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Background: It is unclear whether clinical indication for antiviral treatment is in agreement with histological indication in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to clarify this relationship and identify factors associated with liver histology. Patients and methods: We investigated 152 consecutive, treatment-naïve, HBeAg-negative CHB patients who had undergone liver biopsies at a tertiary medical centre in Taiwan. Clinical indications for treatment included a serum alanine aminotransferase level more than twice the upper limit of normal and an hepatitis B virus DNA level >2000 IU/ml. Factors associated with the histological indication (Ishak's grade ≥7 and/or stage ≥2) were analysed. Results: The association between the clinical and the histological indications was significant ( P=0.011). However, the agreement was poor (κ value=0.197). In patients satisfying the clinical indication, age >52 years [odds ratio (OR)=2.669, P=0.042], serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level >7 ng/ml (OR=7.070, P<0.001) and platelet count <130 × 109/L (OR=11.720, P=0.025) were identified to be independent factors associated with histological indication. In patients who did not satisfy the clinical indication, multivariate analysis revealed that only an AFP level >7 ng/ml (OR=10.345, P=0.021) was independently associated with histological indication. Combining the clinical indication and/or AFP level >7 ng/ml to predict liver histology, the sensitivity and the negative predictive value could improve from 86 to 94.4% and 66.7 to 81% respectively. Conclusion: AFP level is associated with liver histology in HBeAg-negative CHB. Serum AFP level can serve as a surrogate indicator to identify patients who need antiviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The natural history of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been little studied in Asia. We conducted a Taiwanese cohort study on the natural history of PBC and analysed the prognostic factors. Methods: This study enrolled 96 consecutive PBC patients between 1985 and 2006 to evaluate the baseline characteristics and outcomes. Results: There were 74 females and 22 males. Eighty-five were positive for antimitochondrial antibodies in sera, and 11 were negative. The clinical manifestations and prognosis were similar between these two groups. In a median follow-up of 47.5±55.8 months, 27 patients died. Multivariate analysis indicated that the independent prognostic factors were serum albumin ( P=0.021), creatinine ( P=0.033) and ursodeoxycholic acid treatment ( P=0.008). Besides, 42 patients developed adverse outcomes. Albumin ( P<0.001), bilirubin ( P=0.019) and prothrombin time (PT) ( P=0.010) were significant factors. Moreover, a Mayo risk score <5, a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score <6, a Child–Pugh stage A and early liver histology were associated with favourable outcomes. Conclusion: Serum albumin, bilirubin and PT were independent prognostic factors of adverse outcomes for Taiwanese PBC patients. Besides, the Mayo risk score, the MELD score, the Child–Pugh stage and liver histology were also validated to predict survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]