RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the serum HBV DNA loads normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume and the liver histopathologic inflammation gradings in the immune clearance phase during the natural history of hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum HBV DNA loads were detected by fluorescence polymerase chain reaction and normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume. The association between normalized HBV DNA loads and liver inflammation histopathologic grade were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum HBV DNA loads in patients with liver inflammation histopathologic grading 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 8.20*10(5)+/-9.11*10, 1.36*10(6)+/-5.96*10, 8.12*10(5)+/-8.01*10 and 2.08*10(6)+/-3.69*10 copies/ml, respectively (P more than 0.05). But the serum HBV DNA loads normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume in their located fibrosis stage were 9.24*10(8)+/-935, 5.33*10(9)+/-756, 1.06*10(10)+/-1770 and 3.31*10(11)+/-518 copies/ml, respectively (P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The serum HBV DNA load normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume in patients with different fibrosis stages is associated with liver histopathologic inflammation gradings.</p>