Comparative meta-analysis of adefovir dipivoxil monotherapy and combination therapy of adefovir dipivoxil and lamivudine for lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) monotherapy with that of combination ADV and lamivudine (LAM) therapy in the treatment of LAM-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS

Publications on the effectiveness of ADV monotherapy versus the combination of ADV and LAM therapy for the treatment of LAM-resistant CHB were identified by a search (up to year 2010) of the PubMed, HealthStar, ScienceDirect, and VIP databases. Biochemical response data (alanine aminotransferase normalization rate) and virological response data (serum hepatitis B virus DNA undetectable rate) were extracted and combined to obtain an integrated result.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded 11 articles, six of which reported randomized controlled trials; the remaining five reported prospective cohort studies. The summary odds ratio (OR) values of the biochemical response at 3, 6, 12, and >12 months were 1.60 (p=0.06), 1.30 (p=0.18), 1.77 (p=0.008), and 3.35 (p<0.00001), respectively. The summary OR values of the virological response at 3, 6, 12, and >12 months were 1.46 (p=0.21), 1.68 (p=0.04), 1.16 (p=0.54), and 1.87 (p=0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of the combination therapy was not obviously predominant over the monotherapy in short duration therapies; however, the combination therapy had a great advantage over monotherapy in both biochemical and virological response when the therapy duration was prolonged to >12 months.