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Long‐term effect of maternal HBeAg on delayed HBeAg seroconversion in offspring with chronic hepatitis B infection
Author(s) -
Tseng YuRu,
Wu JiaFeng,
Ni YenHsuan,
Chen HueyLing,
Chen ChihCheng,
Wen WanHsin,
Hsu HongYuan,
Chang MeiHwei
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02574.x
Subject(s) - hbeag , medicine , seroconversion , hbsag , chronic hepatitis , hepatitis b virus , offspring , immunology , pregnancy , virus , biology , genetics
AbstractBackground and aims: This cohort study investigated the long‐term effect of maternal hepatitis B virus (HBV) sero‐status on the spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in offspring with chronic HBV infection.Methods: A total of 185 HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV‐infected children, with maternal HBV seromarkers checked, were enrolled. The median age at enrolment and follow‐up duration was 5.7 years (range, neonate to 16.5 years) and 20.2 years (range, 4.2–31.0 years) respectively. These children were grouped according to the initial maternal HBsAg and HBeAg status: (i) children of non‐carrier mothers ( n =48); (ii) children of HBeAg‐negative chronic HBV‐infected mothers ( n =57); (iii) children of HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV‐infected mothers ( n =80). HBV seromarkers and liver function profiles of these children were performed at 6‐month intervals.Results: One hundred and twenty‐one (65.4%) subjects had achieved spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion at the end of this follow‐up study. Spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion was achieved in 83.3% of children with non‐carrier mothers, 73.7% of children with HBeAg‐negative chronic HBV‐infected mothers and 48.8% of children with HBeAg‐positive mothers during similar duration ( P <0.001). Positive maternal HBeAg and genotype C were associated with delayed spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in multivariate analysis ( P =0.01 and P =0.002 respectively). In children of HBeAg‐positive chronic HBV‐infected mothers, persistent presence of maternal HBeAg showed a trend of association with delayed HBeAg seroconversion in their offspring ( P =0.06). Children of late maternal HBeAg seroconversion (>40 years old) had delayed HBeAg seroconversion compared with those of early HBeAg seroconversion mothers ( P =0.06).Conclusions: Persistence of maternal HBeAg is an important risk factor for delayed spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in children with chronic HBV infection.