Efficacy and drug resistance profiles of nucleosides retreatment in nucleoside experienced chronic hepatitis B patients / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and drug resistance profiles of nucleosides (NA) retreatment in NA experienced chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Methods Totally 104 NA experienced CHB subjects were enrolled in this study.All these subjects had received at least 3 months NA monotherapy and stopped the treatment,and then received NA retreatment for at least one year.The subjects were divided into three groups according to the following criteria:reached the therapy endpoint of China guideline when they stopped NA-naive treatment (group A,n =39); did not reach the therapy endpoint when they stopped NA-naive treatment but hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA＜1.0× 103 copy/mL (group B,n=33); and with HBV DNA＞1.0× 103 copy/mL (group C,n=32).The efficacy and drug resistance profiles of retreatment were compared among three groups. The effects of baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels,HBV DNA levels and HBeAg titers on the retreatment efficacies were analyzed. The mutations of HBV P gene were detected by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing.The data were analyzd by Wilcoxon test and x2 test.Results The time to ALT normalization in patients with baseline ALT＜ 1.3 × upper limit normal (ULN) was shorter than that in patients with ALT≥1.3×ULN (2 months vs 4 months; Z=2.281,P=0.023).The time to virological response in patients with baseline HBV DNA＜5 lg copy/mL was shorter than that in patients with HBV DNA≥5 lg copy/mL (1 month vs 2 months; Z=2.054,P =0.040). The time to virological response and ALT normalization in baseline HBeAg negative were both shorter than those in patients with baseline HBeAg positive patents ( 1 month vs 3 months and 2 months vs 4.5 months,respectively; Z=2.580 and 2.304,respectively; both P＜0.05). The subjects in group A achieved virological response and HBeAg seroconversion after retreatment earlier compared to previous NA-naive therapy ([1.61 ± 1.76] months vs [3.48±4.066]months and [3.38 ± 3.34] months vs [9.92-11.22] months,respectively; Z=-2.854 and-1.094,respectively; both P＜0.05).The cumulative HBeAg seroconversion rate in group A was higher compared to those in group B and group C (80.0％ vs 36.8％ and 37.5％,respectively; x2 =4.368 and 5.100,respectively; both P＜0.05).Thirteen patients developed clinical resistance and four of them developed genotypic resistance proved by PCR direct sequencing.Among the patients retreated with the same regimen as previous in the C group,the cumulative resistance rate was highest compared to group A and B (44％ vs 9％ and 0,respectively; x2 =5.019 and 6.588,respectively;both P＜0.05).No resistance was detected in the 14 patients retreated with combined NA treatment without cross resistance.Conclusions For NA experienced CHB patients who fulfill the indication of antiviral therapy,the retreatment should be started as earlier as possible. Retreatment with NA combination without cross resistance can prevent (reduce) the risk of developing drug resistance.