Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39841247›Full record

ArticleJournal of gastroenterology2025

Usefulness of serum HBV RNA levels for predicting antiviral response to entecavir treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Masanari Kosaka, Hatsue Fujino, Masataka Tsuge, Kenji Yamaoka, Yasutoshi Fujii, Shinsuke Uchikawa, Atsushi Ono, Eisuke Murakami, Tomokazu Kawaoka, Daiki Miki and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Masanari KosakaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Hatsue FujinoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. fujino920@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.ORCID 0000-0002-9691-4960
Masataka TsugeLiver Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. tsuge@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
Kenji YamaokaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Yasutoshi FujiiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Shinsuke UchikawaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Atsushi OnoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Eisuke MurakamiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Tomokazu KawaokaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Daiki MikiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Clair Nelson HayesDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Seiya KashiyamaSection of Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Practice and Support, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
Sho MokudaDivision of Laboratory Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
Shinichi YamazakiDepartment of Clinical Practice and Support, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
Shiro OkaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.

Funding

AMED 23fk0210083s0403KAKENHI JP21K08006KAKENHI JP21K16000
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA is an important serum biomarker of hepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) transcriptional activity; however, its clinical characteristics remain unclear. This study evaluated the clinical utility of HBV RNA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

methodsWe studied 87 CHB patients with serum HBV DNA levels ≥ 5.0 log IU/mL who initiated entecavir (ETV) treatment between 2000 and 2018. Serum HBV RNA levels were measured at three-time points: before ETV treatment, at 12 weeks, and at 48 weeks after starting ETV treatment. Clinical markers associated with the antiviral effects of ETV treatment were analyzed.

resultsSerum HBV RNA levels decreased in both HBeAg-positive and -negative patients during the observation period. In HBeAg-positive patients, multivariable analysis showed that lower HBV RNA levels at 48 weeks of ETV treatment were independently associated with HBeAg seroconversion. Additionally, lower baseline HBV RNA levels significantly predicted virologic response in those patients. In contrast, among HBeAg-negative patients, lower HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) levels and the FIB-4 index were independently associated with virologic response. In HBeAg-positive patients, those with higher baseline HBV RNA levels showed a more significant reduction in hepatitis B surface antigen levels.

conclusionSerum HBV RNA levels predicted HBeAg seroconversion and early HBV DNA reduction in HBeAg-positive patients, while HBcrAg was significantly associated with virologic response in HBeAg-negative patients. These findings highlight the different predictive roles of HBV RNA and HBcrAg based on HBeAg status, which may provide individualized treatment strategies.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsGuanineHepatitis B, ChronicHepatitis B virusRNA, ViralAdultBiomarkersDNA, ViralFemaleHepatitis B e AntigensHepatitis B Surface AntigensHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsRetrospective StudiesAntiviral AgentsBiomarkersDNA, ViralentecavirGuanineHepatitis B e AntigensHepatitis B Surface AntigensRNA, ViralEntecavirHBeAg seroconversionHBsAgHBV DNAHBV RNA

Identifiers

PMID39841247
PMCPMC11922970

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.