Detection of hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA in serum of patients with hepatitis B / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) could be detected in serum of patients with hepatitis B and evaluate the related factors and clinical significances. Methods Fifty-seven patients, including 26 with mild chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 31 with severe hepatitis B (SHB) were enrolled. Prothrombin time (PT), hepatic biochemical indexes, serum markers of hepatitis virus, serum total HBV DNA and HBV cccDNA of every patient were detected after hospitalization. Factors associated with the detection rate of serum HBV cccDNA were analyzed using Logistic stepwise regression. Results Serum HBV cccDNA was detected in 13 patients with SHB and 1 with mild CHB, and serum levels of HBV cccDNA were varying from 1.25 × 103 to 4. 88 × 104 copy/mL. The detection rates were significantly different between the two groups (P=0. 0014). The sensitivity and specificity of SHB diagnose by serum HBV cccDNA detection were 41.94% and 96.15 %, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the detection rate of serum HBV cccDNA was associated with PT (X2 = 7. 2192, P= 0. 0072), while not associated with age, sex, total serum HBV DNA, total bilirubin or alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Conclusion Serum HBV cccDNA could be detected in some of the patients with SHB, whic hmay be considered as one of the diagnostic indexes for SHB,