Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the association between serum IP-10 and HBsAg levels in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients previously treated with nucleot(s)ide analogs (NAs) followed by combined treatment with an NA and pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFNα). METHODS: Ninety-nine patients with serum levels of HBsAg <3000 IU/mL and HBV DNA <20 IU/mL who received prior NA treatment were enrolled. Participants were administered either NA monotherapy (NA group) or combination therapy with PEG-IFNα (Add-on group). Laboratory indicators and IP-10 levels were assessed in serial peripheral blood samples collected at 12- and 24-week intervals. The outcome of this study was a loss or >1 log(10) IU/mL decline in serum HBsAg. RESULTS: After 48 weeks of antiviral therapy, none of the 27 NA group patients and 15 of the 72 Add-on group patients achieved HBsAg loss. Baseline serum HBsAg and IP-10 levels were equivalent across both groups. The combination treatment led to a decrease in serum HBsAg levels and an early increase in IP-10 levels. Furthermore, a moderate increase in IP-10 levels at weeks 12 or 24 was correlated with loss and decline of HBsAg in the Add-on group. Receiver operating characteristic curve and regression analyses demonstrated that a moderate increase in serum IP-10 levels at weeks 12 or 24 was predictive of HBsAg loss and decline in the Add-on group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: An early and moderate increase in the serum IP-10 level was correlated with responses to PEG-IFNα among patients with CHB treated with NAs.