Serum HBsAg quantification to predict response to peginterferon therapy of e antigen positive chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

On-treatment predictors of response to peginterferon can guide individualization of therapy in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. To investigate the use of serum hepatitis B surface antigen quantification to predict sustained response. Hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who received peginterferon for 32-48 weeks with or without lamivudine combination were studied. Sustained response was defined as hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion and chronic hepatitis B virus DNA 1 log hepatitis B surface antigen reduction at month 6 (P < 0.001). Combined hepatitis B surface antigen ≤ 300 IU/mL and >1 log reduction at month 6 had sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 43%, 96%, 75% and 85% to predict sustained response, respectively. On-treatment serum hepatitis B surface antigen can predict response to peginterferon therapy in chronic hepatitis B.