— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
A study of 60 patients who switched from a combination of lamivudine plus adefovir to only tenofovir found the antivirals produced moderate bone-mineral loss and kidney problems.
Italian researchers monitored patients who switched to tenofovir every three months to see what impact the antivirals had on their kidney function. An impaired kidney (renal) function contributes to bone loss, or vitamin D deficiency.
According to their report published in the December issue of the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, kidney function faltered up to six months after switching to tenofovir, and a total of 92.6% of patients had vitamin D deficiency, which resulted from kidney problems.
There had been reduced bone mineral density in 52.7% of patients at baseline (probably resulting from the lamivudine-adefovir treatment), which increased to 77.8% after six months of tenofovir treatment. The patients were given vitamin D supplements to offset that impact.
"In conclusion, patients exposed to lamivudine plus adefovir showed relevant osteorenal (bone loss and kidney) damage," the researchers wrote. The switch to tenofovir slightly worsened their condition, but it stabilized after six months, they found. "The reduced bone mineral density at baseline did not worsen under tenofovir treatment," they concluded.
Labels: lamivudine plus adefovir, osteorenal (bone loss and kidney) damage
