Background
: All individuals chronically positive for HBsAg are not always complicated by advanced liver diseases and have various differences in their clinical progression. In an attempt to find out the factors determining clinical progression, comparative analysis was made among four groups (asymptomatic, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular group) according to the titers of HBeAg and HBeAg, and the presence or absence of HBeAg and HBV-DNA.

Methods : This study included 198 males and 96 females who visited Asan foundation Kangnung Hospital from Sep. 1, 1996 to May 31, 1998 and the subjects were HBsAg-positive for at least six months. They were classified into four groups on the basis of their worst results after CBC, LFT, and abdominal ultrasonography carried out on two occasions at least at three-month intervals. For confirmation of hepatoma abdominal CT and hepatic angiography were performed. Among the four groups compared were the mean titers of HBsAg and HBeAg, and positive rate of HBeAg and HBV-DNA.

Results : A total of 294 subjects was diagnosed as having no symptoms in 169(57%), chronic hepatitis in 71 (24.1%), liver cirrhosis in 41 (13.9%), and hepatoma in 13 subjects (4.4%). The more advanced in age (p<0.01) and sexual preference of males (p<0.05) were found to be associated with worse liver conditions. The Asymptomatic Group showed lower titers of HBsAg (p<0.01) and HBV-DNA (p<0.01). In the case of subjects without HBeAg, the presence of HBV-DNA was significantly linked to chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis (p<0.01). Based on age by multiple regression, the group of less than 29 years of age had higher titer of HBeAg as determinant factor for clinical progression, 30-39 years of age the presence of HBV-DNA, 40-49 years of age the presence of HBeAg, the presence of HBeAg and male, the group of more than 50 years of age had higher titers of HBeAg, the presence of HBV-DNA, and higher titers of HBsAg.

Conclusion : The present study revealed that clinical progression depended upon the titers of HBsAg and HBeAg, and the presence or absence of HBeAg and HBV-NDA in the same age group, and sexual preference for males as well as older age counted for clinical worsening of chronic HBsAg-positive subjects.

Background
: Hepatitis B is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocelluar carcinoma. It is a well-known fact that Korea is one of the hyperendemic areas of Hepatitis B virus among East Asian countries. Many pnst reports have shown that positive rate of HBsAg in Korea was about 6-14%. But precise data for Yongdong area of Kwangwon Province in Korea was lacking. Here authors report on the prevalence of viral markers of hepatitis B among adults in this area.

Methods : Sera were collected from 7469 residents in Yongdong area of Kwangwon Province who visited the Health Care Center, Asan Kangnung Hospital from September 11th to August 31th. HBsAg, AntiHBc-lgG, and AntiHBs were tested by radioimmunoassay.

Results : Positive rate of HSsAg of total study subjects was 8.5%, and significantly decreased as age increased, and higher in males(10.2%) than in females (6.6%). Positive rate for one or more markers among HBsAg, AntiHBc-lgG, and AntiHBs was 84%, and was significantly increased as age increased, and higher in males(86.2%) than in females(81.2%). All negative rate for HBsAg, AntiHBc-lgG, and AntiHBs was 16.0% and all positive rate was 0.5%. Positive rate of AntiHBc-lgG without HBsAg and AntiHBs was 15.7% Positive rate of AntiHBs without HBsAg and AntiHBc-lgG was 11.7%. Positive rate of AntihHBc-lgG and AntiHBs was 72.1% and 60.2%, respectively.

Conclusion : There was no significant difference in positive rate of HBsAg between this study for residents in Yongdong area of Kwangwon Province and past many reports. 84% of the total study subjects showed serological evidence of previous exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) naturally exposed or by vaccine immunization. 16% of the total study subjects was a proper candidate for hepatitis B vaccination.