慢性乙型肝炎患者肝脂肪变与肝脏HBsAg和HBcAg的关系

目的 探讨慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝细胞脂肪变与肝脏HBsAg和HBcAg表达的关系.方法 选取2005年1月至2008年6月间天津市传染病医院经肝活组织检查确诊的CHB合并肝脂肪变患者147例,另选取与其血清HBV DNA接近的无肝脂肪变的CHB患者149例,比较2组肝脏HBsAg、HBcAg免疫组织化学染色及肝脏损伤的差异.统计分析采用t检验和x2检验.结果 与无肝脂肪变组相比,肝脂肪变组平均年龄和体质指数较高(t值分别=-3.31和-6.57,P值均＜0.01),肝组织中重度炎性反应、明显纤维化及HBsAg强阳性染色的比例则较低(分别为30.6％比15.4％、26.5％比12.8％、23.1％比6.7％,x2值分别=9.63、8.92、15.76,P值均＜0.01),HBcAg强阳性染色比例亦呈下降趋势.与肝脂肪变程度F1至F2级者比较,F3至F4级者肝脏HBsAg、HBcAg强阳性染色比例呈下降趋势.结论 肝脂肪变影响CHB患者肝组织内HBsAg、HBcAg的表达,随肝脂肪变的出现及加重,HBsAg、HBcAg表达及肝组织损伤程度均呈下降趋势.     

慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染者肝组织HBcAg表达与临床及病理特征的关系

目的探讨慢性HBV感染者肝组织HBcAg表达及其在亚细胞结构的分布与血清HBeAg表达、HBV DNA水平及肝组织病理学损害的关系。方法对371例慢性HBV感染者进行肝穿刺活检,检测肝组织HBcAg、血清HBV标志物、血清ALT及血清中的HBV DNA水平。比较HBcAg阴性与HBcAg表达为核型、浆型、浆核型的病例血清HBeAg阳性率、HBV DNA水平与肝组织病理学损害的关系。同时观察血清HBeAg阳性组及阴性组,肝细胞HBcAg不同表达形式在不同年龄阶段的分布特点。结果肝组织HBcAg阴性组血清HBeAg阳性率为33.1%,比HBcAg阳性各组均低(核型组68.7%;浆型组62.3%;浆核型组84.5%),炎症分级G≥2的患者比例为21.5%,低于HBcAg阳性各组(核型34.3%;浆型67.7%;浆核型69.1%),P<0.01,差异有统计学意义。其中浆型组及浆核型组G≥2的患者比例高于核型组,P<0.01,差异有统计学意义。血清HBV DNA水平在核型组高于其他各组,P<0.05,差异有统计学意义。血清HBeAg阳性组中,年龄≤20岁的HBcAg肝细胞表达为核型的比例为61.5%,高于年龄为20～39岁的11.5%及年龄≥40岁的12.3%,随年龄增加浆型及浆核型表达的比例增加,在三组分别为23.1%/7.7%、26.4%/30.8%、28.4%/45.4%,差异有统计学意义(χ2=53.74,P<0.01)。血清HBeAg阴性组中,肝组织HBcAg阴性的在各年龄组均占大部分(68.1%、61.5%、40.4%)。随年龄增加浆型及浆核型表达的比例增加,在三组分别为4.6%/4.6%、19.3%/7.7%、26.9%/20.4%,差异无统计学意义(χ2=8.94,P>0.05)。结论慢性乙型肝炎患者肝组织HBcAg表达与血清HBeAg表达有关。浆型及浆核型HBcAg表达常伴随明显的肝组织炎症。HBcAg表达形式在不同年龄阶段具有不同特点,与其所处自然史阶段有关。     

儿童慢性乙型肝炎肝组织HBsAg、HBcAg的表达与抗病毒疗效的关系

目的探索性研究慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)儿童肝组织HBsAg和HBcAg不同表达与抗病毒疗效的关系。方法收集2014年1月—2017年12月在解放军总医院第五医学中心青少年肝病科住院并明确诊断为CHB的276例6月~16岁儿童患者的病例资料,比较肝组织HBsAg和HBcAg免疫组化染色阳性和阴性组(HBsAg阳性组249例,HBsAg阴性组27例;HBcAg阳性组163例,HBcAg阴性组113例)患者的临床特点,以及肝组织HBsAg和HBcAg不同表达模式下抗病毒疗效的差异。计量资料组间比较采用Mann-Whitney U检验;计数资料组间比较采用χ2检验或Fisher精确检验。以肝组织HBsAg和HBcAg染色阳性和阴性为应变量,以可能影响其表达强度有意义的相关因素为自变量,进行logistic回归分析。结果276例患者年龄0.5~16岁,男性占60.51%(167例)。HBeAg阴性14例(5.07%)。肝脏炎症程度分级(G):2级52.54%,2~3级6.88%,3级7.61%。肝纤维化分期(S):3期7.25%,3~4期1.45%,4期3.62%。肝组织HBsAg阳性组儿童年龄及血清HBsAg定量高于阴性组(Z值分别为1.854、2.447,P值均<0.05)。肝组织HBcAg阳性组HBeAg阳性率高于阴性组(χ^2=2.650),ALT(Z=2.473)、AST(Z=1.813)、肝组织纤维化分期S≥3期的比例(χ^2=2.086)均低于阴性组(P值均<0.05)。logistic回归分析显示,影响肝组织HBsAg染色阳性的因素为血清HBsAg定量(P<0.05),影响肝组织HBcAg染色阳性的因素为HBeAg阴性或阳性(P<0.05)。276患者中186例完成IFNα或单用拉米夫定抗病毒治疗停药后6个月的随访,155例(83.33%)获得HBeAg血清学转换,其中76例(40.86%)HBsAg阴转。肝组织的HBsAg阳性表达强度越高,血清HBsAg阴转率越低。肝组织的HBcAg阳性表达强度越高,HBeAg血清学转换率越低。肝组织HBsAg及HBcAg均阴性表达模式的儿童HBsAg阴转率最高(100%),HBsAg阳性及HBcAg阴性的儿童HBsAg阴转率(32.31%)最低。结论肝组织HBsAg及HBcAg阴性的CHB儿童抗病毒治疗HBsAg阴转率最高。     

慢性乙型肝炎患者肝组织HBsAg、HBcAg表达及临床意义

目的：探讨慢性乙型肝炎患者肝组织中HBsAg、HBcAg表达与血清乙肝病毒载量及肝组织损伤程度之间的关系。方法：对90例慢性乙型肝炎患者进行肝组织活检，进行病理诊断及乙肝病毒HBsAg、HBcAg免疫组化染色．同时荧光定量检测血清HBVDNA含量，并分析其相关性。结果：血清HBVDNA定量、肝组织炎症程度及纤维化程度与肝组织HBsAg表达强度无相关性，而与肝组织HBcAg表达强度有明显的关联性；血清HBVDNA定量与肝组织炎症程度及纤维化间无明显的相关性。结论：在慢性乙型肝炎的免疫损伤过程中，HBcAg是靶抗原，血清HBV DNA结合肝组织病毒抗原的表达可作为抗病毒治疗的指标。     

HBsAg、HBcAg在慢性乙型肝炎肝细胞内的表达及临床意义

目的 探讨HBsAg、HBcAg在慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝细胞内的表达,及其与血浆HBVDNA定量、肝组织病理和临床间的关系。 方法 采用PCR检测351例CHB患者血浆HBV DNA定量,肝穿刺活检,采用免疫组织化学技术观察肝细胞内HBsAg、HBcAg的表达。 结果 在CHB患者肝细胞内HBsAg和HBcAg阳性表达率分别为92.3％和76.9％。HBcAg浆膜型(75.6％)和胞核型(24.4％)分别见于肝组织炎症较活跃和较静止期CHB。HBsAg表达强度与血浆HBV DNA定量呈较低正向关联(rp=0.24,P=0.0129)、与肝组织炎症和纤维化呈较低负向关联(rp=-0.22,P=0.0279和rp=-0.23,P=0.0186)。HBcAg的表达强度随着血浆HBV DNA定量的增加而增加,呈较强正向关联(rp=0.52,P<0.0001),随着肝组织炎症和纤维化程度的加重而减弱,呈较强的负向关联(rp=-0.33,P<0.0001和rp=-0.34,P<0.0001)。 结论 在CHB肝组织免疫损伤的免疫应答中,HBcAg是靶抗原,HBsAg不一定是靶抗原。HBsAg是筛查HBV感染的较敏感指标,HBcAg是评价HBV复制程度的较可靠指标。     

慢性乙型肝炎患者血清HBV DNA、HBeAg与肝组织HBcAg及炎症分级的关系

目的 探讨慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）患者血清HBV DNA、HBeAg与肝组织HBcAg及炎症分级的关系.方法 回顾性分析250例CHB肝穿刺患者,按血清HBV DNA水平,分为A组（＜3 log10 IU/ml）45例,B组（3～6 log10 IU/ml）138例,C组（＞6 log10 IU/ml）67例.按HBeAg阴阳性不同分为阳性组142例,阴性组108例.分别与肝组织中HBcAg水平、肝组织炎症分级进行比较,分析彼此的相关性,率的比较用卡方检验及确切概率法,相关性分析采用直线相关分析.结果 血清HBV DNA不同水平与肝组织HBcAg免疫组化比较差异有统计学意义（χ2=11.1,P=0.05）,两者之间呈正相关（r=0.75,P=0.001）;与肝组织炎症分级（G）比较差异无统计学意义（χ2=13.3,P=0.075）,两者之间也无相关性（r=0.04,P=0.325）.HBeAg阳性和阴性分组与肝组织中HBcAg水平比较差异有统计学意义（χ2=6.64,P=0.01）,两者之间呈正相关（r=0.56,P=0.001）;与肝组织炎症分级（G）比较差异无统计学意义（χ2=8.43,P=0 065）,两者之间也无相关性（r=0.06,P=0.415）.结论 CHB患者肝组织HBcAg表达更能反映出肝内HBV复制状态,患者血清中测不出病毒标志物时,可以考虑肝穿刺以观察肝组织中HBcAg表达来判断HBV复制状态具有重要意义.     

乙型肝炎相关性肝细胞癌HBV复制及其癌组织中HBsAg/HBcAg表达的研究

目的以慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitisB,CHB)患者为对照,观察乙型肝炎相关性肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)患者血清中HBVDNA水平的变化,以及HCC组织中HBsAg/HBcAg的表达情况,探讨HBV导致HCC的可能机制。方法 HCC组89例,CHB组120例。采用实时定量PCR法检测血清HBVDNA水平;分别留取肝脏穿刺组织标本(HCC组织均带有癌旁肝硬化组织),用免疫组化法检测组织中HBsAg/HBcAg的表达情况。结果 HCC组血清HBVDNA水平明显低于CHB组(P<0.05);在CHB组织、癌旁肝硬化组织和HCC组织中HBsAg表达阳性率分别为90%、51%和10%,HBcAg阳性率分别为78%、19%和3%,与CHB组织、癌旁肝硬化组织相比,HCC组织中2种抗原表达均明显较低(P均<0.05)。结论在HBV慢性感染不同疾病阶段,血清HBVDNA水平和HBsAg/HBcAg在肝组织内的表达具有显著差异;与CHB组相比,HCC组HBVDNA水平较低,HBsAg/HBcAg表达显著缺失,这可能与HCC患者HBVDNA复制水平降低有关,但也不排除其他因素导致HBsAg/HBcAg表达抑制。     

958例慢性乙型肝炎患者肝细胞内HBcAg分布规律的研究

目的:探讨慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝细胞内的HBcAg分布情况与肝组织炎症的相关性。方法:对958例CHB患者的血清生化学、肝组织病理学等资料进行对比分析。结果:观察到HBcAg在患者肝细胞内的分布类型呈核型、浆型、混合型等;对不同分布类型的各组之间进行比较:血清ALT水平升高的程度、肝组织学炎症的程度在各组间的差异均存在显著性意义(P0.01)。其中,HBcAg呈核型分布或阴性组患者的ALT水平升高及肝组织炎症的程度均较低;而这两种指标在HBcAg呈浆型分布组均较高,在混合型分布组则介于上述两组之间。结论:HB-cAg在受染肝细胞内的分布与肝组织炎症之间具有明显的相关性,HBcAg分布态势由细胞核向细胞浆的漂移是肝组织炎症趋于活跃的重要指标。     

慢性乙型肝炎不同肝纤维化分期的肝实质细胞体积所分摊的HBsAg表达变化

目的 观察慢性乙型肝炎免疫清除期肝纤维化S1、S2、S3和S4期,相同肝实质细胞体积所分摊HBsAg表达的动态变化. 方法 对89例HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎免疫清除期患者应用电化学发光法检测肝纤维化S1、S2、S3和S4期血清HBsAg的水平;进一步用相同肝实质细胞体积分摊并且两两比较肝纤维化S1、S2、S3和S4期血清HBsAg的水平.使用SPSS 15.0统计软件,组间用两两比较,采用ANOVA检验进行分析. 结果 肝纤维化S1、S2、S3和S4期的血清HBsAg水平分别为(227.2±237.7)IU/ml、(211.0±131.4)IU/ml、(300.2±144.6) IU/ml和(278.7±148.8) IU/ml,四组之间两两比较,差异无统计学意义.用相同肝实质细胞体积进行分摊,在肝纤维化S1、S2、S3和S4期的HBsAg水平分别为(343.9±359.8)IU/ml、(336.4±209.5)IU/ml、(508.7±245.1)IU/ml和(525.2±274.8) IU/ml,四组两两比较,F=3.045,P=0.033,差异有统计学意义,其中,S1与S3、S1 与S4、S2与S3和S2与S4比较,P值分别为0.041、0.046、0.028和0.034,差异均有统计学意义.结论 在慢性乙型肝炎免疫清除期中,随着肝纤维化从S1期向S4期进展,相同肝实质细胞体积所分摊的HBsAg表达逐渐增强.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者HBsAg定量与机体免疫系统的变化特点

乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)是慢性HBV感染诊断的经典标志物,随着HBsAg定量检测在临床上广泛应用,人们对其的认识也逐渐深入,发现HBsAg与慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)自然史、疾病转归以及疗效预测等的关系非常密切,近期报道显示HBsAg过表达对疾病的进程有促进作用,如促进肝癌的进展[1].在此过程中免疫系统也影响着疾病的进展,但HBsAg与机体免疫系统之间的关系至今尚未被阐明,从而影响人们对HBV感染的全面认识.     

Long-term outcome after hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Purpose

The aim of this study was to elucidate the long-term outcome after hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance in a large number of Japanese patients.

Methods

We studied the biochemical, virologic, histologic, and prolonged prognoses of 231 Japanese patients with HBsAg seroclearance (median follow-up, 6.5 years). Serum alanine aminotransferase, serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, liver histology, and clinical aspects were monitored. HBV-DNA levels were measured with the qualitative polymerase chain reaction assay. The mean age of patients with HBsAg seroclearance was 52 years.

Results

After HBsAg seroclearance, 203 patients (87.9%) had normal alanine aminotransferase levels 1 year after HBsAg seroclearance. HBV-DNA showed positive results in 4 patients (1.7%) 1 year after HBsAg seroclearance. Thirteen patients were examined for histologic changes of the liver after HBsAg seroclearance. All patients showed marked improvement of necroinflammation of the liver, but only 2 of the 13 patients showed no liver fibrosis. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma did not develop in any of the 164 patients without evidence of liver cirrhosis at the time of HBsAg seroclearance. Hepatocellular carcinoma developed in 2 of the 67 patients with liver cirrhosis at the time of HBsAg seroclearance. During the observation period, 15 patients died. However, the cause of death of these 15 patients was not related to liver disease, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensated liver cirrhosis, and rupture of esophageal varices.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that HBsAg seroclearance confers favorable long-term outcomes in patients without hepatocellular carcinoma or decompensated liver cirrhosis at the time of HBsAg seroclearance     

慢性乙型肝炎患者肝细胞内乙型肝炎核心抗原阳性的临床意义

目的探讨CHB患者肝组织HBcAg阳性的意义。方法对200例CHB患者应用荧光聚合酶链反应（FQ-PCR）法精确定量检测血清HBV DNA含量。患者均检测血清中HBeAg含量,同时进行肝活组织检查,应用免疫组织化学技术检测HBcAg情况,并进行相关性分析。结果按测定血清HBV DNA水平,分为A组（＜3 log10拷贝/ml）20例,B组（≥3 log10拷贝/ml-＜5 log10拷贝/ml）13例,C组（≥5 log10拷贝/ml～＜6 log10拷贝/ml）24例,D组（≥6 log10拷贝/ml～＜8 log10拷贝/ml）116例,E组（≥8 log10拷贝/ml）27例。肝组织HBcAg阳性者175例,占87．5％,A组HBcAg阳性率55．0％（11/20）,B组53．8％（7/13）,C组75．0％（18/24）,D组96．6％（112/116）,E组100．0％（27/27）,HBcAg阳性率与血清HBV DNA水平之间呈显著正相关（r=0．80,P＜0．01）。血清HBV DNA水平高低与HBeAg阳性率之间呈显著正相关（r=0．47,P＜0．01）。其中20例HBV DNA阴性者中（A组）,HBeAg阳性者5例（25％）,HBcAg阳性者11例（55％）；15例HBV DNA阴性且HBeAg阴性者中有7例HBcAg阳性,占46．7％。结论CHB患者肝组织HBcAg阳性能更可靠地反映肝细胞内HBV复制状态。检测肝组织内HBcAg对CHB患者疗效评价和对治疗反应性的预测更具有临床意义。     

Hepatitis B surface antigen levels of cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogs associated with virological relapse in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM: To investigate the virological relapse rate in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients after antiviral therapy discontinuation and analyze the factors associated with virological relapse.METHODS: Among patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B infection between May 2005 and July 2010, 204 were eligible for analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to calculate the cumulative rate of relapse and compare cumulative relapse rates between groups. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the predictive factor of virological relapse.RESULTS: The 2 and 1 year cumulative risks of virological relapse after antiviral therapy discontinuation were 79.41% (162/204) and 43.82% (71/162), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that only post treatment hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level was associated with virological relapse (P = 0.011). The cumulative risk of virological relapse was higher in the patients with HBsAg levels ≥ 1500 IU/L than in those with HBsAg levels < 1500 IU/L (P = 0.0013). The area under the curve was 0.603 (P = 0.033). The cutoff HBsAg value for predicting virological relapse was 1443 IU/L.CONCLUSION: We found that the virological relapse rate remained high after antiviral therapy discontinuation in the HBeAg-negative patients and that the post treatment HBsAg levels predicted virological relapse.     

Hepatitis B surface antigen levels during natural history of chronic hepatitis B: A Chinese perspective study

AIM: To determine the baseline hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels during the different phases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in China.METHODS: Six hundred and twenty-three hepatitis B virus or un-infected patients not receiving antiviral therapy were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. The CHB patients were classified into five phases: immune-tolerant (IT, n = 108), immune-clearance (IC, n = 161), hepatitis B e antigen negative hepatitis (ENH, n = 149), low-replicative (LR, n = 135), and liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 70). HBsAg was quantified (Abbott ARCHITECT assay) and correlated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and serum alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) in each phase of CHB was also determined.RESULTS: Median HBsAg titers were different in each phase of CHB (P < 0.001): IT (4.85 log₁₀ IU/mL), IC (4.36 log₁₀ IU/mL), ENH (2.95 log₁₀ IU/mL), LR (3.18 log₁₀ IU/mL) and LC (2.69 log₁₀ IU/mL). HBsAg titers were highest in the IT phase and lowest in the LC phase. Serum HBsAg titers showed a strong correlation with HBV viral load in the IC phase (r = 0.683, P < 0.001). No correlation between serum HBsAg level and ALT/AST was observed.CONCLUSION: The mean baseline HBsAg levels differ significantly during the five phases of CHB, providing evidence on the natural history of HBV infection. HBsAg quantification may predict the effects of immune-modulator or oral nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy.     

乙型肝炎病毒基因型对拉米夫定治疗早期血清乙型肝炎表面抗原水平变化的影响

目的了解血清乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg）水平在拉米夫定治疗早期的变化特点及乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）基因型在其中的作用。方法乙型肝炎e抗原（HBeAg）阳性且拉米夫定为初始抗病毒治疗的慢性乙型肝炎患者87例,雅培HBsAg Architect方法定量检测治疗基线和第12周血清HBsAg水平;采用聚合酶链反应联合限制性片段长度多态性分析的方法确定HBV基因型。结果所有患者治疗第12周血清HBV DNA水平下降（中位数4．31log10拷贝／ml,P〈0．001）。总的血清HBsAg下降至基线的57．99％（P〈0．001）,但主要发生在HBV基因B型患者（43例,P〈0．001）,在HBV基因C型患者变化不明显（43例,P=0．378）。血清HBsAg和HBV DNA变化（基线和12周）之间的正相关关系仅存在于基因B型（Rs=0．577,P〈0．001）,而在C型患者中不明显（Rs=0．068,P=0．686）。基线HBsAg水平低（比数比值为0．387,95％可信区间为0．188～0．794,P=0．010）和HBV基因C型感染（比数比值为4．083,95％可信区间为1．362～12．236,P=0．012）是导致32．2％（29例）患者血清HBsAg水平未下降的主要因素。结论在拉米夫定治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎的早期,超过30％的患者血清HBsAg水平并没有随着HBV DNA复制水平下降而下降,HBV基因C型感染和基线HBsAg水平低是其主要因素。     

Hepatitis B surface antigen clearance in inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carriers treated with peginterferon alfa-2a

AIM: To examine the association between interferon(IFN) therapy and loss of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBs Ag) in inactive HBs Ag carriers. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study in inactive HBs Ag carriers, who were treatment-naive, with a serum HBs Ag level 100 IU/m L and an undetectable hepatitis B virus(HBV) DNA level( 100 IU/m L). All the 20 treated patients received subcutaneous PEG-IFN alfa-2a 180 μg/wk for 72 wk and were then followed for 24 wk. There were 40 untreated controls matched with 96 wk of observation. Serum HBs Ag, HBV DNA, and alanine aminotransferases were monitored every 3 mo in the treatment group and every 3-6 mo in the control group. RESULTS: Thirteen(65.0%) of 20 treated patients achieved HBs Ag loss, 12 of whom achieved HBs Ag seroconversion. Mean HBs Ag level in treated patients decreased to 6.69 ± 13.04 IU/m L after 24 wk of treatment from a baseline level of 26.22 ± 33.00 IU/m L. Serum HBV DNA level remained undetectable( 100 IU/m L) in all treated patients during the study. HBs Ag level of the control group decreased from 25.72 ± 25.58 IU/m L at baseline to 17.11 ± 21.62 IU/m L at week 96(P = 0.108). In the control group, no patient experienced HBs Ag loss/seroconversion, and two(5.0%) developed HBV reactivation.CONCLUSION: IFN treatment results in HBs Ag loss and seroconversion in a considerable proportion of inactive HBs Ag carriers with low HBs Ag concentrations.     

Intrahepatic distribution of hepatitis B virus antigens in patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To study the intrahepatic expression of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBs Ag) and hepatitis B core antigen(HBc Ag) in chronic hepatitis B patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 33 chronic hepatitis B patients(mean age of 40.3 ± 2.5 years), comprising of 14 HBe Ag positive and 19 HBe Ag negative patients; and 13 patients with hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma(mean age of 49.6 ± 4.7 years), were included in our study. Immunohistochemical staining for HBc Ag and HBs Ag was done using standard streptavidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase technique on paraffin-embedded liver biopsies. The HBc Agand HBs Ag staining distributions and patterns were described according to a modified classification system. RESULTS: Compared to the HBe Ag negative patients, the HBe Ag positive patients were younger, had higher mean HBV DNA and alanine transaminases levels. All the HBe Ag positive patients had intrahepatic HBc Ag staining; predominantly with "diffuse" distribution(79%) and "mixed cytoplasmic/nuclear " pattern(79%). In comparison, only 5% of the HBe Ag-negative patients had intrahepatic HBc Ag staining. However, the intrahepatic HBs Ag staining has wider distribution among the HBe Ag negative patients, namely; majority of the HBe Ag negative cases had "patchy" HBs Ag distribution compared to "rare" distribution among the HBe Ag positive cases. All but one patient with HCC were HBe Ag negative with either undetectable HBV DNA or very low level of viremia. Intrahepatic HBc Ag and HBs Ag were seen in 13(100%) and 10(77%) of the HCC patients respectively. Interestingly, among the 9 HCC patients on anti-viral therapy with suppressed HBV DNA, HBc Ag and HBs Ag were detected in tumor tissues but not the adjacent liver in 4(44%) and 1(11%) patient respectively. CONCLUSION: Isolated intrahepatic HBc Ag and HBs Ag can be present in tumors of patients with suppressed HBV DNA on antiviral therapy; that may predispose them to cancer development.     

Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core-related antigen kinetics after adding pegylated-interferon to nucleos(t)ids analogues in hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients

BACKGROUNDHepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients under nucleos(t)ids analogues (NAs) rarely achieve hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss.AIMTo evaluate if the addition of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) could decrease HBsAg and hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) levels and increase HBsAg loss rate in patients under NAs therapy.METHODSProspective, non-randomized, open-label trial evaluating the combination of Peg-IFN 180 µg/week plus NAs during forty-eight weeks vs NAs in monotherapy. Hepatitis B e antigen-negative non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients of a tertiary hospital, under NAs therapy for at least 2 years and with undetectable viral load, were eligible. Patients with hepatitis C virus, hepatitis D virus or human immunodeficiency virus co-infection and liver transplanted patients were excluded. HBsAg and HBcrAg levels (log10 U/mL) were measured at baseline and during ninety-six weeks. HBsAg loss rate was evaluated in both groups. Adverse events were recorded in both groups. The kinetic of HBsAg for each treatment group was evaluated from baseline to weeks 24 and 48 by the slope of the HBsAg decline (log10 IU/mL/week) using a linear regression model.RESULTSSixty-five patients were enrolled, 61% receiving tenofovir and 33% entecavir. Thirty-six (55%) were included in Peg-IFN-NA group and 29 (44%) in NA group. After matching by age and treatment duration, baseline HBsAg levels were comparable between groups (3.1 vs 3.2) (P = 0.25). HBsAg levels at weeks 24, 48 and 96 declined in Peg-IFN-NA group (-0.26, -0.40 and -0.44) and remained stable in NA group (-0.10, -0.10 and -0.10) (P < 0.05). The slope of HBsAg decline in Peg-IFN-NA group (-0.02) was higher than in NA group (-0.00) (P = 0.015). HBcrAg levels did not change. Eight (22%) patients discontinued Peg-IFN due to adverse events. The HBsAg loss was achieved in 3 (8.3%) patients of the Peg-IFN-NA group and 0 (0%) of the NA group. CONCLUSIONThe addition of Peg-IFN to NAs caused a greater and faster decrease of HBsAg levels compared to NA therapy. Side effects of Peg-IFN can limit its use in clinical practice.     

Spatial and chronological differences in hepatitis B virus genotypes from patients with acute hepatitis B in Japan

Genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were determined in 485 patients with acute hepatitis B from all over Japan. They were A in 92 (19%), Ba in 26 (5%), Bj in 32 (7%), C in 330 (68%) and D in 5 (1%). Sexual contacts were the main route of transmission in them. Overall, HBV persisted in only 5 of the 464 (1%) followed patients. Genotypes C accounted for more than 68% in northern as well as southern areas, contrasting with genotype A accounting for 34% in and around the Metropolitan areas. During 24 years from 1982 to 2005, genotype A increased from 5% to 33%, while genotype B gradually decreased from 26% to 8%. Fulminant hepatitis was significantly more frequent in infection with genotype Bj (41%) than those with the other genotypes (p < 0.01). The core-promoter double mutation (T1762/A1764) and precore stop-codon mutation (A1896) were more frequent in patients with fulminant than acute self-limited hepatitis (57% versus 15% and 58% versus 10%, respectively, p < 0.01 for both). In conclusion, genotype A distributes unevenly over Japan, prevails in younger patients through sexual transmission and has increased with years. Furthermore, fulminant outcome was more frequent in patients with genotype Bj than those with the other genotypes.