Antiviral drugs for HBV liver disease

Mauro Viganò1, Pietro Lampertico

  • 1Hepatology Unit, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Via San Vittore 12, Milan, Italy.

Insights

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) management has advanced with pegylated interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs). While effective, long-term safety and resistance remain key challenges for CHB treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) affects 400 million globally, a leading cause of mortality.
  • CHB management has rapidly evolved, offering new therapies to prevent disease progression and reduce morbidity/mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize current CHB treatment modalities.
  • To discuss recent advancements and guidelines in CHB management.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current treatment options for CHB.
  • Analysis of recent literature on pegylated interferon and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs).
  • Discussion of 2009 AASLD and EASL guidelines for CHB management.

Main Results:

  • Pegylated interferon offers short-term sustained virological response in about one-third of patients.
  • NUCs rapidly inhibit HBV replication in most patients with long-term suppressive therapy.
  • Long-term safety and drug resistance are critical unresolved issues for NUC therapy.

Conclusions:

  • Individualized treatment strategies are essential for CHB patients.
  • Patient history, liver disease staging, and virological factors must guide treatment decisions.
  • Careful evaluation is crucial for selecting the most appropriate CHB treatment.
Abstract

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