The incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen loss between hepatitis B e antigen-negative noncirrhotic patients who discontinued or continued entecavir therapy

Background: We compared rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients without cirrhosis who continued or discontinued entecavir. Methods: Patients who discontinued entecavir treatment for at least 12 months (discontinued group; n = 234) and patients who continued entecavir treatment for at least 4 years (continued group; n = 226) were recruited. Results: In the discontinued group, the 5-year cumulative incidences of virological relapse (VR), clinical relapse (CR), and HBsAg loss were 71.9%, 58.9%, and 13%, respectively. Patients with sustained response, VR but no CR, and CR without retreatment were 49-, 13-, and 18-fold more likely to develop HBsAg loss than those with retreatment. Patients who discontinued entecavir therapy had a higher rate of HBsAg loss than those who continued entecavir therapy, in all and 360 propensity score (PS)-matched patients. Cox regression analysis revealed that the discontinued group was an independent predictor for HBsAg loss. There was no significant difference in HCC development between the 2 groups in all and PS-matched patients. Conclusions: HBeAg-negative patients without cirrhosis who discontinued entecavir treatment exhibited a higher HBsAg loss rate without an increased risk of HCC compared to those who continued entecavir treatment.