Functional Cure of Chronic Hepatitis B with Antiviral Treatment in Children having High-level Viremia and Normal or Mildly Elevated Serum Aminotransferase

• DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2023.00014
• Publication Date: 2023-04-10T06:20:41Z
• Authors: Jing Li; Peiyao Fan; Zhiqiang Xu; Yi Dong; Fuchuan Wang; Weiguo Hong; Jinfang Zhao; Yinjie Gao; Jianguo Yan; Lili Cao; Chao Zhang; Shishu Zhu; Fu-Sheng Wang; Min Zhang
• Keywords: Viremia; Seroconversion; HBeAg; Hepatitis B; Nucleoside analogue

There is a lack of data supporting the notion that antiviral treatments can benefit children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) having high viremia and normal or mildly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. We aimed to analyze efficacy in CHB explore factors associated functional cure.Forty-eight ALT levels were screened this real-world study. Thirty-two received either interferon-alpha (IFN-α) monotherapy, IFN-α therapy nucleoside analog (NA) add-on, NA combination therapy. The 16 control group did not receive treatment. All 48 available for follow-up assessments entire 36-month study period. identified cure respect virus (HBV) DNA loss, loss /seroconversion circulating e antigen (HBeAg), surface (HBsAg) without seroconversion. Cox regression analysis was employed evaluate may have influenced cure.After 36 months, cumulative rate 56.25% (18/32) treated 0% (0/16) (p<0.001). In group, HBV declined rapidly at end 6-month visit cured achieved 100% (18/18) within months beginning treatment, compared 64.29% (9/14) uncured rates HBeAg seroconversion significantly higher among than maintained positive both HBsAg during Functional younger ages (1-6 vs. 7-14 years, p=0.013), CD8+ T lymphocyte counts (p=0.013), (p=0.003). No serious adverse events observed.Antiviral treatment proportion high-level Younger age peripheral cure.