27 Aug 2024 • While hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is a positive outcome in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, it leads to minimal improvement in liver fibrosis, found a new study.

• Compared to treatment-naive persistent chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in whom only 1.8% achieved significant fibrosis regression over three years, 14.5% of HBsAg-loss patients showed regression. However, the overall impact on fibrosis reduction was modest.
• The rate of significant fibrosis regression (≥1 stage decrease or >30% reduction in liver stiffness) was similar between the two groups, and age at HBsAg-loss was a key factor, with those older than 50 showing a higher prevalence of advanced fibrosis.

The results highlight that despite HBsAg loss, many patients, especially older ones, still require vigilant monitoring for liver complications.

Source: JHG | Read full story