[Results of 12-month lamivudine therapy of chronic hepatitis B in children].
The aim of this study was to assess the results of 12-month lamivudine therapy in children with chronic hepatitis B.


METHODS
The study included 24 children (14 boys and 10 girls) aged from 7 to 18 years with chronic hepatitis B diagnosed according to current criteria. Lamivudine was administred in a daily dose of 3-5 mg/kg up to 100 mg for twelve months. The efficiency of treatment was estimated on the basis of absence of HBV DNA in blood serum, loss of HBeAg and normalization of ALT activity.


RESULTS
Total virusological response and biochemical response were achieved in 6 children after twelve months of lamivudine therapy. In 4 children, absence of HBV DNA without the loss of HBeAg and without the normalization of ALT activity were observed. Fourteen children did not respond to 12-month of lamivudine therapy (the lack of HBV DNA elimination and the lack of HBeAg loss). None of the children showed elimination of HBsAg and production of HBs antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment is very well tolerated and does not cause undesired side effects.
Woźniakowska-Gesicka
Teresa
T
III Klinika Pediatri Instytutu Centrum Zdrowia Matki Polki w Lodzi. IIIKlinikaPed@pharmanet.com.pl
Kupś
Joanna
J
Wiśniewska-Ligier
Małgorzata
M
Dzwonek
Agnieszka
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine