The analysis of the correlations between HBsAg quantitation level,
virological markers and histopathological findings in patients with
chronic hepatitis B
Abstract
In recent years, several studies suggested that HBsAg titers in blood
samples obtained during Hepatitis B treatment could be used to estimate
the treatment outcomes. The present study aims to discuss the
correlation between HBsAg quantification levels and the virological,
serological and histopathological findings in chronic hepatitis B
patients.The study included chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent
liver biopsy between 2011 and 2013 at Dicle University, Faculty of
Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic.. The
patient demographics were recorded (age, gender). Patient AST tests were
conducted with the spectrophotometric method. After the DNAs were
isolated with AmplipPrep Total Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, DNA level was
determined with the COBAS® Amplip / Cobas® Taqman® HBV test V2.0 for
HBV. The patient HBV DNA levels were recorded as IU / ml. HBsAg
quantitation was studied with the Access device and the Elisa method.The
study was conducted with 53 patients. The mean patient age was 28,73 ±
8.15. Out of the 53 patients, 35 (66%) were male and 18 (34%) were
female. The mean patient HBsAg quantitation was 631,42 ± 406.55,
fibrosis score was 1,35 ± 0.87, ALT index score was 67,07 ± 53.37, and
HAI index score was 4,54 ± 1.55. In the statistical analysis, it was
determined that there were negative correlations between the HBsAg DNA
level (R: -0,273, P: 0.048) and HBSAG quantitation (R: -0,273, P:
0.048), fibrosis score , ALT (R: -0,477, P: 0.001), and HAI index scores
(R: -034, P: 0,013), while there was a positive correlation with the
HBeAg positivity (R: 0.477, p: 0.001). There were negative correlations
between the HBsAg quantitation level and virological (HBV DNA level),
histopathological (fibrosis score, HAI index) findings and a positive
correlation with serological (HBeAg positivity) findings. As HBsAg
quantitation level increased, fibrosis score and HBV DNA level
decreased.