Antiviral Therapy Safely Stopped in HBeAg-Negative Patients with Hepatitis B Infection

Although oral antiviral agents are effective in suppressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients, it is unclear if therapy can ever be stopped. Previous studies observed that viral relapse occurred universally after a short course of treatment (J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2011; 26:456). Long-term suppressive therapy may afford an opportunity to eventually stop treatment.

In this observational study, a group of 33 well-characterized HBeAg-negative patients with HBV infection who had been receiving suppressive therapy with adefovir (10 mg daily) for 4 to 5 years discontinued treatment. Patients were then followed for 5.5 years, with measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B surface antig…