As shown in Fig. 2e–f, there was a significant correlation of between the anti-HBc level and HAI score both in the first liver biopsy (baseline) and the second liver biopsy (78th week) (r = 0.430 P = 0.022 and r = 0.461 P = 0.001; respectively), suggested that serum anti-HBc levels were positively correlated with severity of hepatic inflammation in the longitudinal cohort study. This evidence concerns the gene KRT88P and inflammation.