ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Entecavir (ETV) is a nucleoside analogue (NA) that is effective for treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) due to its low resistance rates and potent antiviral effects. We aimed to evaluate the clinical, biochemical and virological response to ETV in patients without a prior use of nucleos(t)ide (NA-naïve) vs. those who failed prior NA use (NA-experienced) in the treatment of CHB. METHODS: Patients treated between April 2012 and December 2017 were retrospectively studied. A comparison was made between patients treated with ETV in NA-naïve Vs. NA-experienced. Complete virological response (CVR) was defined as achieving undetectable HBV-DNA level, up to 15 IU/ml, partial virological response (PVR) as 15-200 IU/ml and >200 IU/ml for no virological response (NVR) after one year of therapy. RESULTS: Overall, 148 patients were included (69 NA-naïve and 79 NA-experienced). In NA-naïve group, 51%, 17% and 32% achieved CVR, PVR and NVR vs. 17%, 9% and 75% in NA-experienced group, respectively (p < 0.001). HBsAg seroconversion was achieved in 5.8% in NA-naïve group vs. 6.3% in NA-experienced group (p = 1.00). HBeAg seroconversion was 17% in NA-naïve group and 25% in NA-experienced group (p = 0.24). There was no significant difference in alanine transaminase normalization or in mortality rate between both groups; p = 0.87 and p = 1.00 respectively. CONCLUSION: ETV therapy in CHB results in a better virological response in NA-naïve patients compared to NA-experienced. There were no differences between both groups in regards to the rate of HBsAg or HBeAg seroconversions, biochemical improvements or mortality.
