Serum HBV RNA as a predictor of virological response in treatment-naive chronic HBeAg-positive HBV-infected patients with normal alanine aminotransferase

According to current guidelines, patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection whose HBV DNA is positive but whose alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are normal do not currently need antiviral treatment. The receiver operating characteristic curve analyses and the optimal threshold cutoff value of the serum HBV RNA and HAI score indicated that in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, serum HBV RNA levels below 4.47 log10 copies/mL and HAI scores >5.5 before treatment indicated they were more likely to achieve a VR after 78 weeks of therapy. [...]this study showed that serum HBV RNA was an independent non-invasive indicator to predict a VR in HBeAg-positive patients with normal ALT. Because most normal ALT patients (67%) achieved a VR during therapy, patients who have high levels of HBV RNA (over 4.47 log10 copies/mL) before treatment should be given more attention during treatment.