ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The clinical outcome of chronic hepatitis B may depend on hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype. Data from India on this aspect are limited and contradictory. We studied the frequency of HBV genotypes and their clinical significance. METHODS: Stored sera from patients with chronic HBV infection were tested for HBV genotype using PCR-RFLP. Clinical data, and biochemical and serological parameters were retrieved from medical records; patients were classified as having chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. RESULTS: Of 70 patients studied (mean age [SD] 38.4 [17.0] years; 63 men; ALT 140 [177] U/L), 32 had chronic hepatitis and 38 had cirrhosis. HBeAg was positive in 50/67 (75%), and anti-HBe in 12/66 (18%). Genotype A was the commonest (37; 53%), followed by D (32; 46%) and C (1; 1%). Patients with genotype A more often had ALT elevation exceeding 1.5 times normal (30/37 [81%] than those with genotype D (18/31 [58%]; p< 0.05). They also more often had positive HBeAg (32/37; 86%) and negative anti-HBe (33/36; 92%) than those with genotype D (18/29 [62%] and 21/29 [72%], respectively; p< 0.05 each). Of 37 patients with genotype A, 23 (62%) had cirrhosis and 14 (38%) had chronic hepatitis; of 32 patients with genotype D, 15 (47%) had cirrhosis and 17 (53%) had chronic hepatitis (p=ns). In the subgroup aged> 25 years, genotype A patients more often had cirrhosis than those with genotype D (23/28 [82%] vs 13/23 [57%]; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HBV genotypes A and D were the commonest in our population. Genotype A was more often associated with ALT elevation, HBeAg positivity, absence of anti-HBe and, among those aged 25 years and above, cirrhosis of liver, than was genotype D.