Adefovir dipivoxil for the treatment of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B mutants.
BACKGROUND
The recurrence of chronic hepatitis B after liver transplantation results in increased risk for graft failure and death of patients. Lamivudine has been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, but resistance to this agent is common after prolonged administration.


METHODS
One patient with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection developed resistance to lamivudine after 15 months of treatment. The resistance was confirmed by mutation in the HBV DNA polymerase gene. The patient was treated subsequently with adefovir dipivoxil for 7 months.


RESULTS
HBV DNA and HBsAg were tested negative, but HBeAb and HBsAb were positive.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides an evidence that adefovir dipivoxil can be effective in the treatment of lamivudine-resistant HBV mutants.
Department of Liver Surgery, Hebei Province People's Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050051, China. zhangwx12@hotmail.com
Wan-Xing
WX
Zhang
Vincent
V
Lai
David
D
Mutimer
Darius
D
Mirza
D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004279:DNA, Viral; D063065:Organophosphonates; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D000225:Adenine; C106812:adefovir dipivoxil