Combination lamivudine and adefovir versus entecavir for the treatment of naïve chronic hepatitis B patients: a pilot study

Adverse events of nucleos(t)ide analogues for chronic hepatitis B: a systematic review

Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are the main drug category used in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment. Despite the fact that NAs have a favourable safety profile, undesired adverse events (AEs) may occur during the treatment of CHB. Given the eminent number of patients currently receiving NAs, even a small risk of any of these toxicities can represent a major medical issue. The main objective of this review was to analyse information available on AEs associated with the use of NAs in published studies. We choose the following MesH terms for this systematic review: chronic hepatitis B, side effects and treatment. All articles published from 1 January 1990 up to 19 February 2018 in MEDLINE of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and LILACS databases were searched. A total of 120 articles were selected for analysis, comprising 6419 patients treated with lamivudine (LAM), 5947 with entecavir (ETV), 3566 with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), 3096 with telbivudine (LdT), 1178 with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) and 876 with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). The most common AEs in all NAs assessed were abdominal pain/discomfort, nasopharyngitis/upper respiratory tract infections, fatigue, and headache. TAF displays the highest density of AEs per patient treated among NAs (1.14 AE/treated patient). In conclusion, treatment of CHB with NAs is safe, with a low incidence of AEs. Despite the general understanding TAF being safer than TDF, the number of patients treated with TAF still is too small in comparison to other NAs to consolidate an accurate safety profile. PROSPERO Registration No. CRD42018086471.

Entecavir monotherapy versus de novo combination of lamivudine and adefovir for compensated hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis: a real-world prospective multicenter cohort study

Background

De novo combination of lamivudine (Lam) and adefovir (Adv) was not rarely used in clinical practice. However, head-to-head comparisons of entecavir (Etv) monotherapy with this combination in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related compensated cirrhosis patients are unavailable. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of Etv monotherapy with combination therapy in patients with HBV-related compensated liver cirrhosis.

Methods

Treatment-naïve patients with HBV-related compensated liver cirrhosis were recruited to receive either Etv monotherapy or a de novo combination of Lam and Adv. Data were collected at baseline and every 6 months thereafter.

Results

A total of 578 patients (485 in Etv group, 93 in combination group) were included. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. At the end of 1, 2, and 3 years, HBV DNA was undetectable in 82.7%, 96.2%, and 94.3% of patients in the Etv group and 88.9%, 81.7%, and 84.6% in the combination group, respectively (all P>0.05). The cumulative virological breakthrough rate at 1, 2, and 3 years was 2.7%, 6.7%, and 9.8% in the Etv group and 2.9%, 13.3%, and 32.2% in the combination group, respectively (P=0.003). After propensity-score adjustment for age, sex, and baseline HBeAg, ALT, and total bilirubin, virological breakthrough was higher in the de novo combination of Lam and Adv (HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.37–5.86; P<0.01). The cumulative rate of liver-related events, including decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma, at 1, 2, and 3 years was 2.9%, 4.2%, and 6.1% in the Etv group and 2.2%, 2.2%, and 6.7% in combination group, respectively (P=0.83). Biochemical response and serological response were similar between the groups.

Conclusion

Etv treatment had less virological breakthrough and potentially higher HBV-DNA suppression than de novo combination of Lam and Adv during 3 years in treatment-naïve HBV-related compensated liver cirrhosis.

Comparing Efficacy of Lamivudine, Adefovir Dipivoxil, Telbivudine, and Entecavir in Treating Nucleoside Analogues Naïve for HBeAg-Negative Hepatitis B with Medium Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA Levels

Background

The antiviral effect of HBV in different nucleos (t) ide analogues is still not well known. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of lamivudine (LMV), adefovir dipivoxil (ADV), telbivudine (LdT), and entecavir (ETV) monotherapy in chronic HBeAg-negative hepatitis B patients with medium load of HBV DNA.

Material/Methods

The effective data of 207 patients treated by LMV (n=43), ADV (n=57), LdT (n=54) or ETV (n=53) were collected and analyzed during 144-week follow-up by retrospective analysis.

Results

Serum HBV DNA levels were significantly lower in the ETV group 1.91±0.45 log₁₀ IU/ml) than in the LdT group (2.09±0.62 log₁₀ IU/ml), ADV group (2.26±0.73 log₁₀ IU/ml), and LMV group (2.08±0.75 log₁₀ IU/ml) at 12 weeks (P=0.0464). HBV DNA levels were maintained at lower levels in the ETV group compared to other 3 groups during follow-up (48 weeks, P<0.001; 96 weeks, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that LMV (P=0.001), ADV, (P<0.001), and LdT (P<0.001) were all negative predictors of HBV DNA-negative time, but ETV was not. Viral breakthrough occurred in 34.8% (15/43) of patients in the LMV group; 5.26% (3/57) in the ADV group, 7.4.0% (4/54) in the LdT group, and 0% (0/53) in the ETV group at the end of follow-up. No significant differences were found in mean ALT levels (all P>0.05) or in cumulative normalization rates (P=0.473).

Conclusions

ETV was more potent and faster for viral response and lower viral breakthrough in medium load of HBV DNA when compared to LMV, ADV, or LdT monotherapy in HBeAg-negative CHB.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of antiviral therapies for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients in China

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Several antiviral therapies are now available for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but the most cost-effective strategy for Chinese patients is unclear. The aim of this study was to estimate the long-term cost effectiveness of the antiviral treatments (lamivudine, adefovir, telbivudine and entecavir) for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients in China.

METHODS

A Markov model was used to simulate the life-time (41-year time span) costs and effectiveness associated with antiviral treatments from the perspective of Chinese healthcare. Relative model parameters were derived from Chinese population studies. Costs and effectiveness were discounted at 5 %. The highest retail prices for generic and branded drug prices were also considered. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way sensitivity analysis were used to explore model uncertainties.

RESULTS

In the base-case analysis, the least quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were obtained with adefovir as the reference strategy. Lamivudine generated the highest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), with an additional US$35,000 needed to gain one additional QALY for generic drugs and US$36,000 for branded drugs. Entecavir had the lowest ICER of US$7,600 and US$9,100, respectively. The projected 10-year cumulative incidences of compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality for entecavir were lower than the other strategies. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, entecavir was the preferred option at a threshold of US$18,924 per QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HBeAg-positive CHB in China, entecavir is a cost-effective option compared with other therapies for CHB.

Association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase with treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM: To investigate the association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels with chronic hepatitis B infection and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion.

METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on clinical data collected from patients who had been positive for hepatitis B surface antigen for > 6 mo and who were antiviral-treatment naïve (n = 215) attending the Hepatitis Clinic at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between August 2010 and December 2013. Healthy individuals without liver disease (n = 83) were included as controls. Patients were categorized into four groups based on disease status as recommended by the European Association for the Study of the Liver: immune tolerance (IT; n = 47), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (EPH; n = 93), HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH; n = 20), and inactive carrier (IC; n = 55). Prediction of complete response (CR) based on serum GGT was also examined in EPH patients (n = 33) treated for 48 wk with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy, including lamivudine plus adefovir combination therapy (n = 20) or entecavir monotherapy (n = 13). CR was defined as a serum hepatitis B virus DNA level < 500 copies/mL and HBeAg seroconversion by 48 wk of treatment.

RESULTS: Serum GGT levels were significantly increased in EPH and ENH patients relative to the IT, IC, and healthy control groups (P < 0.01 for all). However, no significant difference in serum GGT levels was found between the EPH and ENH groups. Baseline serum GGT levels were significantly higher in patients who achieved CR (7/33; 21.2%) compared to patients in the non-CR group (26/33; 78.8%; P = 0.011). In addition, the decline in serum GGT was greater in CR patients compared to non-CR patients after 24 wk and 48 wk of treatment (P = 0.012 and P = 0.008, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded a sensitivity of 85.71% and a specificity of 61.54% at a threshold value of 0.89 times the upper limit of normal for baseline serum GGT in the prediction of CR following NA therapy.

CONCLUSION: Serum GGT is significantly elevated in EPH and ENH patients and is a potential biomarker for the prediction of HBeAg seroconversion following NA therapy.

An initial assessment of correlations between host- and virus-related factors affecting analogues antiviral therapy in HBV chronically infected patients

BACKGROUND

Success in treating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with nucleoside analogues drugs is limited by the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains upon prolonged therapy. In addition to mutation patterns in the viral polymerase gene, host factors are assumed to contribute to failure of treatment in chronic HBV infections. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between efficacy of antiviral therapy and the prevalence of HBV pretreatment drug-resistant variants. We also analyzed the role of heterogeneity in the promoter region of the IL-10 on the HBV pol/s gene polymorphisms and efficacy of analogues-driven therapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

HBV DNA was extracted from 54 serum samples from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Drug-resistance mutations were analyzed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technology (MALDI-TOF MS) and Multi-temperature single-strand conformation polymorphism (MSSCP). IL-10 gene promoter region polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819, and -592 were determined in allele-specific PCR reactions (AS-PCR).

RESULTS

Drug-resistance mutations were detected in 74% of naïve and 93% of experienced patients, but the effect of pre-existence of drug-resistant HBV variants on antiviral therapy was not statistically significant (p=0.86). The role of polymorphisms at positions -1082 (p=0.88), -819 (p=0.26), and -592 (p=0.26) of IL-10 promoter region polymorphisms was excluded from the response-predicting factors. The main host factors predicting successful response to antiviral therapy were female sex (p=0.007) and young age (p=0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of drug-resistant HBV variants in baseline is not a viral predictor of good response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues therapy. Only low HBV viral load predicted positive response to antiviral therapy. The ideal candidate for antiviral therapy is an immunocompetent, young female with low HBV viral load and elevated ALT activity.