title: Manifestations of perihepatic lymph nodes in acute flare of chronic hepatitis B: association with HBeAg status and with HBeAg seroconversion.
abstract: It has been observed that enlargement of perihepatic lymph nodes may be seen in patients with chronic hepatitis B, particularly during acute flares of CHB. We hypothesized that there may be a correlation between the nodal change patterns in CHB patients with acute flare and HBeAg status. Perihepatic lymph node sizes of 87 patients with acute flares of CHB were documented, with a median follow up of 43 months. Patients were separated into 3 groups, HBeAg-positive with HBe seroconversion (group 1), HBeAg-positive without HBe seroconversion (group 2), and HBeAg-negative (group 3). Group 1 has the highest incidence of enlarged lymph nodes (92.3%) compared with group 2 (75.8%) and group 3 (46.8%) (p = 0.003). And if nodal width at acute flare was > 8mm and interval change of nodal width was >3mm, the incidence of HBeAg seroconversion will be 75% (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger perihepatic lymph nodes are seen in CHB acute flare patients with positive HBeAg and the magnitude of nodal width change may predict HBeAg seroconversion at recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Shu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kun-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Che
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Jen
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lok-Beng
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Koay
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Yih
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Yongkang, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy & Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069078:Seroconversion; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens