Distribution of polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia in different phases of chronic hepatitis B infection

Abstract

Background: Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia (PHGG) is commonly associated with liver disorders and could signify an enhanced or defective immune system. This study was conducted to determine the distribution and significance of PHGG in phases of chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB). Methods: Serum protein electrophoresis and colorimetric protein were assayed in 80 inactive (IA), 45 immune-clearance (IC) and 17 immune-escape (IE) CHB participants. ANOVA and Student’s t-test were used for the comparison of data, while area under curve analysis was used to assess the performance. Results: A significant elevation in γ-globulin was observed in the 3 phases studied in relation to non-hepatitis B virus-infected controls. The incidence of PHGG in different phases of CHB are IA (61.3%), IC (33.3%), and IE (29.4%). The IA phase, considered the least severe, has the highest incidence of PHGG. Conclusion: Occurrence of PHGG seems to signify enhanced immune responses. It may also be used to some extent to predict the IA phase. Statement of novelty: This study utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the patterns of PHGG in untreated and categorized CHB infections.