Human immunodeficiency virus coinfection differentially impacts hepatitis B virus viral markers based on hepatitis Be antigen status in patients with suppressed viremia
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA and hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg), reflecting transcriptional activity of covalently closed circular DNA, are gaining traction as important markers to assess viral activity. Whether their expression differs under viral suppression by HIV co‐infection status is unknown. Among adults with chronic HBV on antiviral therapy, we sought to determine if the expression of HBV markers (specialized and well‐established) differs between HBV‐HIV co‐infection vs. HBV mono‐infection. We compared HBV marker levels among 105 participants in the Hepatitis B Research Network (HBRN) HBV‐HIV Ancillary Study and 105 participants in the HBRN mono‐infected Cohort Study, matched for HBeAg status and HBV DNA suppression on therapy. Among HBeAg+ participants (N = 58 per group), after adjusting for age, sex, race, ALT and HBV DNA, viral markers were higher (p < .05) in the HBV‐HIV versus the HBV‐only sample (HBeAg: 1.05 vs. 0.51 log10 IU/mL; HBsAg: 3.85 vs. 3.17 log10 IU/mL; HBV RNA: 5.60 vs. 3.70 log10 U/mL; HBcrAg: 6.59 vs. 5.51 log10 U/mL). Conversely, among HBeAg(−) participants (N = 47 per group), HBsAg (2.00 vs. 3.04 log10 IU/mL) and HBV RNA (1.87 vs. 2.66 log10 U/mL) were lower (p < .05) in HBV‐HIV vs. HBV‐only; HBcrAg levels were similar (4.14 vs. 3.64 log10 U/mL; p = .27). Among adults with chronic HBV with suppressed viremia on antiviral therapy, viral markers tracked with HIV co‐infection status and associations differed inversely by HBeAg status. The greater sensitivity and specificity of HBV RNA compared to HBcrAg allows for better discrimination of transcriptional activity regardless of HBeAg status.
Source: Journal of Viral Hepatitis
DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13857
Institutions: Washington University in St. Louis, John Cochran VA Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Abbott (United States), University of California, San Francisco, Parkland Health & Hospital System, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, Virginia Commonwealth University
Language: English
Topic: Hepatitis B Virus Studies
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: Gilead Sciences, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, National Institutes of Health, Abbott Diagnostics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G1032411263, G1209347808, G1628936352, Hepatitis B Research Network (HBRN): Natural History and Treatment Studies, G1732331477, G1881096405, G2049890089, G2224345100, G239052087, G2456272280, G2524710291, Hepatitis B Research Network Clinical Centers, G2557003438, Observation Study of Persons with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection in North America, G2645873328, G2802720166, G3119897112, G3174204130, G3288819399, G4326997491, G4339940849, G4479448154, G4498779097, G4571561985, G4577103038, G4622355042, G4727739888, G476646960, G483408255, G4867035176, G499207949, G5078796989, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, G5629038380, G5670315446, G6016248633, G6092836229, G6142519532, North Carolina Hepatitis B Research Network, HBV Research Network Database Protocol and Clinical Trial Study Proposals, G7059106898, G710087273, G7194634739, G736116437, G7632974720, G7807729167, G8009205072, Optimal Long-term Outcome of Chronic Hepatitis B, Hepatitis Beta Research Network Clinical Center in Pacific Northwest/Alaska, G8243034, G8337752168, G882638972, G9000009860, G9000039899, G9000044327, G9000108645, G9000112302, G9000121099, G9000162720, G9000187578, G9000236456, G9000346388, Hepatitis B Clinical Research Network Clinical Center: Michigan - Hawaii Consortium
OpenAlex ID: W4379509012