阿德福韦酯联合拉米夫定治疗YMDD变异的慢性乙型肝炎疗效相关因素分析

目的研究分析影响阿德福韦（ADV）联合拉米夫定（LAM）治疗YMDD变异的慢性乙型肝炎疗效的相关因素。方法应用ADV联合LAM治疗71例YMDD变异的患者48周,采用Logistic回归分析影响疗效的相关因素。结果治疗48周时,HBVDNA转阴率为78．9％（56／71）,ALT复常率为80．3％（57／71）,HBeAg阳性患者HBeAg转阴或血清转换率为26．7％（12／45）;治疗24周和48周HBVDNA转阴、48周HBeAg转阴或血清转换和48周ALT复常者较相应时间点未转阴者的基线HBVDNA水平低（P〈0．05）;Logistic回归分析结果显示,基线HBVDNA低水平、24周HBVDNA转阴、12周YMDD变异转阴是48周获得较好疗效的相关因素。结论采用ADV联合LAM治疗YMDD变异的慢性乙型肝炎患者,其基线HBVDNA低水平、24周HBVDNA转阴、12周YMDD变异转阴是48周疗效较好的预测因素,发生病毒学突破而无生化学突破的患者早期联合治疗可获得更佳的疗效。     

应用Cox比例风险模型分析抗病毒治疗对慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的影响

目的应用Cox比例风险模型分析核苷（酸）类似物抗病毒治疗对慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的影响。方法选择219例慢性乙型重型肝炎患者,采用Cox比例风险模型对可能影响其预后的因素进行单变量和多变量回归分析。重点分析核苷（酸）类似物抗病毒治疗对慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的影响。结果多变量回归分析结果显示：年龄、肝性脑病、总胆红素、白蛋白、凝血酶原活动度、血尿素氮、核苷（酸）类似物抗病毒治疗具有独立的预后意义（P〈0．05）。纠正混杂因素后,在多变量Cox比例风险模型中比较拉米夫定与恩替卡韦两种药物对慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的影响程度,两者无显著性差异（P〉0．05）;比较在慢性乙型重型肝炎的早期、中期和晚期抗病毒治疗对预后的影响程度,结果在早期和中期抗与不抗病毒治疗有显著性差异（P〈0．05）,但晚期抗与不抗病毒治疗已无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。结论核苷（酸）类似物抗病毒治疗是影响慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的独立因素。较早开始抗病毒治疗可以改善预后。拉米夫定和恩替卡韦均可选用于对这种患者的治疗。     

阿德福韦酯治疗慢性乙型肝炎的临床研究

目的观察阿德福韦酯（ADV）治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎的疗效和安全性。方法将43例慢性乙型肝炎患者分为初始治疗组25例和拉米夫定（LAM）耐药组18例，分别给予ADV 10mg口服，每日1次，治疗48周。结果ADV初治组和拉米夫定（LAM）耐药组患者在治疗48周时，ALT复常率分别为72．0％和66．7％，血清HBVDNA阴转率分别达48．0％和44．4％，HBeAg转阴率分别为28．0％和27．8％，HBeAg／HBeAb血清转换率分别为20．0％和16．7％。两组血清HA、LN和PC3均明显下降，两组差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。两组患者耐受性良好，无明显肾功能损伤等不良反应。结论ADV治疗慢性乙型肝炎，对初治及拉米夫定耐药患者均能有效控制病毒复制，改善肝功能，促使HBeAg血清学转换，长期服药安全性好。     

慢性乙型肝炎治疗中影响HBeAg转阴和定量的有关因素分析

背景：慢性乙型肝炎抗病毒治疗的完全应答包括血清HBVDNA低于检测水平和HBeAg血清学转换,HBeAg是评估乙型肝炎治疗效果和停药的监测指标。目的：探讨替比夫定治疗HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者时影响HBeAg转阴的因素。方法：采用替比夫定治疗156例HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者48周,观察ALT、HBVDNA、HBeAg治疗前后变化,分析治疗前基线HBVDNA载量、ALT水平、HBVDNA降至检测下限的时间对HBeAg转阴和定量的影响。结果：替比夫定治疗48周后,HBVDNA转阴128例（82．1％）,ALT恢复正常153例（98．1％）,HBeAg转阴52例（33．3％）;HBVDNA载量、HBeAg定量、ALT水平均显著降低（P〈0．01）。治疗前HBVDNA〈10^7 copies／mL、ALT≥200U／L组的HBeAg转阴率分别显著高于HBVDNA≥10^7 copies／mL、ALT〈200U／L组（46．4％对23．0％,P〈0．01;55．2％对16．9％,P〈0．叭）,且HBeAg定量显著降低（P〈0．01）。HBVDNA降至检测下限的不同时间组HBeAg转阴率和定量相比差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：基线HBVDNA〈10^7 copies／mL、ALT水平较高、治疗后HBVDNA降至检测下限的时间对替比夫定治疗48周时HBeAg转阴和定量具有明显的影响。     

抗病毒治疗慢性重型乙型肝炎165例临床分析

目的 探讨慢性重型乙型肝炎抗病毒治疗转归的影响因素及抗病毒治疗对其转归的影响.方法 应用回顾性分析的方法,分析165例慢性重型乙型肝炎患者的年龄、凝血酶原活动度(VIA)、血清中HBeAg、抗.HBe滴度,HBVDNA定量,有无并发症,抗病毒治疗等因素与治疗转归的关系.结果 慢性乙型重型肝炎患者随年龄的增加、PTA降低、并发症增多,其死亡率明显增高;慢性乙型重型肝炎患者血清HBVDNA定量＞1×103 copies/ml者其死亡率(52.3%)比HBVDNA＜1×10'copies/ml的死亡率(32.4%)明显升高;HBeAg,抗-HBe的表达对死亡率无影响;2006年应用拉米夫定抗病毒治疗后慢性乙型重型肝炎HBVDNA定量＞1×105 copies/ml的患者其死亡率(30.38%)比2002年未使用抗病毒治疗者(54.64%)明显下降.结论 影响慢性乙型重型肝炎预后的因素除年龄、PTA和有较多并发症外,患者血清中高病毒载量是影响其死亡率的关键因素,及时抗病毒治疗可以降低死亡率.     

阿德福韦酯治疗拉米夫定耐药的慢性乙型肝炎的疗效观察

目的 观察阿德福韦酯（ADV）治疗拉米夫定（LAM）耐药的慢性乙型肝炎的临床疗效和安全性。方法 随机将81例拉米夫定耐药的HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者分为ADV治疗组41例,以ADV联合LAM治疗12周,停用LAM再继续应用ADV治疗36周和LAM治疗组40例,继续应用LAM。结果 ADV治疗组患者在治疗24周和48周时HBV DNA水平下降明显优于LAM组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;ADV组治疗24周和48周时,血清HBeAg阴转率分别为31．7％和34．1％,血清HBeAg／抗-HBe转换率为24．4％和22．0％,丙氨酸氨基转移酶复常率为56．1％和68．3％,均显著优于LAM组（P〈0．05）。治疗中无不良反应发生。结论 ADV能有效安全地治疗LAM耐药性慢性乙型肝炎患者。     

乙型肝炎肝硬化失代偿期初始拉米夫定和阿德福韦酯联合抗病毒治疗的疗效观察

目的研究拉米夫定（LAM）初始联合阿德福韦酯（ADV）治疗乙型肝炎肝硬化失代偿期患者的疗效与安全性。方法30例HBeAg阳性乙型肝炎肝硬化失代偿期患者,分为LAM初始联合ADV治疗组和变异后联合组,疗程均为48周。结果初始联合组与变异后联合组患者ALT与TBil在治疗4、12、24与48周均较基线明显好转（P〈0．05）,治疗4、12周后,两组均无HBVDNA转阴的患者,治疗24周后,分别有4例（40％）初始联合组与4例（20％）变异后联合组患者HBVDNA转阴,但差异无统计学意义。治疗48周后,初始联合组与变异后联合组HBVDNA转阴率分别为90％（9／10）与40％（8／20）,HBeAg／抗-HBe血清转换率分别为60％（6／10）与20％（4／20）,两组间差异均具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。初始联合组患者Child—Pugh评分在48周时,优于变异后联合组（P〈0．05）。结论ADV初始联合LAM治疗在改善乙型肝炎肝硬化失代偿期患者临床状况及抗病毒方面均明显优于变异后联合治疗。     

慢性 HBV 感染者 HBV 基因型检测与抗病毒治疗的相关性

目的研究乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）基因型与抗病毒治疗前后患者血清HBVDNA载量、肝功能和HBeAg的相关性及其临床意义。方法采用巢式聚合酶链反应（PCR）杂交法对67例慢性乙型肝炎患者HBV进行基因分型,分别用快速自动验证法、荧光定量PCR法和ELISA法检测患者治疗前,治疗6、12个月后的血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、HBVDNA载量和HBV血清标志物。结果89例慢性乙型肝炎患者HBV基因型为B型48例,占66．7％,C型14例,占27．6％,B、C混合型3例,占3．4％,未分型2例,占2．3％;抗病毒治疗前,B基因型患者的ALT[（141．3±4．6）U/L]低于C基因型患者[（222．5±6．3）U/L],差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;B、C基因型患者HBVDNA载量分别为（6．3±1．0）和（6．6±1．1）log10拷贝/mL,差异无统计学意义;抗病毒治疗后,B、C基因型患者ALT和HBVDNA载量均比治疗前降低,且B基因型患者HBVDNA载量显著低于C基因型患者（P＜0．05）;B基因型患者的HBeAg阴转率（74．9％）和HBVDNA阴转率（41．7％）显著高于C基因型,分别为21．4％和28．6％（P＜0．05）。结论江苏地区HBV基因型以B型占显著优势,其次是C型,B基因型的临床表现轻于C基因型,对抗病毒治疗的应答更好,且较C基因型有更高的HBeAg阴转率。     

乙型肝炎肝硬化患者HBV血清学模式与病毒载量关系的研究

目的通过分析乙型肝炎肝硬化患者HBV血清学模式、HBVDNA、肝功能,探讨乙型肝炎肝硬化患者抗病毒治疗的临床意义。方法回顾性分析168例乙型肝炎肝硬化患者的病史、血清病毒学指标、肝功能,按不同的指标进行分组、比较。结果168例乙型肝炎肝硬化患者中以HBVDNA阳性者占绝大多数（91．0％）,其中HBeAg阴性者占81．0％;分组比较提示HBVDNA阳性组ALT、AST显著高于阴性组,ALT异常组HBVDNA载量明显高于ALT正常组（P〈0．01）;不同Child—Push分级之间HBVDNA载量无显著性差异。结论乙型肝炎肝硬化住院患者以HBVDNA阳性及HBeAg阴性者居多,HBVDNA呈较高水平复制者,肝脏炎症损害亦较重,故应及早予以抗病毒治疗。     

血浆置换对慢性重型乙型肝炎的影响

观察血浆置换（PE）治疗慢性重型乙型肝炎的疗效、安全性。将慢性重型乙型肝炎140例随机分成治疗组和对照组。治疗组在综合内科治疗的基础上加PE疗法,对照组只进行综合内科治疗。分析两组的疗效,预后和不良反应。治疗组症状好转率（57／70）81．4％,对照组（45／70）64．3％,P〈0．05。PE治疗前后血清总胆红紊（TBil）、血清转氨酶（ALT）明显下降、白蛋白（ALB）明显升高、凝血酶原时间（PT）明显缩短,但未发生严重并发症。PE可改善慢性重型乙型肝炎患者的临床症状及生化指标,降低病死率。     

HBV DNA阳性慢性重型乙型肝炎的抗病毒疗效分析

目的：探讨核苷类抗病毒药治疗对HBV DNA阳性慢性重型乙型肝炎患者短期生存率的影响及不同药物的疗效差异。方法：将入院时432例HBV DNA阳性的慢性重型乙型肝炎患者分为两组：230例为抗病毒组（根据服用不同抗病毒药又分为3组）,202例为对照组。比较两组患者治疗12周的生存率及总胆红素（TBil）、凝血酶原活动度（PTA）、HBV DNA转阴率的差异,同时比较不同抗病毒药物治疗12周的生存率差异和生化指标及HBV DNA阴转的差异。结果：①治疗12周生存率抗病毒组为70.70%,对照组为58.50%,两组比较差异有显著性意义（P〈0.05）。②治疗12周HBV DNA阴转率,抗病毒组为69.06%（96/139）,对照组为32.29%（31/96）,两组比较差异有显著性意义（P〈0.01）。③不同抗病毒药物中12周生存率,恩替卡韦组为73.30%,拉米夫定组70.50%,替比夫定组67.70%,3种药物比较差异无显著性意义（P〉0.05）。④治疗12周时患者TBil、PTA、HBV DNA转阴率拉米夫定组分别为（83.63±99.47）μmol/L、（58.57±16.69）%、65.08%,替比夫定组分别为（102.33±113.58）μmol/L、（55.61±15.98）%、69.23%,恩替卡韦组分别为（70.66±108.86）μmol/L、（57.46±17.12）%、74.00%。3组比较差异均无显著性意义（P〉0.05）。结论：抗病毒治疗可以改善慢性重型乙型肝炎的预后及肝功能,常用的3种核苷类药物疗效的差异无统计学意义。     

Factors related to post-treatment relapse in chronic hepatitis B patients who lost HBeAg after lamivudine therapy

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It is uncertain if a patient's lamivudine response after HBeAg loss is durable. In Korean chronic hepatitis B patients, the relapse rate is high after termination of lamivudine therapy for patients with HBeAg loss. We evaluated the factors related to relapse in chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg loss after lamivudine therapy. METHODS: A total of 132 chronic hepatitis B patients, who initially had HBeAg and did not have decompensated features, were analyzed in this study. These patients lost the HBeAg after lamivudine therapy and then their therapy was stopped. Post-treatment serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBeAg, anti-HBe and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA were monitored until relapse. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients relapsed (cumulative relapse rate: 56% at 6 months). Upon univariate analysis, the factors of age, serum total bilirubin, presence of anti-HBe after HBeAg loss, and the duration of additional lamivudine therapy after HBeAg loss were associated with relapse. Upon multivariate analysis, older age, a higher serum total bilirubin and the shorter duration of additional lamivudine therapy were significant risk factors for relapse. Patterns of relapse were the re-elevation of ALT, re-emergence of HBV DNA (69 patients) and reappearance of HBeAg (55 patients). CONCLUSIONS: To prevent relapse in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection after lamivudine therapy, age and serum bilirubin level of patients as well as a prolonged duration of additional lamivudine therapy should be considered.     

Living donor liver transplantation for hepatitis B cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has particular advantages for Turkey where hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most common cause of cirrhosis, both because LDLT circumvents the difficulties encountered in the emerging world in providing deceased donor organs, and because it allows preemptive antiviral therapy. The aim of this study was to review one institution's experience with LDLT in patients with chronic HBV infection. METHODS: A total of 109 patients with chronic HBV infection underwent LDLT between September 1999 and June 2005, of whom 40 were coinfected with hepatitis D virus and 23 had hepatocellular carcinoma. Antiviral prophylaxis was attempted in all, beginning prior to transplantation with lamivudine or adefovir, and continuing after transplantation with low dose intramuscular hyperimmune B immunoglobulin (HBIg) plus lamivudine or adefovir. RESULTS: In a median follow up of 20 months (range 1-66 months), there was no donor mortality. One-year recipient survival was 90%, and in total 16 recipients died. None of the deaths was related to HBV. Recurrence of HBV infection was detected by reappearance of serum hepatitis B surface antigen in six patients (5.5%) at 5, 8, 12, 17, 34 and 46 months after transplantation, respectively. There was no influence of donor hepatitis B core antibody status on the likelihood of recurrence of HBV in the allograft. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that LDLT with antiviral treatment and low dose HBIg provides excellent results for donors and recipients.     

Replication of clinical hepatitis B virus isolate and its application for selecting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM： To establish a cell model harboring replicative clinical hepatitis B virus （HBV） isolates and evaluate its application in individualized selection of anti-HBV agents for chronic hepatitis B （CHB） patients.
METHODS： The full-length HBV genomic DNA from 8 CHB patients was amplified by polymerase chain reaction （PCR）. All the patients were treated with lamivudine for at least seven months and finally became resistant to lamivudine. The amplified HBV DNA fragments were inserted into pHY106 vectors by Sap Ⅰ digestion. The recombinant plasmids containing 1.1 copies of HBV genome were transiently transfected into Huh7 cell line, and the levels of HBsAg, HBeAg and intercellular HBV replicative intermediates were determined by ELISA and Southern blot analysis, respectively, with or without lamivudine and adefovir treatment. The antiviral treatment with adefovir was administered to the patients and analyzed in parallel.
RESULTS： A total of 25 independent HBV isolates were obtained from the sera of 8 patients, each patient had at least two isolates. One isolate from each individual was selected and subcloned into pHY106 vector, including 5 isolates with YVDD mutation and 3 isolates with YIDD mutation. All recombinant plasmids harboring HBV isolates were transfected into Huh7 cells. The results indicated that HBV genome carried in HBV replicons of clinical HBV isolates could effectively replicate and express in Huh7 cells. Adefovir, but not lamivudine, inhibited HBV replication both in vitro and in vivo, and in vitro inhibition was dose-dependent.
CONCLUSION： The novel method described herein enables individualized selection of anti-HBV agents in clinic and is useful in future studies of antiviral therapy for CHB.     

Early response to lamivudine therapy in clinically non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients with decompensation.

This study aimed to elucidate the rate and predictors of early (6 months) therapeutic responses to lamivudine, the rate of early mortality and the use of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Index in predicting the survival in patients with a clinical diagnosis of non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B with decompensation. Ninety-eight patients with lamivudine therapy were enrolled and MELD and Index scores were calculated. Surviving patients were treated with lamivudine for more than 6 months. Four (4.1%) of the 98 patients died after initiation of lamivudine therapy. After a 6-month lamivudine therapy, 80 (85.1%) patients and 71 (75.5%) patients had normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values and negative hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (<200 copies/mL), respectively, and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients had a significantly higher rate of negative HBV DNA than HBeAg-positive patients (P=0.002). The rates of HBeAg seroconversion and negative HBV DNA were 28.8 and 63.5%, respectively, and patients with HBeAg seroconversion had a significantly higher rate of negative HBV DNA (P=0.004). By multivariate analyses, older age, HBV nongenotype B infection, negative HBeAg and higher ALT levels were factors associated with negative HBV DNA, and a higher ALT level was associated with HBeAg seroconversion at month 6 after lamivudine therapy. MELD score and Index score were significantly associated with death and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting survival were 0.936 and 0.907 respectively. We concluded that after 6-month lamivudine therapy, the patients who survived achieved favourable biochemical, virological responses and rate of HBeAg seroconversion. Both MELD and Index scoring systems are good models to predict the 6-month survival.     

Management of YMDD mutations during lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Lamivudine is a nuleoside analog with potent inhibitory effects on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Prolonged therapy is required for sustained suppression. However, HBV species with mutations in the tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) locus of the HBV-RNA-dependent DNA polymerase confering resistance to lamivudine may emerge after 6-9 months therapy with an incidence of 38% and 67% after 2 and 4 years of lamivudine therapy, respectively. During continued lamivudine therapy, patients with YMDD mutant HBV usually show serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV-DNA elevations at lower median levels than their baseline. Marked flare of serum ALT or acute exacerbation may occurred as the results of cytotoxic T lymphocyte mediated immune response directed against YMDD mutant. Although viral clearance with or without emergence of distinct lamivudine resistant mutants may occur after such exacerbations, 20% of the exacerbations are complicated with decompensation or even fatality. The exacerbations appear to be more severe than those occur during the natural course of wild type HBV chronic infection. The current practice of continuing lamivudine therapy, therefore, requires careful evaluation. Alternatives include interferon therapy but this seems ineffective. Adefovir dipivoxil and entecavir may effectively suppress the YMDD mutant but these treatments have not yet been available for use. Recent studies have shown no benefit to continuing lamivudine therapy in patients with YMDD mutantions. Before a rescue drug becomes available, the most cost-effective strategy is to select patients with stronger endogenous anti-HBV immunity to increase efficacy and to shorten the duration of lamivudine therapy to avoid the emergence of YMDD mutations.     

拉米夫定治疗慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染的近期疗效

目的评价拉米夫定治疗不同临床类型慢性乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染的近期疗效。方法口服拉米夫定150mg,每日1次,连服6个月,治疗慢性乙型肝炎病人40例,肝炎肝硬化18例,慢性重型肝炎10例。观察其临床、生物化学、血清学和病毒学改变。结果（1）慢性乙型肝炎病情缓解。对照组病毒血症持续,27．5％病人于随访期内肝炎复发（P＜0．001）。同时观察拉米夫定联用干扰素治疗病人20例,未见提高疗效。（2）肝炎肝硬化病情渐趋稳定,肝功能好转,Child—Pugh积分下降。（3）慢性重型肝炎除2例服药不足3个月死亡外,余8例病情缓解,随着肝功能改善,生活质量显著好转。结论拉米夫定适用于治疗慢性乙型肝炎,对处于HBV复制状态的肝硬化和重型肝炎也有效。     

拉米夫定治疗慢性重型乙型肝炎近期临床疗效观察

目的 观察拉米夫定治疗慢性重型乙型肝炎的疗效。方法 31例患者给予拉米夫定100mg口服,每日一次,观察患者病死率、病毒量、血清病毒标志物及生化指标的改变。结果 治疗组病死率为32.2％,较对照组54.8％明显下降,病毒量明显减少,生化指标改善。结论 拉米夫定治疗慢性乙型重型肝炎似有一定的近期疗效。     

Lamivudine treatment for hepatitis B reactivation in HBsAg carriers after organ transplantation: a 4-year experience

BACKGROUND: Reactivation of hepatitis B after organ transplantation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers may be fatal. In this study, we reported our experience of lamivudine treatment in HBsAg carriers who had post-transplant reactivation of hepatitis B. METHODS: The patients were 15 men and one woman. Nine received kidney transplants, six received heart transplants, and one received a lung transplant. They developed a reactivation of hepatitis B 1-101 months (median, 14 months) after transplantation. They received lamivudine 100 mg daily on a compassionate-use basis, and had regular follow ups. The median pretreatment total serum bilirubin level was 3.0 mg/dL, and the alanine aminotransferase level was 357 U/L. Four of the 16 patients were positive for HBeAg. The serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were > 3000 pg/mL in 13 (81%) patients. Three were coinfected with hepatitis C virus. RESULTS: The overall survival rate was 75%. All four fatal cases had a pretreatment total serum bilirubin level of > or = 3 mg/dL. Serum HBV-DNA soon became undetectable in 12 survivors. Of the 12 survivors, after a median treatment period of 101 weeks, a lamivudine-resistant strain with variation in the YMDD motif of the HBV polymerase gene developed in three (25%). None had significant adverse reactions to lamivudine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that lamivudine is effective in the treatment of post-transplant hepatitis B reactivation, including patients with dual chronic hepatitis B and C. Early recognition of HBV reactivation and prompt lamivudine treatment are important to prevent mortality.     

Clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently detectable serum hepatitis B virus DNA during lamivudine therapy

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A small proportion of chronic hepatitis B patients have persistently detectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA despite lamivudine therapy. The incidence and clinical outcomes of patients who persistently have detectable serum HBV-DNA during lamivudine therapy was investigated. METHOD: We enrolled 221 chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent lamivudine therapy for more than 6 months. Among them, 180 were HBeAg positive. Serum HBV-DNA, HBeAg, anti-HBe and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were serially monitored. The study groups were defined, using a hybridization assay, as patients with reductions in serum HBV-DNA below the detectable level (group I) or patients with persistently detectable serum HBV-DNA (group II) during the initial 6 months of lamivudine therapy. RESULTS: The incidence of patients who had persistently detectable HBV-DNA was 7.7%. After the first year, the rates of viral breakthrough, HBeAg loss and serum ALT normalization of group I versus group II were 21% versus 63%, 38% versus 0%, and 71% versus 28%, respectively (P < 0.001). The log(10) reduction of serum HBV-DNA at 6 months was -4.58 log(10) for group I and -1.97 log(10) for group II (P < 0.001, bDNA assay). There were no pretreatment lamivudine-resistant mutants in group II. CONCLUSION: Lamivudine had little effect on serum HBV-DNA suppression, viral breakthrough suppression and rate of HBeAg loss and ALT normalization in chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently detectable serum HBV-DNA during the initial 6 months of therapy. Early termination of lamivudine therapy is advocated for these patients.