Hepatitis B surface antigen quantification in chronic hepatitis B and its clinical utility

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Virology
• Immunology

Background:

• Serum HBsAg quantification is increasingly utilized in managing chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
• HBsAg levels correlate with intrahepatic cccDNA and viral replication markers.
• Understanding HBsAg dynamics is crucial for predicting treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the clinical utility of HBsAg measurement in CHB.
• To assess HBsAg quantification in predicting treatment response and HBsAg clearance.
• To evaluate HBsAg's role in monitoring long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent data on HBsAg quantification in CHB.
• Analysis of HBsAg levels in relation to viral and host factors.
• Comparison of HBsAg dynamics during different treatment regimens (interferon-alfa, nucleos(t)ide analogues).

Main Results:

• Low baseline HBsAg levels predict spontaneous HBsAg loss in inactive carriers.
• HBsAg decline during interferon-alfa therapy predicts sustained outcomes and HBsAg clearance.
• The utility of HBsAg quantification for long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue monitoring is still unclear.

Conclusions:

• Serum HBsAg quantification is valuable for predicting outcomes in CHB patients undergoing various treatments.
• HBsAg measurement provides insights into treatment response and HBsAg clearance.
• Further research is needed to clarify HBsAg's role in long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy monitoring.