Serum Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)DNA Levels at Different Stages of Clinical Course in Patients with Chronic HBV Infection in an Endemic Area.
10.3346/jkms.2003.18.5.686
- Author:
Jeong HEO
1
;
Tae Hyun BAIK
;
Hyung Hoi KIM
;
Gwang Ha KIM
;
Dae Hwan KANG
;
Geun Am SONG
;
Mong CHO
;
Ung Suk YANG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea. mcho@pusan.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hepatitis, Viral, Human;
Hepatitis B, Chronic;
HB e Antigens;
Hepatitis B Surbace Antigens;
Virus, hepatitis
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Child;
DNA/chemistry;
DNA, Viral/*genetics;
False Positive Reactions;
Female;
Hepatitis B/metabolism/*pathology;
Hepatitis B Virus/*metabolism;
Human;
Liver/metabolism;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
ROC Curve
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2003;18(5):686-690
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The aims of this study were to investigate serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels at different clinical stages in patients with chronic HBV infection, and to determine the serum HBV DNA level that discriminated HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B(CHB) cases from inactive HBsAg carriers. In all, 222 patients, encompassing 68 HBeAg-positive CHB patients (HBeAg-positive, ALT-elevation), 89 HBeAg-negative CHB patients (HBeAg-negative, ALT-elevation), and 65 inactive HBsAg carriers (HBeAg-negative, ALT-normal), were tested. The ALT levels had been tested more than twice during the previous six months, and the serum HBV DNA levels were quantified by a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. The serum HBV DNA levels of the HBeAg-negative patients were significantly lower than those of the HBeAg-positive patients (median 2.7 x 10(4) vs. 1.6 x 10(8) copies/mL; p=0.000). In addition, the HBV DNA levels of the HBeAg-negative CHB patients were significantly higher than those of the inactive HBsAg carriers (median 2.2 x 10(5) vs. 3.2 x 10(3) copies/ mL; p=0.000). The optimal HBV DNA level for discriminating HBeAg-negative CHB cases from inactive HBsAg carriers was 2.0 x 10(4) copies/mL. The serum HBV DNA levels were lower than the cutoff value in 72.3% (47/65) of the inactive HBsAg carriers, and in 31.5% (28/89) of the HBeAg-negative CHB patients. The serum HBV DNA levels differed significantly between these two groups. However, the levels in the two groups overlapped extensively, preventing the definition of a differentiation cut-off value.
