Fig. 5. CD69 levels on T cells decrease after 48 weeks of antiviral therapy and predict HBeAg seroconversion. (A) Changes in ALT, HBsAg, and HBV DNA levels after antiviral therapy for 48 weeks. (B, C) Changes in CD69 levels on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells after 48 weeks of antiviral therapy based on ETV and Peg-IFN treatment, respectively. (D) Differences in CD69 expression on T cells at baseline and in week 48 between patients who achieved HBeAg seroconversion and those who did not for ETV and Peg-IFN treatment, respectively. (E) ROC analysis of the combined (ROC1) or solo expression of CD69 on CD3+ (ROC2), CD4+ (ROC3) and CD8+ (ROC4) T cells at baseline for predicting HBeAg seroconversion in week 48 in ETV-treated patients. None of the continuous variables conformed to the normal distribution Differences were analyzed using Wilcoxon matched-pairs rank test. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001, ****P<0.0001.
Abbreviations: ALT, alanine transaminase; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; HBV, hepatitis B virus; ETV, entecavir; PEG: Peg-interferon; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; ns, non-significant; AUC: area under the ROC curve; w, weeks.

Ann Lab Med 2025;45:185~198 https://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2024.0178