Nucleos(t)ide analogs continuation is not associated with a lower risk of HBsAg seroreversion following PEG-IFN-induced HBsAg loss

Table 1 Characteristics of patients with HBsAg seroclearance in NUCs consolidation and none-NUCs consolidation group

	Before matching		P Value	After matching		P Value
	NUCs consolidation group (n = 54)	Non-NUCs consolidation group (n = 166)	P Value	NUCs consolidation group (n = 53)	Non-NUCs consolidation group (n = 53)	P Value
Age	44.44 ± 8.21	40.12 ± 8.22	0.001	44.30 ± 8.22	44.45 ± 8.21	0.882
Sex, male (n%)	45 (83.3%)	135 (81.3%)	0.897	44 (83.02%)	46 (86.79%)	0.786
Serum ALT (IU/ml)	43.00 (25.25, 61.75)	38.50 (27.25,57.00)	0.827	43.00 (25.00, 62.00)	37.00 (25.00, 52.00)	0.417
Serum HBsAb (Log mIU/ml)^a	1.63 (0.99, 2.40)	1.93 (1.18, 2.46)	0.415	1.63 (0.99, 2.40)	1.76 (1.11, 2.17)	0.762
Serum HBsAg before treatment (Log IU/ml)	2.16 (1.43, 2.62)	2.18 (1.60, 2.62)	0.795	2.16 (1.53, 2.63)	2.18 (1.65, 2.64)	0.762
Compensated cirrhosis (n%)^b	6 (11.1%)	6 (3.6%)	0.080	5 (9.43%)	4 (7.55%)	1.000
PEG-IFN therapy duration required to achieve HBsAg loss (weeks)	27.50 (16.00, 48.00)	29.00 (24.00, 41.75)	0.884	28.00 (16.00, 48.00)	36.00 (24.00, 48.00)	0.365
PEF-IFN consolidation treatment duration (weeks)	12.00 (9.25, 21.50)	12.50 (8.00, 24.00)	0.731	12.00 (9.00, 22.00)	14.00 (10.00, 24.00)	0.517
Total PEG-IFN duration (weeks)	48.00 (36.00, 57.50)	48.00 (36.00, 60.00)	0.750	48.00 (36.00, 58.00)	50.00 (46.00, 64.00)	0.210
Antiviral regimens			< 0.001			0.774
Peg-IFN monotherapy (n%)	6 (11.1%)	76 (45.8%)		6 (11.3%)	8 (15.1%)
Combination NAs and Peg-IFN(n%)	48 (88.9%)	90 (54.2%)		47 (88.7%)	45 (84.9%)

^a HBsAb detection was missing for one patient in the NUCs consolidation group
^b B ultrasound finding was missing for one patient in the non-NUCs consolidation group
HBsAb, hepatitis B surface antibody; HBsAg, Hepatitis B surface antigen; NUCs, nucleos(t)ide analogs; PEG-IFN, pegylated-interferon; HBV, hepatitis B virus

ISSN: 1743-422X