Liver Histopathological Features Influencing HBeAg Seroconversion in Patients with HBeAg-positive Chronic Hepatitis B Treated with Pegylated Interferon α

Abstract Objective To investigate the efficiency of pegylated interferon α therapy for patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and explore whether liver histopathological features and other factors might influence HBeAg seroconversion. Methods Total of 80 HBeAg-positive CHB patients who received liver puncture were treated with pegylated interferon α once a week for 48 weeks. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion was determined after therapy, and the factors influencing HBeAg seroconversion were analyzed. Results The rate of HBeAg seroconversion was 30.00％ at the end of treatment. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion gradually increased with the elevation of liver inflammatory activity (χ2 = 9.170, P = 0.027). But liver fibrosis has little correlation with the rate of HBeAg seroconversion (χ2 = 5.917, P = 0.116). Except HBeAg, other baseline indexes including gender, age, serum ALT and serum HBV DNA 1evels had no statistical difference between the patients with HBeAg seroconversion and the patients without HBeAg seroconversion. By binary logistic regression analysis, liver inflammation and HBeAg were influencing factors for HBeAg seroconversion. Conclusions Pegylated interferon α therapy induces a higher rate of HBeAg seroconversion in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with severe liver inflammation, so the liver biopsies should be performed in time.