Treatment of chronic hepatitis B with lamivudine in renal transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Lamivudine is a potent inhibitor of hepatitis B virus replication. Little has been reported about the efficacy and safety of lamivudine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in the setting of renal transplantation.


METHODS
Two patients were treated for chronic hepatitis B with lamivudine and subsequently underwent renal transplantation. Four other patients were treated with lamivudine for reactivation of hepatitis B after renal transplantation. Chronic hepatitis B was proven histologically in all the patients. The doses of lamivudine ranged from 100 to 150 mg/day. Hepatic enzyme and viral markers were monitored.


RESULTS
Lamivudine was well tolerated for a median duration of 8 months (range, 4-14 months) without significant side effects. Viral replication was suppressed, as evidenced by negative conversion of serum hepatitis B virus DNA in all the patients. Hepatic enzyme was also normalized. Modification of doses of immunosuppressant regimen was not required in using lamivudine in all patients. One patient experienced acute rejection and responded to solumedrol pulse therapy with normalization of graft function. Normal graft function was maintained in other patients while they were treated with lamivudine.


CONCLUSIONS
Lamivudine was a safe and effective therapy for activated hepatitis B in renal transplant recipients in the short term.
Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
Y O
YO
Jung
Y S
YS
Lee
W S
WS
Yang
D J
DJ
Han
J S
JS
Park
S K
SK
Park
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase