Clinical outcome of lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B patients with compensated cirrhosis under adefovir salvage treatment. Importance of HCC surveillance.
Eur J Intern Med 2009;
20:478-81. [PMID:
19712848 DOI:
10.1016/j.ejim.2008.12.013]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2008] [Revised: 11/17/2008] [Accepted: 12/18/2008] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Data concerning the outcome of lamivudine-resistant (LAM-R) chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with compensated cirrhosis under adefovir (ADV) treatment are limited. The aim of our study was to evaluate the medium term outcome of these, high-risk for fatal events, patients.
METHODS
31 LAM-R patients with compensated cirrhosis who had been treated with ADV monotherapy (n=8) or ADV plus LAM (n=23) for a mean of 27.6 months, were evaluated. Virological response (VR) was defined as HBV-DNA levels <10(4) copies/ml within the first year of treatment.
RESULTS
Twenty-three patients (74.19%) achieved VR. Six patients (19.35%) developed ADV-related mutations (annual incidence 11%). Liver-related death, liver decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were observed in 12.9%, 16.12% and 16.12% of patients, respectively. HCC (annual incidence 9.1%) was the main cause of liver decompensation (4/5, 80%) and of liver-related deaths (3/4, 75%). HCC development was not related to patients' age (p=0.440), HBeAg status (p=0.245), HBV genotype (p=0.598), baseline ALT levels (p=0.981), baseline viral load (p= 0.464), VR (p=0.504) as well as emergence of ADV resistance (p=0.871).
CONCLUSIONS
ADV suppresses viral replication in more than 70% of LAM-R cirrhotic patients during the first year of treatment. Despite that, HCC is frequently observed in these high-risk patients, irrespective of virological response or emergence of ADV resistance.
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