Enfoque actual del diagnóstico y tratamiento de la Hepatitis B Crónica

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B corresponds to a pathology caused by the hepatitis B virus, a hepadnavirus that multiplies at very high levels and causes mild or severe liver disease. The clinical window of chronic hepatitis B ranges from asymptomatic to progressive liver fibrosis, advanced cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 296 million individuals are presumed to have chronic hepatitis B. According to WHO statistics, the Region of the Americas has 5 million infected. In the country of Ecuador, 187 confirmed cases were reported in 2022 according to the Epidemiological Surveillance Subsystem of immunopreventable diseases. The hepatitis B virus is expected to reach 1.14 million deaths by the year 2035 if no intervention is made. Objective: To describe the current approach to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B through the review of updated scientific articles from the last 5 years, which provide the necessary standards for a correct approach. Methodology: Descriptive study, based on the systematic review of scientific articles in different databases such as Mendeley, Pubmed, Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, among others. Conclusions: In cirrhotic patients with detectable viremia, treatment should be carried out regardless of HBV-DNA or ALT value. In non-cirrhotic patients and in the presence of immunoactivity, the treatment is used.