Progression of Untreated Minimally Active Chronic HBV Infection Compared to Inactive Infection

Abstract

Nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs) are recommended when both are fulfilled in the absence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cirrhosis; (1) elevated serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA (≥20,000 IU/mL for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B [CHB] or ≥2000 IU/mL for hepatitis B e antigen-negative CHB) and (2) serum alanine aminotransferase ≥2× upper limit of normal.1 Therefore, many patients still remain untreated. Such untreated patients have so called "minimally active CHB," where serum HBV-DNA is persistently >2000 IU/mL and other parameters for NUCs are below the criteria.2 There have been little data concerning their prognosis.