Evolution of HBeAg/anti-HBe system in relation to the histopathological activity of chronic hepatitis type B

Abstract

Evolution patterns of HBeAg/anti-HBe system in sera of 118 cases with chronic hepatitis type B were studied in relation to the histological characteristics of the biopsied liver.
Histology of the liver was assessed for its inflammatory activity according to the method by Knodell et al.
The patients who had seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe revealed liver histology of less activity in periportal necrosis and fibrosis, but of more prominent intralobular degeneration and focal necrosis than did those with persistently positive HBeAg.
Sequentially biopsied liver histology of the cases with persistent HBeAg showed gradual increase in periportal fibrosis, whereas in seroconverted cases activity indexes in terms of perioportal and intralobular necrosis regressed, but with no significant changes in periportal fibrosis.
These rusults indicate that patients with chronic type B hepatitis of mild peripotal inflammation and marked intralobular necrosis are much prone to show a seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe and hepatocellular necrosis improves after the seroconversion.