Gut Liver.
2013 Jul;7(4):462-468.
Hepatitis B Core Antigen Expression in Hepatocytes Reflects Viral Response to Entecavir in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea. sghwang@cha.ac.kr
- 2Institute for Clinical Research, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
- 3Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
Abstract
- BACKGROUND/AIMS
Hepatitis B core antigen is known to be a major target for virus-specific T cells and also reflects the progression of liver dissease and viral replication. Hepatitis B core antigen expression in hepatocytes leads to altered histological activity, viral replication, and immune response. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the topographical distribution of hepatitis B core antigen expression can predict the viral response to entecavir in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
METHODS
We enrolled 91 patients with treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B. All the patients underwent liver biopsy, and the existence and pattern of hepatitis B core antigen evaluated by immunohistochemistry. All patients received 0.5 mg of entecavir daily following a liver biopsy. We checked the viral response at 3, 6, and 12 months during antiviral therapy.
RESULTS
Of the 91 patients, 64 (70.3%) had hepatitis B core antigen expression. Of the subcellular patterns, the mixed type was dominant (n=48, 75%). The viral response was significantly higher in the hepatitis B core antigen-negative group than in the hepatitis B core antigen-positive group (88.9% and 54.7%, respectively; p=0.001) after 12 months of entecavir therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
Chronic hepatitis B patients who are hepatitis B core antigen-negative have a better response to entecavir therapy than do hepatitis B core antigen-positive patients.
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