title: The role of interleukin-27 in predicting spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B infection.
abstract: Hepatitis B e seroconversion, associated with preceding hepatic inflammation, marks the transition from immune active to residual phase in the natural disease history of chronic hepatitis B. Recently, interleukin-27 has been reported to be associated with hepatic inflammation in hepatitis B infection. We aimed to evaluate the role of interleukin-27 in predicting spontaneous e seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  
  A total of 142 treatment-naive hepatitis B patients with positive e antigen were recruited. Interleukin-27, hepatitis B viral DNA levels and liver function parameters, were measured on presentation. Patients who had spontaneous e seroconversion within 3 years of follow-up were compared with those without e seroconversion within the same period of time. Factors predictive of spontaneous e seroconversion were identified.
  
  
  
  Of the 142 patients (M:F=80:62, median age: 31), 44 (31%) had spontaneous e seroconversion within 3 years of follow-up. Multivariate analyses revealed that younger age, lower viral DNA and lower interleukin-27 levels on presentation independently predicted spontaneous e seroconversion: the rate was significantly higher in patients aged <31 (OR: 11.022, 95% CI: 3.658-33.205; P<.001), viral DNA <5 log IU/mL (OR: 2.311, 95% CI: 1.049-5.091; P=.038) and interleukin-27 <67.3 pg/mL (OR: 3.276, 95% CI: 1.257-8.536; P=.015). Among patients with all these three favourable factors on presentation, 77% of them underwent spontaneous e seroconversion within 3 years.
  
  
  
  Low interleukin-27 levels were associated with early e seroconversion. The combination of baseline interleukin-27 <67.3 pg/mL and viral DNA <5 log IU/mL in young patients was useful for predicting early spontaneous e seroconversion in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Department of Infectious Disease, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Lung-Yi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2266-3935
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Danny Ka-Ho
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: James
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1286-8902
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wai-Kay
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9012-313X
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ching-Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Man-Fung
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7985-7725
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D064094:Interleukin-27 / Q000097:blood*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D064094:Interleukin-27
keywords: 
  HBV DNA
  ; Interleukin-27; age; chronic hepatitis B; spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion