In:
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Press (OUP), Vol. 227, No. 1 ( 2022-12-28), p. 113-122
Abstract:
Emerging evidence suggests a pivotal role for B-cell responses in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B. Serum levels of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) vary across infection stages, but their role in predicting response to antiviral therapy is uncertain. Methods Anti-HBc levels were assessed before peginterferon (PEG-IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B who either started de novo PEG-IFN (n = 299; 195 hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg] positive) or started PEG-IFN as add-on to an existing nucleo(s)tide analogue backbone (n = 91; all HBeAg-positive). Associations were explored between anti-HBc and (1) serum biomarkers, (2) liver histological findings, and (3) treatment response. Results We studied 390 patients. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype were A, B, C, and D in 24%, 9%, 16%, and 49%, respectively; 72% of patients were Caucasian. Among currently untreated HBeAg-positive patients, anti-HBc was correlated with HBV DNA, hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HBV RNA, but not with alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Higher anti-HBc was associated with more severe histological inflammatory activity (P & lt; .001), irrespective of HBeAg status. After de novo PEG-IFN, higher anti-HBc levels were associated with HBeAg loss, sustained response, HBsAg decline, and HBsAg clearance (P & lt; .050). Among patients treated with add-on PEG-IFN, higher anti-HBc was associated with HBeAg loss (P = .01). Conclusions Serum anti-HBc levels correlate with histological inflammatory activity. Higher anti-HBc levels were associated with favorable treatment outcomes. These findings suggest that anti-HBc could be used to select patients most likely to respond to immunomodulatory therapy. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00114361, NCT00146705, NCT00877760, and NCT01532843.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0022-1899
,
1537-6613
DOI:
10.1093/infdis/jiac210
Language:
English
Publisher:
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1473843-0
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