title: Dynamics of plasma hepatitis B virus levels after highly active antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The optimal strategy to prescribe highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in patients infected with both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains unsettled. This study aimed to compare the HBV dynamics between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative coinfected patients treated with lamivudine-containing HAART.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the serial changes of plasma HBV DNA levels in 24 HBsAg-positive HIV-infected patients who entered the HAART program. A polymerase chain reaction-based assay, capable of quantifying as few as 400 HBV copies/ml, was used. The median follow-up time was 18 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HAART containing lamivudine 300 mg/day effectively suppressed plasma HBV-DNA to 10(-3)-10(-5)-fold of the baseline levels, but a multi-phasic decay of HBV DNA was observed. The later phases became flat, as a persistent residual HBV viremia, in eight of the studied 10 HBeAg-positive patients; in contrast, residual HBV viremia was not observed in the 10 HBeAg-negative patients studied (8/10 vs. 0/10, P=0.0007, Fisher's exact test). HAART without lamivudine did not suppress plasma HBV DNA levels in the remaining four patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HAART containing lamivudine 300 mg/day effectively suppress HBV replication in HBeAg-negative HIV/HBV-coinfected patients. Nevertheless, residual HBV replication persisted in most HBeAg-positive coinfected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Tai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Pei-Jer
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mao-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: An-Lung
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ding-Shinn
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine