Letter to the Editor: standardization of HBV RNA assay for the different phases of chronic hepatitis B is essential.

David TaberneroMaria Francesca CorteseAriadna Rando-SeguraMaria ButiFrancisco Rodriguez-Frias

Published in: Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) (2021)

We read with interest the article by Mak et al. (1) that assessed HBV-RNA profiles using real-time PCR (m2000 system, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, USA), and their correlation with other viral biomarkers, in a large cohort of chronic hepatitis-B (CHB) patients, either treatment-naïve or receiving nucleos(t)ide analogues. The authors reported median serum levels of HBV-DNA higher than HBV-RNA by 1-2 log10 in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative treatment-naïve patients.

Keyphrases

hepatitis b virus
end stage renal disease
liver failure
newly diagnosed
prognostic factors
real time pcr
patient reported outcomes
smoking cessation