Switching to Telbivudine for Hepatitis B e Antigen-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Poor Response to Interferon-Alpha Therapy: A Two-Center Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The long-term efficacy of Telbivudine (LdT) between patients with poor response to interferon-alpha (IFN-α) therapy and those without antiviral history is unknown. Herein, we investigated and compared the outcome of LdT therapy in these patients. Methods: Two groups of Chinese patients who received LdT treatment were enrolled, one with poor response to IFN-α and then switching to LdT (IFN-LdT group), and the other one without antiviral history (LdT group). The data of biochemical, serological and virological responses within 36 months of treatment were collected. Results: The cumulative probability of ALT normalization, HBV DNA undetectability, HBeAg or HBsAg loss, and LdT-resistant mutation at 36 months was not found to be of significant difference between the two groups, respectively. However, the cumulative probability of HBeAg seroconversion at 36 months was 61.55% in IFN-LdT group, which was significantly higher than 40.68% in LdT group (p=0.047). There was significant difference in the cumulative probability of serum HBeAg<100 S/CO (p=0.010) between the two groups. IFN-α treatment (p=0.042) and serum HBeAg<300 S/CO (p=0.031) were identified as independent factors influencing serum HBeAg<100 S/CO. Conclusions: This study revealed that LdT therapy produced a preferable efficacy in IFN-refractory patients than in antiviral-naive patients.