Through the dynamic observation of HBV pgRNA, HBV DNA, serological and biochemical indicators in the antiviral process of patients with chronic hepatitis B, to explore the clinical significance of HBV pgRNA in the anti-viral process of chronic hepatitis B, and to further explore the HBV pgRNA at the end of antiviral therapy.

Eighteen patients with chronic hepatitis B were treated with pegylated interferon antiviral therapy (Peg-IFN) for 48 weeks. The HBV pgRNA levels, HBV DNA levels, and serological and biochemical indicators were tested at 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 weeks of the treatment. The correlation among the above indicators was statistically analyzed.

During the Peg-IFN treatment, the HBV DNA and HBV pgRNA levels decreased. The HBV pgRNA levels correlated with HBeAg (P<0.001), but not with HBsAg (P>0.05). HBV DNA was positively correlated with HBV pgRNA in the HBV DNA-positive patients (P<0.01). The treatment time was affected by HBV pgRNA. There were no significant correlations between the levels of independent influencing factors and other indicators (P>0.05). In 4.22% of the patients, the HBsAg began to decrease at the 24th week of the treatment and when HBV pgRNA was close to the minimum detection limit, and had been declining for the last 24 weeks. At the 24th week of treatment, if HBV pgRNA ≥ 10³ copies/ml, there was no significant decrease in HBsAg; and if HBV pgRNA was below the minimum detection limit at week 24 of treatment, the HBV pgRNA levels would continue to be below the test value during the last 24 weeks of treatment.

HBV pgRNA may better reflect the inhibition of viral replication by interferon, and has a predictive effect on immunological response, which is helpful for the judgment of therapeutic efficacy and has certain clinical value for guiding individualized treatment. However, the sample size of this study is small, and large samples are still needed for further verification.

HBV pgRNA; Chronic hepatitis B; Polyglycol interferon