Su1003 High Pre-Treatment Serum Interferon-Gamma-Inducible Protein 10 (IP-10) Levels Is Associated With HBsAg Seroconversion After Peginterferon Therapy in HBeAg-Positive and HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B

Abstract

Introduction: Serum levels of interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 (IP-10) are a marker for immune activity and may be associated with an increased probability of HBeAg loss after pegylated interferon (PegIFN) therapy. The aim of this study is to compare the chronological change of serum IP-10 levels in chronic hepatitis B patients with and without HBsAg seroconversion after PegIFN therapy. Materials and Methods: Sixty chronic hepatitis B patients (HBeAg positive (n=30) and HBeAg negative (n=30)) were recruited and treated with PegIFN for 48 weeks. Demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded. Serum IP-10 was measured at baseline, on-treatment weeks 12, 24 and 48 and week 72 post-treatment. Results: Forty-four males and 16 female chronic hepatitis B patients were included. The median age of patients was 34 years, and 7 of 60 patients achieved HBsAg seroconversion at week 96 post-treatment. Baseline characteristics including age, sex, ALT, HBV DNA level and HBsAg level were not statistical different between the two groups (Table 1). The mean level of serum IP-10 at baseline was 751±588 and 250±293 pg/ml in patients with and without HBsAg seroconversion, respectively. At baseline and week 48, IP-10 level were significantly higher in patients with HBsAg seroconversion than patient without HBsAg seroconversion (Table 2). A cut off value of baseline serum IP-10 level of less than 200 pg/ ml predicted no one achieving HBsAg seroconversion at week 96 post-treatment (100%, 32/32). Whereas, up to 25% (7/28) of CHB patients with a baseline serum IP-10 level more than 200 pg/ml achieved HBsAg seroconversion at week 96 after PegIFN therapy. The odds ratio for HBsAg seroconversion at week 96 after PegIFN therapy was 1.37 for every 100 pg/ml positive increment of baseline IP-10 (OR 1.37; 95% CI, 1.07-1.59; P<0.01). The dynamic change of the post-PegIFN treatment serum IP-10 level was significantly different among two groups of patients. In the HBsAg seroconversion group, the serum IP-10 level which was not statistically significant changed during treatment, however, the IP-10 was significantly decreased in week 72 post-treatment. On the other hand, the IP-10 level tended to significantly increase during the treatment period in chronic HBV patients without seroconversion after Peg-IFN treatment (Figure 1). Conclusions: Pre-treatment serum IP-10 was higher in patients who achieved HBsAg seroconversion at week 96 after peginterferon therapy. This pilot study showed that a cut off value of 200 pg/ml serum IP-10 level predicted the outcome of treatment with Peg-IFN in chronic hepatitis B patients. Table 1. Comparison of demographic, baseline ALT, HBV DNA and HBsAg level between patients with and without HBsAg seroconversion at week 96.