Comparative Study of Telbivudine and Entecavir in the Treatment of Patients with HBeAg-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of telbivudine versus those of entecavir for patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.Methods 48 patients were randomized to receive telbivudine(25 patients) or entecavir(23 patients) for 72 weeks.Serum ALT normalization rate,rate of undetectable HBVDNA,HBeAg seroconversion rate,and safty of the two agents were determined at weeks 4,12,24,48,and 72.Results Serum ALT normalization rate and rate of undetectable HBVDNA did not differ significantly between the two groups at weeks 4,12,24,48,and 72(P0.05),nor HBeAg seroconversion rate at weeks 4,12,and 24(P0.05).HBeAg seroconversion rates was 36.0% in telbivudine group and 8.7% in entecavir group at week 48(P0.05),40.0% and 13.0% at week 72(P0.05).No adverse reactions were found in both groups.Conclusion Both telbivudine and entecavir had a strong antiviral effect on HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.Serum ALT normalization rate,and rate of undetectable HBVDNA did not differ between the patients receiving telbivudine and those receiving entecavir,but telbivudine had a higher rate of HBeAg scroconvcrsion than entccavir at weeks 48 and 72.Both medications had good safty and tolerance.