The Discrepancy Of HBsAg Titre In Patients With HBV-related Liver Disease

AIM:To investigate the discrepancy of HBsAg titre and correlation of HBV DNA levels among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).METHODS:HBsAg titre and HBV DNA in serum samples were measured among47CHB,72LC and54HCC cases using Abbott chemiluminescence and fluorescence quantitative PCR, respectively. Statistical analyses among multiple groups, between two groups and the correlation were performed using Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman test, respectively.RESULTS:Cilinical data:The study population consisted of47patients with CHB (15females,32males; mean age=42.4±13.5years; HBeAg-positive, n=24),72patients with LC (16females,56males; mean age=51.9±9.7years; HBeAg-positive, n=26)and54patients with HCC (11females,43males; mean age=58.3±9.8years; HBeAg-positive, n=16).Among the groups of CHB LCand HCC, there were significant difference with comparison of Age(42.4±13.5、51.9±9.7、58.3±9.8, P＜0.05). The level of ALB、TBiL and ALB is81.5U/L、13.40μmol/L、(40.6±9.5) g/L in CHB group, and45.0U/L、31.95μmol/L、(32.1±7.0) g/L in LC group respectively. While in the HCC group, the level of ALT、TBiL and ALB is38.5U/L、30.10μmol/L and (33.0±6.6) g/L.analysis:The median HBsAg titre level in serum samples decreased from2361.10IU/mL in CHB to1001.64IU/mL in LC and594.35IU/mL in HCC, suggesting a statistically significant difference(χ2=24.394, P<0.05). Moreover, HBsAg titre in CHB group was significantly higher than that in LC group (Z=-3.754, P<0.05). CHB patients had significantly higher HBsAg titre than HCC cases (Z=-4.630, P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in HBsAg titre between LC and HCC group. Among HBeAg positive patients, HBsAg titre decreased from3259.83IU/mL in CHB group to1077.30IU/mL in LC group and789.72IU/mL in HCC group, indicating a significant difference (χ2=15.643, P< 0.01).Among HBeAg negative patients, HBsAg titre declined from1669.00IU/mL in CHB group to1001.64IU/mL in LC group and582.05IU/mL in HCC group, suggestive of a significant difference (χ2=6.423, P<0.05).Correlation between HBsAg titre and HBV DNA was found in CHB (r=0.297, P<0.05), LC(r=0.346, P＜0.05) and HCC(r=0.452, P<0.05), respectively.CONCLUSIONS:HBsAg titre level in serum decreased progressively from CHB to LC and HCC group. There were positive correlations between HBsAg titre and HBV DNA level in CHB, LC and HCC.