Entecavir treatment for chronic hepatitis B infection in end‐stage renal disease and kidney transplantation

• Published in: Dialysis & transplantation 2010-09, Vol.39 (9), p.397-400
• Main Authors: Ridruejo, Ezequiel, Adrover, Raúl, Alonso, Cristina, Mandó, Oscar G., Silva, Marcelo O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiviral agents; Chronic infection; DNA; End-stage renal disease; Hemodialysis; Hepatitis B; hepatitis B e antigen; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Hepatitis B virus; Immunosuppressive agents; Kidney diseases; Kidney transplantation; Lamivudine; Renal function; Seroconversion
• ISSN: 0090-2934; 1932-6920; 1932-6920
• DOI: 10.1002/dat.20485

BACKGROUND The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is high in patients with end‐stage renal disease and in kidney transplant recipients, and there is little experience with treatment using the newer antiviral drugs. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of entecavir in HBV infection in this difficult‐to‐treat population. METHODS Eleven male patients—1 with stage 4 chronic kidney disease, 7 undergoing hemodialysis, and 3 kidney transplant recipients‐were included in the study evaluation. Six were treatment naïve, and 5 were lamivudine resistant. Entecavir was administered at a dose of 0.1–1 mg qd according to the patients' renal function. All were HBsAg positive: 9 were HBeAg (+)/antiHBe (−), and the remaining 2 were HBeAg (−)/antiHBe (+). RESULTS After a median treatment of 2 ± 0.86 years, entecavir therapy was associated with a significant decrease in HBV DNA viral load: it was 6.84 ± 1.45 log10 UI/mL (range 5.21–9.04) at baseline and at the time of evaluation had dropped to 1.73 ± 2.11 log10 UI/mL (range