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Analysis of clinical and virologic features in Hepatitis B e Antigen (HbeAg)-negative and HbeAg-positive Egyptian chronic Hepatitis B patients


Rabab Fouad
Sherief Musa
Dina Sabry
Ahmad Salama
Shereen Abdel Alem
Mira Atef
Naglaa Zayed

Abstract

Background: HBeAg–negative chronic hepatitis B infection has a divergent clinical course from that of HBeAg-positive infection.


Objectives: To analyze the frequency and to compare the different features of HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chron- ic hepatitis B patients.


Methods: One hundred and twenty one Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), underwent laboratory investiga- tions and transient elastography (TE). Comparisons according to HBeAg status were conducted regarding their demograph- ic, liver biochemical and virologic characters.


Results: 97 patients (80.2%) were HBeAg-negative while 24 patients (19.8%) were HBeAg-positive. HBeAg-negative pa- tients were significantly older in age than CHBeAg-positive patients (p=0.001). ALT levels in HBeAg-negative patients were significantly lower than those in HBeAg-positive patients (p=0.02), whereas serum albumin was lower in the HBeAg-posi- tive group (p=0.03). The percentage of HBV DNA higher than 20000 IU/mL in HBeAg-negative patients was lower than those in HBeAg-positive patients (p=0.24). Stages of fibrosis by TE showed that 30.9% of HBeAg-negative and 41.7% of HBeAg-positive had a fibrosis score >F2. Four patients (3.3%) were diagnosed with HCC; all of whom were HBeAg-neg- ative.


Conclusion: HBeAg-negative patients compared with HBeAg-positive patients had older age, lower ALT and serum HBV- DNA levels, but more incidence of HCC.


Keywords: Hepatitis B; HBeAg; fibrosis; Egypt.


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eISSN: 1729-0503
print ISSN: 1680-6905