Efficacy of switching to telbivudine plus adefovir in suboptimal responders to lamivudine plus adefovir

Table 2 Virologic, serologic and biochemical responses during study periods n (%)

Variables	Week 12		P value	Week 24		P value	Week 48		P value
	LdT + ADV	LAM + ADV		LdT + ADV	LAM + ADV		LdT + ADV	LAM + ADV
Serum HBV DNA, mean (SD) (log10 IU/mL)	3.05 (1.51)	3.84 (1.35)	0.011	2.79 (1.52)	3.65 (1.44)	0.003	2.85 (1.73)	3.29 (1.49)	0.168
Reductions in HBV DNA1, mean (SD) (log10 IU/mL)	-0.68 (0.83)	0.07 (0.60)	< 0.001	-0.88 (1.06)	-0.11 (0.85)	< 0.001	-0.81 (1.43)	-0.47 (1.04)	0.167
HBV DNA undetectable2	8 (15.1)	1 (1.9)	0.030	12 (22.6)	2 (3.8)	0.004	16 (30.2)	6 (11.5)	0.019
Virologic nonresponders3	-	-	-	33 (62.3)	48 (90.6)	0.001	-	-	-
HBsAg loss	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	-
HBeAg negativity,	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	2 (3.8)	0 (0)	-	3 (5.7)	2 (3.8)	0.648
Normal range of ALT4	39 (73.6)	38 (71.7)	0.828	37 (69.8)	40 (75.5)	0.513	40 (75.5)	38 (71.7)	0.768
ALT normalization5	2/14 (14.3)	6/14 (42.9)	0.209	6/14 (42.9)	5/14 (35.7)	0.704	8/14 (57.1)	3/14 (21.4)	0.053

¹Reduction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA from baseline;

²Defined serum HBV DNA of < 12 IU/mL;

³Defined as a < 1 log₁₀ IU/mL reduction in serum HBV DNA level from baseline at 24 wk;

⁴Upper normal limit of ALT, 40 IU/L;

⁵Among patients who have elevated ALT levels at baseline. ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; LAM: Lamivudine; ADV: Adefovir. HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; HBeAg: Hepatitis Be antigen.