Incidence and Predictors of Relapse After Stopping Antiviral Therapy in Pediatric Chronic Hepatitis B

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the incidence of relapse after stopping antiviral therapy and to identify the predictors of relapse. Methods: All HBsAg positive children with who had been on antivirals for at least 2 years with undetectable HBV-DNA and normal alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) on three consecutive occasions over last 12 months were included. Antivirals were stopped if liver biopsy showed histological activity index 2000 IU/mL) and biochemical relapse (ALT levels >2 × upper limit of normal (ULN)). Those having biochemical relapse were started on pegylated interferon alpha-2b based sequential therapy. Results: Antivirals were stopped in 31 HBsAg positive children. Virological and biochemical relapse was seen in 12 (38.7%) and 5 (16.1%) children within 12 months of stopping antiviral treatment. Majority of virological relapse occurred within a month and biochemical relapses within 6 months of stopping therapy. HBeAg positive status at the time of stopping antiviral therapy (HR: 7.206, p =0.005) and longer time taken for HBV-DNA to become undetectable while on antivirals (HR: 1.030, p=0.037) were found to be the 2 independent predictors of relapse after stopping antiviral treatment. Conclusion: Discontinuation of antiviral treatment in children with CHB resulted in relapse in one third of the patients. Relapse was more common in those with HBeAg positivity at the time of stopping therapy and in those with longer time taken for HBV-DNA to become undetectable on antivirals.