HBV genotype and liver histology effect of peginterferon alpha treatment of HBeAg-position chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy of PEG-interferon alpha (PEG-IFN alpha) treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B and HBV genotypes and liver tissues effect of HBeAg seroconversion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>54 cases confirmed by liver biopsy, genotype clear HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients according to body weight, respectively, subcutaneous injection of PEG-IFN-alpha2a 135 microg or 180 microg, or PEG-IFN-alpha2b 50 microg, 80 microg or 100 microg once weekly treatment for 48 weeks and followed for 24 weeks after discontinuation. Statistics of HBeAg seroconvertion, HBV genoty pes and liver histology e antigen seroconversion after the end of treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>54 patients were followed up at the end of HBeAg seroconversion rate was 29.63% (16/54). Genotype B patients with HBeAg seroconversion rate was 35.29%, 27.03% higher than the C-type patients, but the difference was not statistically significant (chi2 = 0.382, P = 0.537). Inflammation of the liver activity highter ( > G2) , the degree of fibrosis heavier ( > S1) HBeAg seroconversion rate (50.00% vs. 25.00%, 40.90% vs. 21.88%), but were not statistically significant (chi2 = 1.391, 1.444, P = 0.238, 0.229). Activity of HBV genotype, liver inflammation, liver fibrosis and other factors by multivariate Logistic regression analysis, only liver inflammation activity of the important factors of HBeAg seroconversion.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Important factors, liver inflammation activity of PEG-interferon alpha treatment of HBeAg-position chronic hepatitis B patients and HBV genotypes and liver fibrosis may be of little significance.</p>

Association of liver histopathology and clinical features among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the histopathological features of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with mildly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>105 patients were divided into three groups according to serum ALT levels: Group A [ALT level < or = 0.5 x upper limits of normal (ULN)], Group B (0.5 x ULN < ALT level < or = 1 x ULN) and Group C(1 x ULN < ALT level < 2 x ULN). Grade of liver inflammation and stage of liver fibrosis in the three groups were compared. The changes in clinical parameters were then observed in patients who had liver histopathological changes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 40.95% of the patients, hepatitis degree went to G2 or even worse; and among 30.43% of the patients whose ALT level were normal, the hepatitis degree reached G2 or even worse. In 26.67% of the patients, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse, and for the 17.39% patients whose ALT level were normal, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse. The aggravation of liver inflammation and fibrosis was correlated with ALT and hyaluronic acid increasing (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Frequent monitoring of serum ALT and hyaluronic acid may help to understand histopathological changes in the liver. Liver biopsy applied to CHB should be regarded as a main basis if antiviral therapy should be conducted.</p>

Study on the relationship between HBV viral loads and the changes of liver pathological features in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between serum HBV DNA loads and liver histology damage in the patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The retrospective study was performed. The 514 patients were divided into two groups according to the HBeAg status and the HBeAg positive group was as control. The relationship among HBV DNA loads, live histological inflammation grades and fibrosis stages was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The HBV DNA loads in HBeAg-negative group and HBeAg-positive group were (5.38 +/- 1.27) log10 copies/ml and (6.80 +/- 1.18) log10 copies/ml respectively (P < 0.001). The inflammation grades and fibrosis stages of liver tissues in HBeAg-negative group were all significantly higher than those in HBeAg-positive group (P < 0.001). In HBeAg-negative group, HBV DNA loads displayed a positive correlation with the inflammation grades and fibrosis stages of liver tissues (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, HBV viral loads are lower than those with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B, and HBV viral loads display a positive correlation with liver the inflammation grades and fibrosis stages of liver tissues.</p>