Investigation of The Importance of HBV RNA in The Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatitis B
Abstract
While Hepatitis B is a global health threat, its effects in our country are equally concerning. It causes serious health problems, loss of workforce, and economic burden; preliminary diagnosis and treatment are very essential. Recently, new markers have begun to be used. One of these is serum HBV RNA. The study sought to measure HBV RNA levels in hepatitis patients to determine progression of the disease, measure the effectiveness of antiviral treatment, safely terminate treatment and detect reactivations early. Our research involved 86 Hepatitis B patients attending Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine Hospital. Plasma specimens from the patients were isolated and preserved at -20°C until the study was performed. Nucleic acid isolation was performed using a commercial kit and HBV RNA was investigated employing Real-time PCR method. Of the patients who were previously HBsAg/HBV DNA positive, 22 (68.8%) were positive and 10 (31.2%) were negative (p<0.05). In patients with HBsAg positivity and HBV DNA negativity, 4 (12.5%) were positive and 28 (87.5%) negative (p<0.05). In the HBsAg/HBV DNA negative group, 2 (9.1%) tested positive, and 20 (90.9%) tested negative (p>0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the HBsAG and HBV DNA positive or HBsAg positive-HBV DNA negative groups. However, significant results (p>0.05) were found in the HBsAg and HBV DNA negative group. Our result, which is similar to the literature, indicates that the HBV RNA test can be used as a complementary diagnostic procedure in the assessment and treatment of HBV infection.
Keywords
cccDNA, Hepatitis B, HBV RNA, real-time PCR
Supporting Institution
Inonu University Scientific Research Projects Unit
Project Number
TDK-2019-1926.
References
- [1] Nikolaos TP, Reddy K. Hepatitis B: background, epidemiology, pathophysiology. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177632-overview /October 4, 2021.
- [2] Quasdorff M, Protzer U. Control of hepatitis B virus at the level of transcription. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 2010;17:527-36.
- [3] Kao JH, Chen PJ, Lai MY, Chen DS. Hepatitis B genotypes correlate with clinical outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Gastroenterology, 2000;118:554-9.
- [4] Turkey Hepatitis B Roadmap. Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver Publication 2012:1-38.
- [5] EASL clinical practice guidelines. European Association for the Study of the Liver. Management of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Journal of Hepatology 2012:167-85.
- [6] Schweitzer A, Horn J, Mikolajczyk RT, Krause G, et al. Estimates of worldwide prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: a systematic review of data published between 1965 and 2013. Lancet, 2015;386:1546-55.
- [7] Nassal M. HBV cccDNA: viral persistence reservoir and key obstacle for a cure of chronic hepatitis B. Gut, 2015;64:1972-84.
- [8] Chang MH, Chen CJ, Lai MS, Hsu HM, et al. Universal hepatitis B vaccination in Taiwan and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children. Taiwan childhood hepatoma study group. N Engl J Med, 1997; 336(26):1885-9.
- [9] Abdullayeva M. The Relationship Between Liver Damage Associated with Chronic Hepatitis B and HBV DNA Level and HBsAg Expression. Master's Thesis, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, 2017.
- [10] Thomas AB, Sonali JS. Evidence-based clinical reasoning in medicine. In: Palter J (ed). Acute Viral Hepatitis.3rded. 2013, United States of America: Sheridan Books, 23-31.