Truvada Effective in Lowering Viral Load in Young Adults with High Viral Load

[The_PS]

An international study found the antiviral combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine (Truvada) was most effective in treating younger adult hepatitis B patients with high viral load and normal ALT levels.

Doctors historically have not treated this group because there appeared to be no sign of liver damage. However, doctors now know that high viral loads may increase patients’ risk of liver damage and cancer as they age, despite their normal ALT levels.

Most participants in the study were Asian and the average age was 33. Nearly all were HBeAg-positive and had HBV DNA levels at around 10 million IU/mL. Sixty-four patients were treated with tenofovir (300 mg daily) and 62 were treated with the combination pill containing tenofovir (300 mg) and emtricitabine (200 mg).

After 192 weeks of treatment, 55% of patients treated with just tenofovir and 76% of patients treated with the combination Truvada pill had nearly undetectable HBV DNA levels (less than 69 IU/mL). None of the patients developed drug resistance.

HBeAg seroconversion (loss of HBeAg and development of “e” antibodies) occurred in three patients in the tenofovir group. None of the patients in either group lost HBsAg.

Researchers reported that women in the study fared better than men from either treatment and that Truvada was superior to tenofovir alone in lowering viral load. However, HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg clearance rates remained low in both groups, according to their report published in the January 2014 issue of the journal Gastroenterology. (1)

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24462735

[The_PS]

Thanks stef, for shedding some light on this.

[stef2011]

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hepatitis-b/hepatitis-b-topics/hbv-treatment/4073-easl-2013-truvada-works-best-for-immune-tolerant-hepatitis-b-patients-but-do-they-need-treatment

these are the comments from easl where study was presented but first of all do immune tollerant patients need treatment?

no, not this type of treatment because hbvdna makes no damage for them while truvada makes a lot of damage since they are young and they sum truvada toxicity on kidneys and mitocondrial toxicity without any effect on the virus

[The_PS]

Hi stef,

Here is conclusion from this study

"In HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection, high viral loads, normal levels of ALT, and therapy with the combination of TDF and emtricitabine provided better viral suppression than TDF alone, although rates of HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg loss were low."

[stef2011]

yes but what about conclusions of this study which i see not reported here?it was a failure in the conclusions report, none developed any immunity so relapsed stopping truvada which cant be obviously taken for life, treatment during immune tollerant phase by truvada is a failure