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Association of on‐treatment serum hepatitis B surface antigen level with sustained virological response to nucleos(t)ide analog in patients with hepatitis B e‐antigen positive chronic hepatitis B
Author(s) -
Kim Soon Sun,
Lee Dami,
Lee Myoung Hee,
Cheong Jae Youn,
Cho Sung Won
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/j.1872-034x.2012.01065.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hbsag , entecavir , lamivudine , hbeag , gastroenterology , hepatitis b , hepatitis b virus , seroconversion , odds ratio , confidence interval , immunology , virus
Aim: This study evaluated the on‐treatment serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level during nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy and the correlation with off‐treatment sustained virological response (SVR). Methods: Fifty‐one consecutive patients with hepatitis B e‐antigen (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B who achieved HBeAg loss/seroconversion after NUC therapy and completed 12 months or more of additional therapy were included. Serum HBsAg and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were determined at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and at the end of treatment. SVR was defined as HBV DNA levels of less than 10 000 copies/mL until 6 or 12 months off‐treatment without reappearance of HBeAg. Results: Twenty‐two (43.1%) and 13 (25.5%) patients maintained SVR at 6 and 12 months off‐treatment, respectively. In univariate analyses, a decline of HBsAg of 0.5 log 10 IU/mL or less at 6 months ( P = 0.006) and 12 months ( P = 0.013), the mean change in HBsAg level at 6 months ( P = 0.024), and lamivudine or entecavir treatment ( P = 0.019) were significant predictive factors for SVR at 6 months off‐treatment. A decline of HBsAg of 0.5 log 10 IU/mL or less at 6 months and lamivudine or entecavir treatment were independent factors on multivariate analyses (odds ratio [OR], 16.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86–142.86 [ P = 0.012]; and OR, 14.83; 95% CI, 1.18–185.73 [ P = 0.036]; respectively). Conclusion: On‐treatment serum HBsAg level predicted early off‐treatment SVR to NUC therapy in patients infected with genotype C.