title: Host genetic variants and hepatitis B virologic features in HBeAg-negative hepatitis B carriers with long-term biochemical remission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A significant portion of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients have persistently normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels (PNALT). We thus investigated host genetic variants and virological features in HBeAg-negative hepatitis B carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline clinical and virological features of 133 HBeAg-negative hepatitis B carriers (77 with PNALT and 56 with chronic hepatitis activity) with follow-up for more than 5 years were investigated. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within or around human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, and interleukin (IL) 28B loci were genotyped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The genotype frequencies of these SNPs were comparable between hepatitis B carriers with PNALT and those with chronic hepatitis. Compared with hepatitis B carriers with PNALT, those with chronic hepatitis had significantly higher baseline serum HBV-DNA levels (4.96 vs. 4.04 log10 IU/ml, P = 0.001). Baseline serum HBV-DNA level > 2000 IU/ml (OR, 8.42; 95% CI, 2.74-25.90, P < 0.001) were the only independent factor associated with chronic hepatitis activity. Changes of serum HBV-DNA in 30 hepatitis B carriers with PNALT had showed a significant reduction of viral load from baseline to last visit (mean difference of paired HBV-DNA levels: -0.78 log10 IU/ml, 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.013, P = 0.047). In contrast, no significant reduction of viral load was found in 28 patients with chronic hepatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that lower baseline serum HBV-DNA level and viral load reduction over time are associated with long-term biochemical remission in HBeAg-negative hepatitis B carriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei City Hospital, Ren-Ai branch, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tung-Hung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Chang-Te St, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.|Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Chang-Te St, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Jer
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Chang-Te St, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Yang
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ding-Shinn
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. kaojh@ntu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Chang-Te St, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. kaojh@ntu.edu.tw.|Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. kaojh@ntu.edu.tw.|Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. kaojh@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao