Serial HBV DNA levels in patients with persistently normal transaminase over 10 years following spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion

Earlier studies addressing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA cut‐off level for inactive chronic HBV infection largely involved patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) for only 1–2 years and based on a single time HBV DNA assay. This study was conducted to address this issue using serial HB...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of viral hepatitis 2012-02, Vol.19 (2), p.138-146
Main Authors: Chen, Y.-C., Huang, S.-F., Chu, C.-M., Liaw, Y.-F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
alanine aminotransferase
Biopsy
chronic hepatitis B
DNA, Viral - blood
Female
Hepatitis B e Antigens - blood
hepatitis B surface antigen
Hepatitis B virus - isolation & purification
Hepatitis B, Chronic - pathology
Hepatitis B, Chronic - virology
Histocytochemistry
Humans
inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carriers
Liver - pathology
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Transaminases - blood
Young Adult
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Summary:Earlier studies addressing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA cut‐off level for inactive chronic HBV infection largely involved patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) for only 1–2 years and based on a single time HBV DNA assay. This study was conducted to address this issue using serial HBV DNA assays in patients with persistently normal ALT (PNALT) over 10 years following spontaneous hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion. Serial serum specimens (mean 9 samples per patient) of 62 patients with PNALT and no disease progression over 10 years (median 18.1 years) after spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion were assayed for HBV DNA. Excluding assays within 1 year after HBeAg seroconversion, 21% and 82.3% of the patients with PNALT had HBV DNA levels persistently lower than 4 log10 and 5 log10 copies/mL, respectively, and only 8% had a level ≥5 log10 copies/mL in at least two assays. Of the 27 patients with PNALT defined by ALT
ISSN:1352-0504
1365-2893
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2011.01450.x