Correlation between hepatic fibrosis and modes of combination as well as contents of the six hepatitis B markers in patients with acquired or congenital hepatitis B

Objective: To investigate the relationship between development of hepatic fibrosis and the modes of combination as well as the contents of the six hepatitis markers in patients with congenital or acquired hepatitis β. Methods: The contents of six serum hepatitis β markers (HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, HBcAg, HBcAb) and 4 hepatic fibrosis indicators (HA, LN, P III and IV-C) were measured with RIA in 48 patients with congenital hepatitis β, 149 patients with acquired hepatitis β and 11 HBV carriers (HBsAg+ only) as well as 49 controls. Results: 1. Serum levels of HA, LN, P III and IV-C in congenital group were 141.6±46.1, 140.4±66.1, 130.2±30.6 and 66.7±15.1 μg/L respectively, which were significantly lower than those in acquired group (159.6±55.2, 164.8±76.1, 150.6±59.1 and 88.4±27.1 μg/L, p<0.05). 2. In both groups, whatever the modes of combination of the positive markers were (eg. HBsAg+, HBeAg+, HBcAb+ or HBsAG+, HBeAb+, HBcAb+ or others), the corresponding contents of the hepatic fibrosis indicators were not much different (p>0.05). 3. The contents of the 4 indicators in acquired group increased with increasing HBcAg concentration, but not so in the congenital group. Conclusion: 1. Hepatocyte injury was more serious in acquired hepatitis. 2. The degree of hepatocyte injury was about the same with different combination modes of positive markers. 3. In patients with acquired hepatitis, the expression of HBsAg was positively correlated to the degree of hepatic fibrosis but not so in the congenital group