Plasma interferon‐gamma‐inducible‐protein 10 level as a predictive factor of spontaneous hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance in chronic hepatitis B patients

Background and Aim Spontaneous seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a rare event that occurs in patients that are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. As the functional cure and ultimate treatment endpoint of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBsAg seroclearance is an important milestone in the natural history of CHB and serves great clinical value. This study aims to identify host and viral factors associated with HBsAg seroclearance. Methods This is a retrospective study carried out in the Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. By analyzing the plasma retrieved from the serum archive (collected during 2011–2021) of 100 CHB patients attending the hospital's liver clinic, the longitudinal cytokine profiles between the HBsAg‐losers and the control groups were compared. Results Data revealed that plasma levels of IP‐10 were significantly lower at 3–5 years prior to HBsAg seroclearance compared with patients who remained HBsAg positive (P