Clinical features of acute hepatitis E super-infections on chronic hepatitis B

AIM: To examine the clinical features and risk factors for adverse outcomes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) superimposed with hepatitis E virus (HEV). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 228 patients with acute HEV infection (showing clinical acute hepatitis symptomology and positivity for anti-HEV immunoglobulin M) with underlying CHB (confirmed by positivity for hepatitis B surface antigen and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA over 6 mo) who had been admitted to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, which represents the regional tertiary hospital for infectious diseases in Shanghai city, China. Data for adverse outcomes were collected, and included severe liver diseases (defined as liver failure and/or acute liver decompensation) and liver-related mortality. Logistic regression modeling was performed to determine the risk factors for adverse outcomes. RESULTS: = 0.005). Only 28.7% of the cirrhotic patients and 9.0% of the non-cirrhotic patients had received anti-HBV therapy previously and, in all cases, the efficacy had been suboptimal. CONCLUSION: CHB-related cirrhosis and intermediate HBV DNA level were associated with severe disease in superinfected patients, and successful antiviral treatment might counter this outcome.