Clinical implications of HBsAg quantification in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology [The]. 2012; 18 (2): 81-86
in English
| IMEMR
| ID: emr-118268
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 lU/mL and HBV DNA <2000 lU/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
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Index:
IMEMR (Eastern Mediterranean)
Main subject:
Antiviral Agents
/
Polyethylene Glycols
/
DNA, Viral
/
Hepatitis B virus
/
Interferon-alpha
/
Hepatitis B, Chronic
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Saudi J. Gastroenterol.
Year:
2012
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