studies

970A AASLD ABSTRACTS HEPATOLOGY, October, 2015
onymous (NS), genotype specific viral substitutions from wild
type (WT) and entropy scores, were calculated across the
whole genome (WG) and within specific structural (Envelope;
Polymerase; precore-core, and; HBx) and regulatory regions
(negative regulatory element- basal core promoter NRE-BCP)
and correlated with baseline clinical and virological data and
serological response at W192. Results 94 patients were successfully
analysed (median age 32yrs; 75% male; genotype
A/B/C/D 26%/23%/23%/28%; ALT 139 IU/mL; 24% cirrhosis;
HBV DNA 8.43 log 10
IU/mL; HBsAg 50,793 IU/mL;
HBeAg 1,990 PEIU/mL; 77% TDF therapy W0-W48, 23%
ADV therapy W0-W48). Median WG coverage, substitutions
from WT and entropy scores are listed in Table 1. Entropy
scores were similar across the genome, but three-fold greater
in genotype B/C infection as compared to A/D (p< 0.0001).
An increase in WG viral diversity was associated with lower
baseline HBV DNA, HBeAg and HBsAg titres, independent
of genotype (p< 0.0001 for all). Higher baseline viral diversity,
specifically in BCP-NRE, was also associated with a lower
likelihood of achieving HBeAg SC (p=0.04) and HBsAg loss
(p