title: Durability of antiviral response in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who maintained virologic response for one year after lamivudine discontinuation.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the long-term relapse rate and associated risk factors in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who had maintained virologic response (VR) for 1 year after lamivudine (LMV) discontinuation. We enrolled 55 treatment-naive HBeAg-positive CHB patients who achieved and maintained VR until 1 year after LMV discontinuation. Delayed relapse was defined as an elevation of HBV DNA after sustained VR for 1 year. During follow-up, 16 of 55 patients (29%) showed delayed relapse. Beginning 1 year after LMV discontinuation, the cumulative rates of relapse after 2 and 4 years were 29 and 44%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age (P = 0.029) and >2,000 copies/ml HBV DNA 3 months after LMV discontinuation (P = 0.047) were significant predictors of delayed relapse. Delayed relapse is not infrequent, even in patients who maintain VR for 1 year after LMV discontinuation. Therefore, LMV maintenance therapy might be considered in HBeAg-positive CHB patients who achieve VR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 97, Guro-Dong Gil, Guro-Dong, Guro-Ku, Seoul, 152-703, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Moon Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Chung Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Kul
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Hyung Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Jong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Jong-Jae
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Seon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Bak
authors.forename: Kwan Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Byun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine