In clinical practice, establishing a subsequent optimum treatment for
chronic hepatitis B patients with a history of multiple
NAs treatment failures, including a suboptimal response to a final
therapy with combined ETV and ADV, is a complicated but crucial challenge. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of a
tenofovir rescue regimen in these patients. A total of six eligible patients were enrolled and were switched to a
tenofovir rescue regimen. At baseline, the genotypes and genotypic mutations of the
reverse transcriptase and surface gene were determined by ultra-deep pyrosequencing, and further clonal analyses of the
reverse transcriptase domain were performed to identify multidrug-resistant HBV strains. In addition, HBV
DNA levels, serology, and biochemistry parameters were monitored at baseline and every 3 months, and abdominal ultrasonography was performed at baseline and every 6 months. All patients were confirmed to harbor
LAM-related resistant HBV strains. After switching to the
tenofovir rescue treatment, all patients had an undetectable level of HBV
DNA within 6 months and achieved normalization of the ALT level within 9 months. These virological and biochemical responses persisted until the end of the observation period. None of the patients developed
clinical deterioration or any adverse events related to the
tenofovir therapy during the median 16.5-month follow-up. In conclusion, the
tenofovir rescue regimen can be employed confidently as a highly effective and safe treatment choice following a suboptimal response to ETV plus ADV
therapy for a subset of
chronic hepatitis B patients with a history of multiple unsuccessful
antiviral treatments.