No abstract available.
Humans ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*immunology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/*blood

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans

Hepatitis B ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; methods ; Virus Replication

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The long-term virologic and biochemical changes in patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection, especially in Asia, remain unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a 3 year- retrospective, cohort study. METHODS: A total of 157 patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection who were monitored without treatment were reviewed between January 1999 and March 2004. Those patients were followed up every 3 months with liver function tests and serologic tests. All patients were stratified into 3 groups; inactive carrier (IC), viremic carrier (VC) and chronic hepatitis (CH). Serum HBV DNA was measured by a hybridization assay (sensitivity: 1.4 x 10(5) genomes/mL, Digene Diagnostics, Silver Spring, USA). RESULTS: The median age of enrolled patients was 42.7 years (M:F=2.3:1). By single time-point observations, the 3 year-cohort prevalence of HBeAg negative CH varied from 12.7 to 35.8% (median 20.7%) HBeAg negative CH was accumulated over time (P=0.002) and transition rates among three groups after 3 years of follow-up are as follows: IC to CH, 6.0%; IC to VC, 4.1%; VC to CH, 23.2%. VC seems to be a disease state in the middle of transition from IC to CH. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the dynamic changing patterns of HBeAg negative CH with time, of which the change from IC or VC to CH was dominant.
Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*immunology/virology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/*blood ; Female ; Carrier State/immunology ; Adult

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; virology ; Humans

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; therapy ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunotherapy

Background: Cytokines play an important role in occurrence and recovery of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of cytokines concentration and its correlation to alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA), hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg), and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods: Thirteen healthy individuals (HI), 30 chronic HBV-infected patients in immune tolerant (IT) phase, and 55 CHB patients were enrolled between August 2015 and May 2017. The peripheral blood samples were collected from all individuals. The levels of interferon (IFN)-α2, interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg and liver function were measured. The quantitative determinations of cytokines levels, including IFN-α2, IL-10, and TGF-β1 were performed using Luminex multiplex technology. The correlation of cytokines to ALT, HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg was analyzed by linear regression analysis. Results: IFN-α2 levels were similar between HI and IT groups (15.35 [5.70, 67.65] pg/ml vs. 15.24 [4.07, 30.73] pg/ml, Z = -0.610, P = 0.542), while it elevated significantly in CHB group (35.29 [15.94, 70.15] pg/ml vs. 15.24 [4.07, 30.73] pg/ml; Z = -2.522, P = 0.012). Compared with HI group (3.73 [2.98, 11.92] pg/ml), IL-10 concentrations in IT group (5.02 [2.98, 10.11] pg/ml), and CHB group (7.48 [3.10, 18.00] pg/ml) slightly increased (χ = 2.015, P = 0.365), and there was no significant difference between IT and CHB group (Z = -1.419, P = 0.156). The TGF-β1 levels among HI (3.59 ± 0.20 pg/ml), IT (3.62 ± 0.55 pg/ml), and CHB groups (3.64 ± 0.30 pg/ml) were similar (χ = 2.739, P = 0.254). In all chronic HBV-infected patients (including patients in IT and CHB groups), the elevation of IFN-α2 level was significantly associated with ALT level (β= 0.389, t = 2.423, P = 0.018), and was also negatively correlated to HBV-DNA load (β = -0.358, t = -2.308, P = 0.024), HBsAg (β = -0.359, t = -2.288, P = 0.025), and HBeAg contents (β = -0.355, t = -2.258, P = 0.027). However, when both ALT level and cytokines were included as independent variable, HBV-DNA load, HBsAg, and HBeAg contents were only correlated to ALT level (β = -0.459, t = -4.225, P = 0.000; β = -0.616, t = -6.334, P = 0.000; and β = -0.290, t = -2.433, P = 0.018; respectively). Conclusions IFN-α2 elevation was associated with ALT level in patients with chronic HBV infection. However, in CHB patients, only ALT level was correlated to HBV-DNA, HBsAg and HBeAg contents.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Antigens, Surface ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytokines ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

Biomarkers ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; genetics ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Vaccination

Adult ; Cytokines ; blood ; physiology ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To investigate the liver pathological changes and the clinical features of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in their immune tolerant phase and non-active status.

<b>METHODSb>Fifty-four patients with chronic HBV infection in their immune tolerant stage and another 47 patients with the same infection but in non-active status were involved in this study. Statistical analysis including the ages and sex of the patients, their serum levels of HBV DNA, hepatocytic expression of HBsAg and HBcAg and their liver pathology were studied and statistically analyzed. Histological grading of inflammation and staging of fibrosis in the livers were also compared and analysed in patients with different levels of serum ALT.

<b>RESULTSb>The sex ratio of the two groups was of no significant difference. The average age of the patients in the non-active status [(28.11+/-8.60) years.] was older than that of the patients in the immune tolerant stage [(24.93+/-7.21) years], showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). The serum levels of HBV DNA of the patients in the immune tolerant stage were high and 94% of them had a HBV DNA higher than 106 copies/ml. In the non-active status group, 89% of the patients were HBV DNA negative. Between the two groups of patients there were no significant differences in the histological grades of liver inflammation or in the hepatocytic expressions of HBsAg and HBcAg. The stage of fibrosis was higher in the non-active status group than in the immune tolerant stage group, showing a significant difference between these two groups (u = 2.004, P < 0.05). The fibrosis stages of the livers of patients of a higher but within normal ALT level were markedly higher than those of a lower but within normal ALT level patients (u = 3.274, P less than 0.01).

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Patients infected with HBV in non-active status may have experienced some occult courses of immune active stages; they are older in age and have higher levels of fibrosis. ALT sustained at a high level but within the normal range may indicate a higher degree of fibrosis, therefore liver pathological studies should be recommended for this kind of patient.

Adolescent ; Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Virus Replication ; Young Adult