title: Hepatitis B e antigen status and hepatitis B DNA levels in women of childbearing age with chronic hepatitis B infection screening for clinical trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perinatal or mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) results in a high frequency of chronic infection. Risk of mother-to-child transmission is associated with maternal viral factors including hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positivity and viral load.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate associations between age, HBeAg status, HBV DNA levels and genotype in female patients screened for inclusion into two contemporary, randomized HBV trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analyses focused on differences between women of childbearing age (≤44 years) and older women. Female patients (N = 355; 18-69 years) were included in the analysis: 41.7% of patients were Asian. In total, 44.4% were HBeAg-positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more women aged ≤44 years were HBeAg-positive compared to women ≥45 years (57.2% versus 27.5%, respectively, p<0.0001), this proportion declined with increasing age. Younger women were significantly more likely to have high HBV viral load (HBV DNA>108 copies mL: ≤44 years 46.0% vs ≥45 years 25.5%, respectively; p<0.0001), and this declined with increasing age. HBeAg positivity was slightly higher in Asian women, associated with a higher proportion of HBV genotypes B and C in this population. There was no obvious relationship between genotype and viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women of childbearing age with CHB are more likely to have high HBV viral load and HBeAg positivity than older women; this likelihood decreases with age. Maternal serological and virological status should therefore be established early in pregnancy, taking into account age and genotype, and a risk-reducing strategy implemented in any patient who is HBeAg positive and has a high viral load.
authors: Liver Disease and Transplant Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
authors: Tram T
authors: TT
authors: Tran
authors: Division of Hepatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America.
authors: Stuart C
authors: SC
authors: Gordon
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Fung
authors: Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California, United States of America.
authors: Phillip
authors: P
authors: Dinh
authors: Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California, United States of America.
authors: Leland
authors: L
authors: Yee
authors: Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California, United States of America.
authors: Eduardo Bruno
authors: EB
authors: Martins
authors: Department of Hepatology, Hospital General Universitario Valle Hebron and Ciberehd del Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Buti
authors: Department of Hepatologie, University of Paris, Paris, France.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Marcellin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens