Levels of Antibodies to Hepatitis B Core Antigen Are Associated With Liver Inflammation and Response to Peginterferon in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Emerging evidence suggests a pivotal role for B-cell responses in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B. Serum levels of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) vary across infection stages, but their role in predicting response to antiviral therapy is uncertain.

Methods

Anti-HBc levels were assessed before peginterferon (PEG-IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B who either started de novo PEG-IFN (n = 299; 195 hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg] positive) or started PEG-IFN as add-on to an existing nucleo(s)tide analogue backbone (n = 91; all HBeAg-positive). Associations were explored between anti-HBc and (1) serum biomarkers, (2) liver histological findings, and (3) treatment response.

Results

We studied 390 patients. The hepatitis B

SUBMITTER: Brakenhoff SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9796168 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature