Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of patients according to HBeAg status.
| HBeAg | Positive group | Negative group | P-values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 146 | 148 | |
| Age (years) | 46 ± 12 | 55 ± 11 | < 0.001 |
| Gender (male) | 101 | 97 | N.S. |
| HBV DNA (log IU/mL) | 7.2 ± 1.1 | 5.8 ± 1.4 | < 0.001 |
| ALT (IU/L) | 257 ± 332 | 156 ± 211 | 0.002 |
| US: Cirrhosis (+) | 41 | 70 | < 0.001 |
| Periods to undetectable HBV DNA (months) | 11.0 ± 18.1 | 7.4 ± 14.4 | 0.063 |
Data are expressed as mean ± SD. P-values, P-values between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative groups; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; US, ultrasound findings; N.S., no statistically significant difference.