To assess the results from lamivudine treatment (100 mg or 150 mg) for chronic hepatitis B, 34 patients were followed at a clinic in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. Among them, 21 (62%) had liver cirrhosis and 24 (70%) were HBeAg-positive. The viral genotype was determined for 18 patients, among whom genotype A was the most prevalent (12). The median follow-up was 27 months (range from 7 to 64 months). Among the total, 23 (67%) presented a biochemical response after 2 to 24 months of treatment. Among the 24 HBeAg-positive subjects, 13 (54%) became HBeAg-negative during the follow-up. Among the anti-HBe-positive patients, 70% obtained normalization of aminotransferase levels. Fourteen (41%) did not present any initial biochemical or serological response or presented breakthrough. The L180M and M204V mutations were found in six of the non-responders. Four patients died after at least 21 months of lamivudine and three patients with liver cirrhosis developed liver cancer after 24 months. From the third year onwards, complications such as digestive system hemorrhage or liver cancer started to emerge. The present findings suggest that an early response to lamivudine treatment may be associated with better control over chronic hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B virus; Treatment; Lamivudine; Antiviral agents
