Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) and different serological indexes of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)patients. Methods The clinical samples of 332 CHB patients were collected from Baoding Hospital of Infectious Diseases. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR method was used to measure the copy numbers of HBV pgRNA. The correlation between pgRNA levels and serological indexes of HBV and some other clinical data were analyzed. Results It was found that the HBV-DNA viral load was correlated with the levels of HBV-pgRNA and HBV-large surface protein(HBV-LP)(r=0.715 2 and 0.378 0, respectively,P<0.000 1). The HBV-pgRNA level were correlated with HBV-LP(R=0.336 7, P<0.000 1). In HBeAg positive patients, the average copy numbers of serum HBV-DNA and HBV-pgRNA were at higher levels, whereas the quantitative levels of serum HBV-LP were relatively low, and the serum HBV-pgRNA load was correlated with HBsAg level. In HBeAg negative patients, the average copy numbers of HBV-pgRNA were close to that of HBV-DNA, but the detection rate of pgRNA was higher than that of HBV-DNA. A weaker correlation was found between the serum HBV-pgRNA and HBsAg in the HBeAg negative patients, and between serum HBcAb and HBV-pgRNA. Conclusion Quantitative detection of serum HBV-pgRNA level can serve as an auxiliary detected parameter as other serological markers to provide guidance for safely withdrawal of anti-HBV drugs.

Key words: HBV pregenomic RNA, HBV DNA, HBV-large surface protein, Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR