Liver Int. 2018 Jul 27. doi: 10.1111/liv.13938. [Epub ahead of print]
The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma within and beyond the first 5 years of entecavir in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Kim BG1, Park NH1, Lee SB1, Jeon S2, Park JH1, Jung SW1, Jeong ID1, Bang SJ1, Shin JW1.
Author information
1
Department of Internal Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
2
Statistical Consulting Laboratory Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS:
The development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has decreased due to potent antiviral agents. However, it remains uncertain whether the risk of HCC will diminish after long-term antiviral therapy in Asia, where CHB is endemic and vertical transmission is common. This study aimed to compare the incidence of HCC within and beyond the first 5 years of entecavir (ETV) in treatment-naïve Korean patients with CHB.
METHODS:
We performed a retrospective observational analysis of data from 894 consecutive, adult patients with CHB undergoing ETV treatment at a tertiary referral hospital in Ulsan, Korea from January 1, 2007 through April 31, 2017. We compared the HCC incidence rates per 100 person-years within and beyond the first 5 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses for factors predictive of HCC were performed.
RESULTS:
The incidence rate of HCC in patients with CHB did not differ statistically when we compared within and beyond the first 5 years of ETV therapy (2.29% vs. 1.66% per person-year, p = 0.217). Failure to achieve maintained virologic response (MVR) was a major independent risk factor for HCC in patients at a follow-up of <5 years. In contrast, in patients with a follow-up of ≥5 years, achieving MVR was not significantly associated with HCC development.
CONCLUSIONS:
The incidence rate of HCC may not change significantly before and after 5 years of ETV therapy in Korean CHB patients. The risk of HCC in Asian CHB patients may remain in the long term. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Antiviral Therapy; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Liver Cirrhosis