Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core-related antigen kinetics after adding pegylated-interferon to nucleos(t)ids analogues in hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients

Table 1 Main characteristics of the included patients

	NA group (n = 29)	Peg-IFN-NA group (n = 36)	P value
Age (yr)	53 (36-70)	45 (26-72)	0.01
Males, n (%)	21 (72)	29 (81)	0.44
IL28B polymorphism, n (%)			0.16
CC	11 (37.9)	20 (55.6)
CT/TT	14 (62.1)	16 (44.4)
Origin (ethnicity), n (%)			0.70
Europe	20 (69)	20 (56)
Asia	12 (33)	12 (33)
Africa	3 (10)	3 (8)
AST (IU/mL)	20 (15-59)	22 (12-62)	0.37
ALT (IU/mL)	19 (12-101)	25 (12-91)	0.20
GGT (IU/mL)	19 (9-197)	22 (10-125)	0.33
LSM, n (%)			0.91
< 7.2 kPa	28 (97)	34 (97)
7.2-12 kPa	1 (3)	1 (3)
NA treatment, n (%)
Tenofovir	20 (69)	22 (61)	0.46
Entecavir	7 (24)	11 (31)
Others	2 (7)	3 (8)
NA treatment duration (wk)	393 (113-763)	259 (118-496)	0.01
HBV genotype, n (%)			0.99
Non-D	7 (24.1)	16 (44.4)
D	12 (41.4)	13 (36.1)
Not available	10 (34.5)	7 (19.4)
Baseline HBcrAg (log 10 U/mL)	2.65 (< 2-4.9)	2.30 (< 2-3.7)	0.18
Baseline HBsAg (log 10 IU/mL)	2.96 (1.3-4.2)	3.22 (1.6-4.6)	0.07

Quantitative variables are expressed as median (range); qualitative variables are expressed as n (%). NA: Nucleos(t)id analogue; Peg-IFN: Pegylated interferon; IL28B: Interleukin 28B; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; LSM: Liver stiffness measurement; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBcrAg: Hepatitis B core-related antigen; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.