title: [Efficacy and predictors of the virologic response to entecavir therapy in nucleoside-naive patients with chronic hepatitis B].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to elucidate the antiviral efficacy and the predictors of entecavir treatment in nucleoside-naive chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 160 patients treated with entecavir (0.5 mg daily) for at least 24 weeks were consecutively enrolled. The virologic response (HBV DNA<2,000 copies/mL), biochemical response (ALT< or = upper limit of normal), and virologic breakthrough (>1 log(10) copies/mL increase in HBV DNA level above nadir on two consecutive occasions) were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up duration was 58.8 weeks, and 85 patients (53.1%) showed HBeAg positivity. The median pretreatment levels of serum ALT and HBV DNA were 99 IU/L and 7.6 log(10) copies/mL, respectively. The cumulative rates at 12, 24, 48, and 72 weeks were 37.5%, 68.1%, 87.4%, and 95.8%, respectively, for the virologic response; 40.0%, 66.2%, 84.5%, and 92.7% for the biochemical response; 10.6%, 18.8%, 27.0%, and 34.5% for HBeAg loss; and 3.5%, 7.1%, 9.0%, and 13.2% for HBeAg seroconversion. There was no case of virologic breakthrough. An absence of HBeAg and a low serum HBV DNA level (<8 log(10) copies/mL) at baseline were significant predictors of the virologic response in a multivariate analysis (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Entecavir therapy showed excellent efficacy in nucleoside-naive chronic hepatitis B patients. The predictors of a virologic response were an absence of HBeAg and a low baseline HBV DNA level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.forename: Sook Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jin Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee Sup
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Je Hyuck
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Dong Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nayoung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin Hyeok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Hyub
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase