title: Assessing the Durability of Entecavir-Treated Hepatitis B Using Quantitative HBsAg.
abstract: This study aims to assess whether quantitative HBsAg can predict durability of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients stopping entecavir (ETV) treatment.
  
  
  
  We conducted a multicenter study on non-cirrhotic CHB patients who discontinued ETV treatment. The primary end points were clinical relapse and sustained viral response (SVR), which was defined as undetectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels (<6 IU/ml) at 12 months off-therapy.
  
  
  
  A total of 117 consecutive CHB patients were enrolled. Among them, 93 patients who received more than 1-year off-therapy follow-up were included for the final analysis. The duration of off-therapy follow-up was 24.8±11.6 months. All 12 patients who did not achieve therapeutic end points had clinical relapse. In 81 patients who achieved therapeutic end points, clinical relapse and SVR were observed in 44 (54.3%) and 11 (13.6%) patients, respectively. The serum HBV DNA at 3 months and 6 months off-therapy were associated with clinical relapse over time, whereas quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (qHBsAg) level at 6 months off-therapy had a marginal effect. Furthermore, end-of-treatment qHBsAg levels were associated with SVR (P=0.009).
  
  
  
  The serum qHBsAg level off-therapy can predict durability of ETV-treated CHB patients. It may guide clinicians to select which patients can maintain sustained viral suppression or need retreatment after discontinuing ETV treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Da-Lin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Chih
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Tri-service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsai-Yuan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hans Hsienhong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine and Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine