Table 1.

Patient characteristics

Characteristics	Overall population	Group 1*	Group 2*	Group 3*
No. cases	84	12	25	47
Age, (years) median (IQR)	35 (28–42)	37 (28–43)	35 (28–43)	35 (29–41)
Male, n (%)	58 (69.0%)	10 (83.3%)	18 (72.0%)	30 (63.8%)
Ethnicity, n (%)
European	24 (28.6%)	4 (33.3%)	7 (28.0%)	13 (27.6%)
Asian	41 (48.8%)	5 (41.7%)	12 (48.0%)	24 (51.1%)
African	19 (22.6%)	3 (25.0%)	6 (24.0%)	10 (21.3%)
Serum HBV DNA, logIU/mL (median, IQR)†	4.2 (3.5–5.2)	2.7 (2.0–2.8)	3.7 (3.5–3.8)	5.1 (4.5–5.5)
Serum ALT, U/L (median, IQR)†	41 (28–57)	48 (28–96)	31 (27–41)	42 (29–58)
HBsAg, logIU/mL (median, IQR)	3.7 (3.2–4.0)	3.4 (3.1–4.1)	3.6 (3.2–3.9)	3.8 (3.3–4.0)
HBcrAg negative, n (%)‡	35 (70%)	6 (66.7%)	18 (81.1%)	11 (28.2%)
HBcrAg, logU/mL (median, IQR)‡	4.0 (3.3–4.8)	3.8 (3.4–4.0)	3.4 (3.2–4.2)	4.1 (3.3–4.8)
HBV genotype, n (%)
A	9 (10.7%)	1 (8.3%)	1 (4.0%)	7 (14.9%)
B	6 (7.1%)	1 (8.3%)	3 (12.0%)	2 (4.3%)
C	16 (19.0%)	2 (16.7%)	3 (12.0%)	11 (23.4%)
D	38 (45.2%)	6 (50.0%)	12 (48.0%)	20 (42.6%)
E	15 (17.9%)	2 (16.7%)	6 (24.0%)	7 (14.9%)
Ishak fibrosis stage, n (%)
0–2	70 (83.3%)	11 (91.7%)	24 (96.0%)	35 (74.5%)
3–6	14 (16.7%)	1 (8.3%)	1 (4.0%)	12 (25.5%)

*Groups 1, 2 and 3 were defined according to serum HBV DNA levels (mean value obtained by consecutive measurements during the 2-year follow-up prior to performing liver biopsy; HBV DNA persistently <2000 IU/mL (group 1); HBV DNA 2000–20 000 IU/mL (group 2); HBV DNA >20 000 IU/mL (group 3).

†The median value (IQR) of serum HBV DNA, HBsAg and ALT, calculated by using mean values observed during the 2-year monitoring period prior to performing liver biopsy.

‡Data available for 70/84 patients (9/12 in group 1; 22/25 in group 2; 39/45 in group 3).

ALT, alanine aminotransferase; HBcrAg, hepatitis B core-related antigen; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen.