Virologic Outcome of Using Tenofovir/Emtricitabine to Treat Hepatitis B in HIV-Coinfected Patients

Abstract

Goal . To study the effect of combination antiviral therapy with tenofovir and emtricitabine or lamivudine with and without prior monotherapy with lamivudine. Study . We reviewed charts of 31 HIV-/HBV-coinfected patients. Twelve 3TC-naïve patients initially received tenofovir plus emtricitabine. Nineteen epivir experienced patients who had previously failed epivir were given tenofovir plus emtricitabine. Results . Baseline median HBV DNA was similar in the epivir-naïve (5 . 8 × 10 7 copies/mL) and experienced group (7 . 3 × 10 7 copies/mL, P = . 65 ). The median time to complete suppression of HBV was 466 days in the naïve group and 877 days in the experienced ( P = . 001 ). After 12 months, 6/10 (60%) naïve patients and 3/14 (21%) experienced patients had HBV DNA below the detectionlimit ( P = . 067 ). After 24 months, 5/5 (100%) naïve patients and 4/13 (31%) experienced patients had an undetectable HBV DNA level ( P = . 015 ). Conclusions . The median time to suppression of HBV DNA was significantly shorter among treatment naïve patients. There was a significantly greater proportion of naïve patients with suppressed HBV DNA at 24 months. Our results support using initial dual therapy in those with HIV/HBV coinfection.