Elevated serum interleukin-38 level at baseline predicts virological response in telbivudine-treated patients with chronic hepatitis B

Figure 3 Comparison of serum interleukin-38 levels between patients with primary non-response and primary response at 12 wk post initial telbivudine treatment. The levels of serum IL-38 in patients with CHB who showed PR were higher than those of CHB patients showed PNR at 12 wk after LdT treatment [190.54 (121.35-355.28) pg/mL vs 64.44 (49.85-172.08) pg/mL, P = 0.036]. IL-38: Interleukin-38; CHB: Chronic hepatitis B; LdT: Telbivudine; ALT: Alanine transferase; AST: Aspartate transferase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; PNR: Primary non-response; PR: Primary response.