Virus receptors for polymerized human albumin: a prognostic marker in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis type B?

Seventeen out of 30 patients with chronic hepatitis type B with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in serum remained persistently positive for e antigen, while 13 seroconverted to antibody (anti-HBe) when followed over a period of one to five years. Initial levels of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, such as the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HBeAg, and HBV-DNA polymerase (HBV-DNAP) were similar in the two groups of patients, while initial titres of the HBsAg-associated receptor for polymerized human serum albumin (pHSA), recently identified on HBV particles, were significantly higher in the patients who remained HBeAg positive (mean titre +/- SD = 2(-7.00) +/- 2(-3.2)) compared to the cases who eventually seroconverted to anti-HBe during the follow-up (2(-2.54) +/- 2(-2.14) P less than 0.001). A receptor titre above 1:64 by haemagglutination was highly predictive of persistence of HBeAg, suggesting that in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis testing for the HBsAg-associated pHSA receptor may be useful in predicting the duration of HBe antigenaemia, with relevant clinical and prognostic implications.