Low Incidence of Adverse Outcomes in Adults With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the Era of Antiviral Therapy

Disparities in Social Vulnerability and Premature Mortality among Decedents with Hepatitis B, United States, 2010-2019

BACKGROUND

Current US hepatitis B mortality rates remain three times higher than the national target. Mortality reduction will depend on addressing hepatitis B disparities influenced by social determinants of health.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to describe characteristics of hepatitis B-listed decedents, which included US birthplace status and county social vulnerability attributes and quantify premature mortality.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 17,483 hepatitis B-listed decedents using the 2010-2019 US Multiple-Cause-of-Death data merged with the county-level Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Outcomes included the distribution of decedents according to US birthplace status and residence in higher versus lower death burden counties by sociodemographic characteristics, years of potential life lost (YPLL), and SVI quartiles.

RESULTS

Most hepatitis B-listed decedents were US-born, male, and born during 1945-1965. Median YPLL was 17.2; 90.0% died prematurely. US-born decedents were more frequently White, non-college graduates, unmarried, and had resided in a county with < 500,000 people; non-US-born decedents were more frequently Asian/Pacific Islander, college graduates, married, and had resided in a county with ≥ 1 million people. Higher death burden (≥ 20) counties were principally located in coastal states. US-born decedents more frequently resided in counties in the highest SVI quartile for "Household Characteristics" and "Uninsured," whereas non-US-born decedents more frequently resided in counties in the highest SVI quartile for "Racial/Ethnic Minority Status" and "Housing Type/Transportation."

CONCLUSION

This analysis found substantial premature hepatitis B mortality and residence in counties ranked high in social vulnerability. Successful interventions should be tailored to disproportionately affected populations and the social vulnerability features of their geographic areas.

Hepatitis B Care Continuum Models-Data to Inform Public Health Action

The application of a care continuum model (CCM) can identify gaps in diagnosis, care, and treatment of populations with a common condition, but challenges are inherent in developing a CCM for chronic hepatitis B. In contrast with treatment for HIV or hepatitis C, treatment is not indicated for all people with chronic hepatitis B, clinical endpoints are not clear for those receiving treatment, and those for whom treatment is not indicated remain at risk for complications. This topical review examines the data elements necessary to develop and apply chronic hepatitis B CCMs at the jurisdictional health department level. We conducted a nonsystematic review of US-based publications in Ovid MEDLINE (1946-present), Ovid Embase (1974-present), and Scopus (not date limited) databases, which yielded 724 publications for review. Jurisdictional health departments, if properly supported, could develop locale-specific focused CCMs using person-level chronic hepatitis B registries, updated longitudinally using electronic laboratory reporting data and case reporting data. These CCMs could be applied to identify disparities and improve rates in testing and access to care and treatment, which are necessary to reduce liver disease and chronic hepatitis B mortality. Investments in public health surveillance infrastructure, including substantial enhancements in electronic laboratory reporting and case reporting and the use of supplementary data sources, could enable jurisdictional health departments to develop modified CCMs for chronic hepatitis B that focus, at least initially, on "early" CCM steps, which emphasize optimization of hepatitis B diagnosis, linkage to care, and ongoing clinical follow-up of diagnosed people, all of which can lead to improved outcomes.

Role of CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells in human hepatitis B virus infection

The replication of HBV in hepatocytes can be effectively inhibited by lifelong antiviral therapy. Because of the long-term presence of HBV reservoirs, the virus rebound frequently occurs once the treatment is stopped, which poses a considerable obstacle to the complete removal of the virus. In terms of gene composition, regulation of B cell action and function, CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells are similar to CXCR5+ CD4+ T follicular helper cells, while these cells are characterized by elevated programmed cell death 1 and cytotoxic-related proteins. CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells are strongly associated with progression in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, CXCR5 expression on the surface of CD8+ T cells is mostly an indicator of memory stem cell-like failure in progenitor cells in cancer that are more responsive to immune checkpoint blocking therapy. Furthermore, the phenomena have also been demonstrated in some viral infections, highlighting the duality of the cellular immune response of CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells. This mini-review will focus on the function of CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells in HBV infection and discuss the function of these CD8+ T cells and the potential of associated co-stimulators or cytokines in HBV therapeutic strategies.

Treatment of hepatitis delta and HIV infection

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective agent that only infects individuals with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Around 5-10% of chronic hepatitis B patients worldwide are superinfected with HDV, which means 15-25 million people. Hepatitis delta is the most severe of all chronic viral hepatitis, leading to cirrhosis, liver cancer and/or transplantation in most patients. Despite it, many HDV patients remain undiagnosed. The only treatment available until recently was peginterferon alfa, with poor results and significant side effects. The recent approval of bulevirtide, a lipopeptide that blocks HBV/HDV entry, has revolutionized the field. Another drug, lonafarnib, already approved to treat progeria, is expected to be available soon as HDV therapy. Since there is no cell reservoir for the HDV RNA genome, hypothetically viral clearance could be achieved if complete blocking of viral replication occurs for a minimum time frame. This is what happens in hepatitis C using direct-acting antivirals, with the achievement of cure in nearly all treated patients. We envision the cure of hepatitis delta using combination antiviral therapy. Given that sexual and parenteral transmission routes are the most frequent for the acquisition of HBV and HDV, shared with HIV infection and HBV/HDV and HIV coinfection. The clinical outcome of hepatitis delta is worst in the HIV setting, with more frequent liver complications. Since most persons infected with HIV are on regular health care follow-up, we propose that HIV-HDV patients should be prioritized for moving forward new and potentially curative treatments for hepatitis delta.

Immunostaining for hepatitis B viral antigens in liver: Association with clinical, biochemical, and virologic features of disease

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Staining for hepatitis B viral antigens is often done in liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis B, but its correlates with clinical phenotypes are not well described.

METHODS

Biopsies were collected from a large cohort of adults and children with chronic hepatitis B viral infection through the Hepatitis B Research Network. Immunohistochemical staining of sections was done for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and then centrally read by the pathology committee. The degree of liver injury and pattern of staining were then correlated with clinical characteristics, including the clinical phenotype of hepatitis B.

RESULTS

Biopsies from 467 subjects were studied, including 46 from children. Immunostaining for HBsAg was positive in 417 (90%) with scattered hepatocyte staining being the most common pattern. HBsAg staining correlated best with serum levels of HBsAg and hepatitis B viral DNA; the absence of HBsAg staining was often a prelude to loss of HBsAg from serum. HBcAg staining was positive in 225 (49%), and, while cytoplasmic staining was more frequent than nuclear staining, both nuclear and cytoplasmic positivity were often seen in the same specimen. Staining for HBcAg correlated with both level of viremia and liver injury. No biopsies from inactive carriers had stainable HBcAg, while 91% of the biopsies from those with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B stained positively for HBcAg.

CONCLUSION

Immunostaining for hepatitis B viral antigens may yield helpful insights into liver disease pathogenesis but appears to add little to commonly used serological and biochemical blood tests.

Global burden of hepatitis B virus: current status, missed opportunities and a call for action

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects about 296 million people worldwide and is the leading aetiology of cirrhosis and liver cancer globally. Major medical complications also include acute flares and extrahepatic manifestations. In addition, people living with HBV infection also experience stigma. HBV-related cirrhosis resulted in an estimated 331,000 deaths in 2019, and it is estimated that the number of deaths from HBV-related liver cancer in 2019 was 192,000, an increase from 156,000 in 2010. Meanwhile, HBV remains severely underdiagnosed and effective measures that can prevent infection and disease progression are underutilized. Birth dose coverage for HBV vaccines remains low, particularly in low-income countries or regions where HBV burden is high. Patients with HBV infection are inadequately evaluated and linked to care and are undertreated worldwide, even in high-income countries or regions. Despite the goal of the World Health Organization to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030, the annual global deaths from HBV are projected to increase by 39% from 2015 to 2030 if the status quo remains. In this Review, we discuss the current status and future projections of the global burden of HBV infection. We also discuss gaps in the current care cascade and propose future directions.

Viral Hepatitis Among African Immigrants with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Minnesota: High Prevalence Yet Low Awareness

We aimed to study the virologic profile of immigrants from Africa with viral hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received care at our institution. We conducted a descriptive study among African-born patients with HCC who received care at University of Minnesota Medical Center from 2011 to 2018. We analyzed the prevalence, virologic profiles and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections prior to HCC diagnosis. 74 African-born patients with HCC were eligible for analysis. 54 had HCV and 20 had HBV infection. 80% of HBV patients were treated but remained with inadequate viral suppression at the time of HCC diagnosis while only 39% of HCV patients were treated prior to HCC diagnosis. Lost to follow up was common in both groups. Our findings suggest that there is a significant gap in appropriate viral hepatitis care in an African immigrant population in Minnesota. Culturally-appropriate strategies are needed to bridge this gap.

Liver Complications in Untreated Treatment-Ineligible versus Treated Treatment-Eligible Patients with Hepatitis B

BACKGROUND

A substantial number of patients who do not meet treatment criteria for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) later develop adverse outcomes such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim was to determine whether current practice guidelines adequately identify CHB patients who will benefit from antiviral therapy.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing the incidence of adverse liver outcomes (cirrhosis and/or HCC) in untreated treatment-ineligible (at baseline and throughout follow-up) versus treated treatment-eligible patients according to standard American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) 2018 guidance (alanine aminotransferase [ALT] >70/50 U/L for men/women plus hepatitis B virus [HBV] DNA >20,000/2,000 IU/mL for HBeAg+/-) and with a sensitivity analyses using a lower threshold (ALT >40 U/L and HBV DNA >2,000 IU/mL).

RESULTS

We reviewed records of 5,840 patients from 5 clinics in California and identified 2,987 treatment-naive non-HCC CHB patients. Of those, 271 patients remained untreated treatment-ineligible, 514 patients were treatment-eligible and initiated treatment, with 5-year cumulative adverse liver incidences of 12.5% versus 7.2%, p = 0.074. On multivariable analysis adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, albumin, platelet count, and HBV DNA, compared to treated treatment-eligible patients, untreated treatment-ineligible patients had a significantly higher risk of adverse liver outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.38, 95% confidence interval 1.03-5.48, p = 0.04) in main analysis by AASLD 2018 criteria but not in sensitivity analysis using the lower treatment threshold (p = 0.09).

CONCLUSION

Patients never meeting standard AASLD 2018 criteria for antiviral therapy and never treated had twice the risk of developing cirrhosis and/or HCC when compared to eligible and treated patients.

Perspectives on current controversial issues in the management of chronic HBV infection

Clinical and basic research in the past decades has achieved consensus in the understanding of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the management of chronic hepatitis B and HBV-cirrhosis. However, debatable challenges to the existing consensus in the concept and/or definitions have emerged. These include (1). alanine aminotransferase upper limit of normal: traditional laboratory-defined vs fixed; (2). nomenclature for phases of chronic HBV infection: classical vs EASL proposal; (3). indication of antiviral therapy: to treat patients vs to treat HBV; (4). finite vs indefinite long-term antiviral therapy: A. finite therapy in HBV-cirrhosis; B. retreatment decision: biochemical markers vs HBsAg/ALT kinetics. The pros and cons of these controversial issues were reviewed, assessed, and discussed in depth based on relevant lines of scientific evidence, intended to clarify or solve these controversial issues.

Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis and Prognostic Accuracy of the PAGE-B HCC Risk Score in a Low Endemic Hepatitis B Virus Infected Population

Purpose

We aimed to determine incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and decompensated liver cirrhosis in persons with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Denmark stratified by disease phase, liver cirrhosis, and treatment status at baseline. Additionally, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of the PAGE-B HCC risk score in a mainly non-cirrhotic population.

Patients and Methods

In this register-based cohort study, we included all individuals over the age of 18, with chronic HBV infection first registered between 2002 and 2016 in at least one of three nationwide registers. The study population was followed until HCC, decompensated liver cirrhosis, death, emigration, or December 31, 2017, which ever came first.

Results

Among 6016 individuals included in the study, 10 individuals with and 23 without baseline liver cirrhosis developed HCC during a median follow up of 7.3 years (range 0.0-15.5). This corresponded to five-year cumulative incidences of 7.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-12.3) and 0.2% (95% CI 0.1-0.4) in persons with and without baseline liver cirrhosis. The five-year cumulative incidence of decompensated liver cirrhosis was 0.7% (95% CI 0.5-1.0). Among 2038 evaluated for liver events stratified by disease phase, incidence of HCC was low in all who were non-cirrhotic and untreated for HBV at baseline. PAGE-B score was evaluated in 1529 persons. The 5-year cumulative incidence of HCC was 0, 0.8 (95% CI 0.5-1.8), and 8.7 (95% CI 1.0-16.4) in persons scoring <10, 10-17 and >17, respectively (c-statistic 0.91 (95% CI 0.84-0.98)).

