Author information
1Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea.
2Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
3Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
4Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, South Korea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM:
Entecavir (ETV) induces biochemical and histologic improvement of the liver in patients with chronic hepatitis B. This study aimed to confirm that 2 years of ETV treatment improves liver function and non-invasive fibrosis markers in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated cirrhosis.
METHODS:
A total 472 naïve patients with HBV-associated cirrhosis was treated with ETV for at least 2 years, between March 2007 and December 2012. Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh (CP) score were used to evaluate the improvement of liver function. Aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB-4 index, and fibrosis index (FI) were used to evaluate the improvement of fibrosis.
RESULTS:
The final 370 of 472 patients with HBV-associated cirrhosis were enrolled. Mean age was 51 ± 10 years and 240 patients (64.9%) were men. The distribution of CP class was 71.1% in A, 24.6% in B, and 4.3% in C. Mean MELD and CP score changed over the study period from 8.5 ± 4.6 to 6.2 ± 4.2 (P < 0.001) and from 6.2 ± 1.6 to 5.6 ± 0.9 (P < 0.001), respectively. APRI, FIB-4 index, and FI changed from 3.6 ± 4.5 to 1.5 ± 1.5 (P < 0.001), from 7.0 ± 6.2 to 3.9 ± 2.8 (P < 0.001), and from 3.3 ± 0.9 to 2.5 ± 1.1 (P < 0.001), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
After 2 years of treatment, entecavir improves liver function and non-invasive fibrosis markers in patients with HBV- associated cirrhosis.