title: Successful treatment of HBs and HBeAg positive chronic liver disease: prolonged inhibition of viral replication by highly soluble adenine arabinoside 5'-monophosphate (ARA-AMP).
abstract: In eight HBs and HBe antigen positive patients with chronic active liver disease, adenine arabinoside 5'-monophosphate (ARA-AMP) given, intravenously or intramuscularly, six or 12 hours, produced inhibition of viral replication. In five patients given a short course of therapy with 10 or 15 mg/kg/day this effect was transient and in two thrombocytopenia occurred. In three further consecutive cases given a longer course with 5 mg/kg/day after five days of the high dose, thrombocytopenia was not seen and inhibition of viral replication for up to 13 months occurred. These patients lost HBV-DNA polymerase activity, serum viral DNA and HBeAg, developed anti-HBe, and HBsAg concentrations decreased. A course of twice daily intramuscular ARA-AMP given for three to five weeks as an outpatient may be expected to produce a long-term reduction in infectivity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001088:Arabinonucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000097:blood; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001084:Vidarabine Phosphate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001088:Arabinonucleotides; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D001084:Vidarabine Phosphate; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase