Serum hepatitis B virus RNA is a predictor of HBeAg seroconversion and virological response with entecavir treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of enrolled patients

Characteristic	Value
Gender (male/female)	25/5
Age (yr)	35.47 ± 11.05 (17-58)
Body mass index	24.40 ± 3.50 (18.64-32.27)
HBeAg+ (%)	25 (83%)
Alanine aminotransferase (IU/mL)	159.90 ± 226.70 (40-1308)
HBsAg (log10 IU/mL)	3.97 ± 0.74 (2.29-4.88)
HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)	7.99 ± 1.32 (4.28-9.52)
HBV RNA (log10 copies/mL)	4.15 ± 0.90 (2.24-5.66)
HBV genotype
B (%)	6 (20.00%)
C (%)	24 (80.00%)

HBV: Hepatitis B virus.

Table 2 Baseline characteristics of enrolled patients (virological response group vs partial virological response group)

Characteristic	Virological response (n = 13)	Partial virological response (n = 17)	P value
Gender (male/female)	11/2	14/3
Age (yr)	35.69 ± 10.85	35.29 ± 11.52	0.924
Body mass index	24.11 ± 3.66	24.62 ± 3.46	0.704
HBeAg+ (%)
Week 0	9 (69.23%)	16 (94.12%)
Week 24	8 (61.54%)	16 (94.12%)
Alanine aminotransferase (IU/mL)
Week 0	213.85 ± 72.11	118.65 ± 74.25	0.262
Week 24	30.23 ± 15.76	56.71 ± 46.12	0.058
HBsAg (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	3.66 ± 0.66	4.21 ± 0.73	0.040
Week 24	3.49 ± 0.55	3.84 ± 0.61	0.116
HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	7.26 ± 1.56	8.54 ± 0.75	0.014
Week 24	2.79 ± 0.27	4.20 ± 0.74	0.000
HBV RNA (log10 copies/mL)
Week 0	4.17 ± 0.87	4.14 ± 0.95	0.936
Week 24	2.58 ± 0.90	5.24 ± 0.51	0.000
HBV genotype
B (%)	3 (23.08%)	3 (17.65%)
C (%)	10 (76.92%)	14 (82.35%)

HBV: Hepatitis B virus.

Table 3 Baseline characteristics of enrolled patients (group A vs group B)

Characteristic	(A) HBeAg positive patients with seroconversion (n = 10)	(B) HBeAg positive patients with no seroconversion (n = 15)	P value (A) vs (B)	(C) HBeAg negative patients (n = 5)	P value (A) vs (C)
Gender (male/female)	8/2	12/3		5/0
Age (yR)	37 ± 6	33 ± 12	0.034	40 ± 150	0.505
Body mass index	25.29 ± 3.86	23.82 ± 3.25	0.528	24.38 ± 3.87	0.676
Alanine aminotransferase (IU/mL)
Week 0	156.10 ± 72.94	174.53 ± 317.58	0.272	123.60 ± 71.81	0.428
Week 24	46.10 ± 32.61	50.00 ± 46.83	0.665	29.20 ± 8.17	0.282
HBsAg (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	3.81 ± 0.84	4.14 ± 0.57	0.068	3.79 ± 1.02	0.967
Week 24	3.51 ± 0.59	3.94 ± 0.59	0.658	3.29 ± 0.32	0.474
HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	8.05 ± 0.99	8.57 ± 0.76	0.498	6.11 ± 1.64	0.013
Week 24	3.32 ± 1.11	3.68 ± 1.15	0.635	3.03 ± 0.44	0.279
HBV RNA (log10 copies/mL)
Week 0	3.52 ± 0.84	5.59 ± 0.67	0.061	4.08 ± 0.99	0.27
Week 24	3.06 ± 1.39	5.48 ± 1.51	0.032	2.93 ± 1.39	0.161
HBV genotype
B (%)	3 (30.00%)	2 (13.33%)		1 (20%)
C (%)	7 (70.00%)	13 (86.67%)		4 (80%)

HBV: Hepatitis B virus.