van Bömmel F, et al. - Researchers investigated if hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA serum levels can predict hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a. A retrospective analysis of serum samples from HBeAg-positive patients previously treated with peginterferon alfa-2a in two large randomized controlled trials was performed. They noted significantly lower median HBV RNA levels at all time points in patients achieving HBeAg seroconversion. At treatment weeks 12 and 24, levels of HBV RNA were demonstrated to have good ability to predict HBeAg seroconversion. A HBV RNA cutoff of >5.5 log₁₀ copies/mL identified 30% of non-responders at week 12. Findings thereby suggested serum HBV RNA as an early predictor of HBeAg seroconversion in these patients.