Management of chronic hepatitis B: experience from China

StephenW

<http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123308914/abstract>

Journal of Viral Hepatitis
Volume 17 Issue s1, Pages 10 - 17
Special Issue: Conquering Hepatitis B: Experience from China
Published Online: 3 Mar 2010
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd


REVIEW
Management of chronic hepatitis B: experience from China

J. Sun and J. L. Hou
Hepatology Unit and Key Lab for Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital,
Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China

Correspondence to Prof. Jinlin Hou, Hepatology Unit and Key Lab for Organ
Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.1838,
Guangzhou Dadaobei, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: [email protected]

Copyright © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

ABSTRACT
Summary. Chronic hepatitis B infection is a significant health problem
throughout the world, and particularly in China. It is estimated that more
than half a million Chinese people die annually from end-stage hepatitis B
complications, which is associated with huge healthcare costs and a heavy
socioeconomic burden. In China, the implementation of a hepatitis B
vaccination programme has come into effect, and there has been a one-third
decrease of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier population since 1992. This
great achievement changes China from a highly endemic area for HBV infection
to an intermediate one. The predominant HBV genotypes in China are B and C,
which might predispose patients to a poor antiviral response. Patients and
physicians from China have been actively involved in the global research into
and development of new antiviral agents. Patients have been recruited for
global and domestic clinical trials on antiviral agents, including lamivudine,
adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, telbivudine and two pegylated interferon-α. In
the future, more important data, focussing on optimization of the efficacy of
antiviral agents, will be released from China, based on the newly launched
National Eleven Five Plan Project on Hepatitis Research. Both economic
development and healthcare system reform, including a new reimbursement
policy, will make antiviral agents more accessible to Chinese patients.
Ultimately, this will allow physicians greater opportunities to follow
international and Chinese treatment recommendations.

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Received August 2009; accepted for publication September 2009
DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)
10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01274

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