Patients with chronic hepatitis B who have persistently normal alanine aminotransferase or aged < 30 years may exhibit significant histologic damage.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The timing of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal alanine transaminase (ALT) or aged < 30 years is still undetermined. We aimed to elucidate the correlation between liver histology, age, and ALT level in CHB patients and analyze the histological characteristics of the liver among patients with persistently normal ALT or aged < 30 years.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 697 treatment-naive CHB patients. Liver biopsies were performed, and significant histological damage was defined as the grade of liver inflammation ≥ G2 and/or fibrosis ≥ S2 based on the Scheuer scoring system.

Results

The liver inflammation grades and fibrosis stages correlated positively with age, ALT, AST, GGT levels and negatively with the

SUBMITTER: Wei S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10967107 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature