[The relationship between HBV genotypes and the efficacy of antiviral therapies in hepatitis B e antigen- positive patients].
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.
Zou
Huai-bin
HB
Tianjin Infectious Diseases Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
Zhu
Li-min
LM
Zhao
Gui-ming
GM
Liang
Shu-ren
SR
Li
Jia
J
Lu
Cheng-zhen
CZ
Li
Hai
H
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019259:Lamivudine