title: Effect of hepatitis B virus genotypes on the efficacy of adefovir dipivoxil antiviral therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B is a common infectious disease in China. Many studies have shown that the genotype of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is probably associated with the efficacy of some antiviral drugs such as interferon α (IFN-α) and Lamivudine (LAM). However, the association between HBV genotype and adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is controversial. ADV is the most popular antiviral drug in China due to its low price, good antiviral efficacy, few side effects, and convenient of administration.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study focused on the effect of HBV genotypes on antiviral efficacy of ADV in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 526 HBeAg-positive patients with CHB were randomly allocated into two groups. One group took ADV and another group took placebo. Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with multiple pairs of genotype-specific primers (nPCR-MPP) was used to analyze genotypes of HBV in these patients. Antiviral efficacy after treatment for three, six, 12 months was compared among the patients with different HBV genotypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype B (73.6%) and genotype C (26.4%) were detected in these patients. After treatment for 12 months, the rate of HBV DNA seroclearance, ALT normalization, and HBeAg seroconversion were significantly higher in ADV group than in placebo group (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in these three rates between patients infected with genotype B and C (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBV genotypes B and C have no significant difference in virologic, biochemical, and immunologic response to ADV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Infectious Disease Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Zhili
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Infectious Disease Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Haiming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Meiying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Deming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, People's Liberation Army Hospital 163, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Infectious Disease Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Infectious Disease Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Infectious Disease Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
keywords: Adefovir Dipivoxil; Genotype; Hepatitis B virus