OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between the levels of HBV DNA loads and both the clinical characteristics and 48-week prognosis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-three patients with decompensated cirrhosis of hepatitis B virus infection were divided into low level HBV DNA group [HBV DNA < 10(5) copies/ml = (46 cases) and high-level HBV-DNA group (HBV DNA > or = 10(5) copies/ml) (97 cases)]. 21 cases in low-level group and 52 cases in high-level group treated with nucleoside analog.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference between the two groups on the demography and the baseline in ALT, ALB, TBil, CHE before treatment, while in AST and HBeAg were statistically different. At 48-week, there was no significant difference between the two groups on the liver function. The mortality rate in low-level group was similar to that in high level group. In the low-level HBV DNA patients, hepatocellular carcinoma, spontaneous peritonitis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage were higer than that in the high-level HBV DNA patients.

CONCLUSIONIn patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, those who were in low-level HBV DNA had not got better than that in high-level HBV DNA, which indicated that earlier treatment was also needed in low-level HBV DNA patients.