HBsAg levels in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with different immune conditions.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and different immune conditions.


METHODS
HBeAg-positive CHB patients with different immune conditions were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. These patients were grouped according to the following criteria: immune-tolerant patients, IT group; patients with a mild immune response in the immune clearance phase, IC-Mild group; and patients with a dramatic immune response in the immune clearance phase and exhibiting acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF), ACLF group. All these patients had not previously received antiviral therapy and were enrolled at a pre-settled ratio of 2:2:1. Serum HBsAg levels and the correlation between serum HBsAg level and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level were evaluated in these groups.


RESULTS
In total, 180 HBeAg-positive CHB patients [IT group (n = 72), IC-Mild group (n = 72), and ACLF group (n = 36)] were enrolled in this study. The median serum HBsAg levels varied among the groups (P < 0.001): IT, 4.86 log10 IU/mL; IC-Mild, 3.97 log10 IU/mL; and ACLF, 3.57 log10 IU/mL. Serum HBsAg level showed a moderate positive correlation with serum HBV-DNA level in the IC-Mild group (r = 0.60, P < 0.001), but exhibited a weaker correlation in the IT (r = 0.52, P < 0.001) and ACLF groups (r = 0.51, P = 0.001). The ratio of HBsAg/HBV DNA did not differ significantly among the IT, IC-Mild, and ACLF groups (medians: 0.56, 0.55, and 0.56, respectively; P = 0.179).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum HBsAg levels varied significantly in HBeAg-positive patients with different immune conditions. These findings may have important implications for understanding the immune clearance of HBV in HBeAg-positive CHB patients.
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Yi-Min
YM
Zhang
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Yi-Da
YD
Yang
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Hong-Yu
HY
Jia
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Lin-Yan
LY
Zeng
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Wei
W
Yu
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Ning
N
Zhou
Yi-Min Zhang, Yi-Da Yang, Hong-Yu Jia, Lin-Yan Zeng, Wei Yu, Ning Zhou, Lan-Juan Li, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Lan-Juan
LJ
Li
D065290:Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
Acute on chronic liver failure; Chronic hepatitis B; Hepatitis B e antigen; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Immune clearance; Immune tolerance