Analysis of serum HBV markers in chronic HBV infected patients with HBV DNA below the detection limit and below the quantification limit after long-term nucleotide analogues treatment
10.3760/cma.j.cn112866-20250106-00003
- VernacularTitle:NAs经治超敏HBV DNA痕量的慢性HBV感染者血清HBV标志物水平分析
- Author:
Yan ZHAO
1
;
Yiheng ZHANG
;
Jing HE
;
Lina WANG
;
Tao LI
;
Yundong QU
;
Lei WANG
;
Yan WANG
Author Information
1. 山东大学第二医院检验科，济南 250033
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Chronic Hepatitis B;
Nucleos（t）ide analogues;
HBV pregenomic RNA;
Hepatitis B surface antigen
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology
2025;39(4):454-460
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:This study aims to investigate the differences between two groups of patients treated with nucleos（t）ide analogues（NAs）：those with undetectable HBV DNA by ultrasensitive testing and those with HBV DNA below the quantification limit. The findings will provide a basis for the clinical interpretation and rational use of ultrasensitive HBV DNA results.Methods:This cross-sectional study included patients with chronic HBV infection who were treated with NAs between May 2023 and December 2023 at the outpatient clinic and inpatient department of the Hepatology Department，The Second Hospital of Shandong University. All patients had ultrasensitive HBV DNA results that were either undetectable or less than 20 IU/ml. The group with undetectable ultrasensitive HBV DNA was defined as the target not detected（TND）group，while the group with HBV DNA levels below 20 IU/ml was defined as the limit of quantitation（LOQ）group. Data on patients' sex，age，type of NAs used，routine blood tests，liver and kidney function，quantitative hepatitis B serology，ultrasensitive HBV DNA，HBV pregenomic RNA（pgRNA），abdominal ultrasound，CT or MRI imaging were collected. Differences between the two groups in terms of demographic data and HBV markers were analyzed.Results:A total of 827 patients were included in the study，with 536 patients in the TND group and 291 in the LOQ group. Compared with the TND group，the LOQ group had a younger age（ P<0.001），and higher level of ALT，AST，HBeAg positive rate，HBsAg，and HBV pgRNA（all P<0.001）. Subgroup analyses stratified by HBeAg status，cirrhosis status，and sex showed that the LOQ group had significantly higher levels of HBsAg and HBV pgRNA compared to the TND group in all subgroups（all P<0.05）. Conclusion:The LOQ group had significantly higher levels of HBsAg and HBV pgRNA compared to the TND group.
