TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chronic Hepatitis B Treatment A1 - Dienstag, Jules L. A2 - Jameson, J. Larry A2 - Fauci, Anthony S. A2 - Kasper, Dennis L. A2 - Hauser, Stephen L. A2 - Longo, Dan L. A2 - Loscalzo, Joseph PY - 2018 T2 - Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e AB - Although progression to cirrhosis is more likely in severe than in mild or moderate chronic hepatitis B, all forms of chronic hepatitis B can be progressive, and progression occurs primarily in patients with active HBV replication. Moreover, in populations of patients with chronic hepatitis B who are at risk for HCC (Chap. 78), the risk is highest for those with continued, high-level HBV replication and lower for persons in whom initially high-level HBV DNA falls spontaneously over time. Therefore, management of chronic hepatitis B is directed at suppressing the level of virus replication. Although clinical trials tend to focus on clinical endpoints achieved over 1−2 years (e.g., suppression of HBV DNA to undetectable levels, loss of HBeAg/HBsAg, improvement in histology, normalization of ALT), these short-term gains translate into reductions in the risk of clinical progression, hepatic decompensation, HCC, liver transplantation, and death; regression of cirrhosis and of esophageal varices have been documented to follow long-term pharmacologic suppression of HBV replication. In addition, restoration of impaired HBV-specific T-cell function has been shown following successful suppression of HBV replication with antiviral therapy. To date, seven drugs have been approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis B: injectable interferon (IFN) α and pegylated interferon (long-acting IFN bound to polyethylene glycol, PEG [PEG IFN]) and the oral agents lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, telbivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1178426858 ER -