Abstract: Objective To explore the clinical application value of new serum standard HBVRNA in hepatitis B patients with HBVDNA lower limit after nucleoside treatment. Methods We detected the HBVRNA of 226 chronic hepatitis B patients and 130 liver cirrhosis cases with quantitative cobasHBVDNA value less than 20 IU/mL. By using the regression analysis, we compared the difference in detection rate and detection value between the two cases,and then we used the correlation analysis to figure out the correlation of HBVRNA with sAg and eAg in the two groups. Results 1 HBVRNA detection rate and concentration levels varied significantly in cases of CHB and cirrhosis:The HBVRNA detection rate of HBV sAg-positive cirrhosis group (97.5%) was significantly higher than that in the sAg-positive hepatitis B group (87%) (P<0.01). Similarly, the mean LOG value of HBVRNA concentration (2.37±1.98) of which was significantly lower than that in sAg-positive hepatitis B group (3.86±1.46) (P<0.01). The HBVRNA detection rate in eAg negative cirrhosis patients (25.5%) was significantly higher than that in eAg negative chronic hepatitis B patients (10.7%)(P<0.05), and there was no difference in HBVRNA concentration and the HBVRNA detection rate between two groups. There was no significant difference in the detection rate and concentration of HBVRNA between the eAg positive cirrhosis group and the eAg positive chronic hepatitis B group. 2 Different clinical status, sAg and eAg affected HBVRNA levels. 3 HBVRNA was correlated with sAg in both chronic hepatitis B group (r=0.382, P<0.01) and cirrhosis group (r=0.304, P<0.05). CHB HBVRNA was associated with eAg in the cirrhosis group (r=0.607, P<0.01), but not in cirrhosis group. Conclusion HBVRNA can replace HBVDNA as a biological indicator of continuously monitoring the replication status of the virus in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis patients after receiving antiviral drugs.

Key words: Nucleoside drugs for treating, HBVRNA, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis