Objective: To assess the value of quantitative analysis of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in the diagnosis and therapeutic evaluations in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
Methods: According to the staging criteria defined by the American Association of Liver Diseases, 96 patients with CHB admitted in Zhujiang Hospital were classified in immune-tolerant (IT), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH), inactive carrier (IC) and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH) phases. Serum HBsAg, HBV-DNA and ALT levels were quantified and their correlations were evaluated in each phase of infection.
Results: The mean HBsAg titers (measured in log10U/L) differed significantly between the phases of CHB (4.12 in IT, 4.02 in EPH, 2.85 in EPH, and 3.29 in ENH). The correlation coefficient of HBsAg with HBV-DNA was 0.6828 in IT, 0.5759 in EPH, 0.3280 in IC, and 0.1083 in ENH. Serum HBsAg titers were significantly higher in HBeAg-positive patients than in HBeAg-negative patients. No correlation was found between HBsAg level and ALT in each phase of CHB.
Conclusion: The median baseline serum HBsAg levels vary between different phases of CHB in Guangzhou, suggesting the value of HBsAg in accurate classification of hepatitis B patients and evaluation of the therapeutic effect and outcomes of the patients.