Efficacy of telbivudine versus that of entecavir for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of telbivudine versus those of entecavir for patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.Methods:81 patients were randomized to receive telbivudine(42 patients) or entecavir(39 patients) for 60 weeks.Serum ALT normalization rate,rate of undetectable HBVDNA,HBeAg seroconversion rate were determined at weeks 8,12,24,48,and 60.Results:Serum ALT normalization rate and rate of undetectable HBV DNA did not differ significantly between the two groups at weeks 8,12,24,48,and 60(P0.05) ,nor HBeAg seroconversion rate at weeks 8,12,and 24(P0.05) .HBeAg seroconversion rates was 31.0% in telbivudine group and 15.4% in entecavir group at week 48(P0.05) ,and 35.7% and 25.1% at week 60(P0.05) .Conclusion:Both telbivudine and entecavir have good effect on HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.Telbivudine has higher rate of HBeAg scroconvcrsion than entccavir at weeks 48 and 60.