1Major Project Executive Office, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210009, China.
2Acute Infectious Disease Prevention Section, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210009, China.
3School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University 210029, China.
4Epidemic Prevention Section, Zhangjiagang County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhangjiagang 215600, China.
5Epidemic Prevention Section, Danyang County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Danyang 212310, China.
6Major Project Executive Office, Taixing County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Taixing 225400, China.
7Animal Care Facility, Nanjing Medical University 210029, China.
Abstractin English, Chinese Objective: To understand characteristics and influencing factors of reversion of HBeAg in chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg sero-conversion, and provide epidemiological evidence for the regular management of chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: From 2012 to 2014, a cohort study was conducted among the chronic hepatitis B patients with sero-conversion of HBeAg in Jiangsu province. Association between participants' demographics, ALT, HBV DNA and incidence of HBeAg reversion was analyzed by Cox regression model. HBV DNA changing trend between patients with HBeAg reversion and patients with persistent HBeAg sero-conversion was compared by repeated measure data variance analysis. Results: In 2012, there were 5 068 HBeAg seroconverted chronic hepatitis B patients aged (51.9 ± 12.8) years enrolled. By 2014, HBeAg had reversed in 121 cases with the rate of 1.3/100 person-years. The probability of HBeAg reversion decreased with the age of the patients. By Cox regression analysis, HBV DNA level was an important influencing factor for the progress of HBeAg reversion. The patients with HBV DNA≥200 000 IU/ml had a higher HBeAg reversion rate DNA (3.8/100 person-years) than those with HBV DNA <2 000 IU/ml (1.1 person-years) (HR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.91-6.20, P=0.000). Compared with the persistent HBeAg sero-conversion group, HBV DNA and ALT showed a more dramatic increase in the HBeAg reversion group (P=0.000). Conclusions: There was a certain HBeAg reversion rate in chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg sero-conversion. Younger chronic CHB patients with HBeAg sero-conversion and those with higher HBV DNA lever had higher HBeAg reversion rate. Following up and management of chronic CHB patients with HBeAg sero-conversion is important and helpful for the control of hepatitis B.