Clinical features of adverse reactions associated with telbivudine

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 14; no. 22; pp. 3549 - 3553
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xue-Song, Jin, Rui, Zhang, Shi-Bin, Tao, Ming-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Department of GI and Hepatology, Beijing Youan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China 14.06.2008; The WJG Press and Baishideng
• Subjects: Adult; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - chemically induced; Creatine Kinase - blood; Drug Synergism; Hepatitis B, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis B, Chronic - drug therapy; Humans; Interferons - adverse effects; Interferons - therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Weakness - chemically induced; Neuralgia - chemically induced; Nucleosides - adverse effects; Nucleosides - therapeutic use; Pyrimidinones - adverse effects; Pyrimidinones - therapeutic use; Rapid Communication; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Telbivudine; Thymidine - analogs & derivatives; 替比夫定; 线粒体; 药物反应; Mitochondria; Nucleoside analogue; Adverse drug reaction; Telbivudine; Hepatitis B
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.3549

AIM： To analyze the clinical features and risk factors of adverse reactions associated with telbivudine. METHODS： Clinical data were collected from cases that presented with serious adverse reactions to telbivudine. We analyzed general information and medicine status, clinical features, results of examination, and misdiagnosis. RESULTS： Out of 105 patients who were treated with telbivudine for hepatitis B in an outpatient department from January, 2007 to January, 2008, five presented with serious adverse drug reactions. Most of these five patients had used other nucleoside analogues in the past. Four were treated with a combination of telbivudine and interferon or another nucleoside analogue, while the other received an increased dose of telbivudine. The main adverse reactions were myalgia and general weakness. This was accompanied by cardiac arrhythmia in one patient, and nervous symptoms in three. Serum creatine kinase was elevated. The rate of misdiagnosis was high. CONCLUSION： The adverse reactions were related to telbivudine, but the biological mechanism of the reactions is not yet clear. Combination therapy with interferon or another nucleoside analogue and a high dose may increase the risk of adverse reactions.