Table 2

HBV status during immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy

N (%)HBV DNA ≤100 IU/mL on NUCs (n=35)HBV DNA >100 IU/mL on NUCs (n=19)Patients with HBV without NUCs (n=6)
Baseline HBV DNA
 Undetectable31 (88.6)01 (16.7)
 Median (range) for detectable cases, IU/mL41 (12–82)187 000 (109 –27 500 000)777 (252–35 900)
HBV reactivation 001
HBV DNA during ICI treatment
 ≥1 log10 elevation001 (16.7)
 ≥2 log10 elevation000
 Undetectable to detectable3 (8.6)00
 Undetectable to >1000 IU/mL000
Peak HBV DNA during ICI, IU/mL. median (range)<10 (<10–1130)381 (<10–2700)70 (<10–1 68 000)
Hepatitis flare
 ALT >100 U/L10 (28.6)11 (57.9)2 (33.3)
 ALT >5X ULN5 (14.3)4 (21.1)1 (16.7)
 ALT >10X ULN2 (5.7)2 (10.5)0 (0)
 Icteric flare*5 (14.3)6 (31.6)2 (33.3)
 HBV DNA elevation and ALT >100 U/L001 (16.7)
iRAE hepatitis1 (2.9)1 (5.3)0 (0)
  • *Icteric flare is defined as serum ALT raised >3X ULN together with serum total bilirubin >2X ULN.

  • ALT, alanine aminotransferase; HBV, hepatitis B virus; ICI, immune checkpoint inhibitor; iRAE, immunotherapy related adverse event; NUCs, nucleos(t)ide analogs; ULN, upper limit of normal.