RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) titers apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume (HPCV) at different liver histological inflammation grades in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: The serum HBV DNA and HBsAg titers were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and electrochemiluminescence, separately, in CHB patients without any treatment. The serum HBV DNA levels and HBsAg titers apportioned by the same HPCV were figured out based on sphere geometry theory. In addition, the differences of HBV DNA levels and HBsAg titers apportioned by the same HPCV in different liver inflammation grades were further assessed based on statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was no difference of serum HBV DNA levels or HBsAg titers before apportioned by the same HPCV in liver inflammation grades 1-4, but significant differences were observed after apportion in CHB patients (HBV DNA: P=0.101; HBsAg: P=0.211 & HBV DNA apportioned by HPCV: P<0.001; HBsAg apportioned by HPCV: P<0.001). No correlation was observed between HBV DNA levels and liver inflammation grades (r=0.083, P=0.186), or between HBsAg titers and liver inflammation grades (r=0.083, P=0.078). A significant correlation was observed between HBV DNA levels apportioned by HPCV and liver inflammation grades (r=0.249, P<0.001), and obvious correlation of HBsAg titers apportioned by HPCV and liver inflammation grades was also found in CHB patients (r=0.554, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the levels of serum HBV DNA and HBsAg apportioned by the same HPCV are correlated with the severity of liver histological inflammation grade in the natural history of CHB.

Asunto(s)

Antígenos de Superficie de la Hepatitis B , Hepatitis B Crónica , Tamaño de la Célula , ADN Viral , Virus de la Hepatitis B/genética , Humanos , Inflamación

RESUMEN

@#【Objective】To study retrospectively the serum hepatitis B surface antigen（HBsAg）and HBsAg normal⁃ ized to the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume（HPCV），namely，the same hepatic cell quantities，between HBeAg- positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B（CHB）.【Methods】A total of 168 CHB patients who had undergone liv⁃ er biopsy and test of serum HBsAg levels due to their disease in the Third Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-sen University were selected as the study subjects. The serum HBsAg levels，as well as HBsAg levels normalized to HPCV（hepatic cell quantities）were compared between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB，respectively.【Results】There was statis⁃ tically significant difference in serum HBsAg levels between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB（P = 0.028）， while there was no statistical difference in HBsAg normalized to HPCV（P = 0.073）. There were no correlations between serum HBsAg and liver inflammation grades（HBeAg-positive：r s = 0.020，P = 0.876 & HBeAg-negative：r s = 0.037，P =0.711）. Similarly，there were no correlations between HBsAg and hepatic fibrosis stages（HBeAg-positive：r s = 0.087， P = 0.488 & HBeAg-negative：r s = 0.144，P = 0.148）. Nevertheless，statistically significant positive correlations were shown between HBsAg normalized to HPCV and liver inflammation grades（HBeAg-positive：r s = 0.309，P = 0.012 & HBeAg-negative：r s = 0.389，P < 0.001）. Similarly，the HBsAg normalized to HPCV and hepatic fibrosis stages were shown to be statistically significantly correlated（HBeAg-positive：r s = 0.490，P < 0.001 & HBeAg-negative：r s = 0.599， P < 0.001）.【Conclusions】Serum HBsAg normalized to HPCV but not HBsAg levels，is correlated with liver inflamma⁃ tion grades as well as hepatic fibrosis stages positively in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB. But there is no difference in serum HBsAg levels normalized to HPCV between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB.