title: [The relationship between HBV genotypes and the efficacy of antiviral therapies in hepatitis B e antigen- positive patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between HBV genotypes and the efficacy of antiviral therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  HBV genotypes of 90 hepatitis B e antigen positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were determined by PCR sandwich hybridization-ELISA technique. Forty-one patients with CHB were treated with lamivudine (100 mg/day) for 48 weeks and 49 patients with CHB were given alpha-interferon (3 MU/QOD) therapy for 48 weeks. The serological, biochemical and virological symbols were measured before, during and after treatment for all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 90 patients, genotype B HBV was found in 16 and C in 74. There was no difference in the rate of response to lamivudine treatment between patients with genotype B or C HBV (33.3% vs. 20.0%) after 48 weeks treatment with lamivudine in the 41 patients. Of the 49 HBeAg positive CHB patients treated with alpha-interferon for 48 weeks, in HBV genotype B and C patients the rates of normalization of ALT were 60.0% and 20.5%; the rate of HBeAg turning to negativity was 50.0% and 17.9%; and the rate of HBV DNA undetectability was 50.0% and 17.9%. The rate of response to the interferon treatment was significantly higher in patients with HBV genotype B compared to those with genotype C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that there is no influence on the lamivudine treatment effects for the HBV genotype B and C CHB patients, but the alpha-interferon treatment for HBV genotype B CHB patients is more effective than that for the genotype C ones.
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Infectious Diseases Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Huai-bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Li-min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Gui-ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shu-ren
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng-zhen
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019259:Lamivudine