Comparison of antiviral effects between telbivudine and entecavirin in the chemotherapy of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma complicated with HBV infection

Objective: To compare the antiviral effects and adverse reactions between telbivudine and entecavirin in the chemotherapy of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL) complicated with hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection.Methods: The levels of HBV DNA in 50 patients with NHL complicated with HBV were from 2×10³ to 2×10⁴ IU/mL before chemotherapy.The patients were treated with cytoxan,hydroxyrubicin,oncovin and prednisone(CHOP) combined with telbivudine(600 mg/d) or entecavir(500 mg/d) for 6 cycles.The rates of reactivation of HBV replication,virological breakthrough related-hepatitis flare,primary drug nonresponse,liver failure and adverse reaction between 2 kinds of antiviral drugs treatment were compared.Results: Mild adverse events in two groups were found,the difference of which was not statistically significant(P>0.05).The primary drug nonresponse and liver failure in two groups were not found.The differences of the reactivation of HBV replication and hepatitis flare between two groups after 2 and 4 cycles of chemotherapy were not statistically significant(P>0.05).After 6 cycles of chemotherapy,the incidences of reactivation of HBV replication and hepatitis flare in the patients treated with telbivudine and entecavir were 28.0% & 32.0% and 4.0% & 8.0%,respectively.The difference of the incidence of hepatitis flare between two groups were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusions: The effects of telbivudine and entecavir in preventing liver failure and primary drug nonresponse in NHL complicated with HBV patients with 2×10³ to 2×10⁴ IU/mL of HBV DNA before treatment are good and safe.The hepatitis flare rate in patients treated with telbivudine is higher than that in patients treated with entecavir.