Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42780577›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of virology2026

Discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog therapy in hepatitis B e antigen-negative non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients: A real-life study.

Khellaf Amalou, Ryma Rekab, Nada Benmellouka, Boutheina Derbal, Ahlem Belloula, Hana Chetroub, Fadel Sabrina, Farid Belghanem, Khadidja Saidani

Abstract read
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Article in World journal of virology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Khellaf AmalouDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria. amalou_kh@yahoo.fr.
Ryma RekabDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Nada BenmelloukaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Boutheina DerbalDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Ahlem BelloulaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Hana ChetroubDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Fadel SabrinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Farid BelghanemDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.
Khadidja SaidaniDepartment of Gastroenterology, Mohamed Seghir Nekkache, Algiers 16000, Algeria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe discontinuation of nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy remains controversial in hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who have not attained hepatitis B surface antigen loss.

aimTo assess re-treatment rates and risk factors in non-cirrhotic hepatitis B e antigen-negative CHB patients after the cessation of NUC.

methodsDemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were prospectively collected before to and following the discontinuation of NUC.

resultsEighty-seven patients were included in the follow-up from January 2015 to September 2025; 57 were male, with a mean age of 41.3 ± 10.8 years old. The baseline median values of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were 87 IU/L and 37211 IU/mL, respectively. The median histologic fibrosis score was 2. The median length of treatment and consolidation therapy was 69 months and 46 months, respectively. The median duration of follow-up following the cessation of therapy was 39 months. Of the 56 patients deemed qualified for assessment based on the suggested re-treatment criteria, 29 (51.7%) underwent re-treatment. The median duration until relapse was 11 months. The cumulative virological relapse rates, defined as HBV DNA over 2000 IU/mL, were 25%, 52%, 58%, and 61% at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months, respectively. The cumulative retreatment rates at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months were 19%, 25%, 28%, and 35%, respectively. Thirty-eight patients (43%) returned to NUC treatment after an average interval of 9 months (range 1 months to 42 months). The risk factors influencing clinical relapse in patients included gender, baseline HBV DNA levels, treatment method, and ALT and aspartate aminotransferase levels at the end of treatment, Ishak fibrosis score > 2, and at the conclusion of treatment. In multivariate analysis, Ishak fibrosis score > 2 is the unique factor for retreatment.

conclusionIn resource-constrained areas, discontinuing NUC may be considered for early-stage patients with low baseline hepatitis B viral DNA and ALT levels after a lengthy consolidation treatment. A higher pretreatment liver biopsy fibrosis score predicts relapse.

Indexed as

DiscontinuationHepatitis BRelapseRe-treatmentTreatment

Identifiers

PMID42780577
PMCPMC13598475

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.