Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019 Jul 14;7(13):2068-2074. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.623. eCollection 2019 Jul 15.
Characteristics of an Outpatient Cohort with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B.
Dimzova M1, Bosilkovski M1, Kondova-Topuzovska I1, Gaseva M1, Toshevki B1, Petreska B1, Jakimovski D1.
Author information
1
University Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions, Faculty of Medicine, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Patients with hepatitis Be antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg-negative CHB), and patients' inactive carriers (IC) have similar laboratory and serologic characteristics and are not always easy to distinguish.
AIM:
To characterise hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B cohort based on their laboratory and virology evaluations at one point of time.
METHODS:
A prospective non-randomized study was conducted on 109 patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B treated as outpatients at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions. All patients underwent laboratory and serology testing, quantification of HBV DNA and HBs antigen (qHBsAg).
RESULTS:
A group of 56 patients were inactive carriers (IC), and 53 patients had HBeAg-negative CHB (AH). The mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg in IC were 29.13 U/L; 727.95 IU/ml and 2753.73 IU/ml respectively. In the AH group, the mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and quantitative HBsAg were 50.45 U/L; 7237363.98 IU/ml and 12556.06 IU/ml respectively. The serum value of ALT was more influenced by qHBsAg than HBV DNA in both IC and AH groups (R = 0.22 vs R = 0.15) (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSION:
patients with inactive and active HBeAg-negative CHB have similar laboratory and serology profile. It is necessary to combine analysis of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg for better discrimination between patient's IC and patient with HBeAg-negative CHB.
KEYWORDS: