ABSTRACT
Objective:To establish and evaluate a new diagnostic model for significant liver tissue damage in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the immune tolerance phase.Methods:The clinical data of 275 chronic HBV infection patients in the immune tolerance phase who underwent liver biopsy from January 2015 to November 2020 in the Hwa Mei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences were included. According to the liver pathological changes, patients were divided into <G2 group and ≥G2 group, <S2 group and ≥S2 group, non-significant liver pathological damage group (GS0 group, <G2+ <S2) and significant liver pathological damage group (GS1 group, G2 and/or ≥S2). The liver pathological changes and clinical features were analyzed to establish the diagnostic model. The prediction value of the model was compared. Statistical analysis was conducted by linear regression analysis, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity and specificity for the diagnostic value of the model were calculated.Results:Among 275 patients, 43 cases (15.64%) had liver histologic activity ≥G2, 30 cases (10.91%) with liver fibrosis ≥S2, and 55 cases (20.00%) with liver damage of GS1. The correlated independent risk factors associated with significant liver pathological damage were age, levels of hepatitis B e antigen, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, platelet count, alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase (all P<0.050). The diagnostic model of Y G/S was established according to these factors. The diagnostic efficacy of Y G/Swas highest for patients with liver histologic activity≥G2 and liver pathological damage GS1, with the areas under the curve of 0.783 and 0.811, respectively. The threshold of Y G/S was 0.18, with the sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value of 0.782, 0.736 and 93.10%, respectively. When Y G/S <0.05, the sensitivity, negative predictive value and negative likelihood ratio were 0.982, 97.96% and 0.08, respectively. When Y G/S≥0.25, the specificity and positive likelihood ratio were 0.905 and 5.14, respectively. When Y G/S≥0.30, the specificity and positive likelihood ratio were 0.959 and 9.33, respectively. Conclusions:Approximately 20.00% of patients with chronic HBV infection in immune tolerance phase have significant liver pathological damage. The diagnostic model of Y G/S (<0.05 or ≥0.30) has certain evaluation value for significant liver pathological damage, and could help these patients avoid liver biopsy to a certain extent.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the liver pathology, clinical characteristics and influence factors in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in immune tolerant phase (IT).Methods:The clinical data of 273 patients in IT phase who underwent liver biopsy from January 2015 to December 2019 were included in this study. The correlation between liver pathological changes and clinical features was analyzed.Results:There were 43 cases (15.75%) with liver histologic activity ≥ G2, 30 cases (10.99%) with liver fibrosis ≥ S2, and 55 cases (20.15%) with liver pathology ≥ G2 and/or ≥ S2. A total of 17.95% patients had liver steatosis. The majority (98.17%) of tissue samples were positive for HBsAg staining, while only 79.49% were positive for HBcAg. The characteristics of liver pathology were comparable in men from women patients. The differences of G and S were not statistically significant according to different HBsAg positivity, while those were statistically significant according to different HBcAg positivity. By univariate and multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors of pathological severity were HBcAg intensity, HBeAg level, and age. However, the differences of liver histologic activity and fibrosis were not statistically significant between those younger than 30 years old group from those older than 30 years old, neither between those younger or older than 40. Although the diagnostic value of liver inflammation and fibrosis 5 (LIF-5) was better than that of aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis 4 score (FIB-4), three diagnostic models for predicting the pathological severity were not strong enough (all area under the curves<0.8). Only the specificity of LIF-5 for predicting≥ G2, ≥ G2 and/or ≥ S2 was over 80%.Conclusions:Approximately 20% patients with chronic HBV infection in IT phase have progressive liver inflammation or fibrosis. The intensity of liver HBcAg and HBeAg level are negatively correlated with the severity of disease. The diagnostic models or most clinical indicators have low predictive effect for chronic HBV infections in IT phase.