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HB sAg quantification to optimize treatment monitoring in chronic hepatitis B patients
Author(s) -
MartinotPeignoux Michelle,
Asselah Tarik,
Marcellin Patrick
Publication year - 2015
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/liv.12735
Subject(s) - medicine , cccdna , immunology , pegylated interferon , antigen , hbsag , hepatitis b virus , gastroenterology , virology , chronic hepatitis , virus , ribavirin
Hepatitis B surface antigen ( HB sAg) levels in serum have been shown to reflect active intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (ccc DNA ) and to have additional value as a marker of on‐treatment efficacy. In the past few years, immunoassays to quantify HB sAg have been developed to monitor HB sAg kinetics during treatment. Although HB sAg quantification cannot replace HBV DNA measurement in clinical practice, the combined use of HB sAg quantification and HBV DNA measurements could help predict treatment outcome. One of the most important results of the studies in this new marker is that a decline in HB sAg titres during pegylated‐interferon ( PEG ‐ IFN ) treatment is a strong predictor of response so that a ‘week 12 stopping rule’ could be established for both Hepatitis B e antigen ( HB eAg)‐positive and HB eAg‐negative patients. However, the positive predictive value ( PPV ) for a sustained viral response ( SVR ) remains low. The role of HB sAg measurements during nucloes(t)ides analogue ( NA s) treatment is unclear. It may be a useful marker for stopping NA s by limiting the chance of relapse or for add‐on strategies. Monitoring serum HB sAg levels in chronic hepatitis B ( CHB ) patients during treatmen t may provide significant complementary information to HBV DNA measurements.