Hepatitis B Clinical Research Network

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): To enroll patients from our racially diverse database into various natural history and treatment trials developed by the HBCRN. Our current understanding of the natural history of chronic HBV and the response of this disease to treatment has been dominated by studies conducted in Asian and to a lesser extent Caucasian populations. This may not reflect the natural history of the disease in African Americans. There is a pacuity of data regarding the natural history of chronic HBV and its response to treatment in African Americans. Addressing this gap in our knowledge is important because African Americans represent the second most common racial/ethnic group with chronic HBV infection in the USA. Including Clinical Care Centers with large African American populations in the HBCRN will be critical to understanding the natural history of chronic HBV and its response to treatment in this minority population. African Americans account for approximately 25% of patients with chronic HBV at our Clinical Care Center whereas Asians accounts for less than half of our patients. This unique population will allow the HBCRN to test the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: The serologic and virologic spectrum of chronic HBV in African Americans is markedly different than observed in Asians who reside in the USA. Hypothesis 2: Insulin resistence and other features of the metabolic syndrome, which are common in African Americans are associated with more severe liver injury and more rapid fibrosis progression in patients with chronic HBV. Hypothesis 3: African Americans with E-antigen (+) chronic HBV have a significantly lower seroconversion rate following treatment with peginterferon compared to non-African Americans. Hypothesis 4: Insulin resistence and other features of the metabolic syndrome, which are common in African Americans, will reduce virologic response to peginterferon but not to a potent oral antiviral agent.