline and 5.37 log(10) IU/ml and 102 IU/L at week 96, respectively. A decrease to <60% of baseline levels of HBsAg at week 12 was identified as an independent predictive factor for HBeAg seroconversion (OR = 45.7, P < 0.05) at week 96. Serum HBsAg levels may be helpful for predicting the response to PEG-IFN therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Eun Young
EY
Song
Yunsu
Y
Shin
Eun Youn
EY
Roh
Shin
S
Sue
Myoung Hee
MH
Park
Bo Hyun
BH
Kim
Won
W
Kim
Jung-Hwan
JH
Yoon
Youn-Jae
YJ
Lee
Sung Jae
SJ
Park
Eun Uk
EU
Jung
Jeong-Hoon
JH
Lee
Sun Jung
SJ
Myung
Yoon-Jun
YJ
Kim
Hyo-Suk
HS
Lee
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013947:Thymosin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D000077596:Thymalfasin