TABLE 1.
Demographic, serological, and histologic data for the patients
| Characteristic | HBeAg positive (n = 15) | Anti-HBe positive (n = 26) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex ratio (no. of males:no. of females) | 11:4 | 23:3 | |
| Mean age at biopsy ± SD (yr) | 37.0 ± 10.0 | 43.2 ± 10.6 | 0.072 |
| Median albumin level (g/liter [range]) | 44 (38-50) | 44 (36-49) | 0.785 |
| Median ALT level (U/liter [range]) | 74 (38-357) | 74.5 (21-275) | 0.626 |
| Median bilirubin level (μmol/liter [range]) | 15 (4-77) | 12 (5-22) | 0.238 |
| Histologic data (no. of patients) | |||
| Necroinflammation | 0.139 | ||
| Minimal | 3 | 12 | |
| Mild | 12 | 9 | |
| Moderate | 0 | 5 | |
| Marked | 0 | 0 | |
| Fibrosis | 0.742 | ||
| None | 0 | 6 | |
| Mild | 5 | 5 | |
| Moderate | 9 | 14 | |
| Cirrhosis | 1 | 1 | |
| Serum HBV DNA level (no. of copies [106]/ml [range]) | 184 (1.86-3,640) | 6.65 (<0.0002-1,430) | 0.001 |