title: Influence of age and HBeAg status on the correlation between HBV DNA and hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between serum HBV DNA level and the severity of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver function, serological markers of HBV and serum HBV DNA quantification were assayed in 215 CHB patients who also underwent liver biopsy. Liver pathology was regarded as the evaluation criteria to evaluate the correlation between serum HBV DNA level and the severity of liver inflammation and fibrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 215 patients, 136 were HBeAg-positive and 79 were HBeAg-negative; 134 patients had mild hepatic inflammation and fibrosis and 81 had significant hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in pathological diagnosis. We found that positive correlation between the severity of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis and serum HBV DNA level was only present in HBeAg-negative patients but not HBeAg-positive patients (P < 0.001). Patients' age was a key factor influencing the correlation between serum HBV DNA level and the severity of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. the cutoff values to predict the severity of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis were 33.5 and 36 years, respectively. Using 35 years as the cutoff value, positive correlation between serum HBV DNA level and hepatic inflammation and fibrosis was observed in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients aged ≥ 35 years (P < 0.05), however no correlation was observed in HBeAg-positive patients aged <35 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was positive correlation between serum HBV DNA level and hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients' aged ≥ 35 years, but in patients aged <35 years, positive correlation was only observed in HBeAg-negative patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110004, China. baihan910@gmail.com
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaokai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaoguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001706:Biopsy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens