Korean J Hepatol > Volume 6(3); 2000 > Article
The Korean Journal of Hepatology 2000;6(3): 301-310.
원저 : 만성 활동성 B 형 간염에서 Lamivudine 의 간혈적 유지요법 ( Long - term Outcome of Chronic Hepatitis B According to the New Histological Classification )
Novel Maintenance Therapy with Lamivudine in Patients with Chronic Active Viral Hepatitis B
Sung Pyo Hong, M.D., Chang Il Kwon, M.D., June Sung Lee, M.D., Kyung Chul Kim, M.D., Sung Kyu Hwang, M.D., Pil Won Park, M.D., Gyu Sung Rim, M.D. and Sehyun Kim, Ph.D.1
Department of Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine1, Pundang CHA Hospital, Pochon CHA University College of Medicine, Sungnam, Korea
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims
This study was conducted to determine the effect of novel long-term maintenance treatment with lamivudine by gradual lengthening of the medication interval in patients with chronic active viral hepatitis B. Method: All patients were non-responder, relapsed or intolerable patients to previous interferon therapy. Patients were divided into a drug-interval changing study and a daily continual medication control group. Drug-interval changing protocol with gradual lengthening of the medication interval after conversion to undetectable HBV-DNA in serum and reduction of serum aminotransferase to normal level was monitored monthly. Results: Before treatment, 15 patients of the drug-interval change group and 11 patients of the daily medication group were similar in laboratory and pathologic findings. Mean follow-up periods were 12.8 moths and 11.4 months respectively. HBeAg seroconversion rate was higher in patients in the daily medication group (86.7% vs. 40.0%, p<0.05). The odds of loss of HBeAg, development of anti-HBe, and suppression of HBV-DNA are about 11 times, 7 times, and 8 times higher in the drug-interval change group compared with the daily medication group, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Drug-interval lengthening method was effective in long-term suppression of viral replication with low cost.
KeyWords: Hepatitis/Viral/Chronic viral hepatitis B, Lamivudine, Maintenance therapy

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