The effect of short term corticosteroid administration on Polymerized human serum albumin receptor, DNA-Polymerase and eAg in chronic active hepatitis type B

We assessed the effect of corticosteroid on polymerized human serum albumin receptor (PAR) and DNA-Polymerase (DNA-P) and eAg in 20 patients with eAg positive chronic active hepatitis type B. Marked increase in PAR and DNA-P value with corticosteroid administration and subsequent decrease with its abrupt withdrawal was noted in 14 whose PAR was greater than 2U/L and less than 90U/L before administration. In these 14, all 5 whose PAR value was increasing just before corticosteroid administration and 6 of 9 whose PAR value was not increasing became seronegative for eAg. Such increase in PAR and DNA-P with corticosteroid administration was not observed in 4 whose PAR before administration was less than 2U/L and 2 whose PAR was greater than 90U/L. Only two of the former and none of the latter became seronegative for eAg. Thus it is suggested that eAg was cleared highly in those whose PAR before corticosteroid administration was greater than 2U/L and less than 90U/L especially in those whose PAR value was increasing just before administration.