Abnormal IL-10 levels were related to alanine aminotransferase abnormalities during postpartum in HBeAg positive women with chronic hepatitis B

Alanine transaminase (ALT) abnormalities are common in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers during postpartum period. Disturbances in cytokines are considered to be associated with hepatitis Flares. There are limited data on cytokines changes in HBeAg positive patients with ALT abnormalities. This is an observational study. Pregnant patients with hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) positive were enrolled from January 2014 to September 2018. Patients were assigned into three groups based on ALT levels in postpartum 6 to 8 weeks: ALT in normal range, ALT in 1 to 2-fold upper limits of normal (ULN) and ALT >2-fold ULN. Serum cytokines, ratios of regulatory T cells, and the concentration of cortisol were collected and compared among the three groups. Of the 135 mothers enrolled, 80.7% (109/135) completed the postpartum 6-week study. 13.8% (15/109) patients had postpartum ALT higher than 2(∗)ULN, 27.5% (30/109) patients had ALT in 1 to 2(∗)ULN and 58.7% (64/109) patients had ALT in normal range. Compared to control group, patients with ALT >2(∗)ULN had a higher IL-10 level (P < .05). No differences of IL-10 levels were found in the comparison of other inter comparison among three groups. No differences were found in the levels of other collected serum cytokines, cortisol, and regulatory T cells among three groups. On multivariate analysis, abnormal IL-10 level was independent risk factor for postpartum ALT elevating >2(∗)ULN. At the same time, the incidence of postpartum ALT elevated >2(∗)ULN were higher in patients with abnormal elevation IL-10 level than in patients with normal IL-10 level (14/68 vs 1/41, P = .008). CHB patients with postpartum ALT abnormalities show higher IL-10 level and postpartum ALT abnormalities were mainly occurred in patients with abnormal IL-10 level. IL-10 may be an underlying predictor and treatment target of hepatitis B, and further studies are needed.