OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) treatment and to assess the long-term outcomes, including survival, liver function improvement and virologic response, in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

METHODSPatients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores more than or equal to 7, who had been treated with either lamivudine or other agents, but who were free of co-infection with other hepatitis virus were enrolled between January 2005 and December 2009. The study participants were subgrouped according to the antiviral drugs received or model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score for comparative analyses.Additionally, the 19 patients who were treated with NA for more than 5 years were investigated for changes in biochemical and virological indices, before and after the antiviral treatment.

RESULTSA total of 166 patients (125 males; 89 e-negative) and 52 untreated healthy patients (as control) were analyzed.The cohort of patients receiving antiviral therapy had significantly better 5-year actuarial survival than the untreated patients (74.1% vs.34.9%, P less than 0.001). For patients with MELD score more than or equal to 18, actuarial survival was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.073).

CONCLUSIONAntiviral therapy significantly increases survival and improves the clinical long-term outcome of patients with HBV-induced decompensated cirrhosis.Antiviral treatment should be initiated at an early stage to maximize benefit in the improvement of clinical status.