Conclusion

We found low incidence of HCC and decompensated liver cirrhosis in persons with chronic HBV infection in Denmark. Moreover, the PAGE-B score showed good accuracy for five-year risk of developing HCC in the population with chronic HBV infection in Denmark.

Diagnostic Performance of Transient Elastography Versus Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Viral Hepatitis: Direct Comparison and a Meta-Analysis

Objective. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of transient elastography (TE) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH). Methods. Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched (-01/08/2021) for studies comparing TE with 2D-SWE in patients with CVH. Other etiologies of chronic liver disease (CLD) and articles not published in SCI journals were excluded. The bivariate random-effects model was used to pool the performance of the TE and 2D-SWE. Results. Eight articles with a total of 1301 CVH patients were included. The prevalence of significant fibrosis ( $\text{fibrosis}\text{stage}\ge 2$ ), advanced fibrosis ( $\text{fibrosis}\text{stage}\ge 3$ ), and cirrhosis was 50.8%, 44.8%, and 34.7%, respectively. 2D-SWE expressed higher overall accuracy than TE in detecting significant fibrosis (0.93 vs. 0.85, $P=0.04$ ). No significant difference among the overall diagnostic accuracy of TE and 2D-SWE in staging advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis was found. Conclusion. TE and 2D-SWE express good to excellent diagnostic accuracies to stage fibrosis in CVH patients. 2D-SWE compares favorably with TE especially for predicting significant fibrosis.

Characteristics of Older Patients With Immunotolerant Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Most patients in the immunotolerant (IT) phase of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) transition to the immune active (IA-hepatitis B surface antigen [HBeAg]+) phase by early adulthood. We examined characteristics of adults in the IT vs IA-HBeAg+ phase and rate of transition from IT to other phases of CHB, with a focus on those ≥40 years.

METHODS

Demographic, clinical, and virologic characteristics of participants in the Hepatitis B Research Network adult cohort study with IT CHB (alanine aminotransferase ≤1.5 × upper limit of normal, hepatitis B virus DNA >10⁷ IU/mL) were compared by age category, and to those with IA-HBeAg+ CHB in cross-sectional analysis. This study received institutional review board approval at all participating centers.

RESULTS

Of 107 adult IT participants, 52 (48%) were <30, 33 (31%) were 30 to 39, and 22 (21%) were ≥40 years old (maximum, 71 years). Among IT groups, the proportion born in Asia and duration of CHB were greater in older IT groups, but virologic and liver disease characteristics were similar. Compared with IA-HBeAg+ participants (n = 192), IT participants were younger, fewer were men, more were Asian, and platelets, qHBsAg, and qHBeAg levels were higher. Similar differences were observed when comparisons were made with the ≥40 years IT group. Among IT participants, 60 (56%) transitioned during 206 person-years of follow-up. The phase transition rate per 100 person-years was highest in the <30 years group (33.0 [95% confidence interval [CI], 23.4-46.7]) vs the 30 to 39 years group (24.8 [95% CI, 15.6-39.4]) and ≥40 group (27.4 [95% CI, 14.8-50.9]), but 95% CIs overlapped.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large North American population, over 50% of adults in the IT phase of CHB were ≥30 years and 20% were ≥40 years old, but older IT patients had similar characteristics and rates of transition as younger IT patients.

The diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced CT versus extracellular contrast agent-enhanced MRI in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma: direct comparison and a meta-analysis

To compare the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) with extracellular contrast agent-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (ECA-MRI) for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched (1/5/2021) for studies comparing contrast-enhanced CT with ECA-MRI in patients suspected of HCC. Studies without head-to-head comparison were excluded. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and summary area under the curve (sAUC) of contrast-enhanced CT and ECA-MRI in detecting HCC was calculated based on bivariate random effects model. Heterogeneity test included threshold effect analysis and meta-regression. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to lesion size (< 20 mm or ≥ 20 mm). Overall, 10 articles containing 1333 patients were deemed suitable for inclusion in this meta-analysis. ECA-MRI displayed increased sensitivity to contrast-enhanced CT in detecting HCC (0.77 vs. 0.63, P < 0.01). The difference in specificity between ECA-MRI and contrast-enhanced CT was not statistically significant (0.93 vs. 0.94, P = 0.25). ECA-MRI yielded higher diagnostic accuracy (sAUCs = 0.88 vs. 0.80, P < 0.01). In the subgroup analysis with a lesion size < 20 mm, ECA-MRI allowed significant gains of accuracy compared to contrast-enhanced CT (0.79 vs. 0.72, P = 0.02). ECA-MRI also outperformed contrast-enhanced CT in patients with lesion size ≥ 20 mm (sAUCs = 0.96 vs. 0.93, P = 0.04). ECA-MRI provided higher sensitivity and accuracy than contrast-enhanced CT in detecting HCC, especially lesions size < 20 mm.

Review article: current and emerging therapies for the management of cirrhosis and its complications

BACKGROUND

Cirrhosis is increasingly common and morbid. Optimal utilisation of therapeutic strategies to prevent and control the complications of cirrhosis are central to improving clinical and patient-reported outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a narrative review of the literature focusing on the most recent advances.

RESULTS

We review the aetiology-focused therapies that can prevent cirrhosis and its complications. These include anti-viral therapies, psychopharmacological therapy for alcohol-use disorder, and the current landscape of clinical trials for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. We review the current standard of care and latest developments in the management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), ascites and hepatorenal syndrome. We evaluate the promise and drawbacks of chemopreventative therapies that have been examined in trials and observational studies which may reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis complications. Finally, we examine the therapies which address the non-pain symptoms of cirrhosis including pruritis, muscle cramps, sexual dysfunction and fatigue.

CONCLUSION

The improvement of clinical and patient-reported outcomes for patients with cirrhosis is possible by applying evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic approaches to the prevention and treatment of cirrhosis complications.

Incidence and prediction of HBsAg seroclearance in a prospective multi-ethnic HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B cohort

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Achieving HBsAg loss is an important landmark in the natural history of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A more personalized approach to prediction of HBsAg loss is relevant in counseling patients. This study sought to develop and validate a prediction model for HBsAg loss based on quantitative HBsAg levels (qHBsAg) and other baseline characteristics.

METHODS

The Hepatitis B Research Network (HBRN) is a prospective cohort including 1240 untreated HBeAg-negative patients (1150 adults, 90 children) with median follow-up of 5.5 years. Incidence rates of HBsAg loss and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) acquisition were determined, and a predictor score of HBsAg loss using readily available variables was developed and externally validated.

RESULTS

Crude incidence rates of HBsAg loss and anti-HBs acquisition were 1.6 and 1.1 per 100 person-years (PY); 67 achieved sustained HBsAg loss for an incidence rate of 1.2 per 100 PY. Increased HBsAg loss was significantly associated with older age, non-Asian race, HBV phenotype (inactive CHB vs. others), HBV genotype A, lower HBV-DNA levels, and lower and greater change in qHBsAg. The HBRN-SQuARe (sex,∆quantHBsAg, age, race) score predicted HBsAg loss over time with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) (95% CIs) at 1 and 3 years of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.987-1.00) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.91-1.00), respectively. In validation in another cohort of 1253 HBeAg-negative patients with median follow-up of 3.1 years, HBRN SQuARe predicted HBsAg loss at 1 and 3 years with AUROC values of 0.99 (0.98-1.00) and 0.88 (0.77-0.99), respectively.

CONCLUSION

HBsAg loss in predominantly untreated patients with HBeAg-negative CHB can be accurately predicted over a 3-year horizon using a simple validated score (HBRN SQuARe). This prognostication tool can be used to support patient care and counseling.

OUP accepted manuscript

Background

This study aimed to assess the performance of transient elastography (TE), two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE), and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for staging significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in untreated chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods

Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for terms involving CHB, TE, 2D-SWE, and MRE. Other etiologies of chronic liver disease, previous treatment in patients, or articles not published in SCI journals were excluded. Hierarchical non-linear models were used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of TE, 2D-SWE, and MRE. Heterogeneity was explored via analysis of threshold effect and meta-regression.

Results

Twenty-eight articles with a total of 4,540 untreated CHB patients were included. The summary areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) using TE, 2D-SWE, and MRE for predicting significant fibrosis (SF) were 0.84, 0.89, and 0.99, respectively. The AUROC values of TE, 2D-SWE, and MRE for staging cirrhosis were 0.9, 0.94, and 0.99, respectively. Based on the meta-analysis of studies with head-to-head comparison, 2D-SWE is superior to TE (0.92 vs 0.85, P < 0.01) in staging significant fibrosis.

Conclusion

TE, 2D-SWE, and MRE express acceptable diagnostic accuracies in staging significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in untreated CHB patients. 2D-SWE outperforms TE in detecting significant fibrosis in treatment-naive people with hepatitis B virus.

A Prospective Study Evaluating Changes in Histology, Clinical and Virologic Outcomes in HBV-HIV Co-infected Adults in North America

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Histological and clinical outcomes in HBV-HIV coinfection in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) are poorly defined.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Adult patients co-infected with HBV-HIV from eight North American sites were enrolled in this National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded prospective observational study (n = 139). Demographic, clinical, serological, and virological data were collected at entry and every 24 weeks for ≤ 192 weeks. Paired liver biopsies were obtained at study entry and at ≥ 3 years of follow-up. Biopsies were assessed by a central pathology committee using the modified Ishak scoring system. Clinical outcome rate and changes in histology are reported. Among participants with follow-up data (n = 114), median age was 49 years, 91% were male, 51% were non-Hispanic Black, and 13% had at-risk alcohol use, with a median infection of 20 years. At entry, 95% were on anti-HBV cART. Median CD4 count was 562 cells/mm³ and 93% had HIV < 400 copies/mL. HBeAg was positive in 61%, and HBV DNA was below the limit of quantification (< 20 IU/mL) in 61% and < 1,000 IU/mL in 80%. Clinical events were uncommon across follow-up: one hepatic decompensation, two HCC, no liver transplants, and one HBV-related deaths, with a composite endpoint rate of 0.61/100 person-years. Incident cirrhosis (n = 1), alanine aminotransferase flare (n = 2), and HBeAg loss (n = 13) rates were 0.40, 0.65, and 6.86 per 100 person-years, respectively. No participants had HBsAg loss. Paired biopsy (n = 62; median 3.6 years apart) revealed minimal improvement in Histologic Activity Index (median [interquartile range]: 3 [2-4] to 3 [1-3]; P = 0.02) and no significant change in fibrosis score (1 [1-2] to 1 [0-3]; P = 0.58).

CONCLUSIONS

In a North American cohort of adults with HBV-HIV on cART with virological suppression, clinical outcomes and worsening histological disease were uncommon.

Liver disease symptoms are associated with higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes: A longitudinal study of North American adults with chronic Hepatitis B

Background

Symptoms of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are not well characterized.

Aims

To evaluate CHB symptoms and associations with disease activity and clinical outcomes.

Methods

Longitudinal data from 1,576 participants in the Hepatitis B Research Network Cohort Study who completed symptom assessments were analyzed. A composite symptom score was calculated using a Symptom Checklist (0=none to 40=extreme). Multivariable mixed models assessed variables associated with symptom change over time. Latent class symptom trajectories were evaluated. The cumulative probability of long-term clinical outcomes (new onset cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, death) was examined by baseline symptom groups.

Results

Participants median age was 42 (range:18-80), 51% were male, 75% Asian, (68% of whom were born outside North America) with a median follow-up of 4.2 years. On average, symptoms did not significantly change over time. The multivariable model identified several variables associated with higher symptoms during follow-up: being female, non-Asian, born in the US/Canada, lower education, higher AST, lower platelets, and more comorbidities. Two patient subgroups were identified based on longitudinal symptom trajectories: a low symptom group (92%, n=1,451) with symptom scores averaging 2.4 over time and a moderate symptom group (8%, n=125) with symptom scores averaging 11.5. During follow-up, 7.3% in the moderate symptom group, but only 3.2% of the low symptom group, developed adverse outcomes (p=0.02).

Conclusions

In this large cohort of CHB patients, symptoms were generally mild and stable over time. However, in some patients with moderate symptoms at baseline, deleterious clinical outcomes were more frequent in follow-up.