Research advances in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the immune tolerance stage of chronic hepatitis B virus infection / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Patients in the immune tolerance stage of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are in a state of high viral replication and low inflammation in the liver, and they often have no disease progression. Therefore, antiviral therapy is not recommended in related guidelines. Recent studies have found that the patients in the immune tolerance stage have immune response and liver injury, which is a risk factor for liver cancer, and therefore, antiviral therapy should be actively initiated to prevent disease progression. This article summarizes the research advances in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the immune tolerance stage of chronic HBV infection and points out that there are still controversies over the application of antiviral therapy in such patients. Appropriate timing of antiviral therapy has a great significance in improving patients’ prognosis and reducing their economic burden.