Defining Inactive Hepatitis B Virus Carrier Status with Biomarkers
Author Information
Author(s): Ngo Yen, Benhamou Yves, Thibault Vincent, Ingiliz Patrick, Munteanu Mona, Lebray Pascal, Thabut Dominique, Morra Rachel, Messous Djamila, Charlotte Frederic, Imbert-Bismut Françoise, Rousselot-Bonnefont Dominique, Moussalli Joseph, Ratziu Vlad, Poynard Thierry
Primary Institution: Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Paris VI, CNRS UMR 8149, Paris, France
Hypothesis
Can a combination of FibroTest-ActiTest and viral load better define the prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis B compared to traditional methods?
Conclusion
A combination of FibroTest-ActiTest and viral load testing accurately defined the prognosis and the inactive carrier status in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Supporting Evidence
- At 4 years follow-up, survival without complications was 93.4%.
- 50 complications occurred during the study, with 36 deaths, including 27 related to HBV.
- The prognostic value of FibroTest was higher than that of viral load or ALT.
Takeaway
Doctors can use a special blood test to tell if people with hepatitis B are healthy or need treatment, helping them avoid serious liver problems.
Methodology
The study followed 1,300 patients with chronic hepatitis B, using FibroTest and ActiTest alongside viral load measurements to assess liver health over four years.
Potential Biases
The included population may have an over-representation of patients with severe disease due to the nature of the tertiary center.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a tertiary center, which may not represent the general population, and had a small number of patients with severe disease.
Participant Demographics
The average age was 41 years, with 47% African, 27% Asian, and 26% Caucasian participants.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%CI 0.84–0.93
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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