Efficacy of Tenofovir-based Rescue Therapy in Lamivudine-resistant Chronic Hepatitis B Patients With Failure of Lamivudine and Adefovir Combination

Abstract

PurposeIn chronic hepatitis B patients, lamivudine (LAM) and adefovir (ADV) combination therapy is commonly used as a rescue therapy for LAM resistance, but it often results in incomplete viral suppression. We investigated the antiviral efficacy of tenofovir (TDF)/LAM combination therapy versus TDF monotherapy in LAM-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who failed to respond to LAM plus ADV rescue therapy. MethodsAmong 108 patients with LAM-resistant CHB who had a partial virologic response (VR) to LAM and ADV combination therapy, Eighty one patients were finally included in this study. FindingsResistance to ADV (ADV-R) was present in 32 patients (39.5%), and the remaining 49 patients (60.5%) had a partial virologic response to LAM/ADV combination (ADV-P). The study subjects were treated with TDF alone (n=15) or TDF/LAM combination (n=66). VR was achieved in 61 patients (75.3%). The rates of VR at 6 and 12 months were not significantly different between TDF monotherapy and TDF/LAM combination therapy groups (46.7 vs. 68.2% at 6 months, and 66.7 vs. 75.9% at 12 months, log-rank P=0.357). Treatment efficacy of TDF alone or TDF/LAM combination was not statistically different according to pre-existing ADV or LAM resistant strains. In multivariate analysis, absolute HBV DNA levels at the start of TDF rescue treatment (P<0.001; OR, 0.556; 95% CI, 0.422-0.731) were the only significantly associated with VR. ImplicationsTDF monotherapy was as effective as TDF/LAM combination therapy in maintaining viral suppression in patients with LAM-resistant patients who failed to respond to LAM/ADV combination therapy.