Clinical significance of hepatitis B e antigen level easurement during long-term lamivudine therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients with e antigen positive

Table 1 Patient characteristics at baseline and response to LAM therapy (n = 220)

Patient characteristics
Age (yr)	38.6 ± 10.2 (16-68)
Sex (M/F)	176:44
ALT (IU/L)	232 ± 108 (41-1269)
< 2 × ULN	24 (10.9%)
≥ 2- < 5 × ULN	112 (50.9%)
≥ 5- < 10 × ULN	52 (23.6%)
≥ 10 × ULN	32 (14.6%)
AST (IU/L)	145 ± 126 (35-880)
HBV DNA (ng/L)
Mean ± SD, log10	2.35 ± 1.07 (0.08-5.00)
HBeAg level (S/CO)	256 ± 161 (10.4-1858)
Response	53 (24.1%)
Breakthrough	105 (47.7%)
Non-response	62 (28.2%)

Data are expressed as mean ± SE (range) unless otherwise stated. ULN: upper limit of normal; S/CO: sample rate/cutoff rate.