Purpose: The emergence of antiviral resistance can negate the benefits of antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to assess how physicians in Asia manage suspected antiviral resistance.
Methods: Randomly selected CHB-treating physicians in Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand underwent a face-to-face interview. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess how physicians identify, monitor, and manage suspected resistance and its associated medical costs.
Results: We interviewed 575 physicians from January to May 2008. Most physicians preferred a "prevention-of-antiviral resistance" strategy over a "rescue-once-resistance-develops" strategy. Physicians had encountered lamivudine resistance most frequently (96-100% of respondents), followed by the resistance to adefovir (18-58%) and entecavir (3-7%). While physicians in South Korea and Taiwan have access to resistance testing, physicians in Mainland China and Thailand have limited access to resistance testing but rely on HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) tests to identify resistance. Once resistance is suspected, 60% of the physicians in Mainland China, South Korea, and Thailand monitored these patients quarterly and the remaining 40% opted for monthly follow-up. In comparison, 70% of the Taiwanese physicians monitored these patients monthly. The average total direct medical costs, excluding antiviral costs, to manage a patient during the first year after suspected resistance is identified ranged from USD $319 to USD $709.
Conclusions: Limited access to HBV resistance tests causes physicians in Asia to manage suspected resistance by various HBV DNA assays and ALT tests. This raises concerns that resistance may not be detected early enough to be rescued efficiently.