ArticleBMC gastroenterology2023
Anti-HBc: a significant host predictor of spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance in chronic hepatitis B patients - a retrospective longitudinal study.
Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Occult hepatitis B virus infection.Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2026Review
- Hepatitis B virus functional cure in persons with HIV: what are the predictors and which novel markers are useful?Current opinion in HIV and AIDS · 2026Review
- [The partial cure represents an intermediate endpoint on the path to a functional cure, not an ideal endpoint].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2025Article
- Emerging therapies for HBsAg seroclearance: spotlight on novel combination strategies.Hepatology international · 2025Review
- The Management of Chronic Hepatitis B: 2025 Guidelines Update from the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver and Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada.Canadian liver journal · 2025Article
- Detection of hepatitis B virus surface antigen, IgM and IgG antibodies to hepatitis B virus core antigen in the clinical classification and epidemiological surveillance of HBV infection.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- Predictive Factors for HBsAg Loss in Chronic HBeAg-Negative Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Insights From a 5-Year French Cohort.Journal of viral hepatitis · 2025Article
- Clinical Significance and Remaining Issues of Anti-HBc Antibody and HBV Core-Related Antigen.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimIn chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB), seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is associated with favourable clinical outcomes compared to those with persistent HBsAg seropositivity, and thus considered as a desired treatment endpoint. This current study explores the possibility of serum antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) as a potential predictive factor of HBsAg seroclearance.
methodsThis is a retrospective study that analyzed the plasma samples of CHB patients using the LUMIPULSE® G1200 analyzer. The longitudinal anti-HBc level between patients who subsequently achieved HBsAg seroclearance (S-losers) and those with persistent HBsAg-positivity (controls) were compared at multiple time points before the event.
resultsA total of 240 subjects (120 S-losers and 120 controls; age- and gender-matched) were included (mean age 56.42 ± 10.81, 65% male). Compared to controls, S-losers had significantly lower plasma anti-HBc levels prior to HBsAg seroclearance, with a significant trend of declining plasma anti-HBc 8-5 years prior to HBsAg seroclearance (p < 0.01), while such trend was not observed in controls. ROC curve analysis revealed that plasma anti-HBc at multiple time points before HBsAg seroclearance return AUC greater than 0.7. Plasma anti-HBc level at the cut-off value of 82.50 COI was 68.3% sensitive and 90% specific for HBsAg seroclearance within 1 year. Combining with quantitative HBsAg < 100 IU/mL, anti-HBc < 82.5 COI identified 88.2% patients who would develop HBsAg seroclearance within 1 year.
conclusionPlasma anti-HBc level began to decline 10 years prior to HBsAg seroclearance and can serve as a potential predictor for subsequent HBsAg seroclearance.
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