Serological and Biochemical Study of Hepatitis B patients, a Report From the Southeast of Iran

Abstract

Aim: Clinical importance of HBeAg and HBeAb positivity was assessed in 309 patients with chronic HBV infection. Patients & methods: Clinical, biochemical and serological data were extracted from medical archives over a 10-year period (2004–2014). Results: HBeAg and HBeAb were positive in 46 (14.8%) and 221 (71.5%), respectively. Persistent elevation of AST and ALT enzymes were seen in 73 (21.2%) and 98 (30.1%) of the patients, respectively. HBeAb positivity rendered a significant protective effect against the elevated enzyme levels (odds ratio = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.003–000.3; p = 0.006 for AST, and odds ratio = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.007–000.4; p = 0.007 for ALT). Conclusion: Immune reaction against HbeAg in the course of chronic HBV infection rendered a protective factor against hepatic enzymes elevation.

Keywords: :

• aspartate aminotransferase
• hepatitis B infection
• liver diseases

Acknowledgements

The authors give a special thanks to the patients.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.