Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the patients

Age (years)

47.0 ± 12.0

45.5 ± 11.9

0.396

Sex (male, %)

64 (61.0)

67 (63.8)

0.776

HBeAg-positive (%)

58 (55.2)

63 (50.0)

0.577

Disease status;

CHB/LC (%)

62/43

(59.0/41.0)

64/41

(61.0/39.0)

0.888

MELD (<7/7-13/>13, %)

73/26/6

(69.5/24.8/5.7)

71/33/1

(67.6/31.4/1.0)

0.800

Serum ALT (IU/L)

179.5 ± 253.0

232.3 ± 427.7

0.278

Serum total bilirubin (mg/dL)

1.20 ± 1.74

1.06 ± 1.29

0.507

Serum albumin (g/dL)

4.11 ± 0.56

4.10 ± 0.53

0.905

INR

1.12 ± 0.19

1.11 ± 0.17

0.927

Serum HBV DNA level (log₁₀ IU/mL)

6.56 ± 1.33

6.66 ± 1.26

0.564

Duration of follow-up (months)

27.0 ± 7.2

23.6 ± 5.2