title: [Dynamics of serum HBV DNA levels during the terminal phases of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure with different HBeAg status].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the dynamics and clinical significance of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels during the terminal phase of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) with different hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-and-seven patients with terminal ACLF were tested for HBeAg status by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and serum HBV DNA levels by real-time PCR at three chronological time ranges, representing increasing severity of disease phases prior to death (day 0): 29-56 d, 15-28 d, and 0-14 d.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 37 HBeAg(+) patients, HBV DNA levels at above-mentioned phases were 6.10+/-1.63, 5.61+/-1.50, and 5.29+/-1.96 log10 copies/mL. In the 70 anti-HBe(+) patients, HBV DNA levels were 4.63+/-1.82, 5.81+/-1.78, and 4.93+/-1.73 log10 copies/mL. Phase to phase comparisons revealed that the HBV DNA level in the HBeAg(+) group was significantly higher than that in the anti-HBe(+) group at 29-56 d (P less than 0.05), and that 15-28 d and 0-14 d were not significantly different (P more than 0.05). Intragroup comparisons of phases revealed no significant differences in the HBeAg(+) group (P more than 0.05), but a significant difference between 15-28 d and 0-14 d (P less than 0.05) for the anti-HBe(+) group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of HBV DNA in patients with HBeAg positivity are higher than those in patients with anti-HBe positivity as the disease phase of ACLF nears fatality. Following the deterioration to liver failure, the HBV DNA load in HBeAg(+) patients remains stable while that in anti-HBe(+) patients decreases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wei-qiang
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Dong-ying
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Ka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Zhi-liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens