Abstract:

Objective   To investigate the baseline HBsAg quantification of different phases of hepatitis B virus infection without antiviral treatment and the relationships of HBsAg with HBV DNA and age. Methods   Five hundred and sixty-four HBV-infected patients without accepting antiviral therapy were divided into 6 groups according to the phase of HBV-infection: chronic HBV-carrier (65 patients), inactive HBsAg carrier (164 patients), HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (171 patients), HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (74 patients), HBeAg-positive hepatitis B liver cirrhosis(42 patients)and HBeAg-negative hepatitis B liver cirrhosis(48 patients). Serum HBsAg was quantified using the Abbott ARCHITECT platform and HBV DNA by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR method. Results   The HBsAg median levels in groups of chronic HBV-carrier, HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B, HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, inactive HBsAg carrier, HBeAgnegative hepatitis B liver cirrhosis and HBeAg-positive hepatitis B liver cirrhosis were 4.71(3.71-5.31), 4.04(2.45-5.22), 3.50(2.68-4.43), 3.34(1.38-4.37), 3.25(1.85-3.88) and 3.15(2.51-3.92) lgIU/mL, respectively. Statistical difference of HBsAg was found among the 6 groups (χ2=263.0，P＜0.001). HBsAg quantification (excepting inactive HBsAg carrier) was positively correlated with HBV DNA (r=0.719，P＜0.001). Negative correlation was found between HBsAg and age(r=-0.397，P＜0.001). In patients older than 40 years, HBsAg quantification was statistically different between inactive HBsAg carrier group and HBeAgnegative chronic hepatitis B group (3.14/3.53lgIU/mL, P＜0.001), and the cut-off value was 3.29lgIU/mL. Conclusion   HBsAg quantification is distributed differently in the different phases of HBV-infection. Serum HBsAg is correlated with HBV DNA and age. HBsAg quantitative value is an important indicator to predict whether the inactive HBsAg carriers develop to the HBeAg- negative chronic hepatitis B.

Key words: Quantification of surface antigen； Chronic hepatitis B； Hepatitis B virus； Age