Tenofovir is a more suitable treatment than entecavir for chronic hepatitis B patients carrying naturally occurring rtM204I mutations

Figure 4 Changes in mean log values of the serum hepatitis B virus DNA levels from baseline during nucleos(t)ide analogues treatment. A: The decrease in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was significantly less prominent in patients infected with naturally occurring rtM204I variants than in patients without pre-existing rtM204I variants at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 mo of nucleos(t)ide analogues (all P < 0.05); B: There was no differences in HBV-DNA declines during tenofovir therapy between patients with and without naturally occurring rtM204I variants; C: The decrease in HBV DNA was significantly less prominent in patients infected with naturally occurring rtM204I variants than in patients without pre-existing rtM204I variants at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 mo of entecavir (all P < 0.05); D: The decrease in HBV DNA was significantly less prominent in patients infected with naturally occurring rtM204I variants than in patients without pre-existing rtM204I variants at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 mo of low genetic barriers (all P < 0.05). Student's t-test was used for the statistical analysis at each time point. HBV: Hepatitis B virus.