Antiviral Therapy for a Postpartum Flare in Women with Chronic HBV Infection Shortens the ALT Recovery Time and Reduces Hepatitis Re-Flare Rates within 4 years

Background. Few studies explored whether anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy should be initiated during postpartum hepatitis flare. Aim. This study aimed to analyze the effect of anti-HBV therapy on postpartum hepatitis flare and evaluate the prognosis within 4 years postpartum. Methods. This retrospective study enrolled hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive pregnant women with HBV DNA ≥ 106 IU/mL. A total of 152 pregnant women were included: 103 in the prophylactic anti-HBV therapy group (PT-G) and 49 in the non-prophylactic anti-HBV therapy group (NPT-G). The women with a postpartum flare were assigned to the anti-HBV therapy group (AT-G) and non-anti-HBV therapy group (NAT-G) to analyze the effect of postpartum anti-HBV therapy on hepatitis flare. Virological and biochemical parameters were assessed. Results. Taking postpartum 12 weeks as the cutoff point, the ALT recovered time for postpartum flare women is shorter in AT-G (n = 16, 42.1%) or PT-G (n = 23, 34.8%) than in NAT-G (n = 14, 23.0%; x2 = 4.067, P=0.044) or NPT-G (n = 4, 11.1%; x2 = 5.579, P=0.018). Taking postpartum 26 weeks as the cutoff point, the ALT recovered time is shorter in AT-G (n = 35, 57.3%) or PT-G (n = 44, 66.7%) than in NAT-G (n = 32, 84.2%; x2 = 7.707, P=0.006) or NPT-G (n = 16, 44.4%; x2 = 4.749, P=0.029). Postpartum flare recovery time was positively correlated with HBV DNA level at delivery [r = 0.223, P=0.025, 95%CI (0.022～0.41)]. The hepatitis re-flare rates within postpartum 4 years in AT-G (n = 3, 9.68%) is lower than that in NAT-G (n = 24, 45.4%; x2 = 14.003, P≤0.001). The HBeAg, HBsAg, HBV DNA, and ALT level at postpartum 4 years in AT-G were lower than that in NAT-G (P