Gastroenterol Res

Gastroenterology Research, ISSN 1918-2805 print, 1918-2813 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, Gastroenterol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.gastrores.org

Original Article

Volume 17, Number 3, June 2024, pages 109-115

Association of Baseline Hepatitis B Virus DNA and On-Treatment Risk of Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Figure 1. Figure 1. Incidence of (a) cirrhosis and (b) hepatocellular carcinoma by baseline HBV DNA. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma.

**Table 1.** Characteristics of the Study Cohort
Variables	Moderate HBV DNA (4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL)	High HBV DNA (7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher)	SMD (before weighting)	SMD (after weighting)
^aNo alcohol use: AUDIT-C = 0. ^bLow-risk alcohol: AUDIT-C = 1 - 2 for women and 1 - 3 for men. ^cHigh-risk alcohol: AUDIT-C > 3 for women and > 4 for men. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HBeAg: hepatitis B e antigen; FIB-4: fibrosis-4; SMD: standard mean difference; AUDIT-C: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.
Total	100	585	100	544
Antiviral treatment					0.05004	0.07214
Entecavir	62.74	367	64.89	353
Tenofovir alafenamide	7.35	43	5.7	31
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate	29.91	175	29.41	160
HBeAg status					1.0264	0
HBeAg positive	41.32	188	84.98	345
Sex					-0.01885	-0.00992
Female	4.62	27	4.23	23
Male	95.38	558	95.77	521
Race/ethnicity					0.33475	0
American Indian or Alaska Native	0.18	1	0.19	1
Asian or Pacific Islander	21.15	118	10.29	54
Black or African American	37.99	212	36.95	194
Hispanic	2.51	14	4.38	23
Non-Hispanic White	38.17	213	48.19	253
Age					0.15735	0.06375
Age (mean ± SD)	55.92 ± 13.91		58.11 ± 13.38
18 - 39 years	15.04	88	11.03	60
40 - 59 years	39.32	230	36.21	197
60 years and over	45.64	267	52.76	287
BMI categories					0.10212	0.16677
BMI (mean ± SD, kg/m²)	(28.23 ± 5.34)		(28.60 ± 6.18)
18.0 - 24.9	28.27	162	28.76	153
25.0 - 29.9	37.35	214	34.77	185
30.0 - 34.9	24.08	138	21.99	117
35.0 and over	10.3	59	14.47	77
Comorbidities
Diabetes	27.52	161	30.51	166	-0.06599	-0.0522
Hypertension	60.17	352	66.73	363	-0.13648	-0.01316
Alcohol use categories					0.11127	0.02222
No alcohol^a	42.88	223	48.36	236
Low-risk drinking^b	38.85	202	34.43	168
High-risk drinking^c	18.27	95	17.21	84
Tobacco use categories					0.21708	0.04502
Never	41.55	209	32.13	142
Past history of tobacco	20.48	103	21.04	93
Active current tobacco	37.97	191	46.83	207
FIB-4 categories					0.21459	0.04146
FIB-4 score < 1.45	42.67	224	32.67	163
FIB-4 score 1.45 - 3.25	36.19	190	39.68	198
FIB-4 score > 3.25	21.14	111	27.66	138

Table 1. Characteristics of the Study Cohort

Variables

Moderate HBV DNA (4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL)

High HBV DNA (7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher)

SMD (before weighting)

SMD (after weighting)

Proportion (%)

Frequency (n)

Proportion (%)

Frequency (n)

^aNo alcohol use: AUDIT-C = 0. ^bLow-risk alcohol: AUDIT-C = 1 - 2 for women and 1 - 3 for men. ^cHigh-risk alcohol: AUDIT-C > 3 for women and > 4 for men. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HBeAg: hepatitis B e antigen; FIB-4: fibrosis-4; SMD: standard mean difference; AUDIT-C: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.

Total

100

585

100

544

Antiviral treatment

0.05004

0.07214

Entecavir

62.74

367

64.89

353

Tenofovir alafenamide

7.35

5.7

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

29.91

175

29.41

160

HBeAg status

1.0264

HBeAg positive

41.32

188

84.98

345

Sex

-0.01885

-0.00992

Female

4.62

4.23

Male

95.38

558

95.77

521

Race/ethnicity

0.33475

American Indian or Alaska Native

0.18

0.19

Asian or Pacific Islander

21.15

118

10.29

Black or African American

37.99

212

36.95

194

Hispanic

2.51

4.38

Non-Hispanic White

38.17

213

48.19

253

Age

0.15735

0.06375

Age (mean ± SD)

55.92 ± 13.91

58.11 ± 13.38

18 - 39 years

15.04

11.03

40 - 59 years

39.32

230

36.21

197

60 years and over

45.64

267

52.76

287

BMI categories

0.10212

0.16677

BMI (mean ± SD, kg/m²)

(28.23 ± 5.34)

(28.60 ± 6.18)

18.0 - 24.9

28.27

162

28.76

153

25.0 - 29.9

37.35

214

34.77

185

30.0 - 34.9

24.08

138

21.99

117

35.0 and over

10.3

14.47

Comorbidities

Diabetes

27.52

161

30.51

166

-0.06599

-0.0522

Hypertension

60.17

352

66.73

363

-0.13648

-0.01316

Alcohol use categories

0.11127

0.02222

No alcohol^a

42.88

223

48.36

236

Low-risk drinking^b

38.85

202

34.43

168

High-risk drinking^c

18.27

17.21

Tobacco use categories

0.21708

0.04502

Never

41.55

209

32.13

142

Past history of tobacco

20.48

103

21.04

Active current tobacco

37.97

191

46.83

207

FIB-4 categories

0.21459

0.04146

FIB-4 score < 1.45

42.67

224

32.67

163

FIB-4 score 1.45 - 3.25

36.19

190

39.68

198

FIB-4 score > 3.25

21.14

111

27.66

138

**Table 2.** Incidence and Risk of Cirrhosis Before and After Propensity Score Weighing by Baseline Levels of HBV DNA
	Incidence of cirrhosis	HR	95% CI
^aModerate HBV DNA: 4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL. ^bHigh HBV DNA: 7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HR: hazard ratio; CI: confidence interval.
Before propensity weighting
Moderate HBV DNA^a	4.15 per 100 person-years	0.87	(0.69, 1.11)
High HBV DNA^b	4.84 per 100 person years	Reference	0.28
After propensity weighting
Moderate HBV DNA	4.55 per 100 person-years	0.87	(0.69, 1.09)
High HBV DNA	5.22 per 100 person-years	Reference	0.22

Table 2. Incidence and Risk of Cirrhosis Before and After Propensity Score Weighing by Baseline Levels of HBV DNA

Incidence of cirrhosis

95% CI

P value

^aModerate HBV DNA: 4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL. ^bHigh HBV DNA: 7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HR: hazard ratio; CI: confidence interval.

Before propensity weighting

Moderate HBV DNA^a

4.15 per 100 person-years

0.87

(0.69, 1.11)

High HBV DNA^b

4.84 per 100 person years

Reference

0.28

After propensity weighting

Moderate HBV DNA

4.55 per 100 person-years

0.87

(0.69, 1.09)

High HBV DNA

5.22 per 100 person-years

Reference

0.22

**Table 3.** Incidence and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Before and After Propensity Score Weighing by Baseline Levels of HBV DNA
	Incidence of HCC	HR	95% CI
^aModerate HBV DNA: 4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL. ^bHigh HBV DNA: 7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; HR: hazard ratio; CI: confidence interval.
Before propensity weighting
Moderate HBV DNA^a	0.55 per 100 person-years	1.12	(0.58, 2.17)
High HBV DNA	0.50 per 100 person-years	Reference	0.73
After propensity weighting
Moderate HBV DNA^b	0.84 per 100 person-years	1.33	(1.09, 1.62)
High HBV DNA	0.69 per 100 person-years	Reference	< 0.01

Table 3. Incidence and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Before and After Propensity Score Weighing by Baseline Levels of HBV DNA

Incidence of HCC

95% CI

P value

^aModerate HBV DNA: 4.00 - 6.99 log₁₀ IU/mL. ^bHigh HBV DNA: 7.00 log₁₀ IU/mL or higher. HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; HR: hazard ratio; CI: confidence interval.

Before propensity weighting

Moderate HBV DNA^a

0.55 per 100 person-years

1.12

(0.58, 2.17)

High HBV DNA

0.50 per 100 person-years

Reference

0.73

After propensity weighting

Moderate HBV DNA^b

0.84 per 100 person-years

1.33

(1.09, 1.62)

High HBV DNA

0.69 per 100 person-years

Reference

< 0.01