title: Comparison of Serum Hepatitis B Virus DNA and HBsAg Levels Between HBeAg-Negative and HBeAg-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis B consists of different clinical phases. Laboratory and histological assessments can help differentiate the clinical phases of this disease and thus lead to better management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine laboratory and histological characteristics of HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we evaluated 151 treatment naive chronic hepatitis B patients and grouped them according to their HBeAg status. Serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and HBsAg levels were measured, and liver function tests, and liver biopsy were performed for the study population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in age, and HBV DNA and HBsAg levels between HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive groups yet there was no statistically significant difference in sex, liver function tests, grading and staging of liver biopsy between the groups. Hepatitis B virus DNA and HBsAg levels were correlated in both HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that chronic hepatitis B patients had different HBV DNA and HBsAg levels according to their HBeAg status.
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, IR Iran ; Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran ; Iran Hepatitis Network, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshvari
authors.affiliation: Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran ; Iran Hepatitis Network, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
authors.affiliation: Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran ; Iran Hepatitis Network, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Heidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharafi
keywords: HBeAg; HBsAg; Hepatitis B