Role of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes in Chronic Hepatitis B Exacerbation

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 593 - 597
• Main Authors: Yuen, Man-Fung, Sablon, Erwin, Wong, Danny Ka-Ho, Yuan, He-Jun, Wong, Benjamin Chun-Yu, Chan, Annie On-On, Lai, Ching-Lung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.08.2003; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alanine Transaminase - metabolism; Albumins; Albumins - metabolism; Bilirubin - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Brief Reports; Chronic hepatitis; Female; Genetic mutation; Genotype; Genotypes; Hepatitis antigens; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus - classification; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis B, Chronic - metabolism; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Liver; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Statistical median; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Infection; Virus; Viral hepatitis B; Typing; Hepadnaviridae; Viral disease; Orthohepadnavirus; Digestive diseases; Hepatic disease; Genotype; Hepatitis B virus
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/376988

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes and precore and core promoter mutations were determined in 318 patients with HBV. Patients infected with HBV genotype B had a higher median alanine aminotransferase level and bilirubin level and a lower median albumin level during exacerbations of disease, compared with patients infected with HBV genotype C (all P < .001). By logistic regression analysis, HBV genotype B infection (P = .014) and low albumin levels (P = .006) were independently associated with a higher risk of hepatic decompensation during severe exacerbations of disease. Patients infected with genotype B had a significantly higher mortality due to hepatic decompensation than did patients with genotype C (70% vs. 27.8%; P = .05).