During the initial phase of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, serum HBV DNA levels are high. Contrarily, fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma have been found in patients with lower serum HBV DNA levels. The aim of this study is to clarify HBV DNA level dynamics of serum apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume (HPCV) in hepatic fibrosis stages 1–4 during the natural history of chronic hepatitis B. Serum HBV DNA levels were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Further, serum HBV DNA levels were apportioned by and compared with the same HPCV in hepatic fibrosis stages 1–4, respectively. Serum HBV DNA levels were 8.91 × 106 ± 4.37 × 101, 8.13 × 106 ± 7.41 × 101, 9.55 × 105 ± 1.02 × 102, and 4.07 × 105 ± 7.24 × 101 copies/ml, respectively; there were differences among hepatic fibrosis stages 1–4 (p < 0.021–0.000). However, serum HBV DNA levels apportioned by the same volume of hepatic parenchyma cells in hepatic fibrosis stages 1–4 were 3.47 × 1010 ± 8.71 × 102, 1.02 × 1011 ± 9.55 × 102, 1.41 × 1010 ± 2.57 × 103, and 3.72 × 1010 ± 3.02 × 103 with HPCV proportions 65.9, 62.7, 58.9, and 53.3%, respectively; there were no differences among hepatic fibrosis stages 1–4 (p > 0.203–0.967).Following the progression of hepatic fibrosis from stage 1 to 4, ongoing decline of HPCV is responsible for a declining trend of serum HBV DNA levels.

Keywords:
Natural history of chronic hepatitis B, HBV DNA dynamics, Hepatic fibrosis stage, Hepatic parenchyma cell volume
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© 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
2008
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