Entecavir Therapy in Turkish Adult Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B: One-Year Results from Izmir Province, Turkey

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we aimed to present the initial results of chronic hepatitis B patients who received entecavir (ETV) therapy in our hospital in Izmir, Turkey. METHODS: A total of 52 patients were enrolled in the study. ETV was given in a dosage of 0.5 mg/day and 1 mg/day to 50 patients without Lamivudine/Adefovir (LAM/ADV) resistance and to 2 patients with LAM resistance, respectively. ETV was given in a dose of 0.5mg/day every three days to one patient with a renal transplant. The treatment duration was 48 weeks. RESULTS: Out of a total of 52 patients, 23 (44.23%) were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive, and 29 (55.77%) of them were HBeAg-negative. In 29 HBeAg-negative patients, early biochemical and virological responses were 82.6% and 100%, respectively. These responses were 97% and 79.3% in the 12th month. In HBeAg-positive patients, early biochemical and virological responses were found to be 78.3% and 82.6%, respectively. They were 100% and 52.2% in the 12th month. HBeAg s oconversion developed in 4.5% of HBeAg-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: According to our one-year ETV treatment results, both HBeAg-negative and -positive patients had high biochemical and virological response rates. Their HBeAg seroconversion rate was 4.5%. In conclusion, more studies of longer duration are needed to understand the required duration of treatment, to assess its long-term effectiveness, and to check the resistance and side effects of ETV. There is also a need to have late-phase results after treatment.