Table 2.
Clinical and virological results among the hepatitis B e antigen-negative group, the rapid-responders, and the slow-responders in the hepatitis B e antigen-positive group during 2 years of entecavir therapy
| Characteristics | HBeAg-negative group | HBeAg-positive group | P value | |
| (n = 26) | RR (n = 14) | SR (n = 10) | RR vs SR | |
| <Baseline data> | ||||
| Age | 58 (35-80) | 45 (34-68) | 43 (31-71) | NS |
| Gender (male:female) | 13:13 | 9:5 | 6:4 | NS |
| Disease (CH:LC/HCC) | 21:5 | 13:1 | 6:4 | NS |
| ALT (IU/L) | 38 (13-950) | 131 (12-602) | 31 (13-108) | 0.02 |
| Platelet count (× 104/mL) | 18.6 (3.4-35.1) | 17.1 (8.4-22.4) | 20.0 (11.0-26.8) | NS |
| Albumin (mg/dL) | 4.3 (3.4-4.9) | 4.0 (2.3-5.0) | 4.4 (3.7-4.6) | NS |
| HBV genotype C | 100% | 100% | 100% | NS |
| HBV DNA (log copies/mL) | 5.1 (3.9-8.8) | 7.4 (5.6-8.8) | 8.3 (7.1-8.8) | NS |
| qHBsAg (log IU/mL) | 3.17 (0.70-4.58) | 3.63 (1.68-4.34) | 4.57 (4.35-4.76) | < 0.01 |
| HBcrAg (log U/mL) | 3.6 (3.0-> 6.8) | > 6.8 (6-> 6.8) | > 6.8 (> 6.8-> 6.8) | NS |
| Pre-C mutation (%) | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | NS |
| Core promoter mutation (%) | 58.3 | 57.1 | 50.0 | NS |
| <At year 2 during therapy> | ||||
| HBV DNA (log copies/mL) | 0.0 (0.0-2.7) | 2.1 (0.0-2.1) | 3.5 (3.1-6.9) | - |
| ALT (IU/L) | 18 (9-75) | 17.5 (10-31) | 23 (13-37) | NS |
| HBeAg seroconversion | - | 23.50% | 0% | NS |
| HBsAg seroclearance | 0% | 0% | 0% | NS |
| qHBsAg (log IU/mL) | 2.91 (0.62-3.9) | 3.25 (1.70-3.92) | 4.12 (3.23-4.47) | 0.01 |
| HBcrAg (log U/mL) | 3.0 (3.0-5.4) | 5.9 (4.0-> 6.8) | > 6.8 (5.2-> 6.8) | < 0.01 |
| Resistant mutations against entecavir | UDL | UDL | 0% | - |
HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; CH: Chronic hepatitis; LC: Liver cirrhosis; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; UDL: Under the detection limit; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; qHBsAg: Quantitation of HBsAg level; HBcrAg: HBV core-related antigen; NS: Not significant; RR: Rapid-responder; SR: Slow-responder.