title: HBsAg as an important predictor of HBeAg seroconversion following antiviral treatment for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels may be an important predictor of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion (SC) in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients during antiviral treatment. The pattern of HBsAg variation in CHB patients either with or without SC following tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment is not clearly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with full experimental data were enrolled, and liver biochemistry, serum HBV DNA, and circulating CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell (Treg) levels were determined at baseline and every 12 weeks after the initiation of TDF treatment (for a total of 96 weeks). In addition, the relationship between HBsAg or HBeAg and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA and Treg levels in SC and non-SC patients was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 9 patients had undergone HBeAg seroconversion by week 72 of TDF treatment, and biochemical and virological indexes and Treg percentages declined to normal levels. Furthermore, the positive correlation between HBsAg and ALT, HBV DNA and Treg levels was significant for SC patients, but not for non-SC patients. However, for HBeAg, significant positive correlations were or not observed for both SC and non-SC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quantitation of HBsAg is a more useful indicator than HBeAg for distinguishing SC and non-SC patients during TDF treatment. Moreover, HBsAg may be related to immune regulatory property of CHB patients during antiviral treatment.
authors: Jiezuan
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Jiajia
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Ye
authors: Linfeng
authors: L
authors: Jin
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wu
authors: Guoping
authors: G
authors: Sheng
authors: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. ljli@zju.edu.cn.
authors: Lan-Juan
authors: LJ
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens