Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected HBsAg Seroclearance Rates in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients? COVID-19 Pandemisi Kronik Hepatit B Hastalarında HBsAg Seroklirens Oranlarını Etkiledi mi?

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Mumcu N., Taştan S., Sandıkçı B. B., Cevahir F., Gözel M. G., Altındiş M.

Viral Hepatitis Journal, cilt.32, sa.2, ss.60-65, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)

Özet

Objectives: The aim of this study is to document the increase in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance that we observed during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B aged 18 years and older who were followed between 2010 and 2023 at three hospitals in Türkiye were included in this study. Rates of HBsAg seroclearance, seroconversion, and serological response among the patients were determined. Data from patients other than those who developed HBsAg seroclearance before the COVID-19 pandemic (before 2020) were analyzed. Results: A total of 188 patients were included in the study. In total, 26 (13.8%) patients developed HBsAg seroclearance, 28 (15%) developed HBsAg seroconversion, and 21 (11.2%) developed a serological response. Of the patients who developed HBsAg seroclearance, 22 (84.6%) occurred in 2020 or later, and 4 (15.4%) occurred before 2020. The annual incidence rates of HBsAg seroclearance were 0.78% in 2014, 0.6% in 2017, 1.15% in 2019, 1.71% in 2020, 2.23% in 2021, 7.4% in 2022, and 1.2% in 2023. 95% of the patients were vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech and/or Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccines, and 36.4% had a COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: In this study, the annual incidence rate of HBsAg seroclearance in the pre-pandemic period was consistent with the literature (0-1.15%), but this rate tended to increase during the pandemic (7.4%). We suggest that this increase may be related to COVID-19 infection and vaccination.