There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of age, sex, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status, model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and baseline levels of serum HBV DNA load, total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), international normalized ratio (INR), prothrombin activity (PTA) and creatinine between the two groups (Table 1). The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is End Stage Liver Disease.