HBS Ag seroclearance and seroconversion time in Patients with chronic hepatitis B Infection.

BACKGROUND:Hepatitis B Surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance and seroconversion (development of antibodies against HBsAg) can increases the survival of Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. The aim of this study was to determine the percentage and timing of HBsAg seroclearance and seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. METHODS:1026 patients with CHB infection who referred to a private clinic were included. These patients had been followed-up for an average of 15 years. The patients whose HBs Ag was cleared from the blood and remained negative until the end of follow-up were designated as HBs Ag serocleared and the patients whose HBs Ab was positive during follow-upwas designated as HBs Ag seroconverted. The time of seroclearance and seroconversion of patients was recorded. Liver function tests, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and Hepatitis B early antigen (HBe Ag) status were extracted from the patients' medical records. Data were analysis with SPSS 17. RESULTS:The duration of follow-up was from 2 to 410 months and most patients were males (58.2%).The survival rate of HBs Ag positivity after 5, 10 and 15 years were 95.6, 89.4 and 80.7%, and 98, 93.5 and 84.9% of patients had not yet developed anti-HBs antibodies after 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively. Age, gender and taking medication had no effect on HBs Ag clearance from the blood or anti-HBs production. CONCLUSION:The HBs Ag seroconversion is a rare occurrence, but the incidence of this may increase with time, age and drug consumption. Though there was no relationship in our patients.