AIM:To detect the expression of soluble TRAIL(TNF-relatedapoptosis inducing ligand,TRAIL)in the peripheral blood ofHBV infected patients and try to elucidate whether theexpression level of sTRAIL have any correlativity with theclinical staging,the expression level of HBV markers andthe degree of liver damage.METHODS:52 cases of HBV infected patients were investigated,induding 8 HBV carriers,30 chronic hepatitis B,11 drrhotics and3 HBV infection related hepatocellular carcinoma.Expression ofsoluble TRAIL and markers of the hepatitis B were mearsuredby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS:The expression level of sTRAIL in the peripheralblood of the HBV infected patients was significantly higherthan that of healthy controls(1378.35±540.23 pg/ml vs613.75±175.80 pg/ml,P<0.001).In the group of chronichepatitis,the expression level of sTRAIL was coincident withthe status of the disease and was significantly correlated withthe level of ALT.In the group of cirrhosis and liver cancer,itsexpression level was significantly higher than that of the healthypersons and HBV carders,but lower than that of the hepatitisB patients;meanwhile,the expression of sTRAIL did not haveany correlativity with the functional indexes of the liver.CONCLUSION:The soluble TRAIL in the HBV infected peoplemay participate in the liver damage.Our results indicated thatthe expression level of soluble TRAIL may reflect the ravageof liver caused by host immune reaction to a certain degree. AIM: To detect the expression of soluble TRAIL (TNF-relatedapoptosis inducing ligand, TRAIL) in the peripheral blood of HBV infected patients and try to elucidate whether the expression level of sTRAIL have any correlativity with the clinical staging, the expression level of HBV markers and the degree of liver damage. METHODS: 52 cases of HBV infected patients were investigated, induding 8 HBV carriers, 30 chronic hepatitis B, 11 drrhotics and 3 HBV infection related hepatocellular carcinoma. Expression of soluble TRAIL and markers of the hepatitis B were mearsuredby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The expression level of sTRAIL in the peripheral blood of the HBV infected patients was significantly higherthan that of healthy controls (1378.35 ± 540.23 pg / ml vs 613.75 ± 175.80 pg / ml, P <0.001) .In the group of chronic hepatitis, the expression level of sTRAIL was coincident with the status of the disease and was significantly correlated with the level of ALT. the group of cirrhosis and liver cancer, itse xpression level was significantly higher than that of the healthypersons and HBV carders, but lower than that of the hepatitis B patients; meanwhile, the expression of sTRAIL did not haveany correlativity with the functional indexes of the liver. CONCLUSION: The soluble TRAIL in the HBV infected people results show that the expression level of soluble TRAIL may reflect the ravage of liver caused by host immune reaction to a certain degree.