The frequency of HBeAg and relation with serum level of aminotransferase in chronic hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus is the most frequent cause of acute and chronic hepatitis in the world. HBeAg should be assessed in the carriers of hepatitis B virus for the viral replication status. HBeAg+ patients with elevated aminotransferase should be treated with antiviral agents. Our aim was to determine the frequency of HBeAg positivity and the level of hepatic aminotransferase in the HBsAg+ population.

In a case-control study in 2006, 144 infected patients with hepatitis B virus were examined for the presence of HBeAg and the level of serum aminotransferase by ELISA and biochemical test. The patients were selcted from Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad city.

The frequencies of male and female in 144 hepatitis B infected patients were 94 and 50, respectively. They were between 2 to 85 years old with the mean of 37.4±2.3. Serum HBeAg was positive in 26 patients (18% of the total) with a mean serum AST level of 83 IU/L. HBeAg- group had a mean AST level of 56.2 IU/L. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the mean serum levels of AST between two groups (P=0.007). There was also a significant difference in the levels of serum ALT between HBeAg+ (79 IU/L) and HBeAg- (73.7 IU/L) groups (P=0.018).

Based on our results the HBeAg positivity is associated with the increased level of liver enzymes. So the impact of HBeAg marker on serum level of hepatic aminotransferase in HBsAg+ patients should be assessed in future studies.