Noninferiority Outcomes of Besifovir Compared to Tenofovir Alafenamide in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Background/Aims

: Besifovir dipivoxil maleate (BSV) and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) have been recently approved in Korea as the initial antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the real-world outcome data for these drugs remain limited. Therefore, we conducted a noninferiority analysis using real-world data to compare the clinical outcomes of the two nucleotide analogs in treatment-naïve patients with CHB.

Methods

: We retrospectively investigated a cohort of patients with CHB who received BSV or TAF as first-line antiviral agents. The endpoints were virological response (VR) and liver-related clinical outcomes.

Results

: A total of 537 patients, consisting of 202 and 335 patients administered BSV and TAF, respectively, were followed up for 42 months. No significant difference was observed between the VRs of the patients from the two groups. The rates of biochemical response, virologic breakthrough, and incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma did not differ between the groups. However, the hepatitis B e antigen seroclearance rate was higher and the renal function declined less in the BSV group. Multivariable analysis indicated older age, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis and ascites, and lower serum HBV DNA level to be independently associated with increased hepatocellular carcinoma risk. The 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis with 400 patients showed VR rates of 85.0% and 88.7% in the BSV and TAF group patients, respectively, at 2 years. The absolute value of the 95% confidence interval for the difference (-0.04 to 0.12) satisfied the a priori limit of a noninferiority of 0.15.

Conclusions

: BSV is noninferior to TAF in terms of VR, and their clinical outcomes are comparable to CHB.

Changes in the prevalence of hepatitis B and metabolic abnormalities among young men in Korea

Changes in the prevalence of disease over time provide valuable information from a public health perspective. We used data from Korea Military Manpower Administration medical examinations for conscription between 2003 and 2019 (n = 5,355,941), which involved young men aged 19 years, to observe changes in liver disease over time at a population level. Trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, obesity, and hypertension were assessed. The prevalence of HBsAg steadily decreased from 3.19% for men born in 1984 to 0.18% for men born in 2000. Among HBsAg-negative subjects, the prevalence of elevated ALT levels increased from 13.15% for men born in 1986 to 16.48% for men born in 2000. The prevalence of obesity, hypertension and the proportion with high FIB-4 scores (≥ 1.45) also increased. This population-based nationwide analysis showed a decreasing trend of HBsAg and increasing trends of possible non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

[Definition and Management of the Immune Tolerance Phase in Chronic Hepatitis B]

In the natural course of chronic hepatitis B, the immune tolerance phase is characterized by HBeAg positivity, very high levels of HBV DNA, and persistent normal alanine aminotransferase. The international guideline recommendation for patients in this phase is observation without antiviral treatment because of the low risk of disease progression and the lack of effective antiviral agents. However, recent retrospective studies have shown that progression to hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma may occur in patients who are in the immune tolerance phase. Despite the conceptual definition and clinical diagnostic criteria for this phase, it is difficult to accurately diagnose the true immune tolerance phase. Therefore, we should pay attention to the clinical evaluation and interpretation of the immune tolerance phase and understand the clinical situations in which antiviral treatments should be considered.

Quantitative evaluation of hepatic fibrosis by fibro Scan and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced T1 mapping magnetic resonance imaging in chronic hepatitis B

PURPOSE

Studies have found that both FibroScan (FS) and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced T1 mapping magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-MRI) could assess liver fibrosis (LF) with high effectiveness. The aim of this study is to compare their accuracy in the quantitative evaluation of LF in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to explore the diagnostic accuracy of their combination.

METHODS

160 patients with CHB were included in this study. FS and Gd-MRI were performed within 3 months before the pathological LF staging, which was classified according to the Scheuer-Ludwig scale. The liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was obtained by FS. T1 mapping images of the liver before and 20 min after enhancement were obtained by Look-Locker Gd-MRI.

RESULTS

There were 45, 35, 31 and 49 patients with stage S1, S2, S3 and S4 LF, respectively. LSM increased and the reduction rate of T1 relaxation time of 20 min (rrT1_20min%) decreased with the severity of LF. The area under curve (AUC) of LSM, rrT1_20min% and LSM + rrT1_20min% for the diagnosis of ≥ S2 LF were 0.892, 0.811 and 0.900, respectively. The AUC for ≥ S3 LF was 0.883, 0.838 and 0.899, respectively. The AUC for S4 LF was 0.882, 0.894 and 0.928, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The diagnostic accuracy of FS is better than that of Gd-MRI in the evaluation of ≥ S2 stage LF. The combination of these two methods significantly improved the diagnostic efficiency in the evaluation of S4 stage LF.

Early, short-term, low-dose glucocorticoid therapy effectively blocks progression of severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B to liver failure

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether early, short-term, low-dose glucocorticoid treatment prevents the progression of severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B to liver failure.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 125 patients with severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B from the Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between September 2013 and March 2016. The patients were randomized to a hormone group (3-day, low-dose glucocorticoid treatment plus conventional treatment; 63 patients) and a control group (conventional treatment only; 62 patients). We analyzed markers of liver function, complications, mortality rates, and duration and cost of hospitalization.

RESULTS

Serum alanine transaminase levels were significantly lower in the hormone group than in the control group at 3 days (P = 0.009) and 1 week (P = 0.018) after treatment. The decrease in this level from the baseline value on day 3 was greater in the hormone group than in the control group (P = 0.023). The trend of the changes in this level significantly differed between the two groups (P = 0.008). The incidence of liver failure (8.06% vs. 30.16%; P = 0.002) and the duration of hospitalization (23.79 vs. 31.79 days; P = 0.031) were significantly lower in the hormone group than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose, short-term glucocorticoid treatment early in the course of severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B along with conventional treatment significantly reduced the risk of progression to liver failure and shortened the duration of hospitalization, without increasing the complication rate.

Long-term Nucleotide Analogue Treatment Has Higher Levels of Renal Toxicities than Does Entecavir in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Background/Aims

Renal toxicity is a concern in patients with chronic hepatitis B taking nucleotide analogues, such as adefovir (ADV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). We sought to determine the long-term renal effects of nucleotide analogue treatment versus entecavir (ETV) treatment.

Methods

In this retrospective single-center study, we selected 87 patients who were treated with ADV and subsequently with TDF from June 2008 to December 2013. ETV-treated patients were matched by treatment duration. We analyzed the creatinine increase over 0.5 mg/dL, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decrease over 25%, phosphorus decrease under 2.0 mg/dL, and dose reduction of antiviral agents.

Results

The median follow-up period was 60.0 months for both groups. The incidence of liver cirrhosis was higher in the ADV-TDF group than in the ETV group (32.2% vs 74.7%, p<0.01). Creatinine increased in both groups during follow-up, but the difference was not significant (5.7% and 2.3%, p=0.44). In addition, GFR decreased more often in the ADV-TDF group than in the ETV group (31.0% and 14.9%, p=0.01). After multivariate Cox regression analysis, ADV-TDF treatment was significantly associated with a GFR decrease over 25% (hazard ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 4.10; p=0.03) after adjusting for the baseline GFR decrease.

Conclusions

Patients taking nucleotide analogues had a significantly higher number of renal events than did those taking ETV. Clinicians should be aware of the development of renal toxicity in this patient population. Further long-term studies are warranted.

Nucleos(t)ide Analogues for Reducing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims

Studies have shown that nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but it is unclear which NA is most effective. We performed a meta-analysis and systematic review comparing the efficacies of NAs in CHB patients.

Methods

We searched literature databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that analyzed the hepatic biochemical response, virological response, seroconversion rate, drug resistance rate, and HCC incidence rate in CHB patients treated with NAs. Meta-analyses were performed with RevMan and Stata/SE software.

Results

Twelve cohort studies and one RCT were selected, in which entecavir (ETV), lamivudine (LAM), telbivudine (LdT), and/or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were evaluated in CHB patients. The meta-analysis showed that ETV was superior to LAM with regard to the HCC incidence (p<0.001), biochemical response (p=0.001), virological response (p=0.02), and drug resistance (p<0.001), and ETV was superior to LdT with regard to the virological response (p<0.001) and drug resistance (p<0.001). We found no significant difference between ETV and TDF with regard to the HCC incidence (p=0.08), biochemical response (p=0.39), virological response (p=0.31), serological conversion (p=0.38), or drug resistance (p=0.95). NA-treated patients with pre-existing cirrhosis had a 5.49 times greater incidence of HCC than those without cirrhosis (p<0.001).

Conclusions

ETV or TDF should be used for long-term first-line monotherapy in CHB patients according to the current guidelines. Standardized protocols are needed for future studies of ETV and TDF to facilitate conclusive comparisons. Patients with cirrhosis are at significantly elevated risk for HCC, despite the benefits of NA treatment.

Nucleos(t)ide Analogues for Reducing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims

Studies have shown that nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but it is unclear which NA is most effective. We performed a meta-analysis and systematic review comparing the efficacies of NAs in CHB patients.

Methods

We searched literature databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that analyzed the hepatic biochemical response, virological response, seroconversion rate, drug resistance rate, and HCC incidence rate in CHB patients treated with NAs. Meta-analyses were performed with RevMan and Stata/SE software.

Results

Twelve cohort studies and one RCT were selected, in which entecavir (ETV), lamivudine (LAM), telbivudine (LdT), and/or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were evaluated in CHB patients. The meta-analysis showed that ETV was superior to LAM with regard to the HCC incidence (p<0.001), biochemical response (p=0.001), virological response (p=0.02), and drug resistance (p<0.001), and ETV was superior to LdT with regard to the virological response (p<0.001) and drug resistance (p<0.001). We found no significant difference between ETV and TDF with regard to the HCC incidence (p=0.08), biochemical response (p=0.39), virological response (p=0.31), serological conversion (p=0.38), or drug resistance (p=0.95). NA-treated patients with pre-existing cirrhosis had a 5.49 times greater incidence of HCC than those without cirrhosis (p<0.001).

Conclusions

ETV or TDF should be used for long-term first-line monotherapy in CHB patients according to the current guidelines. Standardized protocols are needed for future studies of ETV and TDF to facilitate conclusive comparisons. Patients with cirrhosis are at significantly elevated risk for HCC, despite the benefits of NA treatment.

[Risk factors associated with the progression of chronic HBV infection in patients with normal ALT]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the common causes of chronic hepatitis in China. Active antiviral therapy can effectively reduce the occurrence risk of end-stage liver diseases, such as decompensated cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. The existing international and domestic guidelines for the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B recommends regular follow-up for patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Studies have shown that a high percentage (25.4%-88.9%) of patients with chronic HBV infection have normal ALT levels; however, hepatic histopathology revels obvious inflammation, fibrosis (G≥2 and/or S≥2), cirrhosis and liver cancer. In this paper, we reviewed the relatively insidious risk factors associated with the progression of chronic HBV infection in patients with normal ALT.

[Study on early predictive factors of an incomplete viral response with 48 week-entecavir therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients]

Objective: To study the virological and serological indicators before treatment and 24 weeks after treatment to predict the partial virological response (PVR) of 48-week entecavir (ETV) treatment, and formulate early clinical adjustment treatment plans for HBeAg-positive CHB patients. Methods: HBeAg-positive CHB-naïve patients diagnosed in the Department of Infectious Diseases, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, who were treated with oral ETV monotherapy from January 2018 were enrolled. The groups were divided according to the test results of HBV DNA at 48 weeks. Among them, HBV DNA < 20 IU/ml was the complete viral response (CVR) group, and HBV DNA ≥ 20 IU/ml was the PVR group. The virological and serological indexes of the two groups before treatment and 24 weeks after treatment were compared. ROC curve univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to find out the early predictors of PVR in HBeAg-positive CHB patients receiving ETV therapy for 48 weeks. Results: As of July 2020, a total of 90 cases had completed 48 weeks of treatment, including 50 cases of CVR (55.56%) and 40 cases of PVR (44.44%). Before treatment and at 24 weeks of treatment, HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA in the PVR group were significantly higher than those in the CVR group (P < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that HBV DNA quantification (AUC = 0.961, P < 0.001, PPV = 97.06%, NPV = 87.50%) and HBeAg quantification (AUC = 0.883, P < 0.001, PPV = 90.63%, NPV = 81.03%) had higher predictive value at 24 weeks of treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that HBeAg > 1.952 log(10) S/CO (OR = 3.177, 95% CI: 1.261 ~ 8.267, P = 0.018) and HBV DNA > 2.205 log(10) IU / ml (OR = 43.197, 95% CI: 6.858 ~ 272.069, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of PVR at 24 weeks of treatment, and their combination had the best predictive effect. Conclusion: In HBeAg-positive CHB patients receiving ETV treatment for 48 weeks, HBV DNA combined with HBeAg quantification can be an early predictor of PVR at 24 weeks. Additionally, patients with both HBV DNA and HBeAg > 2 log(10) at 24 weeks of treatment must wait 48 weeks to obtain CVR, so it is recommended that treatment strategies should be adjusted at this time.

[Liver histological status and clinic outcome in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B with low viral load]

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the serological, virological, biochemical, liver histological status and clinical outcomes in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with low HBV viral load, and to explore the necessity of antiviral therapy for these patients. Methods: A total of 99 HBeAg-negative CHB patients with HBV DNA level < 4 lg copies/ml who performed liver biopsy at the baseline were enrolled from the follow-up cohort. Among them, 23 cases received the second liver biopsy during follow-up. The relationships among the degree of inflammation and fibrosis of liver tissues, the status of HBsAg and HBcAg, age, gender, family history, HBV DNA load, serological markers and other indicators were analyzed. The pathological differences between two liver biopsy examinations were compared. The effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) treatment on patient's clinical outcomes were analyzed. For multivariate analysis, a binary logistic regression model was performed. Log-rank test was used to compare the cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in NAs-treated and non-NA streated patients. Results: Baseline liver histology status showed that 58.6% (58/99) patients had obvious liver tissue damage in their baseline liver tissue pathology (G≥2 and /or S≥2). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that a liver cirrhosis (LC) family history, a HBsAg-positive family history, baseline alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were positively correlated factors for liver tissue damage. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a LC family history was the main risk factor for liver tissue damage. Twenty-three cases had received a second liver biopsy after an interval of 4.5 years. In 10 untreated cases, the second liver biopsy results showed the rate of obvious liver tissue damage (G≥2 and/ or S≥2) increased from 50.0% to 90.0%. In the other 13 cases who received NAs treatment, the second liver biopsy showed improvement in liver histology, and the rate of obvious liver tissue damage decreased from 61.5% to 46.2%. The 5-year HCC cumulative incidence in non-NAs-treated patients was significantly higher than that of in NAs-treated patients (17.7% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.046). Conclusion: For most HBeAg-negative CHB patients with low viral load, liver tissue pathology result suggests that it meets the indications for antiviral therapy, especially in patients with a LC familial history. Without antiviral therapy, liver tissue damage for these patients will progressively worse with the high incidence of HCC. Therefore, it is suggested that antiviral therapy should be started as soon as possible for the HBeAg-negative CHB patients with low viral load regardless of the alanine aminotransferase level, especially in patients over 30 years-old with a LC or HCC family history.

[Potential clinical value of new type of HBV serological markers ranking in the review column]

Liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma caused by chronic hepatitis B are still the main diseases that seriously affect the health of Chinese population. Notably, even if serum HBV-DNA cannot be detected after treatment, many patients will still develop liver disease. Therefore, in addition to the quantitative analysis of HBV-DNA and HBsAg, other new serological markers should be sought to facilitate the selection of CHB antiviral drugs and methods, monitoring efficacy and follow-up, efficacy prediction, and the risks of viral rebound after drug withdrawal. This article focuses on three new serological markers, namely HBcrAg, HBV-RNA and anti-HBc, with a view to applying them in clinical practice.

[Systematic evaluation of clinical trial protocols of new drugs as a cure of chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To describe the current status of registration and design characteristics of clinical trials of new drugs for curing hepatitis B through domestic and foreign websites, so as to provide references for the follow-up clinical trials of new hepatitis B drugs. Methods: A search was conducted on the US Clinical Trials Database and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Center. The search date was from the establishment of the database to May 26, 2020, and the registration trials of new drugs for curing hepatitis B at home and abroad were included. Two researchers independently searched and screened the literature and extracted the data. Results: A total of 106 registered clinical trials of new drugs for curing hepatitis B were included (94 English registration websites and 12 Chinese registration websites), and the number of registrations had increased year by year. Among them, the proportion of therapeutic vaccines and core protein inhibitors were the highest, accounting for 27.4% (n = 29) and 22.6% (n = 24), respectively. The vast majority of clinical trials (n = 96, 90.6%) were in the early stages (Phase I and II). The subjects in phase I clinical trial were mainly healthy people and treated CHB patients, while the subjects in phase II clinical trial were mainly CHB patients who had achieved viral suppression after initial or post-treatment. The main evaluation indicators of Phase I clinical trials were the safety and tolerability of new drugs. The main evaluation indicators in about half of Phase II clinical trials were HBsAg negative conversion/quantitative decline. Overall, the number of clinical trials with the new design was small, accounting for 3.8% (4 / 106). There were relatively few trials of new drugs for curing hepatitis B on domestic registration websites, and the information provided was incomplete. Conclusion: The number of clinical trials of new hepatitis B drugs at home and abroad is increasing year by year, but most of them are in phase I and II, with few adopting new designs. In addition, the information integrity of the domestic website registration center needs to be improved.

[Risk factors for the development of liver cancer in patients with hepatitis B-related liver cirrhosis treated with long-term nucleos(t)ide analogues]

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the risk factors for the development of liver cancer in patients with hepatitis B-related liver cirrhosis (LC) treated and fully managed with long-term nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). Methods: The study subjects were derived from the follow-up cohort of chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis who received antiviral therapy in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from February 2004 to September 2019. LC patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The life-table method was used to calculate the incidence of liver cancer. Multivariable Cox regression model was used to analyze the risk factors that may affect the development of liver cancer in patients with LC. A subgroup analysis was conducted in liver cirrhotic patients who developed liver cancer to evaluate the effectiveness of antiviral treatment compliance. The (2) test was used for rate comparison. Results: The median follow-up time of 198 LC cases treated with NAs was 6.0 years (1.0-15.3 years). By the end of the visit: (1) 16.2% (32/198) of LC patients had developed liver cancer, and the cumulative incidence of liver cancer in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 years were 0, 8.9%, 14.3%, 18.6%, and 23.4%, respectively, with an average annual incidence of 3.1%. Among the 32 cases with liver cancer, 68.7% had developed small liver cancer (22/32). (2) Univariate Cox model analysis showed that the development of liver cancer was related to four factors, i.e., the presence or absence of LC nodules, whether the baseline was first-line medication, the family history of liver cancer, and patient compliance. The results of multivariate Cox model analysis showed that poor patient compliance and baseline non-first-line medication were risk factors for liver cancer. (3) The results of log-rank test subgroup analysis showed that the 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer in patients with hardened nodules was significantly higher than that of patients without hardened nodules (21.7% vs. 11.5%, P = 0.029). The 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer in patients with non-first-line drugs was significantly higher than that of patients with first-line drugs (22.0% vs.8.2%, P = 0.003). The 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer in patients with poor compliance was significantly higher than that of patients with good compliance (21.3% vs. 12.7%, P = 0.014). The 5-year cumulative incidence of liver cancer in patients with a family history of liver cancer was significantly higher than that of patients without a family history of liver cancer (22.3% vs. 8.1%, P = 0.006). (4) Compared with patients with poor compliance, patients with good compliance had higher HBV DNA negative serconversion rate (98.7% vs. 87.8%, P = 0.005), and a lower virological breakthrough rate (12.1% vs. 29.3%, P = 0.007). Conclusion: The long-term NAs antiviral therapy can reduce the risk of liver cancer, but it cannot completely prevent the development of liver cancer, especially in patients with a family history of liver cancer and baseline hardened nodules (high risk of liver cancer). Furthermore, the complete management can improve patient compliance, ensure the efficacy of antiviral therapy, and reduce the risk of liver cancer development, so to achieve secondary prevention of liver cancer, i.e., early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

[Dawn of the clinical cure for chronic hepatitis B]

The discovery of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has provided a scientific basis for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The universalization of neonatal hepatitis B vaccine has greatly reduced the HBsAg positive load rate of the Chinese population. Antiviral therapy based on interferon and / or nucleos(t)ide analogues had effectively inhibited HBV replication, improved liver inflammation, liver fibrosis, and reduced the incidence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the existing treatment methods can achieve the clinical cure goal of negative HBsAg. In recent years, direct antiviral drugs for HBV life cycle and immunomodulatory drugs for antiviral response have entered an active stage of research and development. Clinical trials that are well-designed, standardized, analyzed, and interpreted are the key to the success of the research and development of a clinical cure for hepatitis B. It is hoped that the experts in hepatology, clinical pharmacology and methodology will work together to promote the research and development process of new drugs for clinical cure of hepatitis B by adopting new clinical trial design, new endpoint indicators, new data management and quality control technology.

[Clinical cure strategy for hepatitis B: immunomodulatory therapy]

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major world public health problem. Current guidelines of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) suggest the clinical cure as the ideal thearapeutic goal. Although the optimization of the existing antiviral treatment can make some patients achieve clinical cure, but for most patients with chronic hepatitis B, it is difficult to achieve clinical cure according to the existing antiviral treatment plan. The medical community has begun to work together to seek new treatment strategies, especially the immune intervention measures aimed at restoring the immune response in the liver microenvironment. Notably, immune antiviral response plays a crucial role in HBV clearance, and the clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B is finally achieved through the optimized combination of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.

Effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicines for hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a multicenter randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of standardized Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) against acute- on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and provide reproducible and high-level evidence for clinical practice.

METHODS

This is a prospective, multicenter, centrally randomized controlled trial. Patients diagnosed with hepatitis B virus-related ACLF (n = 510) will be allocated to the standard medical therapy or CHM group at a 1∶1 ratio. Two CHMs will be used on the basis of the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome: Liangxue Jiedu granules for excess syndromes and Yiqi Jiedu granules for deficiency syndromes. The primary outcome is transplant-free survival at week 12. The secondary outcomes are (a) transplant-free survival at week 24, (b) liver function as assessed using the model for end-stage liver disease score at week 12, (c) liver function as assessed using the Child-Pugh score at week 12, and (d) the incidence of complications at week 12.

DISCUSSION

The effectiveness and safety of CHM formulations will be assessed following treatment for ACLF.

[Effect of hepatitis B virus preC/C and S gene antigen epitope mutations on HBeAg serological status in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To explore the effect of HBV preC/C and S gene antigen epitope mutations on HBeAg serological status in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Thirty-five cases with chronic hepatitis B without antiviral therapy were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Nested PCR-TA cloning-sequencing method was used to screen HBV preC/C and S gene mutation sites related to HBeAg serological status. Then, in the longitudinal study (60 cases), the independent correlation between HBV preC/C and S gene antigen epitopes mutations and HBeAg status was explored by using multiple regression models to correct the correlated confounding factors. Results: In this cross-sectional study, 64.4% of preC/C and 68.2% of S mutations had occurred in the epitope region. There were ten mutation sites (PreC/C50, 55, 79, 84, 103, 126, 145, 184 and s110, s213) correlated with HBeAg negative status (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors such as age, gender, HBV genotype, serum alanine aminotransferase level and precw28 * mutations in the longitudinal studies, the results showed that TC cell epitope (prec47-56, prec117-125, s208-216) and Th cell epitope (prec176-185) were the main independent risk factors affecting the host HBeAg serological status. Conclusion: HBV preC/C region (PreC47-56, PreC117-125 and PreC176-185) and S region (s208-216) epitope mutations are the main independent factors affecting the host HBeAg status, suggesting that these epitope mutations may be involved in the HBeAg seroconversion.

[Analysis of clinical diagnosis and treatment in chronic hepatitis B combined with autoimmune hepatitis]. Zhonghua Gan Zang Bing Za Zhi. 2020;28:351-356. [PMID: 32403889 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn501113-20190120-00020]

Objective: To summarize the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic method in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) combined with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Methods: Clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, imaging, histopathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of 19 cases diagnosed with CHB combined with AIH followed at the outpatient Department of Gastroenterology of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine during December 2013 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Paired sample t-test was used before and after treatment for the measurement of normal distribution data. Measurement data of non-normal distribution were expressed as a median (quartile spacing) and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test was used before and after treatment. Results: Among the 19 cases, 5 were male and 14 were female. The age of onset was 35 to 63 years, and the average age was 47.10 ± 8.76 years. There were 12 cases diagnosed with CHB before AIH, 5 cases diagnosed with AIH before CHB, and 2 cases diagnosed with AIH and CHB at the same time. After the definite diagnosis of CHB combined with AIH, nucleoside (acid) analogues (antiviral against hepatitis B virus) combined glucocorticoid therapy were given, and azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil (immunosuppressant) was added according to the intrahepatic inflammation (inflammation graded at G3 and above) and leukocyte conditions. The duration of treatment varied between 2 weeks to 16 (median treatment duration of 6 weeks), except for one case who was just diagnosed and followed up. Biochemical indicators and immunoglobulin of the remaining 18 cases before and after treatment was significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05), with HBV DNA < 20 copies/ml. Conclusion: CHB combined with AIH diagnosis can be easily missed. Therefore, it requires comprehensive diagnosis combined with clinical characteristics, autoantibodies, and immunoglobulin levels with special emphasis on pathological characteristics of liver tissue. Anti-HBc-positive patients using immunosuppressant should be carefully monitored for HBV DNA and anti-HBV treatment should be given if necessary.

[Research progress of siRNA in reducing serum HBsAg levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is mainly involved in RNA interference for stopping gene translation by targeting and degrading HBV-transcribed mRNA. Targeting and stability in siRNA can be enhanced via chemical modification, combination use and improved delivery system. Clinical studies have identified JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) and ARB-1740 as well-tolerated siRNA drugs, which significantly reduce HBsAg levels. This article expounds the main mechanisms of siRNA in inhibiting HBsAg expression, improving target and stability as well as relevant preclinical and clinical studies.

Immunological measurement of aspartate/alanine aminotransferase in predicting liver fibrosis and inflammation

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Enzymatic analysis of aspartate/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) does not exactly represent the progression of liver fibrosis or inflammation. Immunoassay for AST (cytoplasmic [c] AST/mitochondrial [m] AST) and ALT (ALT1/ALT2) has been suggested as one alternatives for enzymatic analysis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of immunoassay in predicting liver fibrosis and inflammation.

METHODS

A total of 219 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who underwent hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and liver biopsy before antiviral therapy were recruited. Serum samples were prepared from blood during HVPG. Results of biochemical parameters including enzymatic AST/ALT and immunological assays of cAST, mAST, ALT1, and ALT2 through sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) immunoassay with fluorescence labeled monoclonal antibodies were compared with the results of METAVIR stage of live fibrosis and the Knodell grade of inflammation.

RESULTS

METAVIR fibrosis stages were as follows: F0, six (3%); F1, 52 (24%); F2, 88 (40%); F3, 45 (20%); and F4, 28 patients (13%). Mean levels of AST and ALT were 121 ± 157 and 210 ± 279 IU/L, respectively. Mean HVPG score of all patients was 4.7 ± 2.5 mmHg. According to the stage of liver fibrosis, HVPG score (p < 0.001, r = 0.439) and ALT1 level (p < 0.001, r = 0.283) were significantly increased in all samples from patients with CHB. ALT (p < 0.001, r = 0.310), ALT1 (p < 0.001, r = 0.369), and AST (p < 0.001, r = 0.374) levels were positively correlated with Knodell grade of inflammation.

CONCLUSION

ALT1 measurement by utilizing sandwich ELISA immunoassay can be useful method for predicting inf lammation grade and fibrosis stage in patients with CHB.

[Establishment and preliminary application of serum Golgi protein 73 based noninvasive diagnostic model for compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis]

Objective: To establish and evaluate diagnostic efficacy and applicability of serum Golgi protein (GP) 73 based non-invasive diagnostic model with other conventional serological indicators for compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis. Methods: 666 cases with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who had visited to the Fifth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2010 to December 2017 were selected as the study subjects, and were classified according to compensated stage cirrhosis into clinical and pathological diagnosis group based on whether or not the liver histological examination was performed. A diagnostic model of compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis in the clinical diagnosis group was established. The current clinically used diagnostic model of liver cirrhosis, aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index (FIB)-4 and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were compared. Eventually, the diagnostic model was verified step by step by pathological diagnosis group. Results: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of GP73 and APRI, FIB-4, and LSM for cirrhosis patients in the clinical diagnosis group were 0.842, 0.857, 0.864, and 0.832, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of the four indicators were of similar (P value > 0.05). A diagnostic model of compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis (GAPA) using logistic regression analysis was established: LogitP = 1/ [1 + exp (1.614-0.054 × GP73-0.045 × Age + 0.030 × PLT-0.015 × ALP)]. The AUC of the model was as high as 0.940 and the optimal cut-off value were 0.41. The corresponding diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 0.92 and 0.82, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency was better than that of APRI, FIB-4, LSM and GP73 alone (P < 0.05). The AUC of GAPA was 0.877 in the pathological diagnosis group, which was similar to the diagnostic efficacy of LSM (0.891) and FIB-4 (0.847) (P > 0.1), but still superior to that of APRI (0.811) and GP73 alone (0.780) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: GAPA, a diagnostic model for compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis established in this study, has a good diagnostic efficacy in both the clinical and pathological diagnosis group, and has certain auxiliary diagnostic value in the areas where resources are relatively scarce or where LSM has not been developed.

[Effect of interferon or nucleos(t)ide analogs on hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most important risk factor for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Chinese patients. Interferon (IFN) and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are two major regimens for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A large number of clinical studies have previously confirmed that the risk of HCC in CHB patients can be significantly reduced by NAs treatment. There are also some prospective studies confirming the benefit of IFN treatment. However, only a few clinical studies with limited sample size have directly compared the differences in the incidence of HCC between these two classes of drugs. Although these results suggested that the risk of HCC in IFN group was lower than patients in NA group, the conclusion need to be taken with caution. In the future, a multi-center, large sample size, well-designed, prospective study will be needed to answer this question.

[The guidelines of prevention and treatment for chronic hepatitis B (2019 version)]. Zhonghua Ganzang Bing Zazhi. 2019;27:938-961. [PMID: 31941257 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1007-3418.2019.12.007]

Based on the progression of clinical and basic research in hepatitis B virus (HBV), we updated the previous HBV guidelines from 2015. The guidelines included the prevention, diagnosis, and antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis B, which accelerates ro achieve the goal of "the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030" proposed by the World Health Organization.

[Alanine aminotransferase normalization with antiviral therapies in hepatitis B]

Currently, one-third of the world's chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are in China. Therefore, it is important to develop treatment strategies that can accomplish virological suppression and improve clinical outcomes for China's huge HBV-infected population. Studies have shown that alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are significantly associated with the progression of liver disease, incidence of liver complications as well as an important indicator for deciding whether to initiate anti-HBV treatment. Clinically, antiviral therapy is usually only considered when the ALT level is greater than 2 times the upper limit of normal. However, a normal or low and elevated level of ALT does not mean that there is no change in liver tissues status. Several studies have suggested that normal or low and elevated levels of ALT are significantly associated with the progression of liver disease. In this context, if the level of ALT is considered as one of the mandatory requirements for the indication of anti-HBV therapy, many patients may be neglected and delayed in treatment, suggesting that the anti-HBV treatment threshold should be considered. Now, from the above discussion, this article mainly summarizes the guiding significance of ALT level in anti-HBV treatment and the value of ALT normalization in the state of illness and clinical prognosis, and also compares the difference of ALT normalization rates among different anti-HBV drugs for chronic hepatitis B patients. Besides this, it also states the limitations of current indications for anti-HBV therapy, so as to provide reference for improving the indications.

[Pursuit of anti-hepatitis B virus therapy]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has put forward the strategic goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030, and the research and development of new treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients is an important part of this. In recent years, functional or clinical cure marked by HBsAg clearance and continuous undetectable HBV DNA has gradually become an ideal treatment endpoint recommended by clinical guidelines at home and abroad. Studies have shown that CHB patients who achieved long-term viral suppression after nucleoside analogues (NAs), adding or switching to interferons may have the potential to improve the clearance rate of HBsAg. However, the HBsAg conversion rate of patients in each treatment group in these studies was still low, and a reasonable combined therapy strategy and suitable patient population need to be further explored. In addition, some new drugs are being developed in pursuit of a CHB cure, though many clinical trials of new drugs are still based from a long-term treatment of NAs. Therefore, NAs antiviral therapy remains the cornerstone at this stage for CHB.

[A randomized controlled study on factors influencing the curative effect of sequential combined interferon and lamivudine therapy in children with immune-tolerant phase chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the curative effect of antiviral therapy and related factors influencing the curative affect in children with immune-tolerant phase chronic hepatitis B. Methods: From May 2014 to April 2015, 46 children with chronic hepatitis B, aged 1 to 16 years with immune-tolerant phase were enrolled as the treatment group. All cases in the treated group either received interferon alpha (3-5 MIU/m(2), once daily) in lamivudine combination (if HBV DNA decreased < 2 log(10)) or repeatedly received interferon-alpha alone (if HBV DNA decreased >2 log(10)) for 12 weeks. Interferon was discontinued at 72 weeks and followed-up period was continued with lamivudine for 24 weeks. At the same time, data of 23 cases of untreated children with immune-tolerant phase chronic hepatitis B were collected as the control group. The treatment group and the control group were divided into two age groups: 1-7 years old and 7-15 years old. Data measurements were compared using t-test, analysis of variance and single factor analysis methods, and the count data were analyzed by χ (2) test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of different factors on response. Results: (1) There were 22 cases aged 1-7 years in the treatment group (47.8%) and 12 cases aged 1-7 years in the control group (52.2%). The cases of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) in treatment and control group were 34 (73.9%) and 17 (73.9%), while children with normal baseline ALT in the treatment and control group were 18 (39.1%) and 10 (43.5%). (2) At the end of follow-up, 15 cases in the treatment group (32.6%) had HBeAg serological conversion. Among them, nine (19.6%) cases had HBsAg clearance or HB-Ag seroconversion with anti-HBs, and one (2.2%) case had HBsAg clearance, but both HBeAg and anti-HBe were positive. In the control group, one case had HBV DNA lower than the lower limit of detection level, and one case had HBeAg seroconversion without HBsAg clearance. (3) At the end of follow-up, the seroconversion rates of HBeAg in patients aged 1 to 7 years and patients aged 7 to 15 years were 45.5% and 20.8%, respectively (P = 0.078) and the clearance rates of HBsAg were 36.4% and 8.3% (P = 0.023). The serum conversion rates of normal and abnormal baseline alanine aminotransferase levels were 5.6% and 50.0% (P = 0.005), and the clearance rates of HBsAg were 5.6% and 32.1% (P = 0.077), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in gender, mother-to-child transmission, HBV DNA genotyping and baseline HBsAg level in antiviral efficacy among children (P > 0.05). (4) HBsAg and HBeAg clearance occurred in 100% of patients at the end of follow-up who had HBsAg < 3 000 IU/ml at 24 weeks of treatment. (5) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum HBeAg conversion rate had relation with non-MTCT transmission and abnormal baseline alanine aminotransferase. Furthermore, HBsAg clearance rate was associated with the age of children. Conclusion: Sequential combination of interferon and lamivudine with a prolonged course can improve the HBV DNA negative conversion rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and mild ALT abnormalities at baseline in children under the age of 7 years with immune-tolerant phase chronic hepatitis B.

[Clinical study of FibroTouch and six serological models for assessing the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To evaluate the using value of FibroTouch and six serological models in detecting the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, in an attempt to provide reference for accurate diagnosis. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-eight cases with chronic hepatitis B admitted to Xixi Hospital of Hangzhou from September 1, 2015 to September 1, 2017 were selected. All patients underwent liver histopathological examination and FibroTouch measurement to determine liver stiffness (LSM). Serum biochemical parameters were detected and the scoring values of six serological models were calculated. SAS 9.4 statistical software was used for statistical analysis, and the correlation between FibroTouch and the six serological models was analyzed by Spearman correlation. The diagnostic value of FibroTouch and six serological models was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) based on liver histopathological findings. Results: The median LSM of 258 cases with chronic hepatitis B was 9.4 (6.5-13.8) kPa. In the six serological models, the median value of aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB-4 index, S-index, Forn's index, PRPindex, and FIB-5 were 0.42 (0.28-0.62), 1.27 (0.78-2.03), 0.11 (0.07-0.20), 6.95 (5.89-8.51), 0.000 8 (0.000 6-0.000 9),and 38.59 (36.28-40.97). FibroTouch had positive correlation with APRI, FIB-4, S-index, Forn's index, PRP, fibrosis stage (r= 0.73,P< 0.001) and inflammation grade, and had negative correlation with FIB-5, and both had statistical significance. The area under curve (AUC) of FT-LSM at S≥2, S≥3, S = 4 were 0.89, 0.90 and 0.85, respectively, which was significantly higher than serological models (P< 0.001). The AUC of S-index model at S≥2, S≥3, S = 4 were higher than other five serological models. Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of FibroTouch is significantly better than serological model. S-index model has the best diagnostic performance in the six serological models, and the combination of S-index and FT-LSM may better diagnose the grading of liver fibrosis, and thus can be applied and promoted in clinic.

The epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in Korea

The global burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is profound, and represents a public health threat as chronic infection can lead to liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death. The risk factors for chronic hepatitis B-related liver disease differ according to HBV endemicity, hepatitis B e-antigen seropositivity, and viral load. It is important to identify these risk factors and start antiviral treatment at an appropriate time according to current guidelines. The most crucial step in reducing HBV infection is prevention in infancy or early childhood, as infection at an early stage may lead to chronicity. South Korea was formerly an HBV-endemic area, but the epidemiology of HBV infection was changed by the introduction of vaccination in 1983 and nationwide immunization in 1995. The government and the private sector made efforts to reduce the prevalence of HBV infection, and Korea is on target to meet the World Health Organization goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. To eliminate hepatitis worldwide, the costs of antiviral treatment to prevent perinatal HBV transmission in pregnant women with high viremia should be covered by a national program, and strategies to reduce the prevalence of HBV infection in immigrant populations are needed.

Efficacy of long-term tenofovir disoproxil fumarate therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients with partial virologic response in real practice

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The optimal management of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with partial virologic response (PVR) to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of prolonged TDF therapy in treatment-naïve CHB patients with PVR to TDF therapy in real practice.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated the efficacy of prolonged TDF therapy in treatment-naïve CHB patients with PVR to TDF. PVR was defined as a decrease in serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA over 2 log10 IU/mL from baseline, with detectable HBV DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction at week 48.

RESULTS

We included 232 patients who underwent TDF therapy for over 48 weeks. Forty-two patients (18.1%) showed PVR. In multivariate analysis, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positivity, and high levels of serum HBV DNA at baseline and week 12 were independent predictive factors for PVR during TDF therapy. Out of 42 patients with PVR, 39 (92.9%) achieved virologic response (VR) during continuous TDF treatment; the cumulative VR rates at 24, 36, and 48 months were 79.8%, 88.2%, and 95.6%, respectively. With an additional 12 months of therapy, VR was achieved in 28/31 (90.3%) patients with HBV DNA < 100 IU/mL, compared to 5/11 (45.5%) patients with HBV DNA ≥ 100 IU/mL, at week 48.

CONCLUSION

The vast majority of patients achieved VR through prolonged TDF therapy, thus TDF treatment can be maintained in nucleos(t)ide-naïve patients with PVR at week 48, especially in those with low viremia.

[An expert consensus for the adjustment of treatment strategies in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with non-first-line nucleos(t)ide analogues]

Oral nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) is one of the main and efficient way for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Considering the antiviral potency and drug resistance of domestic and foreign guidelines, NAs are divided into first-line and non-first-line drugs. "An Expert Consensus for the Adjustment of Treatment Strategies in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Treated with Non-first-line Nucleos(t)ide Analogues," is mainly aimed at those patients who are currently using non-first-line NAs drugs. In addition, how to standardize the adjustment to first-line NAs drugs of choice, which can strengthen the effectiveness of initial antiviral treatment to obtain better antiviral efficacy, and improve patient compliance, coinciding with the avoidance of occurrence of serious drug adverse reactions in patients with CHB is presented.

Low vitamin D levels are associated with high viral loads in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Previous studies have investigated the vitamin D status in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its relationship with HBV replication, the results however were inconsistent. The present meta-analysis was carried out to compare the vitamin D levels between patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and healthy controls, and to determine whether vitamin D levels were correlated with HBV viral loads significantly.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted via PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library to identify eligible studies until September 28, 2017. We calculated pooled mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to quantitatively estimate the difference of vitamin D levels between CHB patients and controls. In addition, correlation between serum vitamin D levels and HBV viral loads was defined by summary correlation coefficient (r value) and the corresponding 95% CI.

Results

A total of 7 studies involving 814 CHB patients and 696 healthy controls were included. A significantly decreased vitamin D levels was found in CHB patients compared with healthy controls: pooled MD (95% CI) was − 2.03 ng/mL (− 2.60, − 1.46). Latitude-stratified subgroup analysis indicated this difference was more obvious in low latitude areas, with a bigger pooled MD (95% CI) of − 2.72 ng/mL (− 4.57, − 0.87). In addition, we observed an inverse correlation between serum vitamin D levels and HBV viral loads: pooled r (95% CI) was − 0.41(− 0.54, − 0.27).

Conclusions

Our results showed that vitamin D levels were lower in CHB patients than that of healthy controls and inversely correlated with HBV viral loads, although future comprehensive studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12876-019-1004-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Treatment Outcome and Renal Safety of 3-Year Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Preserved Glomerular Filtration Rate

Background/Aims

To investigate the treatment efficacy and renal safety of long-term tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with preserved renal function.

Methods

The medical records of 919 CHB patients who were treated with TDF therapy were reviewed. All patients had preserved renal function with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 60 mL/min/1.73 m².

Results

A total of 426 patients (184 treatment-naïve and 242 treatment-experienced) were included for analysis. A virologic response (VR) was defined as achieving an undetectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level, and the overall VR was 74.9%, 86.7%, and 89.4% at the 1, 2, and 3-year follow-ups, respectively. Achieving a VR was not influenced by previous treatment experience, TDF combination therapy, or antiviral resistance. In a multivariate analysis, being hepatitis B e antigen positive at baseline and having a serum HBV DNA level ≥2,000 IU/mL at 12 months were associated with lower VR rates during the long-term TDF therapy. The overall renal impairment was 2.9%, 1.8%, and 1.7% at the 1, 2, and 3-year follow-ups, respectively. With regard to renal safety, underlying diabetes mellitus (DM) and an initial eGFR of 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m² were significant independent predictors of renal impairment.

Conclusions

TDF therapy appears to be an effective treatment option for CHB patients with a preserved GFR. However, patients with underlying DM and initial mild renal dysfunction (eGFR, 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m²) have an increased risk of renal impairment.

Is HBV viral load at admission associated with development of acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with acute decompensation of chronic hepatitis B related cirrhosis?

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is one of the most common precipitating events associated with acute decompensation (AD) or acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related cirrhotic patients. However, whether their serum HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) levels are associated with ACLF incidence and short-term mortality rate is still ambiguous.

Methods

The ACLF incidences, 28-day and 90-day liver transplantation (LT)-free mortality rates, previous nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NUCs) treatments and serum HBV DNA levels at admission (ad-levels) of 111 hospitalized patients with AD of CHB-related cirrhosis were analyzed.

Results

43 (38.7%) patients developed ACLF. The 28-day and 90-day LT-free mortality rates of the ACLF cases were 15.4 and 40.9%, respectively. Though NUCs inhibited HBV replication effectively, there were no differences in the ACLF incidence between antiviral treatment-naïve patients and NUCs treatment-experienced patients with or without interruptions (37.5, 41.7 and 45.5%, respectively, P>0.05). The serum HBV DNA ad-level was similar between the patients with and without ACLF development (logarithms: 4.50 ± 1.96 vs 4.32 ± 1.99; ≥2000 IU/ml: 67.4% vs 67.6%; both P>0.05), so was between the ACLF patients died or survived in 28 or 90 days (logarithms: 4.31 ± 1.91 vs 5.54 ± 2.53, 4.81 ± 1.76 vs 4.84 ± 2.40, respectively, both P>0.05).

Conclusion

Serum HBV DNA ad-level and previous NUCs treatment are not associated with incidence of ACLF and short-term mortality rate in the hospitalized patients with AD of CHB-related cirrhosis.

[Efficacy and safety of Entecavir monotherapy switched from Lamivudine combined Adefovir Dipivoxil for chronic hepatitis B virus-related compensated liver cirrhosis]

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of de novo combination of Lamivudine(LAM) and Adefovir Dipivoxil (ADV) therapy counter to Entecavir (ETV) monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)- related compensated liver cirrhosis. Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis B-related compensated cirrhosis who were initially treated with LAM and ADV for more than 1 year were randomly assigned to two groups, one half replaced with ETV monotherapy, and the other half continued LAM and ADV co-therapy. Liver biochemistry, renal biochemistry, estimated glomerular filtration rate, alpha-fetoprotein, HBV serology markers and serum HBV DNA were measured every 3 months. Urine β2-microglobulin was measured every 6 months And retinol binding protein, followed up for 3 years. The mean values of the two groups were compared with t-test, and the rate of comparison was analyzed by x2 test. Results: A total of 580 cases were collected, 290 cases were replaced with ETV monotherapy, the other 290 patients continued to LAM and ADV combination therapy. In the ETV group, the rates of HBV DNA negative conversion at 1 year, 2 years and 3 years were 77.6%, 84.5% and 94.5% respectively, while the HBV DNA negative conversion rates at 1, 2 and 3 years in the LAM and ADV combination groups were 69.3%, 73.4% and 80.3% respectively. Among them, the negative rates of HBV DNA in the second year and the third year were P < 0.05, the difference was statistically significant. The 3-year cumulative gene-resistant rate in the ETV group was 1.4%, while the combined treatment was as high as 8.6%, and the difference was statistically significant in the two groups. The estimated value of serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate in ETV group was followed by 3 years, and the baseline level was maintained, in the same group, the serum creatinine was higher than baseline, and the estimated value of glomerular filtration rate decreased. The results showed that there were 6.2%, 12.1%, 22.1% and 0, 0.3%, 1%, respectively, in 1, 2 and 3 years for the group of consecutive treatment and the replacement of ETV Group. The estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased by more than 30% compared with the baseline. The difference was statistically significant; the proportion of serum creatinine in the 1 year, 2 years and 3 years of the combined treatment group was 1.7%, 4.5% and 6.6%, compared with the baseline rise of > 50 μmol/l, and the ETV group was replaced in the 1 year, The values of 2 and 3 years were 0,0,0.7%, of which the 2nd and 3rd years were statistically significant; the proportion of microalbuminuria and retinol-binding protein in patients with combined treatment group was also significantly higher than that of Β2-m ETV Group. Conclusion: The initial combination of LAM and ADV therapy is inferior in terms of ETV monotherapy. Single therapy with ETV increase the rate of viral response, reduce the incidence of drug resistance, and also reduce the incidence of renal impairment in patients with chronic hepatitis B -related compensated liver cirrhosis.

[New serological markers as a monitoring indicator for clinical cure of chronic hepatitis B]

The elimination of hepatitis B virus is not straightforward in chronic hepatitis B patients. A prolonged treatment and chance of recurrence after stopping the drug is a matter of concern for majority of specialists and patients. The traditional monitoring indicators and new serological markers for strengthening the determination of standard antiviral treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has an important meaning towards clinical treatment and treatment protocol guiding regulations.

[Predictive value of single nucleotide polymorphisms of HLA-C and UBE2L3 in evaluating the effect of telbivudine antiviral therapy during pregnancy]

Objective: To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of rs3130542 and rs4821116 in the HLA-C and UBE2L3 genes and the effect of telbivudine antiviral therapy during pregnancy in HBeAg-positive mothers through a large-sample control study, and to provide a basis for the development of individualized blocking strategies for pregnant women with a high viral load. Methods: The genotypes of rs3130542 and rs4821116 were determined for 312 pregnant women with a high viral load who received telbivudine antiviral therapy during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, and the dominant model, recessive model, and additive model were used to analyze the association between the genotypes of these two loci and the reduction in HBV DNA load. The Shapiro-Wilk test and the Levene test were used to evaluate data normality and homogeneity of variances, and the t-test or the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was selected based on data type and was used for the comparison of means between groups. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was used to determine the genotype of SNPs, and the dominant model, recessive model, and additive model were used for analysis. Results: Mothers with an AA/AG genotype of rs3130542 in the HLA-C gene had a significantly higher probability of HBV DNA load ≥10(3) IU/ml at the time of delivery (P < 0.05) and a significantly higher risk of failure in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, no matter whether they started to take telbivudine at week 24 or 28 of pregnancy. The association between the genotype of rs4821116 in the UBE2L3 gene and the reduction in viral load in pregnant women needed to be confirmed by studies with a larger sample size. Conclusion: Pregnant women with a high viral load and an AA/AG genotype of rs3130542 in the HLA-C gene tend to have poor response to antiviral therapy during pregnancy, and early antiviral intervention is recommended for such patients.

[Clinical effect of 156-week telbivudine sequential therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal response to pegylated interferon-α-2a therapy]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of 156-week telbivudine sequential therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal response to pegylated interferon-α-2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a) therapy. Methods: A total of 35 HBeAg-positive CHB patients with HBV DNA < 500 IU/ml who were treated with Peg-IFN-α-2a for 48 weeks and did not experience seroconversion of HBeAg were given telbivudine sequential therapy for 156 weeks. HBeAg clearance rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBV DNA clearance rate, safety, and drug resistance rate were analyzed. The t-test was used for the analysis of continuous data and the chi-square test was used for the analysis of categorical data. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for HBeAg seroconversion. Results: Telbivudine sequential therapy achieved an ideal HBeAg seroconversion rate of 87.88% with good tolerability and low drug resistance. The HBeAg clearance rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate increased over the time of treatment and were 45.45% and 45.45%, respectively, at 24 weeks and 93.94% and 87.88%, respectively, at 156 weeks. No patient had virologic breakthrough or HBsAg clearance during treatment. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline HBsAg level (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.404, P = 0.003) and > 0.5 lg IU/ml reduction in HBeAg at 24 weeks (HR = 2.196, P = 0.048) were predictive factors for HBeAg seroconversion at 156 weeks. Conclusions: In HBeAg-positive CHB patients with suboptimal response to Peg-IFN-α-2a therapy, 156-week telbivudine sequential therapy has a good clinical effect and can be used as an optimal regimen for such patients.

[Study on the correlation of the effect of entecavir on Th1/Th2 cytokines level in the treatment of chronic hepatitis]

Objective: To explore the expression level of peripheral blood Th1/Th2 type cytokines of chronic hepatitis b (CHB) patients in the entecavir (ETV) antiviral treatment, analyze the relationship between various cytokines, and the correlation among of cytokines and HBV DNA loads. Methods: Luminex Liquid Chip Technology was applied to detect the peripheral blood Th1/Th2 type cytokines expression level of CHB patients; At the same time, liver function was detected by Fully Automatic Biochemical Analyzer; HBV DNA loads were detected by PCR Method; Hepatitis b virology markers were detected by Chemiluminescence Method. F-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: Before ETV antiviral treatment, peripheral blood Th1 cytokines IFN gamma expression level in patients with CHB increased significantly (P = 0.010) compared with the healthy control group while TNF alpha expression level having no statistically significant difference (P = 0.095); Th2 type cytokines IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 levels decreased obviously (P = 0.039, P = 0.014, P = 0.026) compared with those in the control group. After 48 weeks of treatment, Th1 cytokines IFN gamma and TNF alpha expression levels were reduced significantly (19.2±5.03 pg/ml vs 24.69±6.51 pg/ml, and 6.09±4.99 pg/ml vs 9.50±7.34 pg/ml, P < 0.001, and P = 0.016) compared with that before treatment; Th2 type cytokines IL-4, IL-6 expression level increased significantly (33.86±22.47 pg/ml vs 21.32±12.84 pg/ml, and 11.65±6.91 pg/ml vs 8.51±4.94 pg/ml, P = 0.004, and P = 0.029) compared with that before treatment while IL-10 expression level having no statistical significance (P = 0.081). There was disorder and irregularity in the correlation between the levels of Th1/Th2 type cytokines. And there was no correlation between the various cytokines and HBV DNA loads in patients with CHB. Conclusion: ETV can not only inhibit HBV DNA replication, reducing HBV DNA loads, but also contribute to regulate Th1/Th2 type cytokines expression level in patients with CHB, but there was no correlation between the levels of various cytokines, various cytokines and HBV DNA loads.

[Clinical effect and safety of pegylated interferon-α-2b injection (Y shape, 40 kD) in treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of long-acting pegylated interferon-α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 μg/week) in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a as positive control. Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial. Eligible HBeAg-positive CHB patients were screened out and randomized to Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) trial group and Peg-IFN-α-2a control group at a ratio of 2:1. The course of treatment was 48 weeks and the patients were followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Plasma samples were collected at screening, baseline, and 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 weeks for centralized detection. COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test was used to measure HBV DNA level by quantitative real-time PCR. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay with Elecsys kit was used to measure HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe). Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary outcome measure was HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 24-week follow-up, and non-inferiority was also tested. The difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate after treatment between the trial group and the control group and two-sided confidence interval (CI) were calculated, and non-inferiority was demonstrated if the lower limit of 95% CI was > -10%. The t-test, chi-square test, or rank sum test was used according to the types and features of data. Results: A total of 855 HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled and 820 of them received treatment (538 in the trial group and 282 in the control group). The data of the full analysis set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 27.32% in the trial group and 22.70% in the control group with a rate difference of 4.63% (95% CI -1.54% to 10.80%, P = 0.1493). The data of the per-protocol set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 30.75% in the trial group and 27.14% in the control group with a rate difference of 3.61% (95% CI -3.87% to 11.09%, P = 0.3436). 95% CI met the non-inferiority criteria, and the trial group was non-inferior to the control group. The two groups had similar incidence rates of adverse events, serious adverse events, and common adverse events. Conclusion: In Peg-IFN-α regimen for HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the new drug Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.

[Compare the effect of combined therapy between telbivudine plus adefovir dipivoxil and lamivudine plus adefovir dipivoxil corresponding to renal function in patients with hepatitis B virus infection]

Objective: To compare the effect of combined therapy using lamivudine (LAM) plus adefovir (ADV) versus telbivudine (LdT) plus adefovir corresponding to the renal function of CHB patients. Methods: A total of 120 patients with chronic hepatitis B were enrolled. According to single daily dosing, they were divided into 4 groups: LdT + ADV group (n = 32), ADV+LdT group (n = 28), LAM + ADV group (n = 38) and ADV + LAM group (n = 22). Hepatorenal function, HBV serological markers, HBV DNA quantification, creatine kinase (CK) and other parameters were examined every 3 months. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization rate, undetectable HBV DNA rate, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion rate, level of serum creatinine (CR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed at baseline time, and at weeks 24 and 52.Stastical data were analyzed by t- test and analysis of variance, count data using χ (2) test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the four groups in terms of ALT normalization rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, undetectable HBV DNA rate at 24 and 52 weeks. Compared with baseline, at 24 weeks of treatment, there was no significant change in serum creatinine and eGFR in the 4 groups, but after 52 weeks of treatment, serum creatinine decreased in LdT + ADV and ADV + LdT groups and eGFR increased (P < 0.05); Serum creatinine in ADV and ADV + LAM increased, and eGFR was decreased than before (P < 0.05). After treatment, there was no significant difference in renal function between the four groups at 24 weeks, but at week 52, eGFR increased and serum creatinine decreased in LdT + ADV group compared with LAM + ADV group (P < 0.05); ADV + LdT Compared with ADV + LAM group, eGFR increased and serum creatinine decreased (P < 0.05). At 52 weeks of treatment, 5 patients with mildly impaired renal function in the ADV + LdT group [n = 10, eGFR 60-90 ml·min(-1) ·(1.73 m(2))(-1)] returned to normal, and none of the ADV + LAM group (n = 9) returned to normal. Conclusion: For patients with mild impaired renal function, adding LdT combined with ADV can improve renal function compared to that of LAM plus ADV.

[Clinical observation of continuous and intermittent application of lamivudine or entecavir resistance mutations in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To observe continuous and intermittent application of lamivudine or entecavir resistance mutations in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: Data of patients with active stage of chronic hepatitis B over the past 6 years were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The incidence of drug resistance mutation and related factors between patients taking LAM or ETV continuously and intermittently were compared with those taking LAM or ETV. Data comparison was performed using χ(2) test. Results: Patients with HBV DNA≥10(5) copies / ml at the time of initial treatment had higher resistance mutation rates than those with HBV DNA < 10(5) copies / ml at either continuous or intermittent treatment, and patients with intermittent treatment had higher resistance mutation rates than those with continuous treatment. Simultaneously, the incidence of drug resistance mutation in LAM and ETV in the first, second and third years were significantly higher in intermittent treatment than that of continuous treatment (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the frequency of drug withdrawal and the rate of drug resistance mutation. There were no individual difference and drug difference between LAM and ETV. Conclusion: In the treatment of chronic hepatitis B with oral nucleoside analogues, drug resistance may occur in either continuous or intermittent treatment. When comparing continuous with intermittent treatment, it suggests that intermittent is more likely to cause viral resistance mutation.

[Relationship between the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression and antiviral efficacy of nucleos(t)ide and interferon alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of poor response of nucleoside and interferon therapy in some patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the negative regulatory factor of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression in the interferon-signaling pathway. Also, study the clinical relationship between SOCS3 and antiviral efficacy of nucleoside and interferon. Methods: Peripheral blood and matched liver tissue samples from 54 CHB patients who participated in the OSST study were selected. HBsAg was measured at different time points (baseline and weeks 12, 24, 36, and 48) to observe the antiviral efficacy. Meanwhile, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of SOCS3 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and matched liver tissues (baseline and 48 weeks). At the end of the 48-week treatment, patients with HBsAg negative or HBeAg seroconversion were defined as response group, and vice versa. Paired t-tests were used to compare normal distribution variables and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the median differences between groups of non-normally distributed variables. Results: After 48 weeks of treatment, serum HBsAg levels in the Peg-IFN group continued to decline (average decrease of 1.14 log(10) IU / ml at week 48; P = 0.001 compared with baseline), while the entecavir group remained almost unchanged during treatment (average decrease was 0.05 log(10) IU / ml at week 48; compared with baseline P = 0.12). The expression of SOCS3 mRNA (Messenger RNA, mRNA) in peripheral blood and liver tissues of non-responder group was significantly higher than the response group in the course of Peg-IFNα2a treatment. The immunohistochemical results of liver tissue showed that the expression of SOCS3 in the non-responder group was significantly higher than that in the response group at baseline (P = 0.027). After 48 weeks of treatment with Peg-IFNα2a, the expression of SOCS3 in the non-responder group was significantly higher than that in the baseline and response groups (P = 0.003, P = 0.012, respectively). Conclusion: The expression of SOCS3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and liver tissues of non-responding CHB patients was significantly higher than that of responding CHB patients during interferon and nucleoside antiviral therapy. We speculated that SOCS3 might affect the antiviral efficacy through negative regulation of JAK-STAT signaling pathway, and partly expose the mechanism of interferon resistance.

[Value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in predicting hepatitis B-related liver failure]

Objective: To investigate the value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting hepatitis B-related liver failure. Methods: A total of 349 subjects were enrolled, among whom 60 were healthy persons who underwent physical examination (group A), 111 had severe chronic hepatitis B (group B), 92 had decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis (group C), and 86 had acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) (group D). Routine blood test results, liver function parameters, and coagulation parameters were collected, and NLR was calculated. According to disease progression, group B was further divided into groups B1 (with progression to ACLF) and B2 (without progression to ACLF). NLR was compared between groups, and its prognostic value was evaluated. Results: NLR was 2.22(1.76-3.05) in group A, 2.54(1.78-3.49) in group B, 3.07(1.95-5.04)in group C, and 3.41(2.01-5.15) in group D, and NLR gradually increased with the aggravation of disease condition. The univariate and multivariate regression analyses of groups B1 and B2 showed that NLR and prothrombin activity were prognostic factors for disease progression. There was a significant difference in baseline NLR between groups B1 and B2 (3.87 ± 1.54 vs 2.71 ± 1.54, P = 0.004). There was a significant increase in NLR when severe hepatitis B in 16 patients progressed to ACLF (P = 0.042). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the cut-off value of NLR for predicting the progression of severe hepatitis B to ACLF was 2.79, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.739 (P = 0.002). NLR was also a reference index for judging end-stage liver disease with a cut-off value of 3.94 (AUC = 0.612, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Peripheral NLR can reflect disease progression and predict the development of liver failure.

[Clinical effect of entecavir versus tenofovir in treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with a high viral load: a comparative analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in the treatment of previously untreated HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with a high viral load. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 152 HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load (HBV DNA≥10(6) IU/ml) who were firstly treated with ETV (ETV group) or TDF (TDF group), with 76 patients in each group. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA, HBeAg, anti-HBe, creatinine, and creatine kinase were measured at baseline, and the patients were followed up and evaluated at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and 96 of treatment. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze cumulative complete virologic response, HBeAg seroconversion, and ALT normalization rate. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for virologic response. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were no significant differences in ALT normalization rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 of treatment (18.1%/55.6%/83.3%/90.3%/93.1%/97.2% vs 16.0%/53.6%/75.4%/94.2%/100%/100%, P > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in virologic response rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 48 and 96 of treatment (89.5%/97.3% vs 93.4%/98.7%, P > 0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that the baseline parameters were not predictive factors for virologic response. At week 48 of treatment, the TDF group had a significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than the ETV group (14.5% vs 3.9%, P = 0.048); at week 96 of treatment, there was no significant difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate between the two groups (15.8% vs 7.9%, P = 0.132). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in cumulative ALT normalization rate, cumulative HBV DNA undetectable rate, and cumulative seroconversion rate. Only one patient in the ETV group experienced virologic breakthrough from weeks 60 to 72 of treatment, and there were no serious adverse reactions. Conclusion: TDF and ETV had similar clinical effects, HBeAg seroconversion rate, and safety in previously untreated HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load.