Precore/basal core promoter mutants quantification throughout phases of hepatitis B virus infection by Simpleprobe

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

	IT (n = 55)	IC (n = 67)	LR (n = 49)	ENH (n = 20)	ANOVA P value
Age (yr), median (range)	27 (18-55)	32 (18-78)	40 (21-65)	41 (25-65)	< 0.001
Gender, n, M/F	28/27	40/27	28/21	16/4	0.160
Log10 HBV DNA,
Log10 (IU/mL), median	7.55	6.98	3.7	4.69	< 0.001
HBV genotype, n
B	34	39	29	11
C	21	28	20	9	0.960
ALT (U/mL) median	16	98	20	93	< 0.001
AST (U/mL) median	13	67	18	62	< 0.001
HBeAg (S/CO) median	1376	899	NA	NA	< 0.001
PC%, median	0.31	1.73	9.20	33.69	< 0.001
BCP%, median	1.42	15.25	43.58	67.44	< 0.001

One-way ANOVA, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. HBeAg: Hepatitis B early antigen; HBV: hepatitis B virus; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; PC: Precore; PC%: PC mutant quantity per total viral load; BCP: Basal core promoter; BCP%: BCP mutant quantity per total viral load; NA: Not applicable; IT: Immune tolerance; IC: Immune clearance; LR: Low-replicative; ENH: HBeAg-negative hepatitis.

Table 2 Correlation between hepatitis B early antigen and clinical parameters

	HBeAg status1P value	HBeAg titer2P value
Age (yr)	0.075	0.357
Log10 HBV DNA (log10 IU/mL)	< 0.001	< 0.001
ALT (U/L)	0.135	0.739
PC%	0.001	< 0.001
BCP%	0.552	< 0.001

¹Data derived from logistic regression analysis;

²Data derived from multiple linear regression; HBeAg: Hepatitis B early antigen; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; PC: Precore; PC%: PC mutant quantity per total viral load; BCP: Basal core promoter; BCP%: BCP mutant quantity per total viral load.

Table 3 Relationship between precore/basal core promoter mutants and clinical parameters

	PC%P value	BCP%P value
Age (yr)	0.280	0.746
Log10 HBV DNA	0.440	0.723
(log10 IU/mL)
ALT (U/L)	0.655	0.007
HBeAg titer (S/CO)	< 0.001	< 0.001

Data derived from multiple linear regression. PC: Precore; BCP: Basal core promoter; PC%: PC mutant quantity per total viral load; BCP%: BCP mutant quantity per total viral load; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; HBeAg: Hepatitis B early antigen.