The value of serum Hepatitis B surface antigen quantification in determining viralactivity in chronic Hepatitis B virus infection.

Abstract

Background and Aims: We aimed to quantify the Serum HBsAg titres in CHB
patients, and to determine if there is an association between Serum HBsAg titres and the phase of CHB.
Methods: A total of 178 consecutively presenting patients with chronic hepatitis B were
studied. The different phases of CHB were classified according to the serum HBeAg/anti-HBe status, HBV DNA concentrations and serum ALT levels, based on the European Association for the study of the liver (EASL) guidelines.Serum HBsAg titres were measured using the Elecsys HBsAg II Quant assay (Roche Diagnostics).
Results: Of the total (178) patients studied, 3 (2%) were found to be in the immune tolerant phase, 10 (6%) in the immune clearance phase, 98 (55%) in the low replicative phase, and 67 (38%) in the reactivation phase. The mean values of HBsAg titres were 4.70, 4.45, 3.38, and 3.68 log IU/ml for the immune tolerant, immune clearance, inactive and reactivation phases 395 respectively. The difference in the mean value for HBsAg level across the phases of hepatitis B were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: HBsAg titres varied significantly across different phases of CHB in treatment naive patients. In addition, HBsAg titres were highest in the immune tolerant phase ofCHB andalso higher in hepatitis e antigen positive patients compared to hepatitis e antigen negative patients.

Keywords:Serum Hepatitis B surface antigen Quantification, Viralactivity,Chronic Hepatitis B infection