Efficacy of antiviral treatment on patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure with low viral load.

Abstract

To investigate the efficacy of antiviral treatment on patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure with low viral load. 352 patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure including 175 cases of low HBV viral load and 177 cases of high HBV viral load were enrolled into this study. The patients were divided into the antiviral group which received antiviral therapy (Lamivudine, Entecavir or Telbivudine) plus routine supportive therapy and the control group which received supportive therapy only. The clinical features and the 24-week short-term efficacy of antiviral therapy were assessed. At week 24,total survival rate in antiviral group was higher than that in control group (P = 0.010). The survival rate of patients with low viral load in the antiviral group was higher than that in the control group (P = 0.001). But there was no significant difference between the antiviral group and the control group with high viral load (P = 0.856). But in the antiviral group, there was no significant difference in survival rate between the patients with high HBV viral load and those with low viral load (P = 0.755). Antiviral therapy can significantly improve survival rate of patients of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure with low viral load. Liver failure;