Stop-and-watch strategy after cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy in HBeAg-negative patients

Since Hadziyannis et al [1] reported a high off-therapy HBsAg loss rate (5-year 39%) in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients, cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogue (Nuc) as a strategy to increase subsequent HBsAg loss has been examined by several groups of investigators [2 –4]. The tenofovir (TDF) study of Berg et al [5] in this Journal is the first randomized controlled trial on this specific issue. Although the number of patient was small, this important study has provided data of well controlled head to head comparison to confirm and extend the pivotal observatio n of Hadziyannis et al [1] that stopping antiviral therapy in HBV DNA suppressed HBeAg-negative patients may increased subsequent HBsAg loss rate.
Source: Journal of Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research