Impact of liver steatosis on response to pegylated interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients (mean ± SD)

Parameter	n (%)
Male	60 (71.4)
Female	24 (28.6)
Age (yr)	38.6 ± 10.9
HBeAg (+)	21 (25.0)
HBeAg (-)	63 (75.0)
Hypertension	6 (7.1)
Diabetes mellitus	3 (3.5)
BMI (kg/m2)	27.4 ± 4.40
< 25	28 (33.3)
25-30	34 (40.5)
> 30	22 (26.2)
Glucose (mg/dL)	101.4 ± 26.0
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	182.7 ± 29.3
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	131.0 ± 55.4
AST (IU/L)	103.3 ± 39.5
ALT (IU/L)	136.8 ± 47.2
GGT (IU/L)	49.9 ± 41.1
ALP (IU/L)	91.9 ± 26.5
HBV-DNA (copies/mL × 104)	5502.9 ± 11889.7

HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; BMI: Body mass index; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: γ glutamyl transferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus.

Table 2 Histological characteristics of the patients

Parameter	n (%)
HAI score
0-3	5 (5.9)
4-8	56 (66.7)
9-12	22 (26.2)
13-18	1 (1.2)
Stage of fibrosis
0	0 (0.0)
1	7 (8.3)
2	42 (50.0)
3	35 (41.7)
4	0 (0.0)
Steatosis
None (0)	65 (77.4)
Mild (< 10%)	7 (8.3)
Moderate (10%-30%)	7 (8.3)
Marked (30%-60%)	4 (4.8)
Severe (> 60%)	1 (1.2)

HAI: Histological activity index.

Table 3 Comparison between patients with and without hepatosteatosis (mean ± SD)

Parameter	Steatosis (+)(n = 19)	Steatosis (-)(n = 65)	P value
Male	14 (73.07)	46 (70.8)	NS
Female	5 (26.3)	19 (29.2)	NS
Age (yr)	50.5 ± 8.7	35.2 ± 8.9	< 0.01
BMI (kg/m2)	32.9 ± 3.1	25.7 ± 3.3	< 0.01
≥ 25	18 (94.7)	38 (58.5)	< 0.01
Glucose (mg/dL)	102.7 ± 27.7	96.7 ± 19.0	NS
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	192.2 ± 28.0	178.0 ± 27.4	NS
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	188.3 ± 52.0	114.2 ± 44.2	< 0.01
AST (IU/L)	90.7 ± 34.8	107.0 ± 40.3	NS
ALT (IU/L)	128.3 ± 18.9	139.2 ± 52.5	< 0.01
GGT (IU/L)	49.8 ± 29.8	50.0 ± 44.0	NS
ALP (IU/L)	91.8 ± 26.3	91.9 ± 26.7	NS
HBV-DNA (copies/mL × 104)	5261.6 ± 2394.9	5684.2 ± 13245.8	NS
HBeAg (+)	4 (21.1)	17 (26.2)	NS
HBeAg (-)	15 (78.9)	48 (73.8)	NS
Advanced fibrosis (score ≥ 3)	8 (42.1)	27 (41.5)	NS
Advanced HAI (score ≥ 9)	6 (31.5)	17 (26.2)	NS
SVR	2 (10.5)	16 (24.6)	NS

BMI: Body mass index; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: γ glutamyl transferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; HAI: Histological activity index; SVR: Sustained viral response. NS: Non significant.

Table 4 Comparison between patients with and without sustained viral response (mean ± SD)

Parameter	SVR(+)(n = 18)	SVR (-)(n = 66)	P value
Male	13 (72.2)	47 (71.2)	NS
Female	5 (27.8)	19 (28.8)	NS
Age (yr)	35.3 ± 8.0	39.7 ± 10.8	NS
BMI (kg/m2)	26.5 ± 3.1	27.9 ± 4.5	NS
≥ 25	11 (61.1)	45 (68.2)	NS
Glucose (mg/dL)	97.4 ± 28.0	102.4 ± 25.5	NS
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	162.1 ± 23.7	175.6 ± 30.2	NS
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	109.7 ± 50.8	136.8 ± 28.5	NS
AST (IU/L)	117.2 ± 55.4	97.8 ± 28.5	NS
ALT (IU/L)	199.8 ± 82.0	122.3 ± 49.8	< 0.01
GGT (IU/L)	62.9 ± 69.9	46.4 ± 28.6	NS
ALP (IU/L)	93.4 ± 38.8	91.5 ± 22.4	NS
HBV-DNA (copies/mL × 104)	4961.6 ± 2245.1	5779.5 ± 13129.5	NS
HBeAg (+)	5 (27.8)	16 (24.2)	NS
HBeAg (-)	13 (72.2)	50 (75.8)	NS
Advanced fibrosis (score ≥ 3)	7 (38.9)	28 (42.4)	NS
Advanced HAI (score ≥ 9)	5 (27.8)	18 (27.8)	NS
Hepatosteatosis	2 (11.1)	17 (25.8)	NS

BMI: Body mass index; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: γ glutamyl transferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HBeAg: Hepatitis B e antigen; HAI: Histological activity index; SVR: Sustained viral response. NS: Non significant.

Table 5 Comparison between hepatitis B e antigen (+) patients with and without sustained viral response n (%)

	SVR (+)(n = 5)	SVR (-)(n = 16)	P value
Hepatosteatosis (+)	1 (20)	3 (23)	NS
Hepatosteatosis (-)	4 (80)	13 (77)	NS

SVR: Sustained viral response. NS: Non significant.

Table 6 Comparison between hepatitis B e antigen (-) patients with and without sustained viral response

	SVR (+)(n = 13)	SVR (-)(n = 50)	P value
Hepatosteatosis (+)	1 (7.7)	14 (7.0)	NS
Hepatosteatosis (-)	12 (92.3)	36 (93.0)	NS

SVR: Sustained viral response. NS: Non significant.