Liver histology of treatment-naïve children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Shanghai China

Objectives: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate associations between hepatic histology and clinical characteristics in treatment-naïve children with CHB in Shanghai, China. Methods: The liver biopsy specimens of 278 treatment-naïve children with CHB virus infection were scored for inflammation and fibrosis, and correlations with clinical and laboratory data were determined. Results: CHB clinical, virologic, and pathologic features were studied in 278 treatment-naïve children (177 [63.7%] males) in Shanghai, China. Maternal sera were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen for 277 children. At biopsy, 87.4% of patients were hepatitis B e antigen–positive. The median age at biopsy was 5.1 years (interquartile range 2.8-8.4 years). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid levels were generally high (mean 7.4 log10 IU/ml), as were levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, median 105 U/l). Using the Metavir histology activity index scoring system, no, mild, moderate, and severe inflammation were seen in 2.9%, 22.3%, 73.4%, and 1.4% of patients, respectively. No fibrosis, mild fibrosis, moderate fibrosis, and cirrhosis were seen in 11.5%, 32.7%, 47.5%, and 8.3% of patients, respectively. When the serum ALT level was ≤80 (two times the upper limit of normal) and >80 U/l, the inflammation score (P 3 years (P 80 U/l may be a strong indicator of the degree of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis severity. Moderate fibrosis and cirrhosis can appear in children aged 3 years or younger.