title: Hepatitis B core-related antigen levels are associated with response to entecavir and peginterferon add-on therapy in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
abstract: Hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg), a new serum marker, may be useful in monitoring chronic hepatitis B infection. HBcrAg was measured in 175 hepatitis B e antigen-positive patients treated with entecavir (ETV) with or without peginterferon (PEG-IFN) add-on therapy. Decline in HBcrAg was stronger in patients with vs. without combined response (ETV: -3.22 vs. -1.71 log U/mL, p <0.001; PEG-IFN add-on: -3.16 vs. -1.83 IU/mL, p <0.001) and in patients with vs. without hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) response (ETV: -2.60 vs. -1.74 log U/mL, p <0.001; PEG-IFN add-on: -2.38 vs. -2.15 log U/mL, p = 0.31). HBcrAg was associated with combined response (adjusted odds ratio 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.2-0.5, p <0.001), but was not superior to quantitative HBsAg (qHBsAg).
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J H
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: van Campenhout
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: van Oord
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Public Health Center, Fu Dan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhong Shan Hospital, Fu Dan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tabak
authors.affiliation: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr Matei Balş", Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Streinu-Cercel
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhong Shan Hospital, Fu Dan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pas
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sonneveld
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: de Knegt
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boonstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Toronto Center for Liver Disease, Toronto Western and General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: harry.janssen@uhn.ca.
authors.forename: H L A
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Janssen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine
keywords: Chronic hepatitis B infection; entecavir; hepatitis B core-related antigen; peginterferon-alpha 2a; serum marker