Meta-Analysis of the Risk for Abnormal Liver Function in Pregnancy with High HBV DNA After Antiviral Therapy...

We aimed to explore the relationship between the withdrawal of antiviral therapy after delivery and the risk for abnormal liver function (ALF) after delivery in pregnant women with high hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA load by meta-analysis, in order to provide the corresponding theoretical basis for further guiding the clinical use of antiviral drugs in such pregnant women.

We searched multiple databases for controlled studies that enrolled pregnant women with chronic HBV infection treated with antiviral therapy from January 1, 2010 to November 1, 2020. Study selection and data extraction were performed by pairs of independent reviewers. The main index was the percentage of ALF higher than the upper limit of normal at 0 to 12 and 12 to 24 weeks after delivery. Meta-analysis was used to compare the risk for ALF after stopping antiviral drugs at different time points following delivery, and subgroup analysis was conducted according to the types of drugs used.

We included 10 studies that enrolled 1080 pregnant women. There were 749 pregnant women in the treatment group and 331 pregnant women in the control group (who were not treated with antiviral therapy). The risk ratio (RR) for ALF in the 2 groups at 0 to 12 weeks after delivery: RR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.71-1.09; at 12-24 weeks: RR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.73, were compared. According to the different types of medication, subgroup analysis showed that the lamivudine treatment group compared with the control group at 0-12 weeks: RR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.26-1.75; at 12-24 weeks, RR = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.11-0.67. The telbivudine treatment group was compared with the control group: at 0-12 weeks: RR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.43-1.39; at 12-24 weeks: RR = 0.62, 95% CI, 0.23-1.64. The tenofovir treatment group was compared with the control group: at 0-12 weeks RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.67-1.55; at 12-24 weeks RR = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.25, 0.99. The lamivudine antiviral treatment group was further analyzed according to different treatment withdrawal time points. Compared with the control group, the immediate withdrawal of lamivudine in labor group at 0-12 weeks RR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11-0.77; at 12-24 weeks RR = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.05-0.88; the results were significantly different. There was no significant difference between the 4-week group and the 4-12 week group and the control group.

In pregnant women with a high HBV DNA load, immediate withdrawal after antiviral treatment in the second or third trimester of pregnancy did not increase the risk for ALF after delivery.