title: Correlation between hepatitis B virus DNA levels and diagnostic tests for HBsAg, HBeAg, and PreS1-Ag in chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the serum markers HBsAg and HBeAg and PreS1 protein (PreS1-Ag) in quantifying the levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). One thousand CHB patients were recruited from Beijing You'an Hospital between June and December 2012. Serum HBsAg and HBeAg levels were detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to determine the level of PreS1-Ag and HBV DNA, respectively. We observed a low correlation between HBsAg and HBV DNA (r = 0.172, P < 0.001) expression; however, the correlation coefficient increased gradually with the increase in HBV DNA levels, and was more significant when HBV DNA log10 > 7 (r = 0.597, P < 0.001). Additionally, HBsAg and HBV DNA showed a significant positive correlation in the HBeAg+ group (r = 0.321, P < 0.001), whereas no correlation was observed in the HBeAg- group (r = -0.016, P = 0.825). HBV DNA expression was correlated with HBeAg (χ2 = 83.07, P < 0.001) and PreS1-Ag (χ2 = 36.01, P < 0.001). HBV DNA-positive rate was higher in HBeAg/PreS1-Ag++ patients (72.26%) than that in the single-positive groups (P < 0.001). Therefore, serum HBsAg is not a good marker for the prediction of HBV replication, and co-detection of HBeAg and PreS1-Ag, which can better predict HBV DNA replication, can be used as a reliable method for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CHB.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Y X
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: G Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / 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 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen