Volume 135, Issue 2, Pages 459-467 (August 2008) Sustained HBeAg and HBsAg Loss After Long-term Follow-up of HBeAg-Positive Patients Treated With Peginterferon α-2b  Erik H.C.J. Buster, Hajo J. Flink, Yilmaz Cakaloglu, Krzysztof Simon, Jörg Trojan, Fehmi Tabak, Thomas M.K. So, S. Victor Feinman, Tomasz Mach, Ulus S. Akarca, Martin Schutten, Wanda Tielemans, Anneke J. van Vuuren, Bettina E. Hansen, Harry L.A. Janssen  Gastroenterology  Volume 135, Issue 2, Pages 459-467 (August 2008) DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2008.05.031 Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 Study overview. This figure shows inclusion of patients from the initial study (HBV99-01 study) in the LTFU study and reasons for not participating for those not enrolled in the LTFU study. Gastroenterology 2008 135, 459-467DOI: (10.1053/j.gastro.2008.05.031) Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions

Figure 2 Response rates at the end of the initial study (week 78) and at LTFU in 172 patients included in the LTFU study. This figure shows the rate of HBeAg negativity, HBV DNA levels <400 copies/mL, and HBsAg negativity in patients treated with PEG-IFN α-2b alone (closed bars, n = 91), its combination with lamivudine (gray bars, n = 81), and overall response rates (open bars, n = 172) at the end of the initial study (week 78) and at LTFU. Data for the LTFU study were collected after a mean of 3.0 ± 0.8 years (range, 1.6–5.0 years) after the end of the initial study (¥P = .03 for the difference between the 2 treatment groups). Gastroenterology 2008 135, 459-467DOI: (10.1053/j.gastro.2008.05.031) Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions

Figure 3 Long-term virological and biochemical response in 64 patients with initial HBeAg response. This figure shows the proportion of initial responders (patients with HBeAg loss at 26 weeks posttreatment) who had negative HBeAg, HBV DNA level <10,000 and <400 copies/mL, normal ALT, and negative HBsAg at LTFU. The 4-year cumulative response rate by Kaplan–Meier analysis is given for each of the outcome measures in the table below the figure. Gastroenterology 2008 135, 459-467DOI: (10.1053/j.gastro.2008.05.031) Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions

Figure 4 Long-term outcome in initial responders depending on HBV genotype. This figure shows the rates of HBeAg negativity, HBV DNA levels <400 copies/mL, and HBsAg negativity across HBV genotypes in 64 initial responders (patients with HBeAg loss at 26 weeks posttreatment). A significantly higher rate of HBV DNA levels <400 copies/mL and HBsAg loss was observed in genotype A–infected patients as compared with those with genotype non-A (P < .003). Gastroenterology 2008 135, 459-467DOI: (10.1053/j.gastro.2008.05.031) Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Terms and Conditions