Lowering the threshold of alanine aminotransferase for enhanced identification of significant hepatic injury in chronic hepatitis B patients

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of chronic hepatitis B patients among different immune phases

Clinical characteristics	HBeAg-positive chronic infection (n = 161)	HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis (n = 203)	HBeAg-negative chronic infection (n = 171)	HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis (n = 270)	Grey zone (n = 812)	P value
Age (year)	31.0 (26.0-36.0)	33.0 (27.0-39.0)	37.0 (32.0-42.0)	39.0 (33.0-45.0)	36.0 (30.0-42.0)	< 0.001
Male (%)	97 (60.2)	168 (82.8)	133 (77.8)	221 (81.9)	602 (74.1)	< 0.001
BMI (kg/m2)	21.3 (19.1-23.0)	22.5 (20.3-24.9)	22.6 (20.3-24.5)	22.8 (20.4-25.1)	22.0 (20.0-24.4)	< 0.001
Diabetes (%)	0 (0)	3 (1.5)	4 (2.4)	10 (3.7)	14 (1.7)	0.071
HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)	8.12 (7.60-8.23)	6.17 (5.38-6.61)	2.52 (2.00-2.89)	5.47 (4.50-6.31)	5.24 (3.92-7.50)	< 0.001
PLT (109/L)	211.0 (179.5-238.0)	185.0 (144.0-217.0)	191.0 (156.0-230.0)	185.0 (154.8-219.3)	199.0 (160.0-234.0)	< 0.001
ALT (U/L)	27.0 (21.0-33.0)	69.0 (51.0-111.0)	25.0 (19.0-31.0)	61.5 (50.0-100.3)	37.0 (27.0-59.0)	< 0.001
AST (U/L)	24.0 (21.0-31.0)	48.0 (36.0-73.0)	24.0 (20.0-29.0)	44.0 (33.0-66.0)	31.0 (24.0-45.0)	< 0.001
GGT (U/L)	18.0 (14.0-30.0)	51.0 (30.0-93.0)	25.0 (17.0-36.0)	40.0 (27.8-80.5)	29.0 (20.0-50.0)	< 0.001
Tbil (μmol/L)	12.7 (9.3-17.6)	14.1 (11.0-19.5)	12.6 (9.9-16.5)	14.4 (10.3-21.6)	13.0 (9.6-18.0)	< 0.001
ALB (g/L)	45.2 (43.3-47.6)	44.1 (41.0-46.2)	45.8 (43.7-48.0)	44.5 (41.2-46.9)	44.9 (42.3-47.0)	< 0.001
AFP (ng/mL)	2.4 (1.7-3.5)	5.1 (3.1-14.6)	2.3 (1.6-3.8)	3.8 (2.5-8.0)	3.1 (2.1-5.3)	< 0.001
PT (s)	13.4 (13.0-13.8)	13.4 (12.8-14.1)	13.4 (12.9-14.0)	13.5 (12.9-14.1)	13.4 (12.9-14.0)	0.073
APRI	0.29 (0.24-0.39)	0.69 (0.47-1.12)	0.32 (0.24-0.43)	0.63 (0.42-0.99)	0.40 (0.28-1.27)	< 0.001
FIB-4	0.72- (0.55-1.08)	1.05 (0.71-1.55)	0.92 (0.71-1.33)	1.18 (0.77-1.81)	0.93 (0.67-1.40)	< 0.001
GPR	0.23 (0.16-0.30)	0.71 (0.39-1.44)	0.32 (0.22-0.52)	0.56 (0.34-1.23)	0.37 (0.23-0.68)	< 0.001
Inflammation						< 0.001
G0-1	103 (64.0%)	35 (17.2%)	94 (55.0%)	76 (28.1%)	351 (43.2%)
≥ G2	58 (36.0%)	168 (82.8%)	77 (45.0%)	194 (71.9%)	461 (56.8%)
Fibrosis						< 0.001
S0-1	119 (73.9%)	64 (31.5%)	95 (55.6%)	98 (36.3%)	378 (46.6%)
≥ S2	42 (26.1%)	139 (68.5%)	76 (44.4%)	172 (63.7%)	434 (53.4%)
SHI						< 0.001
No	95 (59.0%)	32 (15.8%)	80 (46.8%)	63 (23.3%)	295 (36.3%)
Yes	66 (41.0%)	171 (84.2%)	91 (53.2%)	207 (76.7%)	517 (63.7%)

PLT: Platelet; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; BMI: Body mass index; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; Tbil: Total bilirubin; ALB: Albumin; AFP: α-fetoprotein; PT: Prothrombin time; APRI: Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index; FIB-4: Fibrosis score based on four factors; GPR: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio; SHI: Significant hepatic injury.