HbsAg-positive chronic liver disease

LYMPHOCYTE ADENOSINE DEAMINASE LEVELS IN ACTIVE AND IN INACTIVE FORMS OF HBsAg-POSITIVE CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE... 

Table 1. Levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in PBMC from patients with HBsAg-positive chronic liver disease.

Other conditions where HBsAg may not be detected by ELISA are occult HBV infection and HDV-HBV co-infection. ELISA test may also exceptionally exhibit false positivity in individuals with autoimmune hepatitis, pregnant women and chronic liver disease other than hepatitis B infection. 

Patients considered for treatment are those who are HBsAg-positive for greater than 6 months with persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases, detectable markers of viral replication (HBeAg and HBV DNA) in serum, and signs of chronic hepatitis on liver biopsy. Although symptomatic patients are more apt to seek medical attention and to have these irregularities discovered, symptoms alone are not a basis for treatment. To be treated with IFN-a, patients should not have decompensated liver disease or any specific contraindications to the therapy being considered. 

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