Christine K Kukka, hbvadvocate.org.
Antivirals reduce death rates among hepatitis B patients: Researchers compared death rates in 472 patients treated with entecavir (Baraclude), 791 patients treated with lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) plus adefovir (Hepsera), and 1,141 untreated HBV patients for up to nine years to see if antivirals extended the lives of people infected with HBV.
Over the course of the study, two patients (0.7%) in the entecavir group died, eight (2.9%) died in the lamivudine group, and 68 (24.9%) died in the control group. The five-year survival rates were 99.1%, 97.6% and 92.2% in the entecavir, lamivudine and control groups respectively.
Japanese researchers concluded that antivirals (especially in cirrhotic patients) greatly reduce death rates in hepatitis B patients.
Control ID 1736731. Long-term nucleos(t)ide analog treatment reduces liver related mortality in chronic hepatitis B patients. (Abstract #925)