Clinical implications of HBsAg quantification in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2012 Mar-Apr;18(2):81-6. doi: 10.4103/1319-3767.93805.

Abstract

Quantification of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) helps the management of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Median HBsAg levels differ significantly during the natural history of HBV infection, progressively declining from immune tolerance to inactive phase. The combination of an HBsAg <1000 IU/mL and HBV DNA <2000 IU/mL at a single time point accurately identifies true inactive carriers. During antiviral treatment, HBsAg levels decline more rapidly in patients under peg-interferon (Peg-IFN) than in those under nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC), and in responders to peg-IFN compared to non responders suggesting that a response-guided therapy in both HBeAg-positive and -negative patients treated with Peg-IFN could improve to cost-effectiveness of this therapeutic approach. Given the low rates of HBsAg clearance on NUC therapy, new studies to test whether Peg-IFN and NUC combination fosters HBsAg decline in long-term responders to NUC, are being explored.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Guanine / analogs & derivatives
  • Guanine / therapeutic use
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / blood*
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / drug therapy
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / immunology*
  • Hepatitis C
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
  • Lamivudine / therapeutic use
  • Nucleosides / therapeutic use
  • Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidinones / therapeutic use
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Telbivudine
  • Thymidine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Nucleosides
  • Pyrimidinones
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Telbivudine
  • Lamivudine
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • entecavir
  • Guanine
  • peginterferon alfa-2b
  • Thymidine