title: Additional benefit of lamivudine treatment as a preventive therapy for hepatic encephalopathy in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis associated with hepatitis B.
abstract: Lamivudine has previously been found to be effective not only in patients with compensated liver disease due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) but also in those with hepatic decompensation. However, long-term follow-up of patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) has not been previously reported. We describe a patient with recurrent HE associated with decompensated liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B. After the initiation of treatment with lamivudine, manifestation of HE has not been observed for about 2 years and liver function has improved as well. This experience suggests that improved liver function using lamivudine may contribute to prevention from recurrence of HE.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. hanadas@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Ryukichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumashiro
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019259:Lamivudine