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. 2012 Mar 13;7(1):98-105.
doi: 10.1007/s12072-012-9354-7. eCollection 2012.

Evidence of serologic activity in chronic hepatitis B after surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance documented by conventional HBsAg assay

Wai-Kay Seto  1 , Yasuhito Tanaka, Danny Ka-Ho Wong, Ching-Lung Lai, Noboru Shinkai, John Chi-Hang Yuen, Teresa Tong, James Fung, Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung, Man-Fung Yuen
Affiliations

Evidence of serologic activity in chronic hepatitis B after surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance documented by conventional HBsAg assay

Wai-Kay Seto et al. Hepatol Int. .

Abstract

Background: Possible serologic activity after hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance documented by conventional assays in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has not been thoroughly investigated.

Methods: We determined the levels of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg), and linearized HBsAg (CLEIA prototype) in 329 CHB patients (72.0% male) after HBsAg seroclearance was documented by a conventional HBsAg assay.

Results: The median interval between presentation and HBsAg seroclearance was 69.4 months. The median age at HBsAg seroclearance was 50 years. Assays for serum HBV DNA, HBcrAg, and linearized HBsAg were performed at a median time interval of 11.2 months after HBsAg loss. Linearized HBsAg and HBcrAg were detectable in 85 (25.8%) and 69 (21%) patients, respectively, and one or both serologic markers were detectable in 133 patients (40.4%). Serum HBV DNA was detectable in only 7 patients (2.1%). There was no correlation between linearized HBsAg and HBcrAg levels (r = 0.095, p = 0.924). The incidences of detectable linearized HBsAg and HBcrAg did not differ between patient samples taken at 6-12 and >12 months after HBsAg seroclearance (p = 0.146 and 0.079, respectively). Among patients with detectable serologic markers, median levels of linearized HBsAg (p = 0.581) and HBcrAg (p = 0.951) did not significantly change with time after HBsAg seroclearance.

Conclusion: Using novel HBcrAg and linearized HBsAg assays, viral serologic activity after HBsAg seroclearance was demonstrated in more than 40% of CHB patients. These tests have potential applications in diagnosing and prognosticating CHB patients with HBsAg seroclearance.

Keywords: HBcrAg; HBsAg; Linearized HBsAg; Seroclearance; Serology.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The difference in viral components measured by different serologic assays used
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Percentage of patients with detectable viremia and viral proteins after HBsAg seroclearance documented by a conventional assay (n = 329). HBsAg hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HBs antibody to the hepatitis B surface antigen, HBcrAg hepatitis B core-related antigen
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Detectable linearized HBsAg (a) and HBcrAg (b) levels after HBsAg seroclearance as documented by a conventional HBsAg assay
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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