HBV DNA suppression during entecavir treatment in previously treated children with chronic hepatitis B

The aim of this study was to assess HBV DNA suppression after 24 weeks of treatment with entecavir in previously treated children with CHB. Thirty children aged 5–17 years (25 males and 5 females) with CHB were treated with entecavir 0.5 or 1 mg daily. Twenty-two children were HBeAg-positive, eight were HBeAg-negative, and in eight HBV polymerase mutations were detected. After 24 weeks of treatment, mean and median HBV DNA levels and ALT activity were lower versus baseline, overall and in both subgroups. The overall median HBV DNA level decreased from 1.2 x 107 IU/mL to 3.3 x 102 IU/mL (p < 0.000004), in HBeAg-positive from 7.8x107 IU/mL to 6.3x103 IU/mL (p < 0.00004), and in HBeAg-negative from 2.5x104 IU/mL to 5.01x101 IU/mL (p < 0.03). The serum HBV DNA disappearance was observed in 7/8 (88%) HBeAg-negative and in 5/22 (23%) HBeAg-positive patients. The overall mean ALT activity decreased from 164+ 290 U/L to 34.1+ 18.9 U/L (p < 0.000007), in HBeAg-positive from 214+326 U/L to 38.59+19.2 U/L (p < 0.000074), and in HBeAg-negative from 27+14 U/L to 20+8 U/L (p < 0.03). Twenty-four weeks of treatment with entecavir results in suppression of HBV DNA in a substantial proportion of children previously treated ineffectively with CHB.