Characteristics of an Outpatient Cohort with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B

Abstract

Background: Patients with hepatitis Be antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg-negative CHB), and patients' inactive carriers (IC) have similar laboratory and serologic characteristics and are not always easy to distinguish.

Aim: To characterise hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B cohort based on their laboratory and virology evaluations at one point of time.

Methods: A prospective non-randomized study was conducted on 109 patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B treated as outpatients at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions. All patients underwent laboratory and serology testing, quantification of HBV DNA and HBs antigen (qHBsAg).

Results: A group of 56 patients were inactive carriers (IC), and 53 patients had HBeAg-negative CHB (AH). The mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg in IC were 29.13 U/L; 727.95 IU/ml and 2753.73 IU/ml respectively. In the AH group, the mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and quantitative HBsAg were 50.45 U/L; 7237363.98 IU/ml and 12556.06 IU/ml respectively. The serum value of ALT was more influenced by qHBsAg than HBV DNA in both IC and AH groups (R = 0.22 vs R = 0.15) (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: patients with inactive and active HBeAg-negative CHB have similar laboratory and serology profile. It is necessary to combine analysis of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg for better discrimination between patient's IC and patient with HBeAg-negative CHB.

Keywords: ALT; Chronic hepatitis B; HBV DNA; HBeAg; Inactive carriers; Quantitative HBsAg.