Lower baseline ALT cut-off values and HBV DNA levels better differentiate HBeAg(-) chronic hepatitis B patients from inactive chronic carriers

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of 91 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Patient characteristics	HBeAg (+) Chronic hepatitis B n = 32	HBeAg(-) hepatitis B		1P
		Inactive carriers n = 19	HBeAg(-) chronic hepatitis n = 40
Gender (M/F)	23/9	17/2	30/10	0.001
Age	32 ± 11	39 ± 10	39 ± 10	0.010
BMI	24.9 ± 2.5	25.1 ± 2.6	25.9 ± 2.0	0.300
Histological grade	4.6 ± 1.9 (4-12)	ND	4.4 ± 1.2 (4-18)	0.500
Histological stage	1.3 ± 1.4 (0-6)	ND	1.1 ± 1.3 (0-6)	0.500
ALT (IU/L)	118 (16-190)	24 (16-30)	52 (20-116)	0.001
AST (IU/L)	71 (11-142)	26 (16-34)	38 (17-143)	0.001
HBV DNA (median, copies/mL)	1.9 × 1011	4150	2 × 105	0.001

Values are median, or mean ± SD.

¹Comparison between 3 groups. ND: Not done. Every 19 IU/mL of HBV DNA equals 100 copies/mL. ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus.