Modulation of Serum Interleukin-18 Concentrations and Hepatitis B Virus DNA Levels During Interferon Therapy in Patients with Hepatitis B e-Antigen-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B

The aim of this study was (1) to determine plasma values of interleukin-18 (IL-18) in patients with different clinical manifestations of hepatitis B (HB) and (2) to analyze the correlation between presence of circulatory levels of IL-18 and levels of HB virus (HBV) DNA during interferon-alpha (IFN-α)-induced HBe seroconversion in patients with chronic HB (CHB). The IL-18 levels in serum did not significantly differ between healthy control subjects (99 ± 25 pg/mL), HB-immune patients (85 ± 33), and asymptomatic carriers of HB surface antigen (144 ± 44 pg/mL). In contrast, anti-HBe (HBV DNA 104 copies/mL, 280 ± 85, P < 0.05), and HBe-antigen-reactive (373 ± 108, P < 0.0001) patients with symptomatic CHB had significantly elevated levels in circulation compared with healthy control subjects (99 ± 25 pg/mL). An inverse correlation was found between serum HBV DNA copies and IL-18 levels during therapy (r = −0.54, P < 0.001). We consistently observed an I...