Follow-up studies on IgM anti-HBc during chronic hepatitis B

Sera of 190 HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis B patients were followed up for IgM class antibodies to hepatitis B virus core antigen (IgM-anti-HBc) by a commercial ELISA (Abbott) as well as a 19S(IgM) RIA until these antibodies were no longer detectable. IgM anti-HBc was detected only up to two of five years after onset of acute disease. The periods of detectable IgM anti-HBc in 34 chronic persistent and 36 chronic active hepatitis B (CPH, CAH) patients did not differ significantly on the basis of chi 2-test. 56% of the CPH and 47% of the CAH patients showed markers of infectivity in the sera recently cleared of IgM anti-HBc. Sera of both the IgM anti-HBc positive CPH and CAH patients had on the average fivefold elevated aminotransferase (SGPT) activity. In sera recently cleared of IgM anti-HBc, mean SGPT activity was detected twofold the normal value in CPH and threefold in CAH patients. Inflammatory activity in the liver biopsies was seen highly increased both in the IgM anti-HBc positive CPH and CAH patients. Fibrosis was most progressed and cirrhosis observed mainly in the liver biopsies of the IgM anti-HBc cleared CAH patients. In 3 IgM anti-HBc cleared chronic hepatitis B patients (CPH n = 1, CAH n = 2) converted to anti-HBe, IgM anti-HBc was detectable anew after a HBV superinfection with other HBsAg subtypes.