Hepatitis B core-related antigen to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in heart transplant recipients with past HBV infection: A pilot study

Clin Transplant. 2019 Jun;33(6):e13574. doi: 10.1111/ctr.13574. Epub 2019 May 7.

Abstract

Hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) has been proposed as a new marker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. We analyzed HBcrAg dynamics in 15 heart transplant recipients with active or prior HBV infection and correlated it with quantitative (QT)-HBsAg and HBV-DNA pre- and post-transplant. Serum HBcrAg was detected in HBsAg/HBV-DNA-positive subjects but not in recipients with past HBV infection. HBcrAg levels correlated with QT-HBsAg in pre- and post-transplant samples. In prior HBV infection, HBcrAg levels were unrelated to HBV-DNA positivity. In heart transplant recipients with prior HBV infection, HBcrAg does not correlate with viral replication and cannot be applied to detect HBV reactivation during follow-up.

Keywords: HBV reactivation; heart transplant; hepatitis B core-related antigen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Heart Diseases / surgery
  • Heart Diseases / virology*
  • Heart Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Hepatitis B / blood
  • Hepatitis B / diagnosis*
  • Hepatitis B / virology
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens / blood*
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Pilot Projects
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Virus Activation*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • DNA, Viral
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens