Next generation sequencing identifies baseline viral mutants associated with treatment response to pegylated interferon in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.
Chuaypen N., Payungporn S., Poovorawan K., Chotiyaputta W., Piratvisuth T., Tangkijvanich P.
Current data of hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants associated with treatment outcome identified by next generation sequencing (NGS) are limited. This study was aimed at determining the role of baseline sequence variations in the enhancer II (EnhII), basal core promotor (BCP) and pre-core (PC) regions of HBV genotype C in patients treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN). Patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with 48-week PEG-IFN were enrolled. Combined response (CR) at week 96 was defined by HBeAg seroconversion plus HBV DNA