Hepatitis B viral factors and treatment responses in chronic hepatitis B

Baseline and on-treatment hepatitis B viral factors are reported to affect treatment responses. A lower baseline hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level is a strong predictor of the response to antiviral therapy. HBV genotype A/B patients have better responses to interferon-based therapy than those with genotypes C/D. Regarding the association of HBV mutants with responses to antiviral therapy, current evidence is limited. On-treatment viral suppression is the most important predictor of response to nucleoside analogs. On-treatment hepatitis B surface antigen decline is significantly associated with response to pegylated interferon. In the future, individualized therapy should be based on treatment efficacy, adverse effects, baseline and on-treatment predictors of antiviral therapy. ? 2012, Elsevier Taiwan LLC & Formosan Medical Association.