Serum hepatitis B virus RNA is a predictor of HBeAg seroconversion and virological response with entecavir treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients

Table 2 Baseline characteristics of enrolled patients (virological response group vs partial virological response group)

Characteristic	Virological response (n = 13)	Partial virological response (n = 17)	P value
Gender (male/female)	11/2	14/3
Age (yr)	35.69 ± 10.85	35.29 ± 11.52	0.924
Body mass index	24.11 ± 3.66	24.62 ± 3.46	0.704
HBeAg+ (%)
Week 0	9 (69.23%)	16 (94.12%)
Week 24	8 (61.54%)	16 (94.12%)
Alanine aminotransferase (IU/mL)
Week 0	213.85 ± 72.11	118.65 ± 74.25	0.262
Week 24	30.23 ± 15.76	56.71 ± 46.12	0.058
HBsAg (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	3.66 ± 0.66	4.21 ± 0.73	0.040
Week 24	3.49 ± 0.55	3.84 ± 0.61	0.116
HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)
Week 0	7.26 ± 1.56	8.54 ± 0.75	0.014
Week 24	2.79 ± 0.27	4.20 ± 0.74	0.000
HBV RNA (log10 copies/mL)
Week 0	4.17 ± 0.87	4.14 ± 0.95	0.936
Week 24	2.58 ± 0.90	5.24 ± 0.51	0.000
HBV genotype
B (%)	3 (23.08%)	3 (17.65%)
C (%)	10 (76.92%)	14 (82.35%)

HBV: Hepatitis B virus.