Discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog therapy in hepatitis B e antigen-negative non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients: A real-life study

Table 1 Characteristics of the 87 non-cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B at the discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog treatment, n (%)

Variable (n = 87)
Age		40.63 (18-67)
Male		57 (65.51)
BMI (kg/m2)		23.81 (18-41)
ALT (IU/L)		87.32 (65-378)
AST (IU/L)		78.21 (44-321)
Albumin (g/dL)		39.24 (32-64)
DNA HBV (IU/L)		37211 (3210-132000)
Ishak fibrosis	F2	51 (58.62)
	F3	36 (41.37)
NUC therapy	Entecavir	79 (90.80)
	Tenofovir	8 (9.20)
Time to undetectable HBV DNA (year)		5.83 (3-11)
Consolidation therapy duration (months)		46.2 (37-87)
Stiffness	< 7 kPa	21 (24.37)
	7 kPa to 9.5 kPa	66 (75.63)
HBsAg	≤ 100 IU/mL	16 (18.31)
	101 IU/mL to 1000 IU/mL	42 (48.27)
	≥ 1000 IU/mL	29 (33.33)

BMI: Body mass index; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; HBV: Hepatitis B viral; NUC: Nucleos(t)ide analog; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Table 2 Cumulative rates of virological, biochemical or combined relapse in 87 non-cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B who discontinued nucleos(t)ide analog therapy, n(%)

Discontinuation of NUCs (n = 87)	HBV DNA > 200 IU/mL	HBV DNA > 2000 IU/mL			HBV DNA > 20000 IU/mL
	ALT = ULN	ALT = ULN	ALT > ULN	ALT > 2ULN	ALT = ULN	ALT > ULN
6 months	36	25	2	2	8	2
12 months	63	52	28	23	21	18
24 months	65	58	32	27	28	22
36 months	68	61	34	27	28	22

NUCs: Nucleos(t)ide analogues; HBV: Hepatitis B viral; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; ULN: Upper limit of normal.

Table 3 Logistic regression analysis of the factors affecting the persistence of hepatitis B viral-deoxyribonucleic acid > 2000 IU/mL

Factors	OR (95%CI)	P value
Age	1.01 (0.91, 1.89)	0.762
Gender (male)	1.86 (0.98, 2.29)	0.289
BMI	0.98 (0.71, 1.38)	0.891
ALT	1.78 (0.78, 1.98)	0.871
AST	1.45 (0.89, 1.87)	0.091
Albumin	0.88 (0.67, 0.92)	0.421
HBV DNA	1.23 (0.87, 1.89)	0.213
Fibrosis score > F2	3.68 (0.32, 16.89)	0.011
Stiffness (FibroScan)	0.91 (0.87, 1.03)	0.367
HBsAg at the end of NUC therapy	2.89 (0.87, 8.45)	0.228

OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval; BMI: Body mass index; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; HBV: Hepatitis B viral; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; NUC: Nucleos(t)ide analogues.