title: Comparison of interferon and lamivudine treatment in Japanese patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: The aim of this study was to elucidate the long-term outcome after interferon (IFN) or lamivudine (LMV) treatment in Japanese patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B. Inclusion criteria were biopsy proven chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis, no history of IFN or LMV treatment. Three hundred twenty-seven patients satisfied above criteria were treated with IFN or LMV. The primary end point of our study was serum clearance of HBeAg and decrease of serum HBV-DNA to < or =5 LEG/ml after the initiation of treatment. This study was a retrospective cohort study. Attainment of serum clearance of HBeAg and decrease of serum HBV-DNA to < or =5 LEG/ml was regarded as response. Two hundred eighty-six patients had got response after the initiation of treatment. The cumulative rate of response was 28.0% in the first year, 56.2% at the 5th year and 82.5% at the 10th year. Response occurred when HBV-DNA load was high level of more than 7 LEG/ml, and serum ALT level was more than 100 IU/L, HBV genotype was B. IFN and LMV were the similar effect on response (P = 0.410). On IFN therapy, cumulative rate of response in patients of <35 years was higher than that in patients > or =35 years (P = 0.002). Our results suggest that (1) IFN and LMV are the similar effect on response, (2) IFN therapy is more effective for younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuji
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019259:Lamivudine; D016899:Interferon-beta