The decrease of HBsAg during nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC) therapy in Bulgarian patients

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the studied patients.

	HBeAg-positive	HBeAg-negative
Number of patients	9	11
Age – median (range)	37 (29–60)	47 (34–63)
Male/female (n)	6/3	10/1
ALT (IU/L) – median (range)	40 (25–186)	79 (17–482)
HBV DNA (IU/mL) – median (range)	11,842,000 (6654–496,000,000)	1,110,000 (279–32,115,000)
HBsAg (IU/mL) – median (range)	9319 (1721--311,150)	2683 (174–12,140)
Liver histology /METAVIR/
Chronic hepatitis /fibrosis 0–3/ (n)	5	7
Without liver biopsy /liver cirrhosis/(n)	3	2
Without liver biopsy /chronic hepatitis/(n)	1	2
NUC therapy
Tenofovir (n)	5	3
Entecavir (n)	3	7
Telbivudine (n)	1	1

Note: n – number of patients; alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Table 2. Median baseline levels of HBV DNA, ALT and qHBsAg in HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients.

	HBeAg-positive	HBeAg-negative	P*
HBV DNA (IU/mL) – median (range)	11,842,000 (6,654–496,000,000)	1,110,000 (279–32,115,000)	0.152
HBsAg (IU/mL) – median (range)	9319 (1721–311,150)	2683 (174–12,140)	0.002
АLT (IU/L) – median (range)	40 (25–186)	79 (17–482)	0.552

Note: *Mann–Whitney nonparametric analysis; alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Table 3. Serum HBsAg, HBV DNA and ALT levels in HBeAg-positive patients during the NUC therapy.

Patient	HBsAg (IU/mL) baseline	HBsAg (IU/mL) 3rd month	HBsAg (IU/mL) 12th month	ALT IU/L baseline	ALT IU/L 3rd month	ALT IU/L 12th month	HBV DNA (IU/mL) baseline	HBV DNA (IU/mL) 3rd month	HBV DNA (IU/mL) 12th month
1	43,460	34,573	8390	40	34	64	496,000,000	134,000	471
2	1721	1798	2606	38	49	33	6654	0	0
3	4468	4609	3501	53	42	30	523,000	41	0
4	32,516	15,851	102	186	27	24	294,000,000	980	0
5	311,150	134,580	17,248	91	100	38	288,800,000	15,200	0
6	6792	5978	5238	38	32	25	295,000	0	0
7	46,332	27,027	37,323	40	16	14	11,842,000	0	0
8	8346	10,897	12,044	25	29	29	240,400,000	114	0
9	9319	11,474	7596	27	29	22	12,600	0	0
Median	9319	11,474	7596	40	32	29	11,842,000	41	0

Table 4. Serum HBsAg, HBV DNA and ALT levels in HBeAg-negative patients during the NUC therapy.

Patient	HBsAg (IU/mL) baseline	HBsAg (IU/mL) 3rd month	HBsAg (IU/mL) 12th month	ALT IU/L baseline	ALT IU/L 3rd month	ALT IU/L 12th month	HBV DNA (IU/mL) baseline	HBV DNA (IU/mL) 3rd month	HBV DNA (IU/mL) 12th month
1	3943	4339	4266	157	24	21	2,430,000	538	0
2	259	238	228	17	13	12	2148	0	0
3	2847	4606	3354	172	29	19	336,500	0	0
4	12,140	10,118	10,869	45	45	33	32,115,000	75,700	0
5	2092	2072	2056	81	17	16	294,000	0	0
6	4168	3512	4015	79	25	17	1,430,000	136	0
7	4167	4109	2873	38	28	34	1009	47	0
8	1128	4278	4398	140	23	15	1,250,000	34	0
9	1425	1738	1736	482	27	18	5,888,000	1730	0
10	174	151	126	35	23	21	1,110,000	0	0
11	2683	2780	2634	23	34	18	279	0	0
Median	2683	3512	2873	79	25	18	1,110,000	34	0