Background & Aims
This study investigated the possible use of interleukin (IL)‐23 and IL‐17 serum levels as indicators for anti‐hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy.
Methods
A total of 127 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who received pegylated interferon (PegIFN) therapy, 20 chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsCs) and 32 healthy controls were recruited. The serum levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 were detected by ELISA. The predictive value of baseline and early on‐treatment changes in the levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 for therapeutic response were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Multivariate logistic regression models were generated to identify independent factors that affect the clearance of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and the decline in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
Results
The baseline serum levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 were higher in patients with CHB than in normal controls and in AsCs. High levels of pre‐treatment IL‐23 and IL‐17 and more significant on‐treatment reductions in IL‐23 and IL‐17 levels were observed in patients with CHB who achieved HBeAg clearance or a decline in HBsAg >1 log10 IU/ml compared with patients who were persistently HBeAg‐positive or who experienced a decline in HBsAg <1 log10 IU/ml. The predictive cut‐off value of IL‐23 for HBeAg clearance was 135 pg/ml, and the specificity and sensitivity were 71.4% and 70% respectively. A high pre‐treatment level of IL‐23 was an independent factor for the prediction of the therapeutic response in patients with HBeAg‐positive CHB. Early on‐treatment changes of IL‐23 and IL‐17 showed no predictive value.
Conclusions
A high pre‐treatment serum IL‐23 level predicts the therapeutic response in HBeAg‐positive CHB patients during PegIFN therapy.