20. Correlation between quantitative HBsAg and serum HBV DNA levels in treatment naïve chronic hepatitis B patients

Abstract

Background and Aims: Published data regarding correlation between quantitative HBsAg and HBV-DNA and its dependence on HBeAg status, have conflicting results. Thus we aimed to investigate correlation between quantitative HBsAg and HBV-DNA in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: This was a prospective study evaluating treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients conducted in department of Gastroenterology at our tertiary care centre between June 2016–May 2017. Demographic details and laboratory parameters like HBV-DNA, quantitative HBsAg, HBeAg status, SGOT, SGPT, total bilirubin, albumin were noted. HBV-DNA was measured by RT-PCR and serum quantitative HBsAg levels by Abott Architect Assay. Results: Out of total 90 treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B patients (median age: 23 years, Interquartile range (IQR) 21.75–31.75 years, M:F ratio = 4.2:1), 24 patients were HBeAg positive and 66 were HBeAg negative. In the study group, median HBV-DNA was 1.1 × 103 (IQR 2.9 × 102–5.5 × 103) log10 IU/ml and median quantitative HBsAg 9.7 × 103 (IQR 4.5 × 103–1.4 × 104) IU/ml. There was a strong correlation between serum quantitative HBsAg levels and serum HBV-DNA in HBeAg positive group (r 0.961, p < 0.001) while amongst HBeAg negative patients there was no correlation (r −0.062, p = 0.622). Overall there was no correlation between serum quantitative HBsAg levels and serum HBV-DNA levels (r −0.048, p = 0.65). Conclusions: Quantitative HBsAg is more related with HBV-DNA levels in initial replicative phase than in later non-replicative phases and is less likely to replace serum HBV-DNA test in the low replicative stage of chronic hepatitis B. The authors have none to declare. TableTabled 1OverallHBeAg positiveHBeAg negativeP valueMedian (interquartile range)Median (interquartile range)Median (interquartile range)Age (years)23 (21.75–31.75)26 (21–40)23 (22–30)0.72*Male7357160.07 NSFemale1798Bilirubin (mg/dl)0.9 (0.7–1.1)3 (0.9–14)0.9 (0.8–1.0)0.00*Albumin (gm/dl)4.1 (4.0–4.2)4 (3.9–4.1)4.2 (4.1–4.2)0.58*AST (IU/L)71 (30–98)229.5 (30–476)63 (30.75–76)0.001*ALT (IU/L)40 (27.5–95)261 (28–398)33 (26–55)0.001*HBV DNA (log10 IU/ml)1.1 × 103 (2.9 × 102–5.5 × 103)5.5 × 107 (8.0 × 102–1.1 × 108)4.78 × 102 (6.8 × 101–3.3 × 103)0.00*qHBsAg (IU/ml)9.7 × 103 (4.5 × 103–1.4 × 104)1.2 × 104 (7.5 × 103–1.7 × 104)9.2 × 103 (4.3 × 103–1.3 × 104)0.062* Open table in a new tab