To investigate the immune states of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Total of 329 patients infected with HBV infection were divided into acute hepatitis B (AHB) group, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) group, cirrhosis group and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) group. The immune indexes such as immunoglobulin (Ig), complement (C) and T-lymphocyte subsets of groups above-mentioned were tested and analyzed, respectively.

The immune indexes had non-significant differences between AHB group and CHB group (P all > 0.05). Patients in cirrhosis group had significantly higher levels of IgG, IgA and IgG, which were (18.12 ± 5.70) g/L, (3.63 ± 0.94) g/L and (4.39 ± 0.82) g/L, respectively; but had significantly lower levels of CD3⁺ T, CD4⁺ T and CD8⁺ T cell counts (P all < 0.05), which were (583.10 ± 276.35) cells/μl, (339.13 ± 131.55) cells/μl and (205.23 ± 41.22) cells/μl. While, the levels of C3 and C4 were (0.39 ± 0.27) g/L and (0.08 ± 0.07) g/L in ACLF group, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in other groups. As liver damages progressed, the levels of ALT, AST, TBil and IgG all gradually increased, while the levels of C3 and C4 and the counts of CD3⁺ T, CD4⁺ T cell gradually declined.

The immune states of patients with hepatitis B have a certain relationship with disease progression or severity. The patients with cirrhosis and liver failure have autoimmune disorders, including high-level immunoglobulin, low-level complement and T cell loss.