title: Patients with interferon-induced HBeAg seroconversion have a higher risk of HBV reactivation and HBeAg seroreversion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It remains unclear whether chronic hepatitis B patients who undergo interferon (IFN)-induced hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion have a higher risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation and HBeAg seroreversion than those with spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 and 251 non-cirrhotic patients with interferon-induced and spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion, respectively, were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to spontaneous HBeAg seroconverters, more IFN-induced HBeAg seroconverters were males (p = 0.004). For all patients, the IFN-induced HBeAg seroconverters faced a higher risk of HBV reactivation and HBeAg seroreversion than spontaneous HBeAg seroconverters (p < 0.001). For spontaneous HBeAg seroconverters, age at HBeAg seroconversion, male sex, HBV genotype C, and pre-S deletions were independent predictors of HBV reactivation. For IFN-induced HBeAg seroconverters, older age at baseline and HBV genotype C were independent predictors of HBV reactivation. To determine whether the difference in the rates of HBV reactivation or HBeAg seroreversion between two groups was age-dependent, patients were grouped and analyzed according to their age at HBeAg seroconversion (20-30, 31-39, ≥40 years). IFNs treatment was an independent factor in HBV reactivation and HBeAg seroreversion only in the groups of patients 31-39 and ≥40 years of age, but not in the group of patients 20-30 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-induced rather than spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion was associated with higher risk of HBV reactivation and HBeAg seroreversion, especially in patients who were older than 30 years at HBeAg seroconversion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. e580306@ms31.hinet.net.
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chuan-Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jing-Houng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: HBV reactivation; HBeAg seroconversion; HBeAg seroreversion; Hepatitis B virus; Interferon