Objective: In hepatitis B infection, it is difficult to make a treatment decision in patients with slightly elevated transaminases and HBV DNA level between 2000 and 20000 IU/ml, and in those with normal ALT, despite high levels of HBV DNA. Objectives: In HBeAg negative patients whose HBV DNA levels were between 2000 and 20000 IU/ml with ALT 1-2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) and those with HBV DNA >20000 IU/ml and normal ALT, the concordance between liver fibrosis in biopsy and liver stiffness measured by transient elastography with FibroScan® (FS) was investigated, and diagnostic value of FS to predict the liver fibrosis was tested.

Methods: The patients were selected from the outpatient hepatology clinics between the dates of November 2014 and October 2016 among those who were taken liver biopsy. Transient elastography was obtained within 3 months after liver biopsy. The diagnostic value of FS in detecting advanced fibrosis or moderate to advanced (MTA) fibrosis was investigated for each group.

Results: In 38 patients with HBV DNA 2000-20000 IU/ml and ALT 1-2×ULN, advanced fibrosis was detected in only one patient (2.6%) on liver biopsy, sensitivity of FS to show advanced fibrosis is 100%, specificity 78.3%, and diagnostic accuracy rate 79%. The area under curve was determined to be 0.892. In detecting MTA fibrosis, these values are 100%, 62%, 71%, and 0.810, respectively. Of 79 patients with HBV DNA >20000 IU/ml and normal ALT, five had advanced (5.5%) and 18 had MTA (23%) fibrosis. Sensitivity of FS in detecting advanced fibrosis was 100%, specificity 87.8%, and accuracy 88.6%, and these values for MTA fibrosis were 85.7%, 81%, and 82.3%, respectively.

Conclusion: Because of false negativity in a few patients with HBV DNA >20000 IU/ml in detecting MTA, FS may be combined with other non-invasive techniques. Negative predictive values of FS in predicting advanced or MTA fibrosis were very high, while positive predictive values were low. However, FS may save several patients from liver biopsy.