PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Şahin, Ahmet
AU  - Namıduru, Mustafa
AU  - Balkan, Ayhan
AU  - Karaoğlan, İlkay
AU  - Gülşen, Murat T.
TI  - Assessment of histopathological alterations in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection following long-term oral antiviral therapy
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2018.10.23056
DP  - 2018 Oct 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 999--1005
VI  - 39
IP  - 10
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/10/999.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/10/999.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2018 Oct 01; 39
AB  - Objectives: To evaluate the histopathological changes in the liver after oral antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods: A total of 79 HBeAg-negative and positive patients who had been on lamivudine, entecavir, or tenofovir disoproxil for at least 3 years prior to inclusion were enrolled between March 2015 and 2016, retrospectively. There were 23 patients on lamivudine, 21 patients on entecavir, and 35 on tenofovir. All patients underwent a follow-up liver biopsy. Biochemical, serological, virological and histopathological data were recorded in all patients and were compared after at least 3 years of treatment with oral antiviral agents.Results: Histological activity index scores were reduced in patients who received lamivudine (p=0.011), entecavir (p=0.002), and tenofovir (p=0.001). Also, in contrast with a significant improvement in fibrosis scores in lamivudine (p=0.033) and tenofovir (p=0.001) groups no improvements were found in patients who received entecavir (p=0.090).Conclusion: Long term treatment with oral antiviral agents was associated with biochemical, virological, serological, and histopathological improvements. Long-term use of anti-viral agents as well as continuous suppression of HBV DNA are prerequisites for histopathological improvement.