VIRAL LOAD AND T CELL SUBGROUP DYNAMICS OF PATIENTS TREATED FOR CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS B

Backround: T cell activation plays an important role in tissue injury and viral clearance during the antiviral immune response. In our study we aimed to assess the viral load and peripheral blood T lymphocyte subgroup dynamics in the first 6 months of treatment for patients with chronic viral hepatitis B. Material and Method: A total of 31 naive patients without previous treatment were included in the study. For at least 6 months, 16 patients were given 300 mg/day telbivudine and 15 patients were given 100 mg/day lamivudine. Laboratory values were determined at the start of treatment and in the 1st and 6th months. Serum HBV DNA load was measured with PCR and peripheral lymphocytes subsets were measured with flow cytometry. During the treatment period, multistage analysis of the reduction in HBV DNA levels and peripheral blood lymphocyte dynamics was performed. Results: The HBV DNA values in both groups fell to non-measurable levels in the 1st and 6th months. In both groups the CD4/CD8 ratio was similar and there was no significant difference in CD4/CD8 ratios during follow-up (p>0.05). The increase in CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD38+ T cell levels was inverse to the reduction in viral load and the increase in both groups in the 1st month was noteworthy. However, though viral load continued at levels that could not be measured, the clear increase in CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD38+ levels in the first month ended and formed a plateau leading to the consideration that this may be associated with viral load. Conclusion: We believe focusing on immune mechanisms will increase the treatment success of new treatment modalities for chronic viral hepatitis B treatment.