Mutations of pre-core and basal core promoter before and after hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion

Table 1 Clinical and virological backgrounds among 3 groups of patients classified according to changes in hepatitis B e antigen/anti-hepatitis B e

Characteristic	HBeAg/anti-HBe status			P value
	Continuously +/- (n = 18)	From +/- to -/+ (n = 25)	Continuously -/+ (n = 43)
Age (yr)1	44 (24-63)	37 (18-53)	51 (25-77)	< 0.001
Gender (M:F)	11:7	14:11	24:19	> 0.2
Follow-up period (yr)1	6.3 (2.1-14.6)	10.8 (2.0-23.7)	8.5 (2.2-16.6)	0.006
Genotype C2	18 (100)	25 (100)	43 (100)	1
Viral markers at first follow-up
HBV DNA (log copies/mL)1	8.6 (5.7-> 8.9)	6.1 (< 2.1-> 8.9)	< 2.1 (< 2.1-8.2)	< 0.001
HBsAg (log IU/mL)1	4.6 (1.6-5.5)	3.6 (-0.9-4.6)	2.6 (< 0.05-4.3)	< 0.001
HBcrAg (log U/mL)1	> 6.8 (5.5->6.8)	6.8 (3.1-> 6.8)	3.0 (< 3.0-6.8)	< 0.001
Viral markers at final follow-up
HBV DNA (log copies/mL)1	7.1 (< 2.1-> 8.9)	3.3 (neg.-6.2)	< 2.1 (neg.-7.0)	< 0.001
HBsAg (log IU/mL)1	3.3 (1.0-5.1)	2.8 (< 0.05-2.8)	1.3 (< 0.05-4.2)	< 0.001
HBcrAg (log U/mL)1	6.7 (4.4-> 6.8)	< 3.0 (< 3.0-6.2)	< 3.0 (< 3.0-5.3)	< 0.001

¹Data are expressed as the median (range);

²Data are expressed as a positive number (%). HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; HBcrAg: Hepatitis B core-related antigen.