Add-on pegylated interferon augments hepatitis B surface antigen clearance vs continuous nucleos(t)ide analog monotherapy in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis B surface antigen ≤ 1500 IU/mL: An observational study

Figure 1 Flow diagram of patients enrolled in this study. HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; HBV DNA: Hepatitis B virus-deoxyribonucleic acid; NA: Nucleos(t)ide analog.

Figure 2 Hepatitis B surface antigen clearance rate. A: Per protocol analysis showed that the rate of hepatitis B surface antigen clearance in 48-wk peg-IFN add-on group was significantly higher than monotherapy group at weeks 48 and 72 (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 48; ^dP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 72). Week 0 was defined as the time when the patients were enrolled in this study for patients in the monotherapy group; B: Intention-to-treatment analysis showed that the rate of hepatitis B surface antigen clearance in 48-wk peg-IFN add-on group was significantly higher than the rate in the monotherapy group at weeks 48 and 72 (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 48; ^dP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 72). Week 0 was defined as the time when the patients were enrolled in this study for patients in the monotherapy group. HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Figure 3 Hepatitis B surface antigen seroconversion rate. A: Per protocol analysis showed that the rate of hepatitis B surface antigen seroconversion in 48-wk peg-IFN add-on group was significantly higher than monotherapy group at weeks 48 and 72 (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 48; ^dP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 72). Week 0 was defined as the time when the patients were enrolled in this study for patients in the monotherapy group; B: Intention-to-treatment analysis showed that the rate of hepatitis B surface antigen seroconversion in 48-wk peg-IFN add-on group was significantly higher than rate in monotherapy group at weeks 48 and 72 (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 48; ^dP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group at week 72). Week 0 was defined as the time when the patients were enrolled in this study for patients in the monotherapy group. HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Figure 4 Virological change. A: Dynamics of hepatitis B surface antigen titers (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group for weeks 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72). Data shown are median values of log₁₀ hepatitis B surface antigen and error bars represent 95% confidence interval. B: HBsAg response at week 72.

Figure 5 Change in serum alanine aminotransferase and median serum aspartate transaminase. A: Change in serum alanine aminotransferase (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group for weeks 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48). Data shown are median values of serum alanine aminotransferase and error bars represent 95% confidence interval; B: Change in median serum aspartate transaminase (^bP < 0.001 vs monotherapy group for weeks 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48). Data shown are median values of serum aspartate transaminase and error bars represent 95% confidence interval. HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate transaminase.