Treatment cessation in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B: clinical response is associated with increase in specific proinflammatory cytokines.

ABSTRACT: Patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B may experience an immune response after stopping nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)therapy, which may potentially trigger HBsAg loss or off-therapy sustained viral control. The immunological mechanisms determining clinical response remain poorly understood. To identify inflammatory signatures associated with defined outcomes, we analysed plasma cytokines and chemokines from 57 HBeAg-negative patients enrolled in the Nuc-Stop Study at baseline and 12 weeks after NA cessation. Clinical response at 12 weeks was classified into four groups: immune control, viral relapse, evolving clinical relapse, and resolving clinical relapse. Twelve weeks after treatment cessation 17 patients (30%) experienced immune control, 19 (33%) viral relapse, 6 (11%) evolving

SUBMITTER: Holmberg M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10730615 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature