Research recommendation(s) from an individual piece of guidance
- Guidance:
- Hepatitis B (chronic): diagnosis and management
- Date issued:
Research recommendations coming out of this guidance
- Stopping antiviral treatment in HBeAg-negative disease:- Further research should be undertaken to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) quantitative assays in determining treatment duration in hepatitis B e antigen- (HBeAg) negative disease.
- ALT values for children and young people:- Further research should be undertaken to examine whether the upper limit of normal ALT values for adults (below 30 IU/ml for males and below 19 IU/ml for females) are appropriate for use in children and young people with chronic hepatitis B when making decisions on when to initiate treatment.
- Long-term safety of tenofovir disoproxil in chronic hepatitis B:- Further research should be undertaken to determine the long-term safety of tenofovir disoproxil, including the risk of clinically significant hypophosphataemia and related bone toxicity, in people with chronic hepatitis B. The cost effectiveness of routine monitoring for phosphate loss and bone disease in people with chronic hepatitis B who are receiving tenofovir disoproxil treatment needs further evaluation.
- Prophylactic treatment in people receiving immunosuppressive therapy:- Further research should be undertaken to determine whether long-term use of mild immunosuppressive agents for autoimmune and allergic problems presents a risk for reactivation of HBV infection in people with previous or current chronic hepatitis B, including occult HBV infection. The cost effectiveness of routine tests for HBV in this population, including HBV DNA for occult HBV infection, and the need for prophylactic treatment with nucleoside or nucleotide analogues needs further evaluation.