OBJECTIVETo study the relationships between intrahepatic HBV DNA level and serum HBV DNA level, between intrahepatic HBV DNA level and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) level in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and assess the valuation of pretreatment liver HBV DNA level in antivirus therapy.

METHODSLiver specimens taken from 41 HBeAg-positive CHB patients before antivirus treatment were divided into two parts, one for histological examination, and the other for intrahepatic HBV DNA quantified detection by PCR-fluorescence. At the same time, serum levels of HBV DNA and HBeAg were detected. The patients were classified into two groups according to the pretreatment intrahepatic HBV DNA level (< or = 10(4)fg/cm(3) in group A, >10(4)fg/cm(3) in group B) and accepted interferon alpha-1b (3MU every day for 26 weeks) in combination with lamivudine (100mg per day for 52 weeks). During the treatment, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA and HBeAg seroconversion rate were monitored.

RESULTS(1) The level of liver HBV DNA was much higher than that of serum HBV DNA (4.081 +/-1.127 vs 3.163 +/-1.010, t = 2.218, P < 0.05). Liver HBV DNA level had positive correlation to serum HBV DNA level (r = 0.840, t = 4.322, P < 0.001) and serum HBeAg level (r = 0.459, t = 3.056, P < 0.005). (2) Intrahepatic HBV DNA level was negative correlation to the severity of liver damage (chi(2) = 3.874, P < 0.05). (3) Serum HBV DNA level in all the patients reduced remarkedly after therapy, especially in group A. At the end of 52 weeks, the rates of HBeAg and anti-HBe seroconversion in group A were higher than those in group B (68.4% vs 36.4%, chi(2) = 4.194, P < 0.05; 73.7% vs 40.9%, chi(2) = 4.447, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntrahepatic HBV DNA is a more valuable marker than serum HBV DNA or HBeAg to assess HBV replication, and can reflect the status of body immunity indirectly. It may be a useful indicator for the efficacy of antivirus treatment.