In the treatment of nucleoside analogs, including entecavir, as monotherapy and in combination with antiretroviral agents described cases of lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, sometimes resulting in death of the patient. Symptoms that may indicate the development of lactic acidosis: general fatigue, nausea, vomiting,pain in the abdomen, sudden weight loss, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, muscle weakness. Risk factors are female sex, obesity, long-term use of nucleoside analogs, hepatomegaly. If these symptoms appear or if laboratory confirmation of lactic acidosis is obtained, discontinue drug treatment.
The cases of exacerbation of hepatitis after the abolition of antiviral therapy, including entecavir, are described. Most of these cases were without treatment. However, severe exacerbations, including fatal ones, can develop.
The causal relationship of these exacerbations with the withdrawal of therapy is unknown. After discontinuation of treatment, it is necessary to periodically monitor liver function. If necessary, antiviral therapy can be resumed.
Patients with concomitant hepatitis B / HIV infection
It should be borne in mind that with the appointment of entecavir, patients with a co-infected HIV infection who do not receive antiretroviral therapy may have a risk of developing resistant strains of HIV. Entecavir It has not been studied for the treatment of HIV infection and is not recommended for this use.
Patients with concomitant hepatitis B / hepatitis C / hepatitis D infection
Data on the efficacy of entecavir in patients with co-hepatitis B / hepatitis C / hepatitis D there are no infections.
Patients with decompensated liver damage.
There was a high risk of developing serious side effects on the part of the liver, in particular in patients with decompensated liver damage of Class C according to the Child-Pugh classification.
Also, these patients are more at risk of developing lactic acidosis and such specific side effects from the kidney as hepatorenal syndrome. In this regard, close monitoring of patients for the detection of clinical signs of lactic acidosis and renal dysfunction should be carried out, and appropriate laboratory tests should be performed in this group of patients (hepatic enzyme activity, lactic acid concentration in blood, serum creatinine concentration) .
Lamivudine-resistant patients
The presence of resistance mutations in hepatitis B virus to lamivudine increases the risk of development of resistance to entecavir. In this regard, lamivudine-resistant patients require frequent monitoring of the viral load and, if necessary, an appropriate examination to identify mutations of resistance.
Patients with impaired renal function
For patients with impaired renal function, correction of the dosing regimen is recommended.
Patients who underwent liver transplantation
The safety and efficacy of entecavir in patients who underwent liver transplantation are unknown. Kidney function should be carefully monitored before and during treatment with entecavir in patients who underwent liver transplantation and receiving immunosuppressants that can affect kidney function, such as ciclosporin and tacrolimus.
General information for patients
Patients should be informed that therapy with entecavir does not reduce the risk of transmission of hepatitis B and, therefore, appropriate precautions should be taken.
Each tablet contains 120.5 mg (tablets 0.5 mg) or 241 mg (1 mg tablet) of lactose. In this regard, patients with a rare hereditary lactose intolerance, deficiency of lactase or glucose-galactose malabsorption does not recommend taking the drug.