title: Virological Determinants of Spontaneous Postpartum e Antigen Seroconversion and Surface Antigen Seroclearance in Pregnant Women Infected with Hepatitis B Virus.
abstract: We investigated the virological factors predicting spontaneous postpartum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance in pregnant women infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV).
  
  
  
  We invited 419 HBV infected women whose sera had been collected during their pregnancy from August 2002-July 2004 and archived at -30°C, to participate the follow-up in October 2009-March 2010. Various virological factors were determined and compared in women with or without the seroconversion and seroclearance.
  
  
  
  A total of 264 (63.0%) antiviral naive women participated in the follow-up with an average observation period of 6.4 years (5.4-7.4). Of 76 women who were HBeAg positive during pregnancy, 42 (55.3%) seroconverted to anti-HBe during follow-up. Compared to pregnant women with HBV DNA ≥3 × 10(7) IU/mL or HBeAg ≥770 S/CO, those with HBV DNA <3 × 10(7) IU/mL or HBeAg <770 S/CO had higher conversion rate, with odds ratios (OR) of 7.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00-26.78) and 5.94 (95% CI, 1.40-25.16), respectively. Thirty eight (14.4%) women cleared HBsAg; pregnant women with HBsAg levels of 100-999 and <100 IU/mL had higher HBsAg seroclearance rate with OR of 2.58 (95% CI, 1.03-6.43) and 13.33 (95% CI, 5.07-35.07), respectively, compared to those with HBsAg >1000 IU/mL.
  
  
  
  HBeAg-positive pregnant women with HBV DNA <3 × 10(7) IU/mL or HBeAg <770 S/CO are more likely to undergo postpartum HBeAg seroconversion. HBsAg <100 IU/mL is a strong predictor of spontaneous postpartum HBsAg seroclearance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Zhenhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jingli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China; Department of Experimental Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Medical School, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: zgr03summer@126.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D000069078:Seroconversion; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
keywords: HBeAg seroconversion; HBsAg seroclearance; Pregnant women; Virological determinants