title: [Comparison of lamivudine-induced HBsAg loss rate according to age in children with chronic hepatitis B].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to establish the characteristics of children with hepatitis B e antigens (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B who were cleared of hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) as a result of lamivudine treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six children with chronic hepatitis B who were seropositive for HBeAg were treated with lamivudine for at least 6 months. HBeAg seroconversion occurred during treatment in 49 of these children, who were then followed up to assess their clearance of serum HBsAg. Various clinical variables were compared between those patients who were cleared of HBsAg and those who were not, including age, pretreatment serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, treatment duration, the time elapsed between initiation of treatment and ALT normalization, HBV DNA negativization, HBeAg seroconversion, and HBsAg clearance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBsAg disappeared in 13 of the 49 (26.5%) patients who experienced lamivudine-induced HBeAg seroconversion; HBsAg did not reappear during follow-up period (1-86 months). The time that elapsed between initiation of lamivudine treatment and total HBsAg clearance was 25.9+/-27.1 months (mean+/-SD; range: 5-104 months). The age at which treatment was initiated was the only factor associated with HBsAg clearance. Children who were cleared of HBsAg were significantly younger than those who were not (5.1+/-4.3 years vs. 7.9+/-4.9 years, respectively; P=0.006). All 13 of these patients eventually produced antibodies to HBsAg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Younger children (age <7 years old) have a higher chance of HBsAg clearance than older children after the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B with lamivudine.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors: Jung-mi
authors: JM
authors: Kim
authors: Byung-Ho
authors: BH
authors: Choe
authors: Mi Ae
authors: MA
authors: Chu
authors: Seung Man
authors: SM
authors: Cho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine