Efficacy of entecavir treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis B

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of entecavir treatment up to 96 weeks for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). MethodsThe study recruited 62 CHB patients who were admitted to or hospitalized at the Taixing People′s Hospital from July 2011 to July 2014. The patients were treated with entecavir (0.5 mg/d) for 96 weeks of antiviral therapy. All the patients were divided into HBeAg-positive (n=43) and HBeAg-negative groups (n=19). The HBV DNA load was higher than 106 copies/ml in 38 patients and lower than 106 copies/ml in 24 patients. The efficacy of entecavir in the two groups was compared at 24, 48, and 96 weeks of treatment. Between-group comparison of categorical data was performed by χ2 test. ResultsAt 24, 48, and 96 weeks of treatment, the HBeAg-positive group had a significantly lower HBV DNA clearance rate than the HBeAg-negative group (34.88% vs 78.95%, P=0.003; 65.12% vs 89.47%, P=0.047; 74.42% vs 100%, P=0.038); there was no significant difference in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization rate between the two groups (P=0.102, 0.779, and 0.638). Patients with a HBV DNA load of ＞106 copies/ml had a significantly lower HBV DNA clearance rate than those with a HBV DNA load of ＜106 copies/ml at 24, 48, and 96 weeks of treatment (34.21% vs 70.83%, P=0.005; 57.89% vs 95.83%, P=0.001; 76.32% vs 95.83%, P=0.002); there was no significant difference in ALT normalization rate between the two groups (P=0.940, 0.150, and 0.280). ConclusionEntecavir has a high antiviral activity in the treatment of CHB, which can suppress HBV replication and concurrently improve liver function