Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core-related antigen kinetics after adding pegylated-interferon to nucleos(t)ids analogues in hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients

Table 1 Main characteristics of the included patients

	NA group (n = 29)	Peg-IFN-NA group (n = 36)	P value
Age (yr)	53 (36-70)	45 (26-72)	0.01
Males, n (%)	21 (72)	29 (81)	0.44
IL28B polymorphism, n (%)			0.16
CC	11 (37.9)	20 (55.6)
CT/TT	14 (62.1)	16 (44.4)
Origin (ethnicity), n (%)			0.70
Europe	20 (69)	20 (56)
Asia	12 (33)	12 (33)
Africa	3 (10)	3 (8)
AST (IU/mL)	20 (15-59)	22 (12-62)	0.37
ALT (IU/mL)	19 (12-101)	25 (12-91)	0.20
GGT (IU/mL)	19 (9-197)	22 (10-125)	0.33
LSM, n (%)			0.91
< 7.2 kPa	28 (97)	34 (97)
7.2-12 kPa	1 (3)	1 (3)
NA treatment, n (%)
Tenofovir	20 (69)	22 (61)	0.46
Entecavir	7 (24)	11 (31)
Others	2 (7)	3 (8)
NA treatment duration (wk)	393 (113-763)	259 (118-496)	0.01
HBV genotype, n (%)			0.99
Non-D	7 (24.1)	16 (44.4)
D	12 (41.4)	13 (36.1)
Not available	10 (34.5)	7 (19.4)
Baseline HBcrAg (log 10 U/mL)	2.65 (< 2-4.9)	2.30 (< 2-3.7)	0.18
Baseline HBsAg (log 10 IU/mL)	2.96 (1.3-4.2)	3.22 (1.6-4.6)	0.07

Quantitative variables are expressed as median (range); qualitative variables are expressed as n (%). NA: Nucleos(t)id analogue; Peg-IFN: Pegylated interferon; IL28B: Interleukin 28B; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; LSM: Liver stiffness measurement; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBcrAg: Hepatitis B core-related antigen; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Table 2 Characteristics of matched patients in each treatment group

	NA group (n = 24)	Peg-IFN-NA group (n = 24)	P value
Age (yr)	54 (36-60)	45 (26-63)	0.07
Male sex, n (%)	18 (75)	22 (91)	0.12
IL28B polymorphism, n (%)			0.25
CC	9 (38)	13 (54)
CT/CT	15 (62)	11 (46)
Origin (ethnicity), n (%)			0.20
European	17 (70)	12 (50)
Asia	3 (12)	9 (38)
Africa	2 (8)	3 (12)
AST (IU/mL)	20 (15-59)	22 (15-38)	0.69
ALT (IU/mL)	20 (12-101)	23 (15-50)	0.41
GGT (IU/mL)	23 (9-197)	22 (11-125)	0.44
LSM, n (%)			0.32
< 7.2 kPa	23 (96)	24 (100)
7.2-12 kPa	1 (4)	0 (0)
NA treatment, n (%)			0.32
Tenofovir	16 (67)	12 (50)
Entecavir	6 (25)	9 (38)
Others	2 (8)	3 (12)
NA treatment duration (wk)	378 (113-763)	272 (139-495)	0.06
HBV genotype, n (%)			0.43
A	5 (21)	4 (17)
B	1 (4)	3 (12)
C	0 (0)	2 (8)
D	10 (42)	8 (33)
E	1 (4)	2 (8)
F	0 (0)	1 (4)
Not available	7 (29)	4 (18)
Baseline HBcrAg (log 10 U/mL)	2.7 (< 2-4.9)	2.3 (< 2-3.7)	0.18
Baseline HBcrAg (log10 U/mL), n (%)			0.39
< 2	6 (25)	9 (38)
2-2.5	4 (17)	6 (25)
2.5-3	6 (25)	3 (12)
3-3.5	2 (8)	3 (12)
3.5-4	3 (13)	3 (12)
> 4	3 (13)	0 (0)
Baseline HBsAg (log10 IU/mL)	3.1 (1.3-4.2)	3.2 (1.6-4.4)	0.25
Baseline HBsAg (IU/mL), n (%)			0.22
> 1000	12 (50)	14 (48)
100-1000	7 (29)	9 (38)
< 100	5 (21)	1 (4)
HBcrAg decline (log10 U/mL)
Δ Week 24	0.00 (-1.10-1.21)	0.00 (-0.71-0.30)	0.96
Δ Week 48	0.00 (-1.00-0.30)	0.00 (-1.31-1.10)	0.25
Δ Week 96	0.00 (-1.00-0.10)	0.00 (-0.71-0.71)	0.12
HBsAg decline (log10 IU/mL)
Δ Week 24	-0.11 (-0.04-0.00)	-0.26 (-3.8-0.1)	0.01
Δ Week 48	-0.10 (-1.17-0.04)	-0.40 (-4-0.02)	0.00
Δ Week 96	-0.12 (-1.39-0.96)	-0.44 (-4-0.01)	0.00
HBsAg Loss; n (%)	0 (0)	3 (12.5)	0.07

Quantitative variables are expressed as median (range); qualitative variables are expressed as n (%). NA: Nucleos(t)id analogue; Peg-IFN: Pegylated interferon; IL28B: Interleukin28B; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; LSM: Liver stiffness measurement; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBcrAg: Hepatitis B core related antigen; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.