Clinical course of partial virological responders under prolonged entecavir monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Studies about long‐term entecavir (ETV) therapy for partial virological response (PVR) are lacking. This study aimed to assess the clinical course of PVR patients receiving ETV therapy and analyze the efficacy of tenofovir (TDF). We retrospectively evaluated 130 patients who showed a PVR to ETV. Among these patients, 102 were nucleot(s)ide analogue (NUC)‐naïve and 28 were lamivudine (LAM)‐experienced. The cumulative rates of VR were 54.1%, 70.8%, and 83.7% for the NUC‐naïve group and 37.0%, 42.8%, and 42.8% for the LAM‐experienced group after 24, 36, and 48 months of ETV therapy, respectively (P = 0.008). Low HBV DNA level at 12 months (P