Liver International
Volume 31, Issue 6, pages 817–823, July 2011
Abstract
Background: There is insufficient information about HBsAg levels and their
correlation with serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in chronic hepatitis B
(CHB).
Aims: We aimed to describe HBsAg levels during various phases of CHB and to
investigate the correlation with serum HBV DNA levels.
Methods: A total of 645 treatment-naïve Korean CHB patients were included
in this retrospective cross-sectional study. They were categorized into
immune tolerance (IT, n=56), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH, n=150),
inactive carrier (IC, n=274) and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH, n=165). The
baseline HBsAg and HBV DNA levels were measured.
Results: The mean HBsAg titres (log IU/ml) differed (P<0.001): IT 4.29, EPH
3.64, IC 2.05 and ENH 3.23. In 645 patients, HBsAg and HBV DNA showed a
significant correlation (r=0.693, P<0.001), and this was also observed in
the IT, EPH and IC groups (r=0.664, r=0.541, r=0.505, respectively, all
P<0.001), but not in the ENH group (r=0.093, P=0.321). Age had a negative
correlation with HBsAg (r=−0.451, P<0.001). The cirrhotic patients had a
significantly lower HBsAg level than the non-cirrhotic patients (2.41 ±
1.36 vs. 3.02 ± 1.21 log IU/ml, P<0.001).
Conclusions: The HBsAg level varied significantly in different phases of
CHB and was correlated with HBV DNA during the IT, EPH and IC phases. These
findings can provide additional information to understand the natural
course and pathogenesis of CHB.