title: Correlation between hepatitis B surface antigen titers and HBV DNA levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the correlation between serum HBsAg titers and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels in patients with hepatitis B envelop antigen-negative (HBeAg -ve) HBV genotype-D (HBV/D) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 106 treatment- naïve, HBeAg -ve HBV/D patients were included; 78 in the inactive carrier (IC) state and 28 in the active hepatitis (AH) stage. HBV DNA load and HBsAg titers were tested using TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and automated chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (range) log10 HBsAg titer was significantly lower in the IC group compared with AH group, 3.09 (-1 to -4.4) versus 3.68 (-0.77 to 5.09) IU/mL, respectively; P < 0.001. The suggested cutoff value of HBsAg titer to differentiate between the two groups was 3.79 log10 IU/mL. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in the whole cohort, AH, and IC groups (r = 0.6, P < 0.0001; r = 0.591, P = 0.001; and r = 0.243, P = 0.032, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum HBsAg titers may correlate with HBV DNA in treatment-naïve HBeAg -ve HBV/D patients, and supports the use of HBsAg levels in clinical practice as a predictor of serum HBV DNA levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine; Liver Disease Research Center, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia, .
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alghamdi
authors.forename: Nagwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aref
authors.forename: Malak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Hazmi
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Hamoudi
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alswat
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helmy
authors.forename: Faisal M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sanai
authors.forename: Ayman A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens