A controlled trial of acyclovir in stable chronic HBsAg, HBeAg-positive carriers

Abstract

Histological remission is recognised to follow loss of viral replication in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. The aim of antiviral therapies has been to accelerate seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe, but so far none has been shown to be of significant advantage in adequate, controlled trials and toxicity has been common. A randomised controlled trial of acyclovir, 45 mg/kg/day by continuous intravenous infusion for 28 days versus no therapy has been completed in 30 patients positive for HBsAg and HBeAg for a minimum of 6 months. Patients were stratified for sex, histology and homosexual activity. Twenty-eight days therapy was associated with only a modest reduction in serum markers of viral replication. At 12-months DNAp was lost in 5/15 treated and 2/11 of the untreated group, while of the latter, 2 patients initially negative became positive. Seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe had occurred in 4 of 15 treated and 1 of 15 untreated patients (95% confidence limits 12% and 51%) and was associated with histological improvement. Acyclovir had only a weak effect on viral replication and did not significantly accelerate the rate of seroconversion to anti-HBe.