BackgroundRenal safety is a critical issue in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving long-term entecavir (ETV) or tenofovir disofuroxil fumarate (TDF) therapy. We investigated their effects on estimated glomerular ltration rate (eGFR).
MethodsTreatment-naïve CHB patients receiving ETV or TDF for ≥1 year were recruited. The eGFR was assessed using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. We calculated average annual percent change (AAPC) in eGFR using Joinpoint regression.
ResultsAt beginning of observation, ETV group had unfavorable conditions than TDF group: lower eGFR and higher FIB-4 and APRI than TDF group (all P<0.001). After 6 years antiviral therapy, the mean eGFR in ETV group (n=1,793) was maintained (96.0 at rst year to 95.6 mL/min/1.73 m 2 at sixth year; AAPC -0.09%; P=0.322), whereas that in TDF group (n=1,240) signi cantly decreased annually (101.9 at rst year to 96.9 mL/min/1.73 m 2 at sixth year; AAPC -0.88%; P<0.001). Notably, in TDF group, even patients without diabetes (AAPC -0.80%; P=0.001) or hypertension (AAPC -0.87%; P=0.001) experienced signi cant decrease in eGFR. Expectably, accompanying diabetes (AAPC -1.59%; p=0.011) or hypertension (AAPC -1.00%; p=0.002) tended to accelerate eGFR decrease. TDF treatment (odds ratio 1.66, P<0.001), along with eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , serum albumin<3.5 mg/dL, and hypertension, were independently associated with ongoing renal dysfunction, de ned as a negative slope of the mean eGFR change.
ConclusionsCompared to ETV, long-term TDF treatment induced slow, but progressive renal dysfunction. Although the annual eGFR change by TDF was small, careful monitoring is necessary, especially in patients requiring life-long therapy.