The factors predicting the efficacy of telbivudine in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

Objective To study the efficacy of telbivudine in 48-week treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and to find the factors that predict the efficacy of the treatment.Methods 78 patients with HBeAg-positive CHB were treated with Telbivudine, 100mg daily for 48 weeks.Their gender, age, ALT and HBV DNA baseline and early virologic response (after 12 weeks of treatment, HBV DNA negative) were selected for predictive factors and their impact on the efficacy of the treatment was analyzed.Results Gender, age had no correlation with HBV DNA negative conversion after treatment for 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48 weeks (P>0.05) .HBV DNA negative conversion rates after treatment for 24, 36 and 48 weeks were higher in 5ULN≤ALT≤10ULN group than those in 2ULN≤ALT≤5ULN group respectively (P<0.05, P<0.01) .The ALT normalization rate and HBV DNA negative conversion rate of HBV DNA 106-105copies/ml group were higher than those of HBV DNA >107copies/ml group respectively (P<0.05) .The ALT normalization rate and HBV DNA negative conversion rate of the early virologic response group were higher than those of non-responded group (after treatment for 12 weeks HBV DNA≥500copies/ml) at week 48 (P<0.05) .Conclusion ALT, HBV DNA baseline and early virological response can be used to predict the anti-HBV efficacy of Telbivudine.