Anti-viral effect in chronic hepatitis B patients with normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase
Qingqing Zhao, Kehui Liu, Xiaojun Zhu, Lei Yan, Yezhou Ding, Yumin Xu, Shike Lou, Gangde Zhao, Qing Xie, Yueqiu Gao, Shisan Bao, Hui Wang
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Normal/mildly elevated ALT (<2 × ULN) CHB patients are potentially at risk of progression to cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to assess the outcomes of anti-viral therapy for normal/mild elevation of ALT CHB patients. METHODS: CHB patients (n = 432) who have had liver biopsied were determined. It was determined that the outcomes of anti-viral therapy in CHB patients with normal/mild elevation of ALT, in response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) (n = 190) and pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) (n = 30) treatment for up to 72 weeks. Non-anti-viral treated patients were used as control (n = 40). RESULTS: patients. HBsAg at baseline and week 24 were strong predictors of "low HBsAg at week 48". CONCLUSION: patients with baseline HBsAg<2.66 log IU/ml to achieve "low HBsAg at week 48".