qHBsAg for the Identification of Liver Histological Abnormalities in HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Normal and Mildly Elevated ALT Levels

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of HBeAg-negative chronic HBV infection patients based on HBsAg levels.

	All (n = 392)	HBsAg <1000 IU/mL (n = 156)	HBsAg ≥1000 IU/mL (n = 236)	value
Age, years	42 (36–51)	44 (37–53)	41 (35–49)	0.0214
Male, n (%)	249 (63.5%)	99 (63.5%)	150 (63.6%)	0.9843
BMI	23.4 (21.5–25.6)	23.4 (21.7–25.2)	23.2 (21.5–26.1)	0.6318
HBV family history, n (%)	196 (50%)	73 (46.8%)	123 (52.1%)	0.3021
HCC family history, n (%)	58 (14.8%)	24 (15.4%)	34 (14.4%)	0.7896
Leukocyte count (×10^9/L)	5.4 (4.6–6.4)	5.3 (4.7–6.2)	5.5 (4.6–6.4)	0.3255
Platelet count (×10^9/L)	177 (148–209)	179 (148–211)	174 (146–207)	0.3151
ALT, IU/L	31 (22–43)	28 (21–40)	32 (23–44)	0.0051
ALT ≤ ULN, n (%)	272 (69.4%)	120 (76.9%)	152 (64.4%)	0.0085
AST, IU/L	27.5 (22.3–34)	26 (22–32)	28 (23–34)	0.0267
ALP, IU/L	70 (57–82) (n = 381)	69 (56–82) (n = 152)	70 (58–84) (n = 229)	0.2048
GGT, IU/L	20 (15–32) (n = 379)	18 (14–26) (n = 152)	23 (16–36) (n = 227)	0.0014
TB, µmol/L	14.2 (11.4–18.6)	14.7 (11.5–19.1)	14.1 (11.1–18.5)	0.3947
HBV DNA, log100 IU/mL	3.6 (2.9–4.5)	3.4 (2.7–4.1)	3.8 (3–4.9)	0.0037
HBsAg, log10 IU/mL	3.2 (2.6–3.5)	2.3 (1.7–2.7)	3.4 (3.3–3.7)	<0.0001
Necroinflammation ≥ G2, n (%)	273 (69.4%)	95 (60.9%)	178 (75.4%)	0.0022
Fibrosis ≥ S2, n (%)	241 (61.5%)	85 (54.5%)	156 (66.1%)	0.0207
Necroinflammation ≥ G2 or fibrosis ≥ S2, n (%)	305 (77.8%)	106 (67.9%)	199 (84.3%)	0.0001

ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate transaminase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; GGT, gamma-glutamyltransferase; TB, total bilirubin abnormal.