Changes of HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients after 5 years of entecavir treatment

Background and Aim Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) kinetics during long‐term entecavir therapy has not been well investigated. Methods We described the cumulative serologic, virologic, and biochemical outcomes and the occurrence of signature entecavir mutations among 222 Chinese treatment‐naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving entecavir for up to 5 years. Results The median rate of HBsAg reduction over 5 years was 0.125 log IU/mL/year. Patients with high baseline HBV DNA levels (≥ 8 log copies/mL or ≥ 7.3 log IU/mL), when compared with those with baseline hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA