HBeAg-positive CHB patients with indeterminate phase associated with a high risk of significant fibrosis

作者：Yuanyuan Li, Yijia Zhu, Dongmei Gao, Yifan Pan, Jian Wang, Shaoqiu Zhang, Xiaomin Yan, Li Zhu, Chuanwu Zhu, Xingxiang Liu, Zhaoping Zhang, Jie Li, Yuxin Chen, Rui Huang, Chao Wu · 发表于：Virology Journal · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1186/s12985-024-02561-1 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Hepatitis B Virus Studies、Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment、Hepatitis C virus research

BACKGROUND: The risk of liver fibrosis in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with indeterminate phase is not well characterized. We aimed to compare the presence of liver fibrosis in HBeAg-positive CHB patients between indeterminate phase and immune-tolerant phase. METHODS: IU/mL were classified into indeterminate phase. Significant liver fibrosis and cirrhosis were determined by APRI, FIB-4, transient elastography, or liver biopsy. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 33.0 years and 59.8% of patients were male. 81.5% and 18.5% of patients were in the immune-tolerant phase and indeterminate phase, respectively. The APRI (0.33 vs. 0.27, P < 0.001), FIB-4 (1.07 vs. 0.72, P < 0.001), and liver stiffness values (7.80 kPa vs. 5.65 kPa, P = 0.011) were higher in patients with indeterminate phase than those with immune-tolerant phase. Patients in the indeterminate phase had significantly higher proportions of significant fibrosis (27.1% vs. 11.3%, P < 0.001) and cirrhosis (14.3% vs. 3.2%, P < 0.001) compared to those in the immune-tolerant phase. In the multivariate analysis, indeterminate phase (OR 2.138, 95% CI 1.253, 3.649, P = 0.005) was associated with a higher risk of significant fibrosis, especially for patients aged ≥ 30 years. CONCLUSION: HBeAg-positive CHB patients in the indeterminate phase had more severe liver fibrosis compared to those in the immune-tolerant phase.