Immune response pattern varies with the natural history of chronic hepatitis B

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population according to clinical phases

Parameters	HD, n = 23	IT, n = 20	IA, n = 27	IC, n = 22	ENEG, n = 18	P value
Age, yr (Median, range)	29 (22-39)	25.5 (20-33)	27 (18-36)	33.5 (23-51)	39.5 (26-56)	< 0.001
Male/female	13/10	8/12	15/12	10/12	11/7	0.653
Log 10 HBV-DNA, copies/mL	negative	7.88 ± 0.53	7.49 ± 0.83	< 4a	5.97 ± 0.80	< 0.001b
Log 10 HBsAg, IU/mL	negative	4.72 ± 0.19	4.34 ± 0.32	3.06 ± 0.49	3.66 ± 0.56	< 0.001b
Log 10 HBeAg, PEIU/mL	negative	2.89 ± 0.26	2.34 ± 0.56	negative	negative	0.001c
ALT, U/L	21.7 ± 6.9	21.2 ± 7.0	132.3 ± 70.5	21.1 ± 7.1	137.8 ± 105.6	< 0.001
AST, U/L	19.0 ± 6.5	18.9 ± 5.1	75.9 ± 41.3	22.0 ± 5.3	68.3 ± 37.2	< 0.001
Tbil, µmol/L	14.9 ± 5.3	14.8 ± 6.8	14.8 ± 4.4	13.4 ± 4.1	12. 7 ± 2.9	0.501

^aSome patients had serum HBV-DNA levels < 500 copies/mL or < 20 IU/Ml.

^bKruskal-Wallis test among the four clinical phases.

^cMann-Whitney U test between immune tolerant and immune active phase.

Data are presented as mean ± SD, serum HBV-DNA, HBeAg and HBsAg levels were log-transformed. ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; Tbil: Total bilirubin; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; HBeAg: Hepatitis B envelope antigen; HD: Healthy donors; IT: Immune tolerant; IA: Immune active; IC: Inactive carrier; ENEG: Hepatitis B envelope antigen-negative hepatitis.