Table 1. Demographic Data and Clinical Features of Patients in Each Study Group.
| aAdd-on Strategy, (n = 88) | Switch Strategy, (n = 106) | |
| Male, No. (%) | 66 (75) | 70 (66) |
| Age, median y (range) | 45 (13–68) | 38 (16–61) |
| HBeAg positive, No. (%) | 30 (34) | 36 (33.9) |
| ALT b, median U/L (range) | 68 (16–537) | 84 (12–1082) |
| AST b, median U/L (range) | 61 (14–709) | 55 (13–579) |
| HBV DNA, median log10 IU/mL (range) | 4.4 (2.0–6.0) | 3.8 (2.0–6.1) |
| HBV subgenotype D, No. (%) | ||
| D1 | 74 (84) | 82 (77) |
| D2 | 12 (14) | 12 (11) |
| D3 | 2 (2) | 10 (10) |
| D4 | 0 (0) | 2 (2) |
| History of chronic hepatitis B infection | ||
| Patients in the immune-tolerant phase | 24 | 22 |
| Patients in the immune-reactive phase | 6 | 14 |
| HBeAg-negative patients | 58 | 70 |
| Biopsy status | ||
| Patients with Knodell fibrosis scores | 40 | 72 |
| Patients without biopsy | 48 | 34 |
| Therapy status c | ||
| LAM b to LAM + ADV b | 74 | - |
| ADV to ADV + ETV b | 14 | - |
| LAM to ADV + ETV | - | 12 |
| LAM to ADV + TDF b | - | 10 |
| LAM to ETV | - | 24 |
| ADV to ETV | - | 30 |
| Treatment duration, median mon (range) | ||
| LAM | 28.7 (3–60) | 24.8 (2–126) |
| LAM + ADV | 23.3 (6–48) | - |
| ADV | - | 13.1 (3–36) |
| ADV + ETV | 16 (6–22) | - |
| ETV | - | 11.4 (6–24) |
a Serological markers of all patients were found to be negative for hepatitis C virus and hepatitis D virus.
b Abbreviations: ADV, adefovir dipivoxil; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ETV, entecavir; LAM, lamivudine; TDF, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
c The combination of NUCs used was selected according to the emergence of drug resistance (primary or compensatory resistance) or clinical and/or virological breakthrough.