AST and HBeAg Level Can Help to Distinguish Non-Minimal Liver Inflammation in Persistently Normal Alanine Aminotransferase of Chronic HBV Infection

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the characteristics of HBV serum markers (HBsAg, HBeAg), biochemical indicators, HBV DNA, and the age to distinguish minimal from non-minimal liver histological inflammation group in HBeAg-positive chronic HBV-infected patients with ALT≤ 1ULN (40U/L). Methods: The HBeAg-positive patients with treatment-naïve hospitalized at Ditan hospital from January 2008 to January 2017 are investigated. Patients were separated into two groups of minimal and non-minimal (mild and moderate) histological inflammation group by liver biopsy specimens. Data were analyzed using the SPSS package. Results: There were both positive (age, ALT, and AST) and negative correlation factors (serum HBsAg, HBeAg, or HBV DNA quantitation) to the liver inflammation grades. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that HBeAg (P < 0.001, b = -0.554, Exp (B) = 0.575) and AST (P = 0.003, b = 0.074, Exp (B) = 1.077) were independent influential factors. The cutoff values of HBeAg and AST were separately 2.85 Log10S/CO (AUC0.724, Sensitivity64%, Specificity79%), 28U/L (AUC0.726, Sensitivity68%, Specificity 78%) to distinguish Minimal from Non-minimal liver histological inflammation in chronic HBV-infected patients with ALT ≤ 1 ULN (40U/L). Conclusions: In total, 31.34% (115/367) of patients with chronic HBV infection who had non-minimal (mild and moderate) liver histological inflammation reached the required inflammation levels for antiviral treatment in HBeAg-positive patients with persistently normal ALT. HBeAg (cutoff < 2.85 Log10S/CO) and AST (cutoff > 28 U/L) were the independent influential factors of predicting non-minimal liver inflammation with ALT ≤ 1 ULN (40U/L).