The analysis of the correlations between HBsAg quantitation level, virological markers and histopathological findings in patients with chronic hepatitis B

In recent years, several studies suggested that HBsAg titers in blood samples obtained during Hepatitis B treatment could be used to estimate the treatment outcomes. The present study aims to discuss the correlation between HBsAg quantification levels and the virological, serological and histopathological findings in chronic hepatitis B patients.The study included chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent liver biopsy between 2011 and 2013 at Dicle University, Faculty of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic.. The patient demographics were recorded (age, gender). Patient AST tests were conducted with the spectrophotometric method. After the DNAs were isolated with AmplipPrep Total Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, DNA level was determined with the COBAS® Amplip / Cobas® Taqman® HBV test V2.0 for HBV. The patient HBV DNA levels were recorded as IU / ml. HBsAg quantitation was studied with the Access device and the Elisa method.The study was conducted with 53 patients. The mean patient age was 28,73 ± 8.15. Out of the 53 patients, 35 (66%) were male and 18 (34%) were female. The mean patient HBsAg quantitation was 631,42 ± 406.55, fibrosis score was 1,35 ± 0.87, ALT index score was 67,07 ± 53.37, and HAI index score was 4,54 ± 1.55. In the statistical analysis, it was determined that there were negative correlations between the HBsAg DNA level (R: -0,273, P: 0.048) and HBSAG quantitation (R: -0,273, P: 0.048), fibrosis score , ALT (R: -0,477, P: 0.001), and HAI index scores (R: -034, P: 0,013), while there was a positive correlation with the HBeAg positivity (R: 0.477, p: 0.001). There were negative correlations between the HBsAg quantitation level and virological (HBV DNA level), histopathological (fibrosis score, HAI index) findings and a positive correlation with serological (HBeAg positivity) findings. As HBsAg quantitation level increased, fibrosis score and HBV DNA level decreased.