title: Continuous long-term entecavir therapy in naïve chronic hepatitis B patients showing partial virologic response.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the efficacy of continuous long-term entecavir 0.5 mg treatment in naïve chronic hepatitis B patients showing a partial virologic response (PVR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 227 patients were included. PVR was defined as a more than 1 log10 IU/mL decline in detectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR; ≥20 IU/mL) at week 48. A complete virologic response (CVR) was defined as undetectable serum HBV DNA by PCR (<20 IU/mL) at week 48.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At week 48, the rate of the PVR was 64/227 (28.2%). Among patients with PVR, the cumulative rates of virologic response (serum HBV DNA <20 IU/mL) at weeks 96 and 144 were 45.2% and 73.8%, respectively. The cumulative rates of genotypic resistance were not significantly different between patients with a PVR and patients with a CVR (p=0.057). However, the cumulative rates of virologic breakthrough were higher in patients with PVR than in patients with CVR (4% vs 0% and 11.2% vs 0% at weeks 96 and 144, respectively; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term continuous entecavir 0.5 mg treatment in patients with a PVR resulted in an additional virologic response without a significant increase in genotypic resistance. However, the rate of virologic breakthrough was higher in the partial responders.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea.
authors: Dae Hun
authors: DH
authors: Kwon
authors: In Hee
authors: IH
authors: Kim
authors: Bum Su
authors: BS
authors: Choung
authors: Dae Seon
authors: DS
authors: Ahn
authors: Sun Ho
authors: SH
authors: Yoo
authors: Sang Bae
authors: SB
authors: Park
authors: Seok
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: Seong Hun
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Sang Wook
authors: SW
authors: Kim
authors: Yong Jin
authors: YJ
authors: Im
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Chronic; Entecavir; Hepatitis B; Partial; Response