Resolved HBV infection is an independent risk factor for enhanced systemic inflammatory responses in COVID-19 patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the systemic inflammatory responses and outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection or non-HBV infection. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective study was conducted in Tongji Hospital of Wuhan, China, from 20 January 2020 to 30 March 2020. A total of 215 COVID-19 cases with available test results were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics, and results of laboratory test results, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 215 included patients, the numbers of patients with current HBV infection, resolved HBV infection, and non-HBV infection were 15, 134, and 66, respectively. Inflammatory biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and ferritin, were significantly elevated in the resolved HBV infection group, as well pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-8. Resolved HBV infection was independently associated with elevated proinflammatory cytokines. Patients with resolved HBV infection (59.7%) were more likely to develop into a severe state compared to patients with current HBV infection (46.7%) and non-HBV infection (43.9%). CONCLUSION: Resolved HBV infection is an independent risk factor for patients with COVID-19. COVID-19 patients with resolved HBV infection are more likely to have enhanced systemic inflammatory responses and worse prognoses than those with non-HBV infection.