Exploring potential Hepatitis B treatment choices: Tenofovir Alafenamide or Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

Rui Liu et al. scrutinized the efficacy of two leading treatments: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) for chronic hepatitis B in a recent study issued in Medicine, Baltimore.

This comprehensive analysis of 241 chronic hepatitis B cases from January 2020 to December 2021, compared the efficacy of TAF and Tenofovir DF. The patients were divided into a TAF group of 180 and a Tenofovir DF group of 61, whose liver function, viral markers, clinical outcomes, adverse effects and cost-effectiveness were assessed.

Before treatment, both groups exhibited similar levels of liver enzymes—aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin. Post-treatment, significant reductions in alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and total bilirubin levels were observed in both groups, though differences between TAF and Tenofovir DF groups were insignificant.

The clinical cure rates did not vary significantly, yet lower adverse reaction rates were noted in TAF group than in the other group. Despite TAF's higher median drug cost, cost-effectiveness analysis discovered its similarity to Tenofovir DF.

To sum up, both TAF and Tenofovir DF therapies were effective in enhancing liver function and fostering patient recovery, supporting the treatment goals for chronic hepatitis B. Especially, TAF exhibited a superior safety profile than Tenofovir DF, potentially influencing treatment decisions moving forward.