BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Childhood acquired chronic hepatitis B is associated with a significant lifetime risk of developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Our objective in this study was to report retrospectively the response to treatment with Entecavir in 8 children with chronic hepatitis B followed at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is an observational hospital based chart review of children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis B treated with entecavir at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in the period between June 2007 and July 2011. RESULTS: Half of the studied group was males, and the median age at the time of treatment was 4.8 years (range, 2.6-15). All subjects displayed infection with HBV genotype D and all were HBeAg positive. Half of the patients had been previously treated with lamivudine, while the remaining half was treatment naïve patients. The mean ALT±SD was 84.9±34.7IU/L (range, 46-133) and the mean HBV DNA was 5.01×10(8)±5.7×10(8) IU/mL (range, 5.5×10(7)-1.3×10(9)). Patients were treated with a daily oral dose of 0.5mg entecavir, and the mean duration of treatment was 23.8±11.9 months, (range 14.9-44.7 months). HBV DNA suppression of more than 2 log(10) was achieved in all patients. HBV DNA was undetected in 37.5%, with ALT normalization in 87.5% and lastly HBeAg seroconversion and loss occurred in 37.5%. No adverse side effects were observed during the treatment with entecavir. CONCLUSION: We conclude from this limited data that 37.5% of children treated with entecavir achieved HBeAg loss and seroconversion with no side effects observed during treatment period, however long term safety and efficacy in children should be demonstrated through a multicenter study, enrolling large number of patients.
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Childhood acquired chronic hepatitis B is associated with a significant lifetime risk of developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Our objective in this study was to report retrospectively the response to treatment with Entecavir in 8 children with chronic hepatitis B followed at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is an observational hospital based chart review of children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis B treated with entecavir at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in the period between June 2007 and July 2011. RESULTS: Half of the studied group was males, and the median age at the time of treatment was 4.8 years (range, 2.6-15). All subjects displayed infection with HBV genotype D and all were HBeAg positive. Half of the patients had been previously treated with lamivudine, while the remaining half was treatment naïve patients. The mean ALT±SD was 84.9±34.7IU/L (range, 46-133) and the mean HBV DNA was 5.01×10(8)±5.7×10(8) IU/mL (range, 5.5×10(7)-1.3×10(9)). Patients were treated with a daily oral dose of 0.5mg entecavir, and the mean duration of treatment was 23.8±11.9 months, (range 14.9-44.7 months). HBV DNA suppression of more than 2 log(10) was achieved in all patients. HBV DNA was undetected in 37.5%, with ALT normalization in 87.5% and lastly HBeAg seroconversion and loss occurred in 37.5%. No adverse side effects were observed during the treatment with entecavir. CONCLUSION: We conclude from this limited data that 37.5% of children treated with entecavir achieved HBeAg loss and seroconversion with no side effects observed during treatment period, however long term safety and efficacy in children should be demonstrated through a multicenter study, enrolling large number of patients.
Authors: Kyung Jae Lee; Byung Ho Choe; Jae Young Choe; Ju Young Kim; In Sook Jeong; Ju Whi Kim; Hye Ran Yang; Ju Yuong Chang; Kyung Mo Kim; Jin Soo Moon; Jae Sung Ko Journal: J Korean Med Sci Date: 2018-02-19 Impact factor: 2.153