The combination of alanine aminotransferase and cytokines could predict
the hepatitis B s antigen reduction in chronic hepatitis B patients in
antiviral therapy
Abstract
Background & Aims: Hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) is an important
reference for the amount of covalently closed circular DNA. Patients may
benefit from low HBsAg levels. We evaluated changes in HBsAg and
cytokines in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with low HBsAg levels
who underwent oral antiviral therapy. Methods: A total of 197 CHB
patients with HBsAg < 3,000 IU/ml and HBV DNA ≤1,000 IU/ml
after more than a year of antiviral therapy were divided into a
nucleotide analogs (NAs) group and an entecavir (ETV) group. HBsAg
levels were determined every 6 months until 42 months. The serum
chemokine and cytokine levels at baseline and 6, 18, and 30 months among
54 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients were measured.
Results: HBsAg loss (1.72%), HBsAg reduction below 100 IU/ml (13.79%)
and HBsAg reduction ≥0.5 log10 (24.14%) occurred in the NAs group. The
cumulative incidences of HBsAg reduction and the HBsAg change in the NAs
group were better than those in the ETV group (P<0.05). HBsAg
reduction ≥0.5 log10 was associated with NAs therapy, MDC, interleukin
(IL) 4, IL23 and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in baseline and ALT
levels change>60 U/L during antiviral therapy
(P<0.05). ALT change and IL4 level were identified as
independent factors for HBsAg reduction (p=0.006; OR=30.491
[2.626-351.312], and p=0.027; OR=1.847 [1.071-3.186],
respectively). Conclusions: NAs therapy had some advantages in promoting
a reduction in HBsAg. In clinical practice, ALT, MDC, IL4, and IL23 may
be biomarkers for predicting HBsAg reduction.