Antiviral treatment standards for hepatitis B: An urgent need for expansion

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 418 - 420
• Main Authors: Bao, Zi-Hong, Dai, Zhi-Kun, Tang, Hao-Xian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 28.01.2024
• Subjects: Hepatitis B virus; Chronic hepatitis B; Serum alanine aminotransferase; Liver-related mortality; Letter to the Editor; Antiviral treatment criteria
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i4.418

The present letter to the editor is related to the review with the title "Past, present, and future of long-term treatment for hepatitis B virus." Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) represents an important and pressing public health concern. Timely identification and effective antiviral therapy hold the potential to reduce liver-related mortality attributable to chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) substantially. However, the current global treatment rates for CHB remain conspicuously low, with the excessively stringent treatment criteria advocated by national CHB guidelines being a contributing factor to these low rates. Nevertheless, recent strides in comprehending this malady and the emergence of novel antiviral agents prompt the imperative re-evaluation of treatment standards to extend the sphere of potential beneficiaries. An impending need arises for a novel paradigm for the classification of patients with CHB, the expansion of antiviral treatment eligibility for HBV-infected individuals, and even the streamlining of the diagnostic process for CHB to amplify cost-effectiveness and augment survival prospects